art of these
unprincipled desperadoes, under cover of the patriot flag; and those on
land are no better than those on the sea. If the governments to whom
they belong know of the atrocities committed (and I have but little
doubt they do) they deserve the execration of all mankind.

Thursday, 27th.--A gang of the pirates came and stripped our masts of
the green bushes, saying, "she appeared more like a sail than
trees"--took one barrel of bread and one of potatoes, using about one of
each every day. I understood they were waiting for boats to take the
cargo; for the principal merchant had gone to Trinidad.

Sunday, 30th.--The beginning of trouble! This day, which peculiarly
reminds Christians of the high duties of compassion and benevolence, was
never observed by these pirates. This, of course, we might expect, as
they did not often know when the day came, and if they knew it, it was
spent in gambling. The old saying among seamen, "no Sunday off
soundings," was not thought of; and even this poor plea was not theirs,
for they were on soundings and often at anchor.--Early this morning, the
merchant, as they called him, came with a large boat for the cargo. I
was immediately ordered into the boat with my crew, not allowed any
breakfast, and carried about three miles to a small island out of sight
of the Exertion, and left there by the side of a little pond of thick,
muddy water, which proved to be very brackish, with nothing to eat but a
few biscuits. One of the boat's men told us the merchant was afraid of
being recognized, and when he had gone the boat would return for us; but
we had great reason to apprehend they would deceive us, and therefore
passed the day in the utmost anxiety. At night, however, the boats came
and took us again on board the Exertion; when, to our surprise and
astonishment, we found they had broken open the trunks and chests, and
taken all our wearing apparel, not even leaving a shirt or pair of
pantaloons, nor sparing a small miniature of my wife which was in my
trunk. The little money I and my mate had, with some belonging to the
owners, my mate had previously distributed about the cabin in three or
four parcels, while I was on board the pirate, for we dare not keep it
about us; one parcel in a butter pot they did not discover.--Amidst the
hurry with which I was obliged to go to the before-mentioned island, I
fortunately snatched by vessel's papers, and hid them in my bosom, which
the reader will f