t and fired at
the captain, but missing him, another man was shot, and they ran off
with the boat. The next day they took a small vessel, went on board her,
hoisted a black flag, and declared war with the whole world.

In their rovings, Low met with Lowther, who proposed that he should join
him, and thus promote their mutual advantage. Having captured a
brigantine, Low, with forty more, went on board her; and leaving
Lowther, they went to seek their own fortune.

Their first adventure was the capture of a vessel belonging to Amboy,
out of which they took the provisions, and allowed her to proceed. On
the same day they took a sloop, plundered her, and permitted her to
depart. The sloop went into Black Island, and sent intelligence to the
governor that Low was on the coast. Two small vessels were immediately
fitted out, but, before their arrival, Low was beyond their reach. After
this narrow escape, Low went into port to procure water and fresh
provisions; and then renewed his search of plunder. He next sailed into
the harbor of Port Rosemary, where were thirteen ships, but none of them
of any great strength. Low hoisted the black flag, assuring them that if
they made any resistance they should have no quarter; and manning their
boat, the pirates took possession of every one of them, which they
plundered and converted to their own use. They then put on board a
schooner ten guns and fifty men, named her the Fancy, and Low himself
went on board of her, while Charles Harris was constituted captain of
the brigantine. They also constrained a few of the men to join them, and
sign their articles.

After an unsuccessful pursuit of two sloops from Boston, they steered
for the Leeward Islands, but in their way were overtaken by a terrible
hurricane. The search for plunder gave place to the most vigorous
exertion to save themselves. On board the brigantine, all hands were at
work both day and night; they were under the necessity of throwing
overboard six of her guns, and all the weighty provisions. In the storm,
the two vessels were separated, and it was some time before they again
saw each other.

After the storm, Low went into a small island west of the Carribbees,
refitted his vessels, and got provision for them in exchange of goods.
As soon as the brigantine was ready for sea, they went on a cruise until
the Fancy should be prepared, and during that cruise, met with a vessel
which had lost all her masts in the storm, which t