ES AND BLOODSHED. BUT BY THE DIVINE INTERCESSION I EVENTUALLY
THROW THE WICKED CAPTAIN OVERBOARD AND AM ELECTED IN HIS STEAD. I
DISCOVER AN ISLAND OF TREASURE, OBTAIN POSSESSION THEREOF BY A TRICKE,
AND PUT THE NATIVES TO THE SWORD.

I marvel much at those who deem it necessary in the setting down of
their adventures to gloze over the whiles between with much matter of
the country, the peoples, and even their own foolish reflections
thereon, hoping in this way to cozen the reader with a belief in their
own truthfulness, and encrease the extravagance of their deeds. I,
being a plain, blunt man, shall simply say for myself that for many
days after being taken from the bilboes and made free of the deck, I
was grievously distempered by reason of the waves, and so collapsed in
the bowels that I could neither eat, stand, nor lie. Being thus in
great fear of death, from which I was miraculously preserved, I, out of
sheer gratitude to my Maker, did incontinently make oath and sign
articles to be one of the crew--which were buccaneers. I did this the
more readily as we were to attack the ships of Spayne only, and through
there being no state of Warre at that time between England and that
country, it was wisely conceived that this conduct would provoke it,
and we should thus be forearmed, as became a juste man in his quarrel.
For this we had the precious example of many great Captains. We did
therefore heave to and burn many ships--the quality of those
engagements I do not set forth, not having a seaman's use of ship
speech, and despising, as a plain, blunt man, those who misuse it,
having it not.

But this I do know, that, having some conceit of a shipman's ways and
of pirates, I did conceive at this time a pretty song for my comradoes,
whereof the words ran thus:--

Yo ho! when the Dog Watch bayeth loud
In the light of a mid-sea moon!
And the Dead Eyes glare in the stiffening Shroud,
For that is the Pirate's noon!
When the Night Mayres sit on the Dead Man's Chest
Where no manne's breath may come--
Then hey for a bottle of Rum! Rum! Rum!
And a passage to Kingdom come!

I take no credit to myself for the same, except so far as it may shew a
touch of my Lord of Southampton's manner--we being intimate--but this I
know, that it was much acclaimed by the crew. Indeed they, observing
that the Captain was of a cruel nature, would fain kill him and put me
in his stead, but