length settled, the chief ordered two gun-boats to convey us near the
Antelope; we saw her just before dusk, when the Ladrone boats left us.
We had the inexpressible pleasure of arriving on board the Antelope at
seven, P.M., where we were most cordially received, and heartily
congratulated on our safe and happy deliverance from a miserable
captivity, which we had endured for eleven weeks and three days.

(Signed) "RICHARD GLASSPOOLE. _China, December 8th_. 1809."

"The Ladrones have no settled residence on shore, but live constantly in
their vessels. The after-part is appropriated to the captain and his
wives; he generally has five or six. With respect to the conjugal rights
they are religiously strict; no person is allowed to have a woman on
board, unless married to her according to their laws. Every man is
allowed a small berth, about four feet square, where he stows with his
wife and family. From the number of souls crowded in so small a space,
it must naturally be supposed they are horridly dirty, which is
evidently the case, and their vessels swarm with all kinds of vermin.
Rats in particular, which they encourage to breed, and eat as great
delicacies; in fact, there are very few creatures they will not eat.
During our captivity we lived three weeks on caterpillars boiled with
rice. They are much addicted to gambling, and spend all their leisure
hours at cards and smoking opium."

[Illustration: _The War Junks of the Ladrones._]

At the time of Mr. Glasspoole's liberation, the pirates were at the
height of their power; after such repeated victories over the Mandarin
ships, they had set at nought the Imperial allies--the Portuguese, and
not only the coast, but the rivers of the celestial empire seemed to be
at their discretion--and yet their formidable association did not many
months survive this event. It was not, however, defeat that reduced it
to the obedience of the laws. On the contrary, that extraordinary woman,
the widow of Ching-yih, and the daring Paou, were victorious and more
powerful than ever, when dissensions broke out among the pirates
themselves. Ever since the favor of the chieftainess had elevated Paou
to the general command, there had been enmity and altercations between
him and the chief O-po-tae, who commanded one of the flags or divisions
of the fleet; and it was only by the deference and respect they both
owed to Ching-yih's widow, that they had been prevented from turning
their arms against each other long before.

At length, when the brave Paou was surprised and cooped up by a strong
blockading force of the Emperor's ships, O-po-tae showed all his deadly
spite, and refused to obey the orders of Paou, and even of the
chieftainess, which were, that he should sail to the relief of his
rival.

Paou, with his bravery and usual good fortune, broke through the
blockade, but when he came in contact with O-po-tae, his rage was too
violent to be restrained.

O-po-tae at first pleaded that his means and strength had been
insufficient to do what had been expected of him, but concluded by
saying,--"Am I bound to come and join the forces of Paou?"

"Would you then separate from us!" cried Paou, more enraged than ever.

O-po-tae answered: "I will not separate myself."

Paou:--"Why then do you not obey the orders of the wife of Ching-yih and
my own? What is this else than separation, that you do not come to
assist me, when I am surrounded by the enemy? I have sworn it that I
will destroy thee, wicked man, that I may do away with this soreness on
my back."

The summons of Paou, when blockaded, to O-po-tae was in language
equally figurative:--"I am harassed by the Government's officers outside
in the sea; lips and teeth must help one another, if the lips are cut
away the teeth will feel cold. How shall I alone be able to fight the
Government forces? You should therefore come at the head of your crew,
to attack the Government squadron in the rear. I will then come out of
my station and make an attack in front; the enemy being so taken in the
front and rear, will, even supposing we cannot master him, certainly be
thrown into disorder."

The angry words of Paou were followed by others, and then by blows.
Paou, though at the moment far inferior in force, first began the fight,
and ultimately sustained a sanguinary defeat, and the loss of sixteen
vessels. Our loathing for this cruel, detestable race, must be increased
by the fact, that the victors massacred all their prisoners--or three
hundred men!

This was the death-blow to the confederacy which had so long defied the
Emperor's power, and which might have effected his dethronement.
O-po-tae dreading the vengeance of Paou and his mistress, Ching-yih's
widow, whose united forces would have quintupled his own, gained over
his men to his views, and proffered a submission to Government, on
condition of free pardon, and a proper provision for all.

