ul pursuit it has since
become, a promising venture in privateering was often
preferred to slower if safer sources of profit by the
strong-stomached merchants and mariners of New York.... News
that piracy under the guise of privateering was winked at by
the New York authorities spread quickly among the captains
serving under the black flag."

Now there never was a lustier freebooter of the high seas than Capt.
Thomas Randall, known familiarly as "Cap'n Tom," commander of the
privateering ship _Fox_, and numerous other vessels. This boat, a
brigantine, was well named, for she was quick and sly and yet could
fight on occasion. Many a rich haul he made in her in 1748, and many a
hairbreadth escape shaved the impudent bow of her on those jolly,
nefarious voyages of hers. One of her biggest captures was the French
ship _L'Amazone_. In 1757 he took out the _De Lancey_, a brigantine,
with fourteen guns, and made some more sensational captures. He is
said to have plied a coastwise trade for the most part from New York
to New Orleans, but, to quote Mr. Henry once more, "The Captain went
wherever the Spanish flag covered the largest amount of gold." At all
events he amassed a prodigious fortune even for a privateer. In 1758
he withdrew from active service himself, but still sent out
privateering vessels. Some of them he lost. The _De Lancey_ was
captured, and so was the _Saucy Sally_--the latter by the British ship
_Experiment_. The _De Lancey_ however made some excellent hauls first.
Peter Johnson, a seaman, made a will in 1757, leaving to a friend all
debts, dues and "prize money which may become payable by the cruise of
the _De Lancey_, Captain Randall commanding." The luckless _De Lancey_
was taken by the Dutch off Curacoa and the crew imprisoned. Perhaps
poor Johnson was one of them.

In spite of occasional ill-luck these were good days for the Captain,
because the law, never over scrupulous, allowed him especial license,
the country being at war. Never was there a better era for
adventurers, never a time when fortunes were to be sought under more
favourable stars!

A third quotation from Mr. Henry:

"In those days a man was looked upon as being highly unfortunate if he
had not a vessel which he could put to profitable use!"

He was part owner of the _Snow_ with sixteen guns, full owner of the
_Mary_ and also of the _Lively_. He had a bad time in connection with
the latter. He sent her ou