pany’s Ships, the Captain ſwearing he would cut him in pound Pieces, if he did not do it immediately; but unable, was forced to bear their Scurility, till they came up with them, and found they were two Moor Ships from Muſcat, with Horſes; they brought the Captain of them, and Merchants, on Board, torturing them, and rifling the Ships, in order to diſcover Riches, as believing they came from Mocha; but being baulked in their Expectation, and next Morning ſeeing Land, and at the ſame Time a Fleet in Shore plying to Windward, they were puzzled how to diſpoſe of them; to let them go, was to diſcover and ruin the Voyage, and it was cruel to ſink the Men and Horſes with the Ships, (as many of them were inclined to,) therefore, as a Medium, they brought them to an Anchor, threw all their Sails over-board, and cut one of the Ships Maſts half through.
While they lay at an Anchor, and were all the next Day employed in taking out Water, one of the aforementioned Fleet bore towards them with Engliſh Colours, anſwered with a red Enſign from the Pyrates, but did not ſpeak with one another. At Night they left the Muſcatt Ships, weighed with the Sea Wind, and ſtood to the Northward after this Fleet: About four next Morning, juſt as they were getting under ſail, with the Land Wind, the Pyrates came amongſt them, made no ſtop, but fired their great and ſmall Guns very briskly, till they got through; and as Day-Light cleared, were in a great Conſternation in their Minds, having all along taken them for Angria’s Fleet; what to do was the Point, whether run or purſue? They were ſenſible of their Inferiority of Strength, having no more than 300 Men in both Ships, and 40 of them Negroes; beſides, the Victory had then four Pumps at Work, and muſt inevitably been loſt before, had it not been for ſome
