“Then Capt. Loe said, Mr. Russel hath spoke to you, Gentlemen, his Sentiments, which, in the main, are reasonable and true, and I am glad he is reconcil’d to the Master of the Sloop before their parting; and, I cannot say, but I always believ’d Jack Russel to be a Man of so much Sense, as well as Good-nature, that he would scorn to take Revenge on one whose Condition render’d him uncapable of helping himself. And I think, Gentlemen, we may discharge him as soon as you please, and this Afternoon, if you are all agreed to it. They all said Ay. Upon which Russel told them, it should be done that Afternoon; telling Loe, That after Dinner he would take me on Board the Scooner with him, and, from thence, send me on Board the Sloop, and see what could be done for me.

“Some of Loe’s Company said, They would look out some Things, and give me along with me when I was going away; but Russel told them, they should not, for he would toss them all into Davy Jones’s Locker if they did; for I was the Scooner’s Prize, and she had all my Cargo and Plunder on Board of her, and therefore what was given to me should be given to me out of her: And turning to me said, Well, Master, I will this Evening put you on Board your own Sloop, and will be a better Friend to you, perhaps, than them that pretended a great deal more; but I am above being led by Passion, &c. They all din’d on Board of Loe, who, after Dinner, order’d a Bowl of Punch to be made in the great Silver Bowl, and set a Dozen of Claret on the Table, and that they said was for me to take my Leave of them, and part Sailor-like. I thank’d them; so they drank round to my good Success, and then to their own fortunate Proceedings and good Success; and Loe told me, He wish’d me very well, and hoped to meet with me again, at some Time when they had a good Prize of rich Goods, and he would not fail to make me a Retaliation with good Advantage for my present Loss. And they all present said, I need not fear meeting with a Friend, whenever I met with them again.

“About duskish, they began to prepare to go on Board their Ships, and I took my Leave of Capt. Loe, and all his Ship’s Company, and in particular of the three Men, who, I believe, were my hearty Friends, and return’d them all Thanks for their Kindness, as well as good Humour, shew’d to me since my first coming on Board of them. I also took my Leave of Capt. Spriggs, and those of his Company who were present, wish’d me well, but not one of them, I believe, dar’d to give me any Lumber with me, nor durst I have accepted of it had they offer’d it, for Fear of angering my but newly and seemingly reconcil’d Enemy, who, in all Likelihood, would have taken from me whatever they would have given me: And for that Reason I believe it was, that none of them offer’d to give me a Farthing, notwithstanding all their Professions of Kindness to me; tho’ this Generosity is very usual with them, to People that they profess much less Favour for, than they did to me.

“Russel being ready, I was order’d to go in his Boat, which I did; and, as soon as we were come on Board the Scooner, he order’d a Supper to be got ready, and, in the mean Time, there was a Bowl of Punch made, and some Wine set on the Table. Russel invited me down into the Cabbin, as also all his Officers, and we drank and smoak’d ’till Supper was brought, and then he told me I was very welcome, and bid me eat and drink heartily; For, he said, I had as tedious a Voyage to go through, as Elijah’s forty Days Journey was to Mount Horeb, and, as far as he knew, without a Miracle, it must only be by the Strength of what I eat now; for I should have neither Eatables nor Drinkables with me in the Sloop.

“I told him, I hoped not so: He rapt out a great Oath, That I should find it certainly true. I told him, That rather than be put on Board the Sloop, in that Manner, where there was no Possibility to escape perishing, without a Miracle, I would submit to tarry on Board, ’till an Opportunity offer’d to put me ashore where they pleas’d; or would yield to any Thing else they should think fit to do with me, excepting to enter into their Service.

“He said, It was once in my Power to have been my own Friend; but my slighting their proffer’d Favours, and my own chusing what I now must certainly accept, had render’d me uncapable of any other Choice; and that therefore all Apologies were but in vain; and he thought he shew’d himself more my Friend than I could well expect, or than I had deserv’d at his Hands, having caused him to have a great deal of Difference with the Company more than ever he had in his Life before, or ever should have again, he hoped.

