onsequently saved our lives.

[Illustration: "'LEFT US ENGAGED WITH BARBAROUS AND INHUMAN ENEMIES.'"]

"About four o'clock most of the officers and men posted
on the quarter-deck being killed and wounded, the
largest ship made up to us with diligence, after giving
us a broadside. There now being no hopes of Captain
Kirby's coming to our assistance, we endeavored to run
ashore; and though we drew four feet of water more than
the pirate, it pleased God that he stuck fast on a
higher ground than happily we fell in with; so was
disappointed a second time from boarding us.

"Here we had a more violent engagement than before. All
of my officers and most of my men behaved with
unexpected courage; and, as we had a considerable
advantage by having a chance to hurl a broadside into
his bow, we did him great damage. Had Captain Kirby come
in then, I believe we should have taken both the
vessels, for we had one of them, sure.

"The other pirate (who was still firing at us) seeing
the _Greenwich_ did not offer to assist us, supplied his
consort with three boats full of fresh men. About five
in the evening the _Greenwich_ stood clear away to sea,
leaving us struggling hard for life, in the very jaws of
death; which the other pirate that was afloat, seeing,
got a hawser out, and began to haul under our stern.

"By this time many of my men were being killed and
wounded, and no hopes left us of escaping being all
murdered by enraged barbarous conquerors, I ordered all
that could to get into the long-boat, under the cover of
the smoke from our guns; so that, with what some did in
boats, and others by swimming, most of us that were able
got ashore by seven o'clock.

"When the pirates came aboard, they cut three of our
wounded men to pieces. I, with some of my people, made
what haste I could to Kings-town, twenty-five miles from
us; where I arrived next day, almost dead with the
fatigue and loss of blood, having been sorely wounded in
the head by a musket-ball.

"At this town I heard that the pirates had offered ten
thousand dollars to the country people to bring me in,
which many of them would have accepted, only they knew
that the king and all his chief people were in my
interest. Meanwhile I caused a report to be circulated
that I was dead of my wounds, which