The petition of the pirates is so curious a production, and so
characteristic of the Chinese, that it deserves to be inserted at
length. "It is my humble opinion that all robbers of an overpowering
force, whether they had their origin from this or any other cause, have
felt the humanity of Government at different times. Leang-sham, who
three times plundered the city, was nevertheless pardoned, and at last
made a minister of state. Wakang often challenged the arms of his
country, and was suffered to live, and at last made a corner-stone of
the empire. Joo-ming pardoned seven times Mang-hwo; and Kwan-kung three
times set Tsaou-tsaou at liberty. Ma-yuen pursued not the exhausted
robbers; and Yo-fei killed not those who made their submission. There
are many instances of such transactions both in former and recent times,
by which the country was strengthened, and government increased its
power. We now live in a very populous age; some of us could not agree
with their relations, and were driven out like noxious weeds. Some,
after having tried all they could, without being able to provide for
themselves, at last joined bad society. Some lost their property by
shipwrecks; some withdrew into this watery empire to escape from
punishment. In such a way those who in the beginning were only three or
five, were in the course of time increased to a thousand or ten
thousand, and so it went on increasing every year. Would it not have
been wonderful if such a multitude, being in want of their daily bread,
had not resorted to plunder and robbery to gain their subsistence, since
they could not in any other manner be saved from famine? It was from
necessity that the laws of the empire were violated, and the merchants
robbed of their goods. Being deprived of our land and of our native
places, having no house or home to resort to, and relying only on the
chances of wind and water, even could we for a moment forget our griefs,
we might fall in with a man-of-war, who with stones, darts, and guns,
would knock out our brains! Even if we dared to sail up a stream and
boldly go on with anxiety of mind under wind, rain, and stormy weather,
we must everywhere prepare for fighting. Whether we went to the east, or
to the west, and after having felt all the hardships of the sea, the
night dew was our only dwelling, and the rude wind our meal. But now we
will avoid these perils, leave our connexions, and desert our comrades;
we will make our submission. The power of Government knows no bounds; it
reaches to the islands in the sea, and every man is afraid, and sighs.
Oh we must be destroyed by our crimes, none can escape who opposeth the
laws of Government. May you then feel compassion for those who are
deserving of death; may you sustain us by your humanity!"

The Government that had made so many lamentable displays of its
weakness, was glad to make an unreal parade of its mercy. It was but too
happy to grant all the conditions instantly, and, in the fulsome
language of its historians, "feeling that compassion is the way of
heaven--that it is the right way to govern by righteousness--it
therefore redeemed these pirates from destruction, and pardoned their
former crimes."

O-po-tae, however, had hardly struck his free flag, and the pirates were
hardly in the power of the Chinese, when it was proposed by many that
they should all be treacherously murdered. The governor happened to be
more honorable and humane, or probably, only more politic than those who
made this foul proposal--he knew that such a bloody breach of faith
would for ever prevent the pirates still in arms from voluntary
submitting; he knew equally well, even weakened as they were by
O-po-tae's defection, that the Government could not reduce them by
force, and he thought by keeping his faith with them, he might turn the
force of those who had submitted against those who still held out, and
so destroy the pirates with the pirates. Consequently the eight thousand
men, it had been proposed to cut off in cold blood, were allowed to
remain uninjured, and their leader, O-po-tae, having changed his name to
that of Hoe-been, or, "The Lustre of Instruction," was elevated to the
rank of an imperial officer.

The widow of Ching-yih, and her favorite Paou, continued for some months
to pillage the coast, and to beat the Chinese and the Mandarins' troops
and ships, and seemed almost as strong as before the separation of
O-po-tae's flag. But that example was probably operating in the minds of
many of the outlaws, and finally the lawless heroine herself, who was
the spirit that kept the complicate body together, seeing that O-po-tae
had been made a government officer, and that he continued to prosper,
began also to think of making her submission.

"I am," said she, "ten times stronger than O-po-tae, and government will
perhaps, if I submit, act towards me as they have done with O-po-tae."

A rumor of her intentions having reached shore, the Mandarin sent off a
certain Chow, a doctor of Macao, "Who," says the historian, "being
already well acquainted with the pirates, did not need any
introduction," to enter on preliminaries with them.

