Chapter 6

Here they stayed about four months, careened their ships, and left _Delagoa_ the latter end of _December_: But not agreeing among themselves, they parted those who were weary of that sort of life, went on board the _Portugueze_ Prize, and sailed for _Madagascar_; the others went on board the _Cassandra_, and sailed for the _Spanish West Indies_. The _Mermaid_ Man-of-War, which was a convoy to some Merchant-men, about 30 leagues distance, would have gone to attack them, had not the Merchants, whom he had the care of, declar'd their protection was of more service than destroying the Pirates; and so he was oblig'd to be content with only dispatching the news of it to _Jamaica_. This brought down the _Lanceston_, though it was a day or two too late, for they had just before surrendered, with all their riches, to the Governor of _Porto-Bello_, where they now live upon their Spoils, saying, others would have done as much, had they had the same opportunity; swearing, _That whatever Robberies they had committed they are not the only Rogues in the World; for that the South-Sea[A] did more Mischief in one Year, than they were able to do in their whole Lives_.

FOOTNOTE:

[A] The South-Sea Bubble.

CAPTAIN JOHN GOW, _ALIAS_ SMITH, AND HIS CREW

_John Gow_, alias _Smith_, was born at a place called _Caristoun_, in the _Orkney_ Islands, and was brought up a sailor from his youth, having served on board several Men-of-War, and last of all on board the _Suffolk_, along with _T. Swan_, who was engaged with him in the conspiracy to murder Captain _Ferneau_, and seize the ship and cargoe, as they went off the _Texel_, but they were prevented by _James Belvin_, who was led into the secret and discovered it. Captain _Ferneau_ taking little notice of it, contented himself with turning off _Swan_, and preferred _Gow_ to be second Mate and Gunner.

They sailed on board the _George_ Galley, August the 1st, 1724, from the _Texel_ to _Santa Cruz_, having 15000_l._ on board, when Gow designed to have seized the Ship as they went out, but could not get a party strong enough to join with him, till he worked up a misunderstanding between the Captain and part of the crew, concerning the provisions of the ship, particularly _Winter_, _Peterson_, _and Mc.Cawley_, who came upon the Quarter-Deck, in presence of the Owners, just before they sailed, and made a long complaint against the Captain; who assured them that if there was any wrong done them, it was not by his consent; and that he would enquire into it as soon as they had unmoored the ship.

About eight a clock at night, Captain _Ferneau_, as usual, called them up to prayers in the great Cabin, and then set the watch, and went to sleep, little thinking his end was so near, when _Winter_, _Rawlisson_, and _Melvin_, begun the scene of blood, _Gow_ lying snug in his hammock, as if he knew nothing of the matter, till he saw whether the villany would succeed, or not. _Winter_ cut the Doctor's throat as he was asleep in his hammock, and then went up to _Melvin_ and _Rawlisson_, who in the mean time had seized the Captain and cut his throat also, but not touching the windpipe, _Gow_ stept up and shot him with a brace of bullets, and then threw him over-board. _Mc.Cawley_ cut _Stephen Algiers_ the Clerk's throat, as he lay in the hammock, and _Williams_ shot him dead afterwards. _Peterson_ cut the throat of _Bonaventure Jelphs_, the Chief Mate; and _Michael Moor_, at the Command of _Williams_, shot him.

After this _Williams_ came upon the Quarter-Deck, and saluted _Gow_ with Captain _Ferneau's_ sword, first striking it upon one of the guns, and saying, _Welcome Captain_ Gow, _welcome to your new Command_. After which, _Gow_ told the men, That if any of them durst murmur or cabal together, they must expect to meet with the same Fate; and then calling a Council, they agreed to go, _Upon the Account_, as they called it.

They called the ship the _Revenge_, and mounted six more of her guns, she being able to carry four and twenty in all. But instead of going to _Genoa_ as intended, they sailed for the coasts of _Spain_ and _Portugal_, in hopes of getting a ship laden with wine, to keep up their spirits; but all was alike they met with; and instead of wine, they contented themselves with fish, which they took out of a ship called the _Delight_ of _Poole_, _Thomas Wise_, Master, bound from _New-England_ to _Cadiz_, out of which they took the men, and what they wanted, and then sunk the Ship, to prevent their being discovered to the _English_ Men-of-War who lay in the _Straights_.

On the 18th of _December_, they took the _Snow-Galley_, out of which Crew they kept _Rob_, and discharged the Captain and the rest of the men, after having plundered the Ship of the arms, ammunition, cloth, provisions, sails, anchors, cables, and then let her go.

