Page:A general history of the pyrates, from their first rise and settlement in the Island of Providence, to the present time (1724).djvu/60

52 As they were Steering their Coure, as has been aid, he ends a Boat on Board of each of the Sloops, deiring the Chief of them to come on Board of him, in order to hold a Council; they did o, and he told them he had omething to propoe to them for the common Good, which was to provide againt Accidents; he bad them conider the Treaure they were poes’d of, would be ufficient for them all if they could ecure it in ome Place on Shore; therefore all they had to fear, was ome Mifortune in the Voyage; he bad them conider the Conequences of being eparated by bad Weather, in which Cae, the Sloops, if either of them hould fall in with any Ships of Force, mut be either taken or unk, and the Treaure on Board her lot to the ret, beides the common Accidents of the Sea; as for his Part he was o trong, he was able to make his Party good with any Ship they were like to meet in thoe Seas; that if he met with any Ship of uch Strength, that he could not take her, he was afe from being taken, being o well mann’d; beides his Ship was a quick Sailor, and could carry Sail, when the Sloops could not, wherefore, he propoed to them, to put the Treaure on Board his Ship, to eal up each Chet with 3 Seals, whereof each was to keep one, and to appoint a Rendezvous, in Cae of Separation.

Upon conidering this Propoal, it appeared o eaonable to them, that they readily came into it, for they argued to themelves, that an Accident might happen to one of the Sloops and the other ecape, wherefore it was for the common Good. The Thing was done as agreed to, the Treaure put on Board of Avery, and the Chets eal’d; they kept Company that Day and the next, the Weather being fair, in which Time Avery tampered with his Men, telling them they now had ufficient, to make them all eay, and what hould hinder them