The Pirates Own Book (11 page)

In this river they seized a sloop, which informed them that she had
sailed in company with a brigantine loaded with provisions. This was
welcome intelligence, as their provisions were nearly exhausted. Deeming
this too important a business to trust to foreign hands, Roberts, with
forty men in the sloop, gave chase to that sail. In the keenness of the
moment, and trusting in his usual good fortune, Roberts supposed that he
had only to take a short sail in order to bring in the vessel with her
cargo; but to his sad disappointment, he pursued her during eight days,
and instead of gaining, was losing way. Under these circumstances, he
came to anchor, and sent off the boat to give intelligence of their
distress to their companions.

In their extremity of want, they took up part of the floor of the cabin,
and patched up a sort of tray with rope-yarns, to paddle on shore to get
a little water to preserve their lives. When their patience was almost
exhausted, the boat returned, but instead of provisions, brought the
unpleasing information, that the lieutenant, one Kennedy, had run off
with both the ships.

The misfortune and misery of Roberts were greatly aggravated by
reflecting upon his own imprudence and want of foresight, as well as
from the baseness of Kennedy and his crew. Impelled by the necessity of
his situation, he now began to reflect upon the means he should employ
for future support. Under the foolish supposition that any laws, oaths
or regulations, could bind those who had bidden open defiance to all
divine and human laws, he proceeded to form a code of regulations for
the maintenance of order and unity in his little commonwealth.

But present necessity compelled them to action, and with their small
sloop they sailed for the West Indies. They were not long before they
captured two sloops, which supplied them with provisions, and a few days
after, a brigantine, and then proceeded to Barbadoes. When off that
island they met a vessel of ten guns, richly laden from Bristol; after
plundering, and detaining her three days, they allowed her to prosecute
her voyage. This vessel, however, informed the governor of what had
befallen them, who sent a vessel of twenty guns and eighty men in quest
of the pirates.

That vessel was commanded by one Rogers, who, on the second day of his
cruise, discovered Roberts. Ignorant of any vessel being sent after
them, they made towards each other. Roberts gave him a gun but instead
of striking, the other returned a broadside, with three huzzas. A
severe engagement ensued, and Roberts being hard put to it, lightened
his vessel and ran off.

Roberts then sailed for the Island of Dominica, where he watered, and
was supplied by the inhabitants with provisions, for which he gave them
goods in return. Here he met with fifteen Englishmen left upon the
island by a Frenchman who had made a prize of their vessel; and they,
entering into his service, proved a seasonable addition to his strength.

Though he did not think this a proper place for cleaning, yet as it was
absolutely necessary that it should be done, he directed his course to
the Granada islands for that purpose. This, however, had well nigh
proved fatal to him; for the Governor of Martinique fitted out two
sloops to go in quest of the pirates. They, however, sailed to the
above-mentioned place, cleaned with unusual despatch, and just left that
place the night before the sloops in pursuit of them arrived.

They next sailed for Newfoundland, arriving upon the banks in June,
1720, and entered the harbor of Trepassi, with their black colors
flying, drums beating, and trumpets sounding. In that harbor there were
no less than twenty-two ships, which the men abandoned upon the sight of
the pirates. It is impossible to describe the injury which they did at
this place, by burning or sinking the ships, destroying the plantations,
and pillaging the houses. Power in the hands of mean and ignorant men
renders them wanton, insolent and cruel. They are literally like madmen,
who cast firebrands, arrows and death, and say, "Are not we in sport?"

