d we had
been schoolfellows. Though I remembered him very well, yet having
formerly heard it had proved fatal to some who had been taken by pirates
to own any knowledge of them, I told him I could not remember any such
person by name. On that he mentioned some boyish pranks that had
formerly passed between us. But I, still denying any knowledge of him,
he told me that he supposed I took him to be one of the pirate's crew
because I saw him dressed in that manner, but that he was a forced man,
and since he had been taken, though they spared his life, they had
obliged him to act as master of the pirate ship. And the reason of his
being so armed was to prevent their ill-using him, for there were hardly
any among the crew but what were cruel villains. But he would himself
take care of me that night, when I should be in the greatest danger,
because many of their people would soon get drunk with the good liquors
found in my ship.
I then readily owned my former acquaintance with him, and he turned to
Captain Cochlyn and desired that a bowl of punch might be made. So we
went into the cabin, where there was not chair, nor anything else to sit
upon, for they always kept a clear ship, ready for an engagement. So a
carpet was spread on the deck, on which we sat down cross-legged, and
Captain Cochlyn drank my health, desiring that I would not be cast down
at my misfortune, for my ship's company in general spoke well of me, and
they had goods enough left in the ships they had taken to make a man of
me. Then he drank several other healths, among which was that of the
Pretender, by the name of King James the Third.
It being by this time midnight, my schoolfellow desired the captain to
have a hammock hung up for me to sleep in, for it seemed everyone lay
rough, as they call it, that is, on the deck, the captain himself not
being allowed a bed. This being granted, and soon after done, I took
leave of the captain, and got into my hammock, but I could not sleep in
my melancholy circumstances. Moreover, the execrable curses I heard
among the ship's company kept me awake, though Mr. Griffin, according to
his promise, walked by me with his broadsword in his hand, to protect me
from insults.
Some time after, it being about two o'clock in the morning, the pirate
boatswain (that attempted to kill me when taken) came on board very
drunk, and being told I was in a hammock, he came near me with his
cutlass. My generous schoolfellow asked him w
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