Page:A general history of the pyrates, from their first rise and settlement in the Island of Providence, to the present time (1724).djvu/76

 In the Month of November, 1716, General Hamilton, Commander in chief of all the Leeward Carribee Ilands, ent a Sloop Expres to Captain Hume, at Barbadoes, Commander of his Majety’s Ship, Scarborough, of 30 Guns, and 140 Men, to acquaint him, that two Pyrate Sloops of 12 Guns each, moleted the Colonies, having plundered everal Veels. The Scarborough had bury’d twenty Men, and had near forty Sick, and therefore was but in ill State to go to Sea: However, Captain Hume left his ick Men behind, and ailed to the other Ilands, for a upply of Men, taking 20 Soldiers from Antegoa; at Nevis, he took 10, and 10 at St. Chritophers, and then ailed to the Iland of Anguilla, where he learned, that ome Time before, 2 uch Sloops had been at Spanih-Town, otherwie called, one of the Virgin Ilands: Accordingly, the next Day, the Scarborough came to Spanih-Town, but could hear no News of the Sloops, only, that they had been there about Chritmas, (it being then the 15th of January.)

Captain Hume, finding no Account could be had of thee Pyrates, deigned to go back, the next Day, to Barbadoes; but, it happened, that Night, that a Boat anchor’d there from Santa Crux, and informed him, that he aw a Pyrate Ship of 22 or 24 Guns, with other Veels, going in to the North Wet Part of the Iland aforeaid. The Scarborough weigh’d immediately, and the next Morning came in Sight of the Rovers, and their Prizes, and tood to them, but the Pilot refued to venture in with the Ship; all the while the Pyrates fir’d red hot Bullets from the Shore. At length, the Ship came to an Anchor, along Side the Reef, near the Channel, and cannonaded for everal Hours, both the Veels and Batteries: About four in the Afternoon, the Sloop that guarded the Channel, was unk by the Shot of the Man of War; then he canno-