Page:A general history of the pyrates, from their first rise and settlement in the Island of Providence, to the present time (1724).djvu/34

26 Secondly, another Reaon why thee Seas are choe by Pyrates, is the great Commerce thither by French, Spaniards, Dutch, and epecially Englih Ships: They are ure in the Latitude of thee trading Ilands, to meet with Prizes, Booties of Proviion, Cloathing, and Naval-Stores, and ometimes Money; there being great Sums remitted this Way to England; (the Returns of the Aiento, and private Slave-Trade, to the Spanih Wet-Indies:) And in hort, by ome one or other, all the Riches of Potoi.

A third Reaon, is the Inconveniency and Difficulty of being purued by the Men of War, the many mall Inlets, Lagoons and Harbours, on thee olitary Ilands and Keys, is a natural Security.

’Tis generally here that the Pyrates begin their Enterprizes, etting out at firt with a very mall Force; and by infeting thee Seas, and thoe of the Continent of North-America, in a Year’s Time, if they have good luck on their Sides, they accumulate uch Strength, as enables them to make foreign Expeditions: The firt, is uually to Guiney, taking the Azores and Cape de Verd Ilands in their Way, and then to Brazil and the Eat-Indies, where if they meet with properous Voyages, they et down at Madagacar, or the neighbouring Ilands, and enjoy their ill gotten Wealth, among their elder Brethren, with Impunity. But that I may not give too much Encouragement to the Profeion, I mut inform my maritime Readers, that the far greater Part of thee Rovers are cut hort in the Puruit, by a udden Precipitation into the other World.

The Rie of thee Rovers, ince the Peace of Utrecht, or at leat, the great Encreae of them, may jutly be computed to the Spanih Settlements in the Wet Indies; the Governors of which, being often ome hungry Courtiers, ent thither to repair or Rh