This Crew having made a broken Voyage were discontented with their Captain, and desired North to take the Command upon him; but he declined it, saying, Halsey was every Way as capable, and that they ought not to depose a Man, whom they could not tax with either Want of Courage or Conduct; and for his Part, he would never take the Command from any who did not justly merit to be turn’d out, which was not Halsey’s Case.

The Crew were not, however, satisfied, and they made the same Offer to White, but by North’s Industry, they were, at last, prevail’d on to continue their old Commander; and as North and his Companions had expended their Money in the settling their Plantations, and wanted Cloaths, the former, therefore, accepted of the Quarter-Master’s Post under Halsey, and the others went in the Capacity of private Gentlemen Adventurers, I mean plain foremast Men, as may be gathered in the Life of that Pyrate, to which I refer for an Account of the Expedition they made in the Red Seas, beginning at Page 113. Captain Halsey on board a Prize left North to command the Brigantine they set out in.

The two Commanders were separated by a Storm, but both made for Madagascar; Halsey got to Ambonavoula, but North fell in with Maratan, where, finding the Brigantine was very much worm eaten, and made a great Deal of Water, with one Consent they took ashore all their Goods, and laid up their Vessel.

They were all very well received; the King being then at War with his Brother, North prevail’d on his Majesty’s Sister to pass her solitary Hours with him; at the King’s Return, having defeated his Brother, he was very much incens’d against North, for being so free with the Royal Family, and resolved to fine him 200 Sequins for the Affront done to his illustrious House; but North having some Inkling of his Design, pacified him, by making a Present of one hundred.

The Pyrates continued here a whole Year, when being desirous to go to Ambonavoula, they ask’d the King’s Assistance to build a Boat, and he for 1000 Dollars, set Negroes to work, under the Directions of Captain North, and a Vessel of 15 Tons was set up and launch’d with great Dispatch.

In this Boat they went to a River, called Manangaro, thirty Leagues to the Northward of Maratan: Here some of their Comrades came to them in a Boat belonging to the Scotch Ship Neptune, and help’d to transport their Goods to Ambonavoula, where he had before settled, and had a Woman and three Children.

He had not been long return’d before his neighbouring Natives reported, that the Timouses, who had followed him from the Southward, had a Design to rebel against, and murder him and the other Whites, which giving too easy Credit to, he made War upon, and drove these poor People out of the Country.

Some Time after he built a Sloop, and went to Antonguil, where he purchas’d 90 Slaves, and took in the Scots Supercargo, Mr. George Crookshank, with a Design to carry him to Mascarenas; but all his Comrades were against it, saying, when he got to Europe he would prove their Destruction. North answered, nothing could be more cruel, after they had taken the greater Part of what the poor Gentleman had, than to keep him from his Country, Family, and Friends; for his Part were he his Prisoner, he should not ask their Consents in doing an Act of Humanity, and the only one they were able towards making him some Reparation, since they could not return his Goods, which were parcel’d out into so many Shares.

On North’s saying thus much, they put the Affair in Question to the Vote, and there being many who had Obligations to North, and whom he influenced in Favour of the Supercargo, 48 out of 54 voted for the discharging him. North having gained this Point, the Pyrates ask’d if he also designed to take with him one J. B. a great Favourite of his, who had been Midship Man on board the Neptune (a young Scotch Man, who was a good Artist, a thorough Seaman, and very capable of taking on him the Command in any Voyage) he answered there was a Necessity of taking him, since he should want his Assistance in the Voyage; as he depended on his Knowledge, his Companions said J. B. would certainly give him the Slip, which would be a Loss to them all, as he was an Artist, and a clean hail young Fellow, and therefore his being detained was necessary to their common Good. To this North answered, his own Security would oblige his taking Care that he should not get from him, since no other on board was capable to find the Way back to Ambonavoula.

He went to Mascarenas, where the Supercargo and his Negroe were put on Shore with all the Money he had, which was about 1600 Dollars; for when the Pyrates made Prize of the Neptune, in the Manner already said, they took none of the Money, they themselves had before paid for Liquors, &c. either from the Captain, Supercargo, or any other on board; for that, they look’d upon it a base, as well as dishonest Action, but for the Ship and remaining Part of the Cargo, they had a fair Title to, viz. they wanted both. It is true, they made the Merchants of the Greyhound refund what Money they had taken; but before the Reader taxes them with Injustice, and acting against the above Maxim, let him consider Circumstances, and call to Mind the whole Story.

They did not take that Ship, on the contrary, they sent her away well victualled, and provided with Necessaries for her Voyage; and, I hope, it will be allow’d, they had a lawful Claim to her, as she belong’d to an Enemy, and came into a Port of theirs, without a Pass: Again, they did not rob these Merchants of the Money they had before laid out with them, but took it in Payment for the Liquors they had put on board the Greyhound, out of the Neptune, which the Merchants themselves, if they had any Honesty, could not expect for nothing: But let us suppose they had taken this Money by Force, and not traded for it on the fair Foot, as its evident they did; yet, was it no more than an Act of Justice, such as might reasonably be expected from the Probity of these Gentlemen, who never suffer an ill Action to go unpunished: And no Body can justify the Proceedings of those Merchants who advised the seizing the Scots Ship. But to return.

