THE PIRATES OF THE HIGH SEAS – Know Your Infamous Buccaneers, Their Exploits & Their Real Histories (9 Books in One Edition). Даниэль Дефо
of him.
The two Sloops standing towards the Capes at the same Time, and Worley hoisting of his black Flag, the Inhabitants of James Town were in the utmost Consternation, thinking that all three had been Pyrates, and that their Design had been upon them; so that all the Ships and Vessels that were in the Road, or in the Rivers up the Bay, had Orders immediately to hale in to the Shore, for their Security, or else to prepare for their Defence, if they thought themselves in a Condition to fight. Soon after two Boats, which were sent out to get Intelligence, came crowding in, and brought an Account, that one of the Pyrates was in the Bay, being a small Sloop of six Guns. The Governor expecting the rest would have followed, and altogether make some Attempt to land, for the sake of Plunder, beat to Arms, and collected all the Force that could be got together, to oppose them; he ordered all the Guns out of the Ships, to make a Platform, and, in short, put the whole Colony in a warlike Posture; but was very much surprised at last, to see all the supposed Pyrates fighting with one another.
The Truth of the Matter is, Worley gained the Bay, thinking to make sure of his two Prizes, by keeping them from coming in; but by the hoisting of the King's Colours, and firing a Gun, he quickly was sensible of his Mistake, and too soon perceived that the Tables were turned upon him; that instead of keeping them out, he found himself, by a superior Force kept in. When the Pyrates saw how Things went, they resolutely prepar'd themselves for a desperate Defence; and tho’ three to one odds, Worley and his Crew determined to fight to the last Gasp, and receive no Quarters, agreeably to what they had before sworn; so that they must either Dye or Conquer upon the Spot.
The Carolina Men gave the Pyrate a Broadside, and then Boarded him, one Sloop getting upon his Quarter, and the other on his Bow; Worley and the Crew, drew up upon the Deck, and fought very obstinately, Hand to Hand, so that in a few Minutes, abundance of Men lay weltering in their Gore; the Pyrates proved as good as their Words, not a Man of them cry'd out for Quarter, nor would accept of such, when offered, but were all killed except the Captain and another Man, and those very much wounded, whom they reserved for the Gallows. They were brought ashore in Irons, and the next Day, which was the 17th of February 1718-19, they were both hanged up, for fear they should dye, and evade the Punishment as was thought due to their Crimes.
Chapter XIII.
Of Capt. George Lowther, And his Crew
His Beginning. Plots with Massey. Massey's Conduct. Lowther's Proposal. A Copy of Articles drawn up, and sworn to. The Pyrates going by the Ears. How Rogues are made Friends. Lowther and Massey part. A Digression concerning Massey's mad Conduct. Lowther and Low meet. An Alliance betwixt them. A List of Prizes taken by them. An unlucky Adventure at Cape Mayo. Lowther and Low break the Alliance, and part. The Bravery of Captain Gwatkins. The Pyrates much reduced. Winter in North-Carolina. Put to Sea again. Make for the Island of Blanco. The Island described. Ara surprised and taken. Lowther escapes. The Names of the Prisoners, and Fate. Lowther's Death.
George Lowther sailed out of the River of Thames, in one of the Royal African Company's Ships, call'd the Gambia Castle, of 16 Guns and 30 Men, Charles Russel Commander; of which Ship, the said Lowther was second Mate. Aboard of the same Ship, was a certain Number of Soldiers, commanded by one John Massey, who were to be carried to one of the Company's Settlements, on the River of Gambia, to Garrison a Fort, which was sometime ago taken and destroy'd by Captain Davis the Pyrate.
In May 1721, the Gambia Castle came safe to her Port in Africa, and landed Captain Massey and his Men on James's Island, where he was to Command under the Governor, Colonel Whitney, who arrived there at the same Time, in another Ship: And here, by a fatal Misunderstanding, between the military Folks and the Trading People, the Fort and Garrison not only came to be lost again to the Company, but a fine Galley well provided, and worth 10000 l. turned against her Masters.
