Containing an Account
of his capturing one of the great Mogul's
ship's laden with treasure: and an
interesting history of a Colony of Pirates
on the Island of Madagascar.
During his own time the adventures of
Captain Avery were the subject of general
conversation in Europe. It was reported that
he had married the Great Mogul's daughter,
who was taken in an Indian ship that fell
into his hands, and that he was about to be
the founder of a new monarchy--that he gave
commissions in his own name to the captains
of his ships, and the commanders of his
forces, and was acknowledged by them as
their prince. In consequence of these
reports, it was at one time resolved to fit
out a strong squadron to go and take him and
his men; and at another time it was proposed
to invite him home with all his riches, by
the offer of his Majesty's pardon. These
reports, however, were soon discovered to be
groundless, and he was actually starving
without a shilling, while he was represented
as in the possession of millions. Not to
exhaust the patience, or lessen the
curiosity of the reader, the facts in
Avery's life shall be briefly related.
He was a native of Devonshire (Eng.), and
at an early period sent to sea; advanced to
the station of a mate in a merchantman, he
performed several voyages. It happened
previous to the peace of Ryswick, when there
existed an alliance between Spain, England,
Holland, and other powers, against France,
that the French in Martinique carried on a
smuggling trade with the Spaniards on the
continent of Peru. To prevent their
intrusion into the Spanish dominions, a few
vessels were commanded to cruise upon that
coast, but the French ships were too strong
for them; the Spaniards, therefore, came to
the resolution of hiring foreigners to act
against them. Accordingly, certain merchants
of Bristol fitted out two ships of thirty
guns, well manned, and provided with every
necessary munition, and commanded them to
sail for Corunna to receive their orders.
Captain Gibson commanded one of these
ships, and Avery appears to have been his
mate, in the year 1715. He was a fellow of
more cunning than courage, and insinuating
himself into the confidence of some of the
boldest men in the ship, he represented the
immense riches which were to be acquired
upon the Spanish coast, and proposed to run
off with the ship. The proposal was scarcely
made when it was agreed upon, and put in
execution at ten o'clock the following
evening. Captain Gibson was one of those who
mightily love their bottle, and spent much
of his time on shore; but he remained on
board that night, which did not, however,
frustrate their design, because he had taken
his usual dose, and so went to bed. The men
who were not in the confederacy went also to
bed, leaving none upon deck but the
conspirators. At the time agreed upon, the
long boat of the other ship came, and Avery
hailing her in the usual manner, he was
answered by the men in her, "Is your drunken
boatswain on board?" which was the watchword
agreed between them. Avery replying in the
affirmative, the boat came alongside with
sixteen stout fellows, who joined in the
adventure. They next secured the hatches,
then softly weighed anchor, and immediately
put to sea without bustle or noise. There
were several vessels in the bay, besides a
Dutchman of forty guns, the captain of which
was offered a considerable reward to go in
pursuit of Avery, but he declined. When the
captain awoke, he rang his bell, and Avery
and another conspirator going into the
cabin, found him yet half asleep. He
inquired, saying, "What is the matter with
the ship? does she drive? what weather is
it?" supposing that it had been a storm, and
that the ship was driven from her anchors.
"No, no," answered Avery, "we're at sea,
with a