Page:A general history of the pyrates, from their first rise and settlement in the Island of Providence, to the present time (1724).djvu/73

 The Multitude of Men and Veels, employ’d this Way, in Time of War, in the Wet-Indies, is another Reaon, for the Number of Pyrates in a Time of Peace: This cannot be uppoed to be a Reflection on any of our American Governments, much les on the King himelf, by whoe Authority uch Commiions are granted, becaue of the Reaonablenes, and abolute Neceity, there is for the doing of it; yet the Obervation is jut, for o many idle People employing themelves in Privateers, for the ake of Plunder and Riches, which they always pend as fat as they get, that when the War is over, and they can have no farther Buines in the Way of Life they have been ued to, they too readily engage in Acts of Pyracy, which being but the ame Practice without a Commiion, they make very little Ditinction betwixt the Lawfulnes of one, and the Unlawfulnes of the other.

I have not enquired o far back, as to know the Original of this Rover, but I believe he and his Gang, were ome Privateer’s Men belonging to the Iland of Jamaica, in the preceeding War; his Story is but hort, for his Reign was o; an End having been put to his Adventures in good Time, when he was growing trong and formidable. We find him Commander of a Pyrate Sloop of eight Guns, and 80 Men, in the Month of September, 1716, cruiing off Jamaica, Cuba, &c. about which Time he took the Berkley Galley, Captain Saunders, and plundered him of 1000 l. in Money, and afterwards met with a Sloop call’d the King Solomon, from whom he took ome Money, and Proviions, beides Goods, to a good Value.

They proceeded after this to the Port of Cavena, at the Iland of Cuba, and in their Way took two Sloops, which they plundered, and let go; and off the Port fell in with a fine Galley, with 20 Guns, Rh