Page:A general history of the pyrates, from their first rise and settlement in the Island of Providence, to the present time (1724).djvu/233

 Fortnight of any Veels arriving on their Coat with Slaves, might ettle Signals for the debarquing them at an unfrequented Part of the Coat, but whether any Exceptions were made to the Price, or that the Portuguee dread Dicovery, and the everet Proecution on o notorious a Breach of the Law, I cannot tell but it has hither to proved abortive.

However, Stratagems laudable, and attended with Profit, at no other Hazard (as I can perceive) then los of Time, are worth attempting; it is what is every Day practied with the Spaniards from Jamaica.

Upon this Coat our Rovers cruiz’d for about nine Weeks, keeping generally out of Sight of Land, but without eeing a Sail, which dicourag’d them o, that they determined to leave the Station, and teer for the Wet-Indies, and in order thereto, tood in to make the Land for the taking of their Departure, and thereby they fell in, unexpectedly, with a Fleet of 42 Sail of Portuguee Ships, off the Bay of los todos Santos, with all their Lading in for Libon, everal of them of good Force, who lay too waiting for two Men of War of 70 Guns each, their Convoy. However, Roberts thought it hould go hard with him, but he would make up his Market among them, and thereupon mix’d with the Fleet, and kept his Men hid till proper Reolutions could be form’d; that done, they came cloe up to one of the deepet, and ordered her to end the Mater on Board quietly, threat’ning to give them no Quarters, if any Reitance, or Signal of Ditres was made. The Portuguee being urprized at thee Threats, and the udden flourih of Cutlahes from the Pyrates, ubmitted without a Word, and the Captain came on Board; Roberts aluted him after a friendly manner, telling him, that they were Gentlemen of Fortune, but that their