Roberts reserved a Bristol galley from his depredations in the harbor,
which he fitted and manned for his own service. Upon the banks he met
ten sail of French ships, and destroyed them all, except one of
twenty-six guns, which he seized and carried off, and called her the
Fortune. Then giving the Bristol galley to the Frenchman, they sailed
in quest of new adventures, and soon took several prizes, and out of
them increased the number of their own hands. The Samuel, one of these,
was a very rich vessel, having some respectable passengers on board, who
were roughly used, and threatened with death if they did not deliver up
their money and their goods. They stripped the vessel of every article,
either necessary for their vessel or themselves, to the amount of eight
or nine thousand pounds. They then deliberated whether to sink or burn
the Samuel, but in the mean time they discovered a sail, so they left
the empty Samuel, and gave the other chase. At midnight they overtook
her, and she proved to be the Snow from Bristol; and, because he was an
Englishman, they used the master in a cruel and barbarous manner. Two
days after, they took the Little York of Virginia, and the Love of
Liverpool, both of which they plundered and sent off. In three days they
captured three other vessels, removing the goods out of them, sinking
one, and sending off the other two.

They next sailed for the West Indies, but provisions growing short,
proceeded to St. Christopher's, where, being denied provisions by the
governor, they fired on the town, and burnt two ships in the roads. They
then repaired to the island of St. Bartholomew, where the governor
supplied them with every necessary, and caressed them in the kindest
manner. Satiated with indulgence, and having taken in a large stock of
everything necessary, they unanimously voted to hasten to the coast of
Guinea. In their way they took a Frenchman, and as she was fitter for
the pirate service than their own, they informed the captain, that, as
"a fair exchange was no robbery," they would exchange sloops with him;
accordingly, having shifted their men, they set sail. However, going by
mistake out of the track of the trade winds, they were under the
necessity of returning to the West Indies.

They now directed their course to Surinam but not having sufficient
water for the voyage they were soon reduced to a mouthful of water in
the day; their numbers daily diminished by thirst and famine and the few
who survived were reduced to the greatest weakness. They at last had not
one drop of water or any other liquid, when, to their inexpressible joy,
they anchored in seven fathoms of water. This tended to revive exhausted
nature and inspire them with new vigour, though as yet they had received
no relief. In the morning they discovered land, but at such a distance
that their hopes were greatly dampened. The boat was however sent off,
and at night returned with plenty of that necessary element. But this
remarkable deliverance produced no reformation in the manners of these
unfeeling and obdurate men.

Steering their course from that place to Barbadoes, in their way they
met with a vessel which supplied them with all necessaries. Not long
after, they captured a brigantine, the mate of which joined their
association. Having from these two obtained a large supply, they changed
their course and watered at Tobago. Informed, however, that there were
two vessels sent in pursuit of them, they went to return their
compliments to the Governor of Martinique for this kindness.

It was the custom of the Dutch interlopers, when they approached this
island to trade with the inhabitants, to hoist their jacks. Roberts knew
the signal, and did so likewise. They, supposing that a good market was
near, strove who could first reach Roberts. Determined to do them all
possible mischief he destroyed them one by one as they came into his
power. He only reserved one ship to send the men on shore, and burnt the
remainder, to the number of twenty.

Roberts and his crew were so fortunate as to capture several vessels and
to render their liquor so plentiful, that it was esteemed a crime
against Providence not to be continually drunk. One man, remarkable
for his sobriety, along with two others, found an opportunity to set off
without taking leave of their friends. But a despatch being sent after
them, they were brought back, and in a formal manner tried and
sentenced, but one of them was saved by the humorous interference of one
of the judges, whose speech was truly worthy of a pirate—while the
other two suffered the punishment of death.

When necessity again compelled them, they renewed their cruising; and,
dissatisfied with capturing vessels which only afforded them a temporary
supply, directed their course to the Guinea coast to forage for gold.
Intoxication rendered them unruly, and the brigantine at last embraced
the cover of night to abandon the commodore. Unconcerned at the loss of
his companion, Roberts pursued his voyage. He fell in with two French
ships, the one of ten guns and sixty-five men, and the other of sixteen
guns and seventy-five men. These dastards no sooner beheld the black
flag than they surrendered. With these they went to Sierra Leone,
constituting one of them a consort, by the name of the Ranger, and the
other a store-ship. This port being frequented by the greater part of
the traders to that quarter, they remained here six weeks, enjoying
themselves in all the splendor and luxury of a piratical life.

