would be impracticable. Theſe all, except the Porcupine, ranſomed with him for eight Pound of Gold-Duſt, a Ship, not without the trouble of ſome Letters paſſing and repaſſing from the Shore, before they could ſettle it; and notwithſtanding the Agreement and Payment, they took away one of the French Ships, tho’ with a Promiſe to return her, if they found ſhe did not ſail well, taking with them ſeveral of her Men for that End.
Some of the Foreigners, who never had Dealing this Way before, deſired for Satisfaction to their Owners, that they might have Receipts for their Money, which were accordingly given, a Copy of one of them, I have here ſubjoined, viz.
This is to certify whom it may or doth concern, that we Gentlemen of Fortune, have received eight Pounds of Gold-Duſt, for the Ranſom of the Hardey, Captain Dittwitt Commander, ſo that we Diſcharge the ſaid Ship,
Witneſs our Hands, this
13th of Jan. 1721-2.Batt. Roberts,
Harry Glaſby.
Others were given to the Portugueſe Captains, which were in the ſame Form, but being ſign’d by two waggiſh Fellows, viz. Sutton, and Sympſon, they ſubſcribed by the Names of,
Sim. Tugmutton.
But there was ſomething ſo ſingularly cruel and barbarous done here to the Porcupine, Captain Fletcher, as muſt not be paſſed over without ſpecial Remark.
This Ship lay in the Road, almoſt ſlaved, when the Pyrates came in, and the Commander being on Shore, ſettling his Accounts, was ſent to for the Ranſom, but he excuſed it, as having no Orders