By this time, they were got a great way to the southward; and being in want of water as well as wind, they agreed to go to _Maderas_, which Island they made in two days, cruising about it near a week, expecting some vessel to come in or come out; but the Country discovering what they were, they were disappointed in their attempts. Then they stood away for _Porto Santa_, where they put up _British_ Colours, and sent their Boat ashore with a compliment to the Governor, desiring leave to Water, and buy some refreshments; which he readily agreed to, and went with them to pay the _English_ Captain a Visit, who received him in a very grand Manner. But the refreshments not coming as expected, he at length told him he was his Prisoner, and must remain so till the provisions were come on board, which was not till next day, when _Gow_ discharged him, giving him three Cerons of Bees-wax, and three Guns at his going away.

Having now got provisions, they agreed to return to the Coasts of _Spain_ and _Portugal_; where they had not been above two days, before they met with the _Batchelor_, _Benjamin Cross_ Master, from _New-England_ bound to _Cadiz_; out of which they took _Cross_ and his Men, and gave the Ship to Captain _Wise_, as also 24 Cerons of Bees-wax to him and his mate, and to his four men 8 Cerons. After this they took a _French_ Ship from _Cadiz_, loaded with wine, oil, and fruit, which was what they wanted, and manned her with their own men, taking on board the _Revenge_ the _French_ Master, and his 12 Men, and most Part of the cargoe, with five guns and their carriages, ammunition, small arms, and sails, and gave the ship to _Somerville_, Captain of the _Snow Galley_; and to Captain _Cross_ the _New-English_ Man, to who they gave half the ship and cargoe and _Somerville_ had all his Men, but _Alexander Rob_, whom they detained, and who was executed in 1725, for engaging along with them.

Soon after they saw a large ship to the windward bearing down upon them, which at first they thought to have been a _Portugueze_ Man-of-War; but they found afterwards, it was a _French_ Merchant Ship coming home from the _West-Indies_, which not fearing them, came on to the windward. _Gow_ perceiving she was a Ship of great strength, called all his men together, telling them they had a great many prisoners on board, and that he could not trust many of his own men; besides, six of his best Hands were on Board the other Ship, therefore he advised them not to meddle with her, she being far superior in Force. This so exasperated _Williams_, that he demanded of _Gow_ to give his orders for fighting; but he, by the advice of the whole crew, declined it; whereupon _Williams_ snapt his pistol at his Face; which not going off, made him still madder. _Winter_ and _Peterson_ standing by him fired each a Pistol at _Williams_, one shooting him through the arm, and the other in the belly; at which he fell, and they believing he was killed, were going to throw him overboard, when he leapt up, and ran into the Powder-Room, with his pistol cocked in his hand, swearing he would blow them all up; which he had certainly done, had they not prevented him that very moment, he having opened the scuttle to do it.

They immediately put him in irons, and hand-cuffed him, and then put him between decks, in a place prepared for prisoners.

Two days after this, they took the _Triumvirate_, a _Bristol_ Sloop, _Joel Davis_ Master, bound from _Newfoundland_ to _Oporto_, with fish; from whence they took all her provisions, arms, sails, and two of her men, and then let her go with the rest, and all her cargoe. Not knowing what to do with _Williams_, they resolved to put him on board them, and send him away, for fear of further danger, ordering the Master to put him on board the first _English_ man of War he should meet with, to hang him for Piracy; which when _Williams_ found they were resolved to do, he made all the submission he was able to Captain _Gow_, begging for pardon, knowing if he was carried to _Lisbon_ he should meet with his deserts. But all his entreaties would not do, he was brought up double fettered, when he begged they would throw him into the sea, and drown him, rather than give him up to be hanged in chains, which he knew he deserved from the _Portugueze_ as well as _English_. This made many of them begin to relent and pity him; but considering his savage disposition, they knew there was no safety to keep him on board, and so resolved to let him go, and give him a hearty curse at parting, wishing him a safe voyage to the gallows, not dreaming that they themselves should accompany him.

The _Bristol_ Captain obeyed their orders, and as soon as he came to _Lisbon_ put him on board the _Argyle_ man of War, Captain _Bowler_ Commander, who brought him home not above three days before Gow and his Crew came to keep him company.

