of liquor,
swore, if they saw no possibility of escape, to set foot to foot, and
blow out each other's brains. But standing towards the shore, they
made Pickeroon Bay, and escaped the danger.

Next we repaired to a small island called Utilla, about seven or
eight leagues to leeward of the island of Roatan, in the Bay of
Honduras, where the bottom of the schooner was cleaned. There were now
twenty-two persons on board, and eight of us engaged in a plot to
overpower our masters, and make our escape. Spriggs proposed sailing
for New England, in quest of provisions, and to increase his company;
and we intended on approaching the coast, when the rest had indulged
freely in liquor, and fallen sound asleep, to secure them under the
hatches, and then deliver ourselves up to government.

Although our plot was carried on with all possible privacy, Spriggs
had somehow or other got intelligence of it; and having fallen in with
Low on the voyage, went on board his ship to make a furious
declaration against us. But Low made little account of his
information, otherwise it might have been fatal to most of our number.
Spriggs, however, returned raging to the schooner, exclaiming, that
four of us should go forward to be shot, and to me in particular he
said, "You dog Ashton, you deserve to be hanged up at the yard-arm for
designing to cut us off." I replied, "that I had no intention of
injuring any man on board; but I should be glad if they would allow me
to go away quietly." At length this flame was quenched, and, through
the goodness of God, I escaped destruction.

Roatan harbour, as all about the Bay of Honduras, is full of small
islands, which pass under the general name of Keys; and having got in
here, Low, with some of his chief men, landed on a small island, which
they called Port Royal Key. There they erected huts, and continued
carousing, drinking, and firing, while the different vessels, of which
they now had possession, were repairing.

On Saturday the 9th of March 1723, the cooper, with six hands, in the
long-boat, was going ashore for water; and coming alongside of the
schooner, I requested to be of the party. Seeing him hesitate, I urged
that I had never hitherto been ashore, and thought it hard to be so
closely confined, when every one besides had the liberty of landing as
there was occasion. Low had before told me, on requesting to be sent
away in some of the captured vessels which he dismissed, that I should
go home