...Amongst my Adventure of Goods, I had in a Box
three second-hand embroidered Coats. One day the three Pirate Captains, coming
on board the Prize together, enquired for them, saying, "They understood
by my Book such clothes were in my Ship". I told them "They were in a
Box under the bed place in the Stateroom". So they ordered them to be
taken out, and immediately put them on. But the longest Coat falling to
Cocklyn's Share, who was a very Short Man, it almost reached as low as his
Ancles. This very much displeased him, and he would fain have changed with Le
Boose, or Davis: But they refused, telling him "As they were going on
Shore amongst the Negroe-Ladies, who did not know the white Men's fashions, it
was no matter. Moreover, as his Coat was Scarlet embroidered with Silver, they
believed he would have the preference of them, (whose coats were not so showy)
in the opinion of their Mistresses". This making him easy, they all went
on Shore together.
It
is a Rule amongst the Pirates, not to allow Women to be on board their Ships,
when in the Harbour. And if they should take a Prize at Sea that has any Women
on board, no one dares, on pain of death to force them against their
Inclinations. This being a good political Rule to prevent disturbances amongst
them, it is strictly observed. So now being in a Harbour, they went on Shore to
the Negroe-women, who were very fond of their Company, for the sake of the
great Presents they gave them. Nay, some white Men that lived there did not
scruple to lend their black Wives to the Pirates, purely on account of the
great Rewards they gave.
The
Pirate Captains having taken these Cloaths without leave from the
Quartermaster, it gave great Offence to all the Crew, who alledg'd "If
they suffered such things, the Captains would for the future assume a Power, to
take whatever they liked for themselves". So, upon their returning on
board next Morning, the Coats were taken from them, and put into the common
Chest 3.1], to be sold at the Mast. And it having been reported "That I
had a hand in advising the Captains to put on these Coats" it gained me
the ill-will in particular of One [Palgrave] Williams who was Quarter-master of
Le Boose's Ship. He seeing me in the Tender's Boat, going on board a French
Ship lately taken, where he then was, he swore "That if I came there, he
would cut me to pieces, for the advice I had given the Captains” But Captain
Elliot, who was then in the Boat whispered to me, saying, "Don't be afraid
of him, for it is his usual way of talking. But be sure to call him Captain, as
soon as you get on Board". It seems this Villain had been Commander of a
Pirate Sloop [the Marianne]; who, with a Brigantine [=The Sultana],
two years before, took Captain Laurence Prince in the Whidaw Galley near
Jamaica; and being now Quarter-master, which he did not like, he loved to have
the Title of Captain given him. So when I came into the French Ship, I
addressed myself to him, saying, "Captain Williams, pray hear me upon the
Point you are so offended at." Upon that he gave me a slight Blow on the
Shoulder with the flat of his Cutlace, swearing at the same time,
"he had not the heart to hurt me"; when I had told him how the affair
had really happen'd which he had been so angry about, he gave me a Keg of
Wine, and was my Friend ever after.
Snelgrave, William, A New Account of Some Parts of Guinea, III. A relation of the author's being taken by pirates, Eighteenth Century Collection Online Print Edition. London: printed for James, John, and Paul Knapton, 1734, pp.255-259.
No comments:
Post a Comment