When the worthy practitioner presented himself to Paou, that friend
concluded he had been committing some crime, and had come for safety to
that general _refugium peccatorum,_ the pirate fleet.

The Doctor explained, and assured the chief, that if he would submit,
Government was inclined to treat him and his far more favorably and more
honorably than O-po-tae. But if he continued to resist, not only a
general arming of all the coast and the rivers, but O-po-tae was to
proceed against him.

At this part of his narrative our Chinese historian is again so curious,
that I shall quote his words at length.

"When Fei-heung-Chow came to Paou, he said: 'Friend Paou, do you know
why I come to you?'"

"Paou.--'Thou hast committed some crime and comest to me for
protection?'"

"Chow.--'By no means.'"

"Paou.--'You will then know how it stands concerning the report about
our submission, if it is true or false?'"

"Chow.--'You are again wrong here, Sir. What are you in comparison with
O-po-tae?'"

"Paou.--'Who is bold enough to compare me with O-po-tae?'"

"Chow.--'I know very well that O-po-tae could not come up to you, Sir;
but I mean only, that since O-po-tae has made his submission, since he
has got his pardon and been created a Government officer,--how would it
be, if you with your whole crew should also submit, and if his
Excellency should desire to treat you in the same manner, and to give
you the same rank as O-po-tae? Your submission would produce more joy to
Government than the submission of O-po-tae. You should not wait for
wisdom to act wisely; you should make up your mind to submit to the
Government with all your followers. I will assist you in every respect,
it would be the means of securing your own happiness and the lives of
all your adherents.'"

"Chang-paou remained like a statue without motion, and Fei-heung Chow
went on to say: 'You should think about this affair in time, and not
stay till the last moment. Is it not clear that O-po-tae, since you
could not agree together, has joined Government. He being enraged
against you, will fight, united with the forces of the Government, for
your destruction; and who could help you, so that you might overcome
your enemies? If O-po-tae could before vanquish you quite alone, how
much more can he now when he is united with Government? O-po-tae will
then satisfy his hatred against you, and you yourself will soon be taken
either at Wei-chow or at Neaou-chow. If the merchant-vessels of
Hwy-chaou, the boats of Kwang-chow, and all the fishing-vessels, unite
together to surround and attack you in the open sea, you will certainly
have enough to do. But even supposing they should not attack you, you
will soon feel the want of provisions to sustain you and all your
followers. It is always wisdom to provide before things happen;
stupidity and folly never think about future events. It is too late to
reflect upon events when things have happened; you should, therefore,
consider this matter in time!'"

Paou was puzzled, but after being closeted for some time with his
mistress, Ching-yih's widow, who gave her high permission for him to
make arrangements with Doctor Chow, he said he would repair with his
fleet to the Bocca Tigris, and there communicate personally with the
organs of Government.

After two visits had been paid to the pirate-fleets by two inferior
Mandarins, who carried the Imperial proclamation of free pardon, and
who, at the order of Ching-yih's widow, were treated to a sumptuous
banquet by Paou, the Governor-general of the province went himself in
one vessel to the pirates' ships, that occupied a line of ten _le_ off
the mouth of the river.

As the governor approached, the pirates hoisted their flags, played on
their instruments, and fired their guns, so that the smoke rose in
clouds, and then bent sail to meet him. On this the dense population
that were ranged thousands after thousands along the shore, to witness
the important reconciliation, became sorely alarmed, and the
Governor-general seems to have had a strong inclination to run away. But
in brief space of time, the long dreaded widow of Ching-yih, supported
by her Lieutenant Paou, and followed by three other of her principal
commanders, mounted the side of the governor's ship, and rushed through
the smoke to the spot where his excellency was stationed; where they
fell on their hands and knees, shed tears, knocked their heads on the
deck before him, and received his gracious pardon, and promised for
future kind treatment. They then withdrew satisfied, having promised to
give in a list of their ships, and of all else they possessed, within
three days.

But the sudden apparition of some large Portuguese ships, and some
Government war-junks, made the pirates suspect treachery. They
immediately set sail, and the negociations were interrupted for several
days.