“I told him, I was very sorry that I was so unfortunate as to be the unhappy Occasion of it; but could from my Heart aver, that it was not only undesign’d, but also sorely against my Inclinations; and begg’d of him, and all the Gentlemen then present, to consider me as an Object rather of their Pity, than of their Revenge.

“He told me, All my Arguments and Perswasions now were in vain, it being too late: I had not only refus’d their Commiseration when I was offer’d it, but ungratefully despis’d it: Therefore, says he, as I told you before, it’s in vain for you to plead any more: Your Lot is cast, and you have nothing now to do, but to go through with your Chance as well as you can, and fill your Belly with good Victuals and good Drink, to strengthen you to hold it as long as you can: It may be, and is very probable to be, the last Meal that ever you may eat in this World: However, perhaps, such a Conscientious Man as you would fain seem, or it may be are, may have a supernatural, or, at least, a natural Means wrought by a supernatural Power, in a miraculous Manner, to deliver you. However, I cannot say but I pity the two Boys, and have a great Mind to take them on Board, and let the miraculous Deliverance be wrought on you alone.

“The Master and Gunner said, They heard the Boys say, they were willing to take their Chance with their Master, let it be what it would. Nay, then, says Russel, it’s fit they should. I suppose their Master has made them as religious and as conscientious as himself. However, Master, says Russel, (speaking to me) I would have you eat and drink heartily, and talk no more about changing your allotted Chance; because, as I told you before, it is all in vain; besides, it may be a Means of Provocation to serve you worse.

“Gentlemen, says I, I have done: I will say no more; you can do no more than God is pleas’d to permit you; and I own, for that Reason, I ought to take it patiently.

“Well, well, says Russel, if it be done by God’s Permission, you need not fear that he will permit any Thing hurtful to befall so good a Man as you are.

“About ten a-Clock at Night, he order’d to call the Sloop’s Boat, which was brought by some of the Pirates of his own Clan, who were station’d on Board of her, and ask’d them, If they had done as he had order’d them, viz. to clear the Sloop of every Thing? And they said Yes, raping out a great Oath or two, adding, She had nothing on Board except Ballast and Water. Z—ds, said Russel, did not I bid you have all the Casks that had Water in them on Board? So we did, said they; but the Water that we spoke of was Salt-water, leak’d in by the Vessel, and is now above the Ballast; for we have not pump’d her we do not know when.

“Said Russel, Have you brought away the Sails I told you of? They said, All but the Mainsail that was bent, for the other old Mainsail that he had order’d to be left, was good for nothing but to cut up for Parceling, and hardly for that, it was so rotten; besides, it was so torn, that it could not be brought too, and was past mending, and for that Reason they let it lie, and would not unbend the other Mainsail.

“Z—ds, says Russel, we must have it, for I want it to make us a Mainsail. D—n it, said the Men, then you must turn the Man adrift in the Sloop without a Mainsail.

“Pish, said Russel, the same miraculous Power that is to bring him Provisions, can also bring him a Sail.

“What a Devil, is he a Conjurer? said one of them.

“No, no, says Russel, but he expects Miracles to be wrought for him, or he never would have chosen what he hath.

“Nay, nay, said they, if he be such a one, he will do well enough; but I doubt, says one of them, he will fall short of his Expectation; for if he be such a mighty Conjurer, how the Devil was it that he did not conjure himself clear of us?

“Pish, said another, it may be his conjuring Books were shut up. Ay, but, said another, now we have hove all his Conjuration Books over Board, I doubt he will be hard put to it to find them again.

“Come, come, says the Gunner, Gentlemen, the poor Man is like to go through Hardship enough, and very probably may perish; yet it is not impossible but he may meet with some Ship, or other timely Succour, to prevent his perishing, and I heartily wish he may; but however, you ought not to add Affliction to the Afflicted; You have sentenc’d him to a very dangerous Chance, which I think is sufficient to stop your Mouths from making a Droll and Game of him. I would have you consider, added he, if any of you were at Tyburn, or any other Place to be executed, as many better and stouter Men than some of you, have been, and the Spectators, or Jack Catch should make a Droll and May-game of you, you would think them a very hard-hearted, as well as an inconsiderate Sort of People: And pray, Gentlemen, consider the Sentence which you are now going to execute on this poor Man, will be as bad, or rather worse, than one of our Cases would be there; because, unless Providence stand his Friend in an extraordinary Manner, his Death must as certainly ensue or be the Consequence of this your Sentence, as it would there be to any of us by the Sentence of a Judge, and so much the more miserable, by how much it is more lingering.

