Page:A general history of the pyrates, from their first rise and settlement in the Island of Providence, to the present time (1724).djvu/67

 with his own Wives, Slaves and Dependants, like a eparate Prince; and as Power and Plenty naturally beget Contention, they ometimes quarrelled with one another, and attacked each other at the Head of their everal Armies; and in thee civil Wars, many of them were killed; but an Accident happened, which obliged them to unite again for their common Safety.

It mut be oberved that thee udden great Men, had ued their Power like Tyrants, for they grew wanton in Cruelty, and nothing was more common, than upon the lightet Dipleaure, to caue one of their Dependants to be tied to a Tree and hot thro’ the Heart, let the Crime be what it would, whether little or great, this was always the Punihment; wherefore the Negroes conpired together, to rid themelves of thee Detroyers, all in one Night; and as they now lived eparate, the Thing might eaily have been done, had not a Woman, who had been Wife or Concubine to one of them, run near twenty Miles in three Hours, to dicover the Matter to them: Immediately upon the Alarm they ran together as fat as they could, o that when the Negroes approached them, they found them all up in Arms; wherefore they retired without making any Attempt.

This Ecape made them very cautious from that Time, and it will be worth while to decribe the Policy of thee brutih Fellows, and to hew what Meaures they took to ecure themelves.

They found that the Fear of their Power could not ecure them againt a Surprize, and the bravet Man may be kill’d when he is aleep, by one much his inferior in Courage and Strength, therefore, as their firt Security, they did all they could to foment War betwixt the neighbouring Negroes, remaining Neuter themelves, by which Means, thoe who were overcome contantly lied to them for tection,