They were at last concluded by the boldness of their female leader. "If
the Governor-general," said this heroine, "a man of the highest rank,
could come to us quite alone, why should not I, a mean woman, go to the
officers of Government? If there be danger in it, I take it all on
myself; no person among you need trouble himself about me--my mind is
made up, and I will go to Canton!"

Paou said--"If the widow of Ching-yih goes, we must fix a time for her
return. If this pass without our obtaining any information, we must
collect all our forces, and go before Canton: this is my opinion as to
what ought to be done; comrades, let me hear yours!"

The pirates, then, struck with the intrepidity of their chieftainess,
and loving her more than ever, answered, "Friend Paou, we have heard thy
opinion, but we think it better to wait for the news here, on the water,
than to send the wife of Ching-yih alone to be killed." Nor would they
allow her to leave the fleet.

Matters were in this state of indecision, when the two inferior
Mandarins who had before visited the pirates, ventured out to repeat
their visit. These officers protested no treachery had been intended,
and pledged themselves, that if the widow of Ching-yih would repair to
the Governor, she would be kindly received, and every thing settled to
their hearts' satisfaction.

With this, in the language of our old ballads, upspoke Mrs. Ching. "You
say well, gentlemen! and I will go myself to Canton with some other of
our ladies, accompanied by you!" And accordingly, she and a number of
the pirates' wives with their children, went fearlessly to Canton,
arranged every thing, and found they had not been deceived. The fleet
soon followed. On its arrival every vessel was supplied with pork and
with wine, and every man (in lieu it may be supposed, of his share of
the vessels, and plundered property he resigned) received at the same
time a bill for a certain quantity of money. Those who wished it, could
join the military force of Government for pursuing the remaining
pirates; and those who objected, dispersed and withdrew into the
country. "This is the manner in which the great red squadron of the
pirates was pacified."

The valiant Paou, following the example of his rival O-po-tae, entered
into the service of Government, and proceeded against such of his
former associates and friends as would not accept the pardon offered
them. There was some hard fighting, but the two renegadoes successively
took the chief Shih Url, forced the redoubtable captain, styled "The
scourge of the Eastern Ocean" to surrender himself, drove "Frog's Meal,"
another dreadful pirate, to Manilla, and finally, and within a few
months, destroyed or dissipated the "wasps of the ocean" altogether.

I have already noticed the marked intention of the Chinese historian, to
paint the character of Paou in a poetical or epic manner. When
describing the battle with Shih-Url, he says:--

"They fought from seven o'clock in the morning till one at noon, burnt
ten vessels, and killed an immense number of the pirates. Shih-Url was
so weakened that he could scarcely make any opposition. On perceiving
this through the smoke, Paou mounted on a sudden the vessel of the
pirate, and cried out: 'I Chang Paou am come,' and at the same moment he
cut some pirates to pieces; the remainder were then hardly dealt with.
Paou addressed himself in an angry tone to Shih-Url, and said: 'I advise
you to submit: will you not follow my advice? what have you to say?'
Shih-Url was struck with amazement, and his courage left him. Paou
advanced and bound him, and the whole crew were then taken captives."

"From that period," says our Chinese historian, in conclusion, "ships
began to pass and repass in tranquillity. All became quiet on the
rivers, and tranquil on the four seas. People lived in peace and plenty.
Men sold their arms and bought oxen to plough their fields; they buried
sacrifices, said prayers on the tops of the hills, and rejoiced
themselves by singing behind screens during day-time"--and (grand climax
to all!) the Governor of the province, in consideration of his valuable
services in the pacification of the pirates, was allowed by an edict of
the "Son of Heaven," to wear peacocks' feathers with two eyes!




THE LIFE OF CAPTAIN LEWIS.


Captain Lewis was at an early age associated with pirates. We first find
him a boy in company with the pirate Banister, who was hanged at the
yard arm of a man-of-war, in sight of Port Royal, Jamaica. This Lewis
and another boy were taken with him, and brought into the island hanging
by the middle at the mizen peak. He had a great aptitude for languages,
and spoke perfectly well that of the Mosquil Indians, French, Spanish,
and English. I mention our own, because it is doubted whether he was
French or English, for we cannot trace him back to his origin. He sailed
out of Jamaica till he was a lusty lad, and was then taken by the
Spaniards at the Havana, where he tarried some time; but at length he
and six more ran away with a small canoe, and surprised a Spanish
periagua, out of which two men joined them, so that they were now nine
in company. With this periagua they surprised a turtling sloop, and
forced some of the hands to take on with them; the others they sent away
in the periagua.

