cious appearance--blood-thirsty monsters, who, in
acts of barbarity ought only to be ranked with cannibals, who
delight to feast on human flesh. Rendered desperate by their crimes
and aware that they should find no mercy if so unfortunate as to
fall into the hands of those to whom they show no mercy, to prevent
a possibility of detection, and the just execution of the laws
wantonly destroy the lives of every one, however innocent, who may
be so unfortunate as to fall into their power--such, indeed,
brother, is the true character of the band of Pirates (to the number
of 30 or 40) by whom it was my misfortune to be captured, with the
exception of a single one, who possessed a countenance less savage,
and had the appearance of possessing a heart less callous to the
feelings of humanity. Fortunately for me, as Divine Providence
ordered, this person was one of the four who remained on the island,
and on whom the command involved after the unexpected disaster which
had deprived them forever of so great a portion of their comrades.
From this man (after the capture of the murderous tyrant to whose
commands he had been compelled to yield) I received the kindest
treatment, and assurances that I should be restored to liberty and
to my friends when an opportunity should present, or when it could
be consistently done with the safety of their lives and liberty.

This unhappy man (for such he declared himself to be) took an
opportunity to indulge me with a partial relation of a few of the
most extraordinary incidents of his life. He declared himself an
Englishman by birth, but his real name and place of nativity was he
said a secret he would never disclose! "although I must (said he)
acknowledge myself by profession a Pirate, yet I can boast of
respectable parentage, and the time once was when I myself sustained
an unimpeachable character. Loss of property, through the treachery
of those whom I considered friends, and in whom I had placed
implicit confidence, was what first led me to and induced me to
prefer this mode of life, to any of a less criminal nature--but,
although I voluntarily became the associate of a band of wretches
the most wicked and unprincipled perhaps on earth, yet I solemnly
declare that I have not in any one instance personally deprived an
innocent fellow creature of life. It w