In the middle of last _January_, they arrived at _Caristoun_ in the Isles of _Orkney_, when _Gow_ gave them instructions, what account they should give of themselves to the people of the country, to avoid suspicion. But now began their misfortunes, for several of their men began to think of making their escape, the first was one _Read_, who took an opportunity to get away when the boat went ashore, who went to a farm-house which lay under a hill where he hired a horse and rode to _Kirkwall_, a market town about twelve miles off, where he informed them what they were; whereupon they raised the Country to defend themselves. The Pirates soon hearing what was done, ten more of them went away with the longboat, making the best of their way for _Scotland_, who were some time after taken in the _Frith_ of _Edinburgh_, and made Prisoners.

This so provoked _Gow_, that he resolved to plunder the Country, be the consequence what it would, and in order thereto, he sent _Belvin_ his Boatswain, with _Rob_ and Four more, to Mr. _Honnyman's_ house, the Sheriff, who not being at home, his Servants let them in, not suspecting their design. They immediately fell to work, but Mr. _Honnyman's_ Daughter had the presence of mind to hide the money in a tub of feathers, till she found an opportunity to carry it away, by the contrivance of _Alexander Rob_, who was placed centinel at the door. But when the Boatswain found the treasure was gone, Gow having before told them where it lay, he swore he would burn the house, and all that was in it, which the young Lady hearing, she runs to the Charter-room where the Treasure lay, and threw it out of the Window, jumping herself after. However, they plundered the house of about fifty pounds, and some plate, and then forced a servant who played on the bag-pipes, to pipe before them to the ship, whom they also detained, and was brought along with them to the _Marshalsea_, where he was sick till his release.

The next day they weighed anchor, and came to _Calf-Sound_, where the boatswain went ashore again with four armed Men, meeting with no Plunder. From thence they went to the Island of _Eda_, to plunder the house of Mr. _Fea_, whom _Gow_ had formerly been School-fellow with, and knowing him to be a Man of Courage, believed that the Alarm at _Caristoun_ had drawn him thither: But Mr. _Fea's_ wife at that Time being very sick in Bed, kept him at home, and having notice of them he sent a letter to _Gow_ by _James Laing_, to desire him to withdraw, assuring him that most of the inhabitants were fled to the mountains on the report of his being a Pirate, desiring him to send the messenger safe back, at whose return the affrights of the people would be over. _Gow_ sent him word back, that he would write to nobody, but if Mr. _Fea_ would send his men with a Boat, he would reward them handsomely, which Mr. _Fea_ hearing, he ordered his great Boat to be staved, and sunk, and the sails to be carried out of sight. In the mean time, perceiving _Gow's_ boat come on shore, with five men in it, well armed, he met them, and said if they would go to a Publick House in the neighbourhood, and take a cup of ale with him, he would see what he could do to serve them, which they agreed to, seeing Mr. _Fea_ was all alone, not suspecting any danger. Mr. _Fea_ had before given orders for half a dozen men, well armed, to lie in ambush to surprize them, which being done, Mr. _Fea_ sent to Mr. _Gow_ to let him know, that the country was alarmed, and that it would be his best way peaceable to surrender, which _Gow_ did in a day or two, thinking thereby to make himself an evidence; but it would not do, although he complied so far as to delude all his men ashore one after another, who would certainly have cut his throat, had they known of any ways afterwards to have escaped.

They were put on board the _Greyhound_, which delivered them into the _Marshalsea_, _March_ 30, 1714, where they continued till _June_ following, when eight of them were hanged at _Execution Dock_, viz. _John Gow_, _James Williams_, _James Belvin_, _John Winter_, _Peter Rawlisson_, _Daniel Mc.Cawley_, _William Ingram_, for another Piracy under _Anstis_, and a month afterwards _Alexander Rob_ was hanged for Piracy under _Gow_.

Transcriber's Note

Fraser notes in his foreword to this book that the original author's spelling was "indefinite even for his own day", and adds that it has "has been more or less modernized" in this edition; however, there are still many inconsistencies in spelling, use of hyphenation and italics, and capitalisation of words. These inconsistencies, along with archaic spelling, have been retained throughout.

Minor typographic errors in punctuation have been corrected without note. The word 'with' was printed as 'htiw' (page 138), and has been corrected. The word 'were' has been amended to 'where' (page 139, "... where they sent several Hands ..."), for the sentence to make sense. Two instances of transposed letters have also been corrected--sieze changed to seize, and Goaler changed to Gaoler. The original title page illustration also contained an error, Jnae, which referred to a month. This was cross-checked with the rest of the text, and has been amended to read June in the transcription of the text.

The frontispiece illustration has been moved to follow the front matter.