He played at this small game, surprising and taking coasters and
turtlers, till with forced men and volunteers he made up a company of 40
men. With these he took a large pink built ship, bound from Jamaica to
the bay of Campeachy, and after her, several others bound to the same
place; and having intelligence that there lay in the bay a fine Bermuda
built brigantine of 10 guns, commanded by Captain Tucker, he sent the
captain of the pink to him with a letter, the purport of which was, that
he wanted such a brigantine, and if he would part with her, he would
pay him 10,000 pieces of eight; if he refused this, he would take care
to lie in his way, for he was resolved, either by fair or foul means to
have the vessel. Captain Tucker, having read the letter, sent for the
masters of vessels then lying in the bay, and told them, after he had
shown the letter, that if they would make him up 54 men, (for there
were about ten Bermuda sloops,) he would go out and fight the pirates.
They said no, they would not hazard their men, they depended on their
sailing, and every one must take care of himself as well as he could.

[Illustration: _The Pirate Banister, hanging at the Yard Arm._]

However, they all put to sea together, and spied a sail under the land,
which had a breeze while they lay becalmed. Some said he was a turtler;
others, the pirate, and so it proved; for it was honest Captain Lewis,
who putting out his oars, got in among them. Some of the sloops had four
guns, some two, some none. Joseph Dill had two, which he brought on one
side, and fired smartly at the pirate, but unfortunately one of them
split, and killed three men. Tucker called to all the sloops to send him
men, and he would fight Lewis, but to no purpose; nobody came on board
him. In the mean while a breeze sprung up, and Tucker, trimming his
sails, left them, who all fell a prey to the pirate; into whom, however,
he fired a broadside at going off. One sloop, whose master I will not
name, was a very good sailer, and was going off; but Lewis firing a
shot, brought her to, and he lay by till all the sloops were visited and
secured. Then Lewis sent on board him, and ordered the master into his
sloop. As soon as he was on board, he asked the reason of his lying by,
and betraying the trust his owners had reposed in him, which was doing
like a knave and coward, and he would punish him accordingly; _for_,
said he, _you might have got off, being so much a better sailer than my
vessel_. After this speech, he fell upon him with a rope's end, and then
snatching up his cane, drove him about the decks without mercy. The
master, thinking to pacify him, told him he had been out trading in that
sloop several months, and had on board a good quantity of money, which
was hid, and which, if he would send on board a black belonging to the
owners, he would discover to him. This had not the desired effect, but
one quite contrary; for Lewis told him he was a rascal and villain for
this discovery, and he would pay him for betraying his owners, and
redoubled his strokes. However, he sent and took the money and negro,
who was an able sailor. He took out of his prizes what he had occasion
for, forty able negro sailors, and a white carpenter. The largest sloop,
which was about ninety tons, he took for his own use, and mounted her
with 12 guns. His crew was now about eighty men, whites and blacks.

[Illustration: _The Master Caned by Captain Lewis._]

After these captures, he cruised in the Gulf of Florida, laying in wait
for the West India homeward bound ships that took the leeward passage,
several of which, falling into his hands, were plundered by him, and
released. From hence he went to the coast of Carolina, where he cleaned
his sloop, and a great many men whom he had forced, ran away from him.
However, the natives traded with him for rum and sugar, and brought him
all he wanted, without the government's having any knowledge of him, for
he had got into a very private creek; though he was very much on his
guard, that he might not be surprised from the shore.

From Carolina he cruised on the coast of Virginia, where he took and
plundered several merchantmen, and forced several men, and then returned
to the coast of Carolina, where he did abundance of mischief. As he had
now an abundance of French on board, who had entered with him, and
Lewis, hearing the English had a design to maroon them, he secured the
men he suspected, and put them in a boat, with all the other English,
ten leagues from shore, with only ten pieces of beef, and sent them
away, keeping none but French and negroes. These men, it is supposed,
all perished in the sea.

