The Rovers being now pretty ſtrong, they conſulted together about getting ſome Place of Retreat, where they might lodge their Wealth, clean and repair their Ships, and make themſelves a kind of Abode. They were not long in reſolving, but fixed upon the Iſland of Providence, the moſt conſiderable of the Bahama Iſlands, lying in the Latitude of about 24 Degrees North, and to the Eaſtward of the Spaniſh Florida.
This Iſland is about 28 Miles long, and eleven where broadeſt, and has a Harbour big enough to hold 500 Sail of Ships; before which lies a ſmall Iſland, which makes two Inlets to the Harbour; at either Way there is a Bar, over which no Ship of 500 Tun can paſs. The Bahama Iſlands were poſſeſs’d by the Engliſh till the Year 1700, when the French and Spaniards from Petit Guavus, invaded them, took the Fort and Governor in the Iſland of Providence, plunder’d and deſtroy’d the Settlements, &c. carried off half the Blacks, and the reſt of the People, who fled to the Woods, retired afterwards to Carolina.
In March 1705-6, the Houſe of Lords did in an Addreſs to her late Majeſty, ſet forth,
‘That the French and Spaniards had twice, during the Time of the War, over run and plundered the Bahama Iſlands, that there was no Form of Government there: That the Harbour of the Iſle of Providence, might be eaſily put in a Poſture of Defence, and that it would be of dangerous Conſequence, ſhould thoſe Iſlands fall into the Hands of the Enemy; wherefore the Lords humbly beſought her Majeſty to uſe ſuch Methods as ſhe ſhould think proper for taking the ſaid Iſland into her Hands, in order to ſecure the ſame to the Crown of this Kingdom, and to the Security and Advantage of the Trade thereof.
