in;
nor indeed, had we known who they were before boarding us, could we
have made any effectual resistance, being only five men and a boy,
and were thus under the necessity of submitting at discretion. We were
not single in misfortune, as thirteen or fourteen fishing-vessels were
in like manner surprised the same evening.

When carried on board the brigantine, I found myself in the hands of
Ned Low, an infamous pirate, whose vessel had two great guns, four
swivels, and about forty-two men. I was strongly urged to sign the
articles of agreement among the pirates, and to join their number,
which I steadily refused, and suffered much bad usage in consequence.
At length being conducted, along with five of the prisoners, to the
quarter-deck, Low came up to us with pistols in his hand, and loudly
demanded, "Are any of you married men?" This unexpected question,
added to the sight of the pistols, struck us all speechless; we were
alarmed lest there was some secret meaning in his words, and that he
would proceed to extremities, therefore none could reply. In a violent
passion he cocked a pistol, and clapping it to my head, cried out,
"You dog, why don't you answer?" swearing vehemently at the same time
that he would shoot me through the head. I was sufficiently terrified
by his threats and fierceness, but rather than lose my life in so
trifling a matter, I ventured to pronounce, as loud as I durst speak,
that I was not married. Hereupon he seemed to be somewhat pacified,
and turned away.

It appeared that Low was resolved to take no married men whatever,
which often seemed surprising to me until I had been a considerable
time with him. But his own wife had died lately before he became a
pirate; and he had a young child at Boston, for whom he entertained
such tenderness, on every lucid interval from drinking and revelling,
that, on mentioning it, I have seen him sit down and weep plentifully.
Thus I concluded, that his reason for taking only single men, was
probably, that they might have no ties, such as wives and children, to
divert them from his service, and render them desirous of returning
home.

The pirates finding force of no avail in compelling us to join them,
began to use persuasion instead of it. They tried to flatter me into
compliance, by setting before me the share I should have in their
spoils, and the riches which I should become master of; and all the
time eagerly importuned me to drink along with them. But I