From the coast of Carolina he shaped his course for the banks of
Newfoundland, where he overhauled several fishing vessels, and then went
into Trinity Harbor in Conception Bay, where there lay several
merchantmen, and seized a 24 gun galley, called the Herman. The
commander, Captain Beal, told Lewis, if he would send his quarter master
ashore he would furnish him with necessaries. He being sent ashore, a
council was held among the masters, the consequence of which was, the
seizing the quarter master, whom they carried to Captain Woodes Rogers.
He chained him to a sheet anchor which was ashore, and planted guns at
the point, to prevent the pirate getting out, but to little purpose; for
the people at one of these points firing too soon, Lewis quitted the
ship, and, by the help of oars and the favor of the night, got out in
his sloop, though she received many shot in her hull. The last shot that
was fired at the pirate did him considerable damage.

He lay off and on the harbor, swearing he would have his quarter master,
and intercepted two fishing shallops, on board of one of which was the
captain of the galley's brother. He detained them, and sent word, if his
quarter master did not immediately come off, he would put all his
prisoners to death. He was sent on board without hesitation. Lewis and
the crew inquired how he had been used, and he answered, very civilly.
"It's well," said the pirate, "for had you been ill treated, I would
have put all these rascals to the sword." They were dismissed, and the
captain's brother going over the side, the quarter master stopped him,
saying, he must drink the gentlemen's health ashore, particularly
Captain Rogers' and, whispering him in the ear, told him, if they had
known of his being chained all night, he would have been cut in pieces,
with all his men. After this poor man and his shallop's company were
gone, the quarter master told the usage he had met with, which enraged
Lewis, and made him reproach his quarter master, whose answer was, that
he did not think it just the innocent should suffer for the guilty.

The masters of the merchantmen sent to Capt. Tudor Trevor, who lay at
St. John's in the Sheerness man-of-war. He immediately got under sail,
and missed the pirate but four hours. She kept along the coast and made
several prizes, French and English, and put into a harbor where a French
ship lay making fish. She was built at the latter end of the war, for a
privateer, was an excellent sailer, and mounted 24 guns. The commander
hailed him: the pirate answered, _from Jamaica with rum and sugar_. The
Frenchman bid him go about his business; that a pirate sloop was on the
coast, and he might be the rogue; if he did not immediately sheer off,
he would fire a broadside into him. He went off and lay a fortnight out
at sea, so far as not to be descried from shore, with resolution to have
the ship. The Frenchman being on his guard, in the meanwhile raised a
battery on the shore, which commanded the harbor. After a fortnight,
when he was thought to be gone off, he returned, and took two of the
fishing shallops belonging to the Frenchman, and manning them with
pirates, they went in. One shallop attacked the battery; the other
surprised, boarded and carried the ship, just as the morning star
appeared, for which reason he gave her that name. In the engagement the
owner's son was killed, who made the voyage out of curiosity only. The
ship being taken, seven guns were fired, which was the signal, and the
sloop came down and lay alongside the ship. The captain told him he
supposed he only wanted his liquor; but Lewis made answer he wanted his
ship, and accordingly hoisted all his ammunition and provision into her.
When the Frenchman saw they would have his ship, he told her trim, and
Lewis gave him the sloop; and excepting what he took for provision, all
the fish he had made. Several of the French took on with him, who, with
others, English and French, had by force or voluntarily, made him up 200
men.

From Newfoundland he steered for the coast of Guinea, where he took a
great many ships, English, Dutch and Portuguese. Among these ships was
one belonging to Carolina, commanded by Capt. Smith. While he was in
chase of this vessel a circumstance occurred, which made his men
believe he dealt with the devil; his fore and main top-mast being
carried away, he, Lewis, running up the shrouds to the maintop, tore off
a handful of hair, and throwing it into the air used this expression,
_good devil, take this till I come_. And it was observed, that he came
afterwards faster up with the chase than before the loss of his
top-masts.

