the town,
struck the inhabitants with terror, as they had been lately visited by
some other notorious pirates. Meanwhile, there were eight sail in the
harbor, none of which durst set to sea for fear of falling into the
hands of Teach. The trade of this place was totally interrupted, and the
inhabitants were abandoned to despair. Their calamity was greatly
augmented from this circumstance, that a long and desperate war with the
natives had just terminated, when they began to be infested by these
robbers.

Teach having detained all the persons taken in these ships as
prisoners, they were soon in great want of medicines, and he had the
audacity to demand a chest from the governor. This demand was made in a
manner not less daring than insolent. Teach sent Richards, the captain
of the Revenge, with Mr. Marks, one of the prisoners, and several
others, to present their request. Richards informed the governor, that
unless their demand was granted, and he and his companions returned in
safety, every prisoner on board the captured ships should instantly be
slain, and the vessels consumed to ashes.

During the time that Mr. Marks was negotiating with the governor,
Richards and his associates walked the streets at pleasure, while
indignation flamed from every eye against them, as the robbers of their
property, and the terror of their country. Though the affront thus
offered to the Government was great and most audacious, yet, to preserve
the lives of so many men, they granted their request, and sent on board
a chest valued at three or four hundred pounds.

Teach, as soon as he received the medicines and his fellow pirates,
pillaged the ships of gold and provisions, and then dismissed the
prisoners with their vessels. From the bar of Charleston they sailed to
North Carolina. Teach now began to reflect how he could best secure the
spoil, along with some of the crew who were his favorites. Accordingly,
under pretence of cleaning, he ran his vessel on shore, and grounded;
then ordered the men in Hands' sloop to come to his assistance, which
they endeavoring to do, also ran aground, and so they were both lost.
Then Teach went into the tender with forty hands, and upon a sandy
island, about a league from shore, where there was neither bird no
beast, nor herb for their subsistence, he left seventeen of his crew,
who must inevitably have perished, had not Major Bonnet received
intelligence of their miserable situation, and sent a long-b