d other
necessaries he wanted, and having augmented his company by volunteers
and forced men, he left the ships and sailed to St. Jago, where he took
a Dutch ship, which had formerly been a privateer. This proved also an
easy prize, for he fired but one broadside, and clapping her on board,
carried her without resistance, for the captain and several men were
killed, and some wounded by his great shot.

The ship proving for his purpose, he gave her the name of the Flying
Dragon, went on board with his crew, and made a present of his sloop to
a mate of an English prize, whom he had forced with him. From hence he
stood away for the coast of Brazil, and in his cruize took several
Portuguese ships, which he plundered and let go.

After these he fell in with the Wright galley, Capt. John Spelt,
commander, hired by the South Sea company, to go to the coast of Angola
for slaves, and thence to Buenos Ayres. This ship he detained a
considerable time, and the captain being his townsman, treated him very
civilly. A few days after he took Spelt, he made prize of a Portuguese,
laden with bale goods and stores. He rigged the Wright galley anew, and
put on board of her some of the goods. Soon after he had discharged the
Portuguese, he met with a Dutch East Indiaman of 28 guns, whose captain
was killed the first broadside, and took her with little resistance, for
he had hoisted the pirate's colors on board Spelt's ship.

[Illustration: _Capt. Condent leaping into the hold, to attack the
Indian._]

He now, with three sail, steered for the island of Ferdinando, where
he hove down and cleaned the Flying Dragon. Having careened, he put 11
Dutchmen on board Capt. Spelt, to make amends for the hands he had
forced from him, and sent him away, making him a present of the goods he
had taken from the Portuguese ship. When he sailed himself, he ordered
the Dutch to stay at Ferdinando 24 hours after his departure;
threatening, if he did not comply, to sink his ship, if he fell a second
time into his hands, and to put all the company to the sword. He then
stood for the coast of Brazil, where he met a Portuguese man of war of
70 guns, which he came up with. The Portuguese hailed him, and he
answered, _from London, bound to Buenos Ayres_. The Portuguese manned
his shrouds and cheered him, when Condent fired a broadside, and a smart
engagement ensued for the space of three glasses; but Condent finding
himself over-matched, made the best of his way,