[Illustration: _Captain Lewis giving a lock of his hair to the Devil._]

Smith being taken, Lewis used him very civilly, and gave him as much or
more in value than he took from him, and let him go, saying, he would
come to Carolina when he had made money on the coast, and would rely on
his friendship.

They kept some time on the coast, when they quarrelled among themselves,
the French and English, of which the former were more numerous, and they
resolved to part. The French therefore chose a large sloop newly taken,
thinking the ship's bottom, which was not sheathed, damaged by the
worms. According to this agreement they took on board what ammunition
and provision they thought fit out of the ship, and put off, choosing
one Le Barre captain. As it blew hard, and the decks were encumbered,
they came to an anchor under the coast, to stow away their ammunition,
goods, &c. Lewis told his men they were a parcel of rogues, and he would
make them refund; accordingly he run alongside, his guns being all
loaded and new primed, and ordered him to cut away his mast or he would
sink him. Le Barre was obliged to obey. Then he ordered them all ashore.
They begged the liberty of carrying their arms, goods, &c. with them,
but he allowed them only their small arms and cartridge boxes. Then he
brought the sloop alongside, put every thing on board the ship, and sunk
the sloop.

Le Barre and the rest begged to be taken on board. However, though he
denied them, he suffered Le Barre and some few to come, with whom he and
his men drank plentifully. The negroes on board Lewis told him the
French had a plot against him. He answered, he could not withstand his
destiny; for the devil told him in the great cabin he should be murdered
that night.

In the dead of the night, the rest of the French came on board in
canoes, got into the cabin and killed Lewis. They fell on the crew; but,
after an hour and a half's dispute, the French were beaten off, and the
quarter master, John Cornelius, an Irishman, succeeded Lewis.

--"He was the mildest manner'd man,
That ever scuttled ship or cut a throat;
With such true breeding of a gentleman,
You never could discern his real thought.
Pity he loved an adventurous life's variety,
He was so great a loss to good society."




THE LIFE, CAREER AND DEATH OF CAPTAIN THOMAS WHITE.


He was born at Plymouth, where his mother kept a public house. She took
great care of his education, and when he was grown up, as he had an
inclination to the sea, procured him the king's letter. After he had
served some years on board a man-of-war, he went to Barbadoes, where he
married, got into the merchant service, and designed to settle in the
island. He had the command of the Marygold brigantine given him, in
which he made two successful voyages to Guinea and back to Barbadoes. In
his third, he had the misfortune to be taken by a French pirate, as were
several other English ships, the masters and inferior officers of which
they detained, being in want of good artists. The brigantine belonging
to White, they kept for their own use, and sunk the vessel they before
sailed in; but meeting with a ship on the Guinea coast more fit for
their purpose, they went on board her and burnt the brigantine.

It is not my business here to give an account of this French pirate, any
farther than Capt. White's story obliges me, though I beg leave to take
notice of their barbarity to the English prisoners, for they would set
them up as a butt or mark to shoot at; several of whom were thus
murdered in cold blood, by way of diversion.

White was marked out for a sacrifice by one of these villains, who, for
what reason I know not, had sworn his death, which he escaped thus. One
of the crew, who had a friendship for White, knew this fellow's design
to kill him in the night, and therefore advised him to lie between him
and the ship's side, with intention to save him; which indeed he did,
but was himself shot dead by the murderous villain, who mistook him for
White.

After some time cruising along the coast, the pirates doubled the Cape
of Good Hope, and shaped their course for Madagascar, where, being drunk
and mad, they knocked their ship on the head, at the south end of the
island, at a place called by the natives Elexa. The country thereabouts
was governed by a king, named Mafaly.

When the ship struck, Capt. White, Capt. Boreman, (born in the Isle of
Wight, formerly a lieutenant of a man-of-war, but in the merchant
service when he fell into the hands of the pirates,) Capt. Bowen and
some other prisoners got into the long-boat, and with broken oars and
barrel staves, which they found in the bottom of the boat, paddled to
Augustin Bay, which is about 14 or 15 leagues from the wreck, where they
landed, and were kindly received by the king of Bavaw, (the name of that
part of the island) who spoke good English.

