Page:A general history of the pyrates, from their first rise and settlement in the Island of Providence, to the present time (1724).djvu/162

. Rackam finding his Cae deperate, and hardly any Poibility of ecaping, reolved to attempt the following Enterprize: The Spanih Prize lying for better Security cloe into the Land, between the little Iland and the Main; Rackam takes his Crew into the Boat, with their Pitols and Cutlahes, rounds the little Iland, and falls aboard their Prize ilently in the dead of the Night, without being dicovered, telling the Spaniards that were aboard of her, that if they poke a Word, or made the leat Noie, they were dead Men, and o became Mater of her; when this was done, he lipt her Cable, and drove out to Sea: The Spanih Man of War, was o intent upon their expected Prize, that they minded nothing ele, and aoon as Day broke, made a furious Fire upon the empty Sloop, but it was not long before they were rightly apprized of the Matter, and cured themelves for Fools, to be bit out of a good rich Prize, as he prov’d to be, and to have nothing but an old crazy Hull in the room of her.

Rackam and his Crew had no Occaion to be dipleaed at the Exchange, that enabled them to continue ome Time longer in a Way of Life that uited their depraved Tempers: In Augut 1720, we find him at Sea again, couring the Harbours and Inlets of the North and Wet Parts of Jamaica, where he took everal mall Craft, which proved no great Booty to the Rovers, but they had but few Men, and therefore they were obliged to run at low Game, till they could encreae their Company.

In the Beginning of September, they took even or eight Fihing-Boats in Harbour Iland, tole their Nets and other Tackle, and then went off the French Part of Hipaniola, and landed, and took Cattle away, with two or three French Men they found near the Water-Side, hunting of wild Hogs in