themselves with all manner of diversions, until the
scarcity of their provisions awakened them to industry and exertion.
They, however, left several parcels of goods to the starving Dutchmen,
which Mynheer joyfully exchanged for provisions with the next vessel
that touched at that fort.
Leaving that place, they were divided in opinion what course to steer;
some went on board the Portuguese prize, and, sailing for Madagascar,
abandoned the pirate life; and others going on board the Cassandra,
sailed for the Spanish West Indies. The Mermaid man-of-war, returning
from a convoy, got near the pirates, and would have attacked them, but a
consultation being held, it was deemed inexpedient, and thus the pirates
escaped. A sloop was, however, dispatched to Jamaica with the
intelligence, and the Lancaster was sent after them; but they were some
days too late, the pirates having, with all their riches, surrendered to
the Governor of Portobello.
ACCOUNT OF THE LYNN PIRATES
_And Thomas Veal, who was buried in his cave by the Great Earthquake_.
In the year 1658 there was a great earthquake in New-England. Some time
previous, on one pleasant evening, a little after sunset, a small vessel
was seen to anchor near the mouth of Saugus river. A boat was presently
lowered from her side, into which four men descended, and moved up the
river a considerable distance, when they landed, and proceeded directly
into the woods. They had been noticed by only a few individuals; but in
those early times, when the people were surrounded by danger, and easily
susceptible of alarm, such an incident was well calculated to awaken
suspicion, and in the course of the evening the intelligence was
conveyed to many houses. In the morning, the people naturally directed
their eyes toward the shore, in search of the strange vessel--but she
was gone, and no trace could be found either of her or her singular
crew. It was afterwards ascertained that, on the morning one of the men
at the Iron Works, on going into the foundry, discovered a paper, on
which was written, that if a quantity of shackles, handcuffs, hatchets,
and other articles of iron manufacture, were made and deposited, with
secrecy, in a certain place in the woods, which was particularly
designated, an amount of silver, to their full value, would be found in
their place. The articles were made in a few days, and placed in
conformity with the directions. On the next morning they were gone,
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