HKB
they sailed and took her, and sent her to Madagascar with news of their success, where they followed themselves soon after, with two hundred Mozambique Negroes in the Portugueze Ship.
When Taylor came with the Portugueze Prize to Madagascar, they found that the Ostender had made his men drunk, and seized his ship, which they carried to the Mozambique; from thence the Governor ordered her to Goa. But the Pirates staid and clean'd the Cassandra, and divided very great plunder. Some, who thought they had got enough, staid at Madagascar, and the rest, having no occasion for two ships, burnt the Victory, she being leaky, and went on board the Cassandra, under the Command of Captain Taylor, designing to go for Cochin to dispose of his diamonds, amongst his old Friends the Dutch, and also to avoid the dangers of the Men-of-War that were in pursuit of them. But as he was preparing to sail, and heard of four Men-of-War coming after him; therefore he altered his mind, and sailed for the Main of Africa, and put in at Delagoa: But the Pirates were surprized in the evening with some shot from the shore. They took it for a desert shore, but it proved otherwise; for a few months before, the Dutch East India Company had settled one hundred men upon it, who, not being supplied with necessaries, were reduced to about sixteen; whom Taylor, upon their humble petition took aboard, and they all became Pirates with him.
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.