After this they renewed their voyage, and having captured a vessel, the
greater part of the men united their fortunes with the pirates. On board
of one of the ships was a clergyman, whom some of them proposed taking
along with them, for no other reason than that they had not a chaplain
on board. They endeavored to gain his consent, and assured him that he
should want for nothing, and his only work would be, to make punch and
say prayers. Depraved, however, as these men were, they did not choose
to constrain him to go, but displayed their civility further, by
permitting him to carry along with him whatever he called his own.
After several cruises, they now went into a convenient harbor at Old
Calabar, where they cleaned, refitted, divided their booty, and for a
considerable time caroused, to banish care and sober reflection.

According to their usual custom, the time of festivity and mirth was
prolonged until the want of means recalled them to reason and exertion.
Leaving this port, they cruised from place to place with varied success;
but in all their captures, either burning, sinking, or devoting their
prizes to their own use, according to the whim of the moment. The
Swallow and another man-of-war being sent out expressly to pursue and
take Roberts and his fleet, he had frequent and certain intelligence of
their destination; but having so often escaped their vigilance, he
became rather too secure and fearless. It happened, however, that while
he lay off Cape Lopez, the Swallow had information of his being in that
place, and made towards him. Upon the appearance of a sail, one of
Roberts' ships was sent to chase and take her. The pilot of the Swallow
seeing her coming, manoeouvred his vessel so well, that though he fled
at her approach, in order to draw her out of the reach of her
associates, yet he at his own time allowed her to overtake the
man-of-war.

Upon her coming up to the Swallow, the pirate hoisted the black flag,
and fired upon her; but how greatly were her crew astonished, when they
saw that they had to contend with a man-of-war, and seeing that all
resistance was vain, they cried out for quarter, which was granted, and
they were made prisoners, having ten men killed and twenty wounded,
without the loss or hurt of one of the king's men.

On the 10th, in the morning, the man-of-war bore away to round the cape.
Roberts' crew, discerning their masts over the land, went down into the
cabin to acquaint him of it, he being then at breakfast with his new
guest, captain Hill, on a savoury dish of salmagundy and some of his
own beer. He took no notice of it, and his men almost as little, some
saying she was a Portuguese ship, others a French slave ship, but the
major part swore it was the French Ranger returning; and they were
merrily debating for some time on the manner of reception, whether they
should salute her or not; but as the Swallow approached nearer, things
appeared plainer; and though they who showed any apprehension of danger
were stigmatized with the name of cowards, yet some of them, now
undeceived, declared it to Roberts, especially one Armstrong, who had
deserted from that ship, and knew her well. These Roberts swore at as
cowards, who meant to dishearten the men, asking them, if it were so,
whether they were afraid to fight or not? In short, he hardly refrained
from blows. What his own apprehensions were, till she hauled up her
ports and hoisted her proper colors, is uncertain; but then, being
perfectly convinced, he slipped his cable, got under sail, ordered his
men to arms without any show of timidity, dropping a first-rate oath,
that it was a bite, but at the same time resolved, like a gallant rogue,
to get clear or die.

There was one Armstrong, as was just mentioned, a deserter from the
Swallow, of whom they enquired concerning the trim and sailing of that
ship; he told them she sailed best upon the wind, and therefore, if they
designed to leave her, they should go before it.

The danger was imminent, and the time very short, to consult about means
to extricate himself; his resolution in this strait was as follows: to
pass close to the Swallow with all their sails, and receive her
broadside before they returned a shot; if disabled by this, or if they
could not depend on sailing, then to run on shore at the point, and
every one to shift for himself among the negroes; or failing these, to
board, and blow up together, for he saw that the greatest part of his
men were drunk, passively courageous, and unfit for service.