Page:A general history of the pyrates, from their first rise and settlement in the Island of Providence, to the present time (1724).djvu/348



have uffered by the aid Roberts and his Accomplices, during our forcible Detainment, by the aid Company: We mot humbly implore your Majety’s mot royal Aent, to this our humble Petition.

And your Petitioners hall ever pray.

This Petition was ent home by a Merchant Ship bound to England, from Jamaica, who promied to peak with the Petitioners, in their Return, about 20 Leagues to Windward of that Iland, and let them know what Succes their Petition met with. When this was done, the Pyrates retires to the Iland before propoed, with the Ship and Brigantine.

This Iland (which I have no Name for) lies off the Southwet End of Cuba, uninhabited, and little frequented. On the Eat End is a Lagune, o narrow, that a Ship can but jut go in, tho’ there’s from 15 to 22 Foot Water, for almot a League up: On both Sides of the Lagune grows red Mangrove Trees, very thick, that the Entrance of it, as well as the Veels laying there, is hardly to be een. In the Middle of the Iland are here and there a mall thick Wood of tall Pines, and other Trees cattered about in different Places.

Here they taid about nine Months, but not having Proviion for above two, they were forced to take what the Iland afforded, which was Fih of everal Sorts, particularly Turtle, which latter was the chiefet Food they lived on, and was found in great Plenty on the Coats of this Iland; whether there might be any wild Hogs, Beef, or other Cattle, common to everal Ilands of the Wet-Indies, or that the Pyrates were too idle to hunt them, or whether they preferr’d other Proviions to that ort of Diet, I know not; but I was informed by them, that for the whole Time they eat not a Bit of any kind of Fleh-Meat, nor Bread; the latter was