“Damn it, said Russel, we have had enough, and too much of this already.

“Ay, said the Gunner, and take Care, Russel, you have not this to answer for one Day, when perhaps you will then, but too late, wish you had never done it. But you have got the Company’s Assent in this, I cannot tell how, and therefore I shall say no more, only that I, as I believe most of the Company, came here to get Money, but not to kill, except in Fight, and not in cold Blood, or for private Revenge. And I tell you, John Russel, if ever such Cases as these be any more practis’d, my Endeavour shall be to leave this Company as soon as I possibly can.

“To which Russel said nothing in Answer; but bid the Men that came on Board in the Boat, to leave the Sloop’s Boat on Board the Scooner, and take the Scooner’s Boat with them on Board the Sloop; and, as soon as they saw the Lights upon Deck on Board the Scooner, to come away from the Sloop with the Scooner’s Boat, and bring the Master of the Sloop’s biggest Boy with them; and to take their Hands out of the Sloop’s Boat, and put the Master’s Boy on Board of the Sloop’s Boat with his Master, and let them go on Board themselves with their Boat, and to be sure to bring the Sloop’s Mainsail with them, and also the Mate of the Sloop. All which they said they would do; so away they went; and then Russel told me, He would give me something with me to remember him; which was an old Musket, and a Cartridge of Powder, but for what Reason he made me that Present, I cannot tell; and then order’d the Candles to be lighted in the Lanthorns and carry’d upon Deck, and order’d two Hands to step into the Sloop’s Boat to carry me away, and to execute his former Orders; and then shaking Hands with me, he wish’d me a good Voyage. I told him I hoped I should. The Gunner, Master, and several of the Crew, shook Hands with me also, and heartily wish’d me Success, and hoped I should meet with a speedy and safe Deliverance. I thank’d them for their good Wishes; and told them I was now forc’d into a Necessity of going through it, whether I would or not; but thank’d God I was very easy at present, not doubting in God’s Mercy to me, tho’ I was not deserving of it: And that if I was permitted to perish, I knew the worst; and doubted not but he would graciously pardon my Sins, and receive me to his Everlasting Rest; and, in this Respect, what they had intended for my Misfortune, would be the Beginning of my Happiness; and that in the mean Time, I had nothing to do but to resign myself to his blessed Will and Protection, and bear my Lot with Patience. And so bidding them farewell, I went over the Side into the Boat, which was directly put off; and about half Way between the Scooner and Sloop, we met the Scooner’s Boat, and, according to their Orders from Russel, they put my Boy on Board of me, and so put away again to get on Board their own Vessel.

“After their Boat put away from us, I thought I heard the Voice of my Mate, but was not certain, because he spoke so low, his Conscience checking him, I suppose, for his leaving me so basely. I call’d to him, and said Arthur, what are you going to leave me? He answer’d, Ay. What, said I, do you do it voluntary, or are you forc’d? He answer’d faintly, I am forc’d, I think. I said, It was very well. He call’d to me again, and said, He would desire me to write to his Brother, and give him an Account where he was, if ever I should have an Opportunity. I told him, I did not know where his Brother liv’d. He called and said, He liv’d in Carlingford. I told him, I did not know where that was. He said, It was in Ireland. Why, said I, you told me in Barbadoes that you was a Scotchman, and that all your Friends liv’d in Scotland. But he made me no further Answer; but away they row’d towards their Vessel, and I towards the Sloop, and it being a very dark, as well as a close Night, it was as much as ever I could do to see her; this being the last Time that I spoke to, or saw any of them, nor do I ever more desire to see them, except at some Place of Execution.”