North would not suffer J. B. to go ashore; however, to make him amends for his Confinement, he gave him four Negroes, whom he sold for 300 Dollars, and took Care that he should live plentifully and well on board. North’s Business, at this Island, was to get Leave to carry his Children there to be educated in the Christian Faith, which after some rich Presents made the Governor, he obtained, and return’d to Madagascar. In the Voyage, as J. B. was very greatly in his Favour, and his Confident, he told him, his Design was to leave his Children at Mascarenas, and place Fortunes for them in the Hands of some honest Priest, who would give them a Christian Education (for he thought it better to have them Papists, than not Christians) and would then go back to Maratan, and endeavour, by his Penitence, to make Attonement for his former Life, and never more go off the Island on any Account; that he would give his Sloop to J. B. with two hundred Dollars, that he might find some Means to return home, since he very wisely refus’d to join with the Pyrates.

When he came on the Madagascar Coast, he heard a French Ship had touch’d there, and left some Men behind her; upon which Account, North ran to the Southward 100 Leagues out of his Way, to enquire after and assist these People: A Piece of Humanity which ought not to be pass’d by in Silence, for it may shame not a few among us who carry a Face of Religion, and act with greater Barbarity than those whom we hunt and destroy as a Nusance to the World, and a Scandal to the Name of Man. If any thinks this Reflection severe, let him examine into the Number of Thousands who are perishing in Goals, by the Cruelty of Creditors, sensible of their Inability to pay: Let him take a View of the Miseries which reign in those Tombs of the Living, let him enquire into the Number of those who are yearly starved to Death, to gratify an implacable Spirit, and then, if he can, clear the English Laws, which allow a Creditor to punish an unfortunate Man, for his being so, with the most cruel of all invented Deaths, that of Famine; let him, I say, clear them from the Imputation of Barbarity. I beg Pardon for this Digression, which my Concern for the English Character, for this only Reason sunk among Foreigners forced me into.

North found but one Man, whom he took home with him, cloathed and maintained him. When he came back to Ambonavoula, he found the Country all in an Uproar, and the Rest of his Companions preparing for a War with the Natives, but his Arrival restor’d their former Quiet. After four Months Stay at home, he fitted his Sloop to go out and purchase Slaves at Antonguil; but finding few there to his Mind, for in two Months he bought but forty, he return’d to his Settlement. He design’d now to carry his Children to Mascarenas, but dissuaded on Account of the Season, by J. B. he went to Methelage on the West Side of the Island, to trade for Samsams.

Having purchas’d a considerable Quantity of Samsams he went to Johanna, and thence to Mayotta, return’d again to Madagascar, but not being able to get round the North End, on Account of the Current, he put for Mayotta again; on the West Side of this Island put into a Port, called Sorez, where, some Time before, came a Ship from England to trade, commanded by one Price, who going ashore with his Doctor was detained (as was also his Boat’s Crew) till he redeem’d himself and Surgeon, with 200 Barrels of Powder and 1000 Small Arms; but was forced to leave his Boat’s Crew, not having wherewithal to ransom them, tho’ the Demand was only two Small Arms for each Man. These poor Creatures were afterwards sold to the Arabians; in Revenge North and his Crew landed, burnt a large Town, and did all the Damage they could. From Mayotta he went again to Madagascar, where a King of his Acquaintance told him, the Whites and Natives were at War at Ambonavoula; he bought thirty Slaves, refreshed his Crew, and went home. On the News of his Arrival the Natives sent to conclude a Peace, but he would not listen to them; on the contrary, rais’d an Army, burnt a Number of Towns, and took a great many Prisoners.

This Success brought the Natives to sue in a very humble Manner for a Cessation of Arms, that a general Peace might follow: This he agreed to about four Months after his Arrival.

His Enemies, having now the Opportunity, corrupted some of his neighbouring Natives, and in the Night surprized and murder’d him in his Bed. His Comrades, however, being alarmed, took to their Arms, drove the treacherous Multitude before them with great Slaughter; and to revenge North’s Death continued the War seven Years, in which Time they became Masters of all the Country round, and drove out all who did not swear Allegiance to them.

North had his Will lying by him, which directed J. B. to carry his Children to Mascarenas, in his Sloop which he left to the said J. B. who was at the Charge to fit her up, and laid out the greater Part of the Money North bequeathed him; but the Pyrates would not suffer him to stir while the Wars lasted, fearing he would not return, having never join’d them in any Pyracies; and therefore, by one Consent, setting Fire to the Sloop, they detained him several Years, if he is not still there.

FINIS.