The Names of Governor and Captain sounded great, but when the Gentlemen found that the Power that generally goes along with those Titles, was oversway'd and born down by the Merchants and Factors, (mechanic Fellows as they thought them) they grew very impatient and disatisfy'd, especially Massey, who was very loud in his Complaints against them, particularly at the small Allowance of Provisions to him and his Men; for the Garrison and Governor too, were victualled by the Merchants, which was no small Grievance and Mortification to them. And as the want of eating was the only Thing that made the great Sancho quit his Government, so did it here rend and tare their's to Pieces: For Massey told them, that he did not come there to be a Guiney Slave, and that he had promised his Men good Treatment, and Provisions fitting for Soldiers: That as he had the Care of so many of his Majesty's Subjects, if they would not provide for them in a handsome Manner, he should take suitable Measures for the Preservation of so many of his Countrymen and Companions.
The Governor at this Time was very ill of a Fever, and, for the better Accomodation in his Sickness, was carried aboard the Ship Gambia Castle, where he continued for about three Weeks, and therefore could have little to say in this Dispute, tho’ he resolved not to stay in a Place, where there was so little Occasion for him, and where his Power was so confin'd. The Merchants had certainly Orders from the Company, to issue the Provisions out to the Garrison, and the same is done along the whole Coast; but whether they had cut them short of the Allowance that was appointed them, I can't say, but if they did, then is the Loss of the Ship and Garrison owing principally to their ill Conduct.
However, an Accident that happened on Board the Ship, did not a little contribute to this Misfortune, which was a Pique that the Captain of her took against his second Mate, George Lowther, the Man who is the Subject of this short History; and who losing his Favour, found Means to ingratiate himself into the good liking of the common Sailors, insomuch that when Captain Russel ordered him to be punish'd, the Men took up Handspikes, and threat'ned to knock that Man down, that offered to lay hold of the Mate. This served but to widen the Differences between him and the Captain, and more firmly attach'd Lowther to the Ship's Company, the greatest Part of which, he found ripe for any Mischief in the World.
Captain Massey was no wit the better reconciled to the Place, by a longer Continuance, nor to the Usage he met with there, and having often Opportunities of conversing with Lowther, with whom he had contracted an Intimacy in the Voyage; they aggravated one another's Grievances to such a height, that they resolved upon Measures to curb the Power that controul'd them, and to provide for themselves after another Manner.
When the Governor recover'd of his Fever, he went ashore to the Island, but took no Notice of Massey's Behaviour, tho’ it was such as might give Suspicion of what he designed; and Lowther, and the common Sailors, who were in the Secret of Affairs, grew insolent and bold, even refusing to obey when commanded to their Duty by Captain Russel and the chief Mate. The Captain seeing how Things were carried, goes ashore early one Morning to the Governor and Factory, in order to hold a Council, which Lowther apprehending, was in order to prevent his Design, sent a Letter in the same Boat to Massey, intimating it to him, and that he should repair on Board, for it was high Time to put their Project in Execution.
As soon as Massey received this Letter, he went to the Soldiers at the Barracks, and said to them, and others, You that have a Mind to go to England, now is your Time; and they generally consenting, Massey went to the Store-Room, burst open the Door, set two Centinels upon it, and ordered that no Body should come near it; then he went to the Governor's Apartment, and took his Bed, Baggage, Plate and Furniture, (in Expectation that the Governor himself, as he had promised Massey, would have gone on Board, which he afterwards refused, by Reason, as he said, he believed they were going a-pirating; which at first, whatever Lowther designed, Massey certainly proposed only the going to England;) when this was done, he sent the Boat off to the chief Mate, with this Message, That he should get the Guns ready, for that the King of Barro (a Negro Kingdom near the Royal African Settlement) would come aboard to Dinner.