d to the Danes, saying that he would send a sloop to take
the sugar off their hands.

Declining his suggestion, they sailed to another Dutch colony, where
they easily disposed of their booty.

Dampier some time after this found his way to Virginia, where he was
residing with several of his former companions, when a ship, captured by
a party of English buccaneers under Captain Cook, and named the
_Revenge_, put into the harbour. As she carried eighteen guns, and was
equipped for a long voyage--and it was necessary to get away from those
seas as soon as possible, lest they should be treated as pirates--it was
proposed that a voyage should be made to the South Seas.

Besides Dampier, the ship's company consisted of Lionel Wafer, the
surgeon, Ambrose Cowley, and many adventurers who had lately crossed the
Isthmus of Panama. The ship being well stored, sailed from Achamack in
Virginia on the 23rd of August, 1683.

Having helped themselves to some casks of wine from a Dutch vessel, they
steered for the Cape de Verde Islands, and thence were intending to hold
a course for the Straits of Magellan, but, as they were driven east by
foul weather, they put into the river Sherbro'. The natives, being in
no way shy, brought off an abundance of plantains, sugar-cane, rice,
fowls, honey, and palm wine. Here they found at anchor a large Danish
ship, which, being far superior to their own vessel, Captain Cook
resolved to capture. Concealing most of his crew, who were well armed,
and allowing only a few to appear on deck, he steered for the stranger.
He had given directions to the helmsman to run her aboard,
notwithstanding whatever command he might issue. The helmsman doing as
he had been ordered, ran her alongside, when the pirate crew, springing
from their places of concealment, rushed, cutlass in hand, over the
bulwarks of the Dane, which they captured after a short struggle, with
the loss, however, of five men.

Dampier, justly ashamed of the nefarious proceeding, does not mention it
in his journal, but it is found in that of Cowley, who wrote an account
of the voyage. The crew of the captured ship being sent on shore to
shift for themselves, she was towed out of the harbour; and such stores,
guns, and ammunition as were required being moved out of the _Revenge_
into her, the pirates set fire to their old ship, that she might tell no
tales, and sailed away in their prize. She carried thirty-six guns, and
was victualled f