The Captain’s Power is uncontroulable in Chace, or in Battle, drubbing, cutting, or even ſhooting any one who dares deny his Command. The ſame Privilege he takes over Priſoners, who receive good or ill Uſage, moſtly as he approves of their Behaviour, for tho’ the meaneſt would take upon them to miſuſe a Maſter of a Ship, yet he would controul herein, when he ſee it, and merrily over a Bottle, give his Priſoners this double Reaſon for it. Firſt, That it preſerved his Precedence; and ſecondly, That it took the Puniſhment out of the Hands of a much more raſh and mad Sett of Fellows than himſelf. When he found that Rigour was not expected from his People, (for he often practiſed it to appeaſe them,) then he would give Strangers to underſtand, that it was pure Inclination that induced him to a good Treatment of them, and not any Love or Partiality to their Perſons; for, ſays he, there is none of you but will hang me, I know, whenever you can clinch me within your Power.
And now ſeeing the Diſadvantages they were under for purſuing the Account, viz. a ſmall Veſſel ill repaired, and without Proviſions, or Stores; they reſolved one and all, with the little Supplies they could get, to proceed for the Weſt-Indies, not doubting to find a Remedy for all theſe Evils, and to retreive their Loſs.
In the Latitude of Deſeada, one of the Iſlands, they took two Sloops, which ſupply’d them with Proviſions and other Neceſſaries; and a few Days afterwards, took a Brigantine belonging to Rhode Iſland, and then proceeded to Barbadoes, off of which Iſland, they fell in with a Briſtol Ship of 10 Guns, in her Voyage out, from whom they took abundance of Cloaths, ſome Money, twenty five Bales of Goods, five Barrels of Powder, a Cable,
