This Vessel was a small French Ship, laden with Liquors from Martinico, first commanded by one Fourgette, to trade with the pyrates for Slaves, at Ambonawoula, on the East Side the Island, in the Lat. of 17. 30. and was by them taken after the following Manner.
The pyrates, who were headed by George Booth, Commander of the Ship, went on board (as they had often done) to the Number of ten, and carried Money with them under Pretence of purchasing what they wanted. (This Booth had formerly been Gunner of a Pyrate Ship, called the Dolphin) Captain Fourgette was pretty much upon his Guard, and searched every Man as he came over the Side, and a Pair of Pocket Pistols were found upon a Dutchman, who was the first enter'd; the Captain told him, he was a Rogue, and had a
Design upon his Ship, and the Pprates pretended to be so angry with this Fellow's offering to come on board with Arms, that they threatned to knock on the Head, and tossing him roughly into the Boat, ordered him ashore, tho’ they had before taken an Oath on the Bible, either to carry the Ship or die in the Undertaking.
They were all searched, but they however contrived to get on board 4 Pistols, which were all the Arms they had for the Enterprize, tho’ Fourgette had 20 Hands on board, and his small Arms on the Arning to be in Readiness.
The Captain invited them into the Cabbin to Dinner, but Booth chose to dine with the petty Officers, tho’ one Johnson, Isaac, and another, went down.
Booth was to give the Watch Word, which was Hurrah; he pretending to make Water over the Side of the Gunnel, laid his Hand on the Arning, and being a nimble Fellow, at one Spring threw himself upon it, drew the Arms to him, fired his Pistol forward among the Men, one of whom he wounded, (who jumping over-board was lost) and gave the Signal.
Three I said were in the Cabbin, and seven upon Deck, who with Handspikes and the Arms seized, secured the Ship's Crew. The Captain and his two Mates, who were at Dinner in the Cabbin, hearing the Pistol, fell upon Johnson, and stabb'd him in several Places with their Forks, but they being Silver, did him no great Damage. Fourgette snatch'd his Piece which he snapp'd at Isaac's Breast several Times, but it would not go off; at last, finding his Resistance vain, he submitted, and the pyrates set him, and those of his Men who would not join them, on Shore, allowing him to take his Books, Papers, and whatever else he claimed as belonging to himself; and besides treating him very humanly gave him several Casks of Liquor, with Arms and Powder, to purchase Provisions in the Country.
I hope this Digression, as it was in a Manner needful, will be excused; I shall now proceed.
After they had taken in the Dolphin's Company, which were on the Island, and encreased by that Means their Crew to the Number of 80 Hands, they sail'd to St. Mary's, where Captain Mosson's Ship lay at Anchor, between the Island and the Main: This Gentleman and his whole Ship's Company had been cut off, at the Instigation of Ort Vantyle, a Dutchman of New-York.
Out of her they took Water Casks and other Necessaries, which having done, they designed for the River Methelage, on the West Side Madagascar, in the Lat. of 16 or thereabouts, to salt up Provisions and to proceed to the East Indies, cruize off the Islands of St. John, and lie in Wait for the Moors Ships from Mocha.
In their Way to Methelage they fell in (as I have said) with the Pyrate, on board of which was Captain White; they join'd Company, came to an Anchor together in the above-nam'd River, where they had cleaned, salted up, taken in their Provisions, and were ready to go to Sea, when a large Ship appeared in Sight, and stood into the same River.
The pyrates knew not whether she was a Merchant Man or Man of War; she had been the latter, belonging to the French King, and could mount 50 Guns; but being taken by the English, she was bought by some London Merchants, and fitted out from that Port, to slave at Madagascar, and go to Jamaica. The Captain was a young unexperienced Man, who was put in with a Nurse.
The pyrates sent their Boats to speak with him, but the Ship firing at them, they concluded it a Man of War, and rowed to Shore, the two pyrates slipp'd and run ashore; the Grabb standing in, and not keeping her Wind so well as the French built Ship, run among a Parcel of Mangroves, and a Stump piercing her Bottom, she sunk; the other run aground, let go her Anchor, and came to no Damage, for the Tide of Flood fetch'd her off.
The Captain of the Speaker, for that was the Name of the Ship which frighten'd the pyrates, was not a little vain of having forced these two Vessels ashore, tho’ he did not know whether they were pyrates or Merchant Men, and could not help expressing himself in these Words; How will my Name ring on the Exchange, when it is known I have run two pyrates aground, which gave Handle to a satyrical Return from one of his Men after he was taken, who said, Lord, How our Captain's Name will ring on the Exchange, when it is heard, he frighten'd two Pyrate Ships ashore, and was taken by their two Boats afterwards.
When the Speaker came within Shot, she fired several at the two Vessels; and when she came to an Anchor, several more into the Country, which alarm'd the Negroes, who, acquainting their King, he would allow him no Trade, till the pyrates living ashore, and who had a Design on his Ship, interceded for ’em, telling the King, they were their Countrymen, and what had happened was thro’ a Mistake, it being a Custom among them to fire their Guns by Way of Respect, and it was owing to the Gunner of the Ship's Negligence, that they fir'd Shot.
The Captain of the Speaker sent his Purser ashore, to go up the Country to the King, who lived about 24 Miles from the Coast, to carry a couple of small Arms inlaid with Gold, a couple of Brass Blunderbusses, and a Pair of Pistols, as Presents, and to require Trade.
As soon as the Purser was ashore, he was taken Prisoner, by one Tom Collins, a Welchman, born in Pembroke, who lived on Shore, and had belong'd to the Charming Mary of Barbadoes, which went out with a Commission, but was converted to a Pyrate; he told the Purser, he was his Prisoner, and must answer the Damage done two Merchants, who were slaving.
The Purser answer'd, that he was not Commander, that the Captain was a hot rash Youth, put into a Business by his Friends, which he did not understand; but however, Satisfaction should be made.
He was carried by Collins on board Booth's Ship, where, at first, he was talked to in pretty strong Terms; but after a while very civilly us'd, and the next Morning sent up to the King with a Guide, and Peace made for him, as already said.
The King allowed them Trade, and sent down the usual Presents, a couple of Oxen, between 20 and 30 People laden with Rice, and as many more with the Country Liquor, called Toke.
The Captain then settled the Factory on the Shore Side, and began to buy Slaves and Provisions; the pyrates were among them, and had Opportunities of sounding the Men, and knowing in what Posture the Ship lay. They found by one Hugh Man, belonging to the Speaker, that there were not above 40 Men on board, and that they had lost the second Mate and 20 Hands in the Long Boat, on the Coast, before they came into this Harbour, but that they kept a good Look-out, and had their Guns ready primed; however, he, for a hundred Pounds, undertook to wet all the Priming, and assist in the taking the Ship.
After some Days the Captain of the Speaker came on Shore, and was received with a great Deal of Civility by the Heads of the pyrates, having agreed before to make Satisfaction; in a Day or two after, he was invited by them to eat a Barbacute Shoot, which Invitation he accepted.
After Dinner, Captain Bowen, who was, I have already said, a Prisoner on board the FrenchPyrate, but now become one of the Fraternity, and Master of the Grab, went out, and returned with a Case of Pistols in his Hand, and told the Captain of the Speaker, whose Name I won't mention, that he was his Prisoner; he asked, upon what Account? Bowen answered, they wanted a Ship, his was a good One, and they were resolved to have her, to make amends for the Damage he had done them.
In the mean while his Boats Crew, and the rest of his Men ashore, were told by other of the pyrates, who were drinking with them, that