Page:A general history of the pyrates, from their first rise and settlement in the Island of Providence, to the present time (1724).djvu/287

 our Look or two at choaking. No, hall be my Motto. Thus he preach’d himelf into an Approbation of what he at firt abhorr’d; and being daily regal’d with Muick, Drinking, and the Gaiety and Diverions of his Companions, thee deprav’d Propenities were quickly edg’d and trengthen’d, to the extinguihing of Fear and Concience. Yet among all the vile and ignominious Acts he had perpetrated, he is aid to have had an Averion towards forcing Men into that Service, and had procured ome their Dicharge, notwithtanding o many made it their Plea.

When Roberts was gone, as tho’ he had been the Life and Soul of the Gang, their Spirits unk; many deerted their Quarters, and all tupidly neglected any Means for Defence, or Ecape; and their Main-mat oon after being hot by the Board, they had no Way left, but to urrender and call for Quarters. The Swallow kept aloof, while her Boat paed, and repaed for the Prioners; becaue they undertood they were under an Oath to blow up; and ome of the Deperadoes hewed a Willingnes that Way, Matches being lighted, and Scuffles happening between thoe who would, and thoe who oppoed it: But I cannot eaily account for this Humour, which can be term’d no more than a fale Courage, ince any of them had Power to detroy his own Life, either by Pitol, or Drowning, without involving others in the ame Fate, who are in no Temper of Mind for it: And at bet, it had been only dying, for fear of Death.

She had 40 Guns, and 157 Men, 45 whereof were Negroes; three only were killed in the Action, without any Los to the Swallow. There was found upwards of 2000 l. in Gold-Dut in her. The Flag could not be got eaily from under the fallen Mat, and was therefore recover’d by the Swallow; it had the Figure of a Skeleton in it, and a Man pourtray’d Rh