on shore, and had belonged to the
Charming Mary, of Barbadoes, which went out with a commission but was
converted to a pirate. He told the purser he was his prisoner, and must
answer the damage done to two merchants who were slaving. The purser
answered, that he was not commander; that the captain was a hot rash
youth, put into business by his friends, which he did not understand;
but however, satisfaction should be made. He was carried by Collins on
board Booth's ship, where, at first, he was talked to in pretty strong
terms; but after a while very civilly used, and the next morning sent up
to the king with a guide, and peace made for him.

The king allowed them trade, and sent down the usual presents, a couple
of oxen between twenty and thirty people laden with rice, and as many
more with the country liquor, called _toke_.

The captain then settled the factory on the shore side, and began to buy
slaves and provisions. The pirates were among them, and had
opportunities of sounding the men, and knowing in what posture the ship
lay. They found by one Hugh Man, belonging to the Speaker, that there
were not above 40 men on board, and that they had lost the second mate
and 20 hands in the long boat, on the coast, before they came into this
harbor, but that they kept a good look out, and had their guns ready
primed. However, he, for a hundred pounds, undertook to wet all the
priming, and assist in taking the ship.

After some days the captain of the Speaker came on shore, and was
received with great civility by the heads of the pirates, having agreed
before to make satisfaction. In a day or two after, he was invited by
them to eat a barbacued shoat, which invitation he accepted. After
dinner, Capt. Bowen, who was, I have already said, a prisoner on board
the French pirate, but now become one of the fraternity, and master of
the grab, went out, and returned with a case of pistols in his hand, and
told the Captain of the Speaker, whose name I won't mention, that he was
his prisoner. He asked, upon what account? Bowen answered, "they wanted
his ship, his was a good one, and they were resolved to have her, to
make amends for the damage he had done them."

[Illustration: _Hugh Man wetting the Priming of the Guns._]

In the mean while his boat's crew, and the rest of his men ashore, were
told by others of the pirates, who were drinking with them, that they
were also prisoners: some of them answered, _Zounds, we don't trouble