They stayed here a year and a half at the king's expense, who gave them
a plentiful allowance of provision, as was his custom to all white men,
who met with any misfortune on his coast. His humanity not only provided
for such, but the first European vessel that came in, he always obliged
to take in the unfortunate people, let the vessel be what it would; for
he had no notion of any difference between pirates and merchants.

At the expiration of the above term, a pirate brigantine came in, on
board which the king obliged them to enter, or travel by land to some
other place, which they durst not do; and of two evils chose the least,
that of going on board the pirate vessel, which was commanded by one
William Read, who received them very civilly.

This commander went along the coast, and picked up what Europeans he
could meet with. His crew, however, did not exceed 40 men. He would have
been glad of taking some of the wrecked Frenchmen, but for the
barbarity they had used towards the English prisoners. However, it was
impracticable, for the French pretending to lord it over the natives,
whom they began to treat inhumanly, were set upon by them, one half of
their number cut off, and the other half made slaves.

Read, with this gang, and a brigantine of 60 tons, steered his course
for the Persian Gulf, where they met a grab, (a one masted vessel) of
about 200 tons, which was made a prize. They found nothing on board but
bale goods, most of which they threw overboard in search of gold, and to
make room in the vessel; but as they learned afterwards, they threw
over, in their search, what they so greedily hunted after, for there was
a considerable quantity of gold concealed in one of the bales they
tossed into the sea!

In this cruise Capt. Read fell ill and died, and was succeeded by one
James. The brigantine being small, crazy and worm-eaten, they shaped
their course for the island of Mayotta, where they took out the masts of
the brigantine, fitted up the grab, and made a ship of her. Here they
took in a quantity of fresh provisions, which are in this island very
plentiful and very cheap, and found a twelve-oared boat, which formerly
belonged to the Ruby East Indiaman, which had been lost there.

They stayed here all the monsoon time, which is about six months; after
which they resolved for Madagascar. As they came in with the land, they
spied a sail coming round from the east side of the island. They gave
chase on both sides, so that they soon met. They hailed each other and
receiving the same answer from each vessel, viz. _from the seas,_ they
joined company.

This vessel was a small French ship, laden with liquors from Martinico,
first commanded by one Fourgette, to trade with the pirates for slaves,
at Ambonavoula, on the east side of the island, in the latitude of 17
deg. 30 min. and was by them taken after the following manner.

The pirates, who were headed by George Booth, now 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 pirate ship, called the
Dolphin. Capt. 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 that entered. The captain told
him that _he was a rogue, and had a design upon his ship_, and the
pirates pretended to be so angry with this fellow's offering to come on
board with arms, that they threatened to knock him on the head, and
tossing him roughly into the boat, ordered him ashore, though 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 four
pistols, which were all the arms they had for the enterprise, though
Fourgette had 20 hands on board, and his small arms on the awning, to be
in readiness.

The captain invited them into the cabin to dinner, but Booth chose to
dine with the petty officer, though one Johnson, Isaac and another, went
down. Booth was to give the watchword, which was _hurrah_. Standing near
the awning, and being a nimble fellow, at one spring he threw himself
upon it, drew the arms to him, fired his pistol among the men, one of
whom he wounded, (who jumping overboard was lost) and gave the signal.

Three, I said, were in the cabin, 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 cabin, hearing the pistol, fell
upon Johnson, and stabbed him in several places with their forks, but
they being silver, did him no great damage. Fourgette snatched his
piece, which he snapped at Isaac's breast several times, but it would
not go off. At last, finding his resistance vain, he submitted, and the
pirates 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 humanely, 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 increased their crew, by that means, to the number of 80 hands, they
sailed to St. Mary's, where Capt. 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 of
Madagascar, in the lat. of 16 degrees or thereabouts, to salt up
provisions and to proceed to the East Indies, cruise off the islands of
St. John, and lie in wait for the Moor ships from Mocha.

In their way to Methelage they fell in (as I have said) with the pirate,
on board of which was Capt. White. They joined company, came to an
anchor together in the above named river, where they had cleaned, salted
and took in their provisions, and were ready to go to sea, when a large
ship appeared in sight, and stood into the same river.

The pirates knew not whether she was a merchantman or man-of-war. She