Page:A general history of the pyrates, from their first rise and settlement in the Island of Providence, to the present time (1724).djvu/38

30 The Rovers being now pretty trong, they conulted together about getting ome Place of Retreat, where they might lodge their Wealth, clean and repair their Ships, and make themelves a kind of Abode. They were not long in reolving, but fixed upon the Iland of Providence, the mot coniderable of the Bahama Ilands, lying in the Latitude of about 24 Degrees North, and to the Eatward of the Spanih Florida.

This Iland is about 28 Miles long, and eleven where broadet, and has a Harbour big enough to hold 500 Sail of Ships; before which lies a mall Iland, which makes two Inlets to the Harbour; at either Way there is a Bar, over which no Ship of 500 Tun can pas. The Bahama Ilands were poes’d by the Englih till the Year 1700, when the French and Spaniards from Petit Guavus, invaded them, took the Fort and Governor in the Iland of Providence, plunder’d and detroy’d the Settlements, &c. carried off half the Blacks, and the ret of the People, who fled to the Woods, retired afterwards to Carolina.

In March 1705-6, the Houe of Lords did in an Addres to her late Majety, et forth, "‘That the French and Spaniards had twice, during the Time of the War, over run and plundered the Bahama Ilands, that there was no Form of Government there: That the Harbour of the Ile of Providence, might be eaily put in a Poture of Defence, and that it would be of dangerous Conequence, hould thoe Ilands fall into the Hands of the Enemy; wherefore the Lords humbly beought her Majety to ue uch Methods as he hould think proper for taking the aid Iland into her Hands, in order to ecure the ame to the Crown of this Kingdom, and to the Security and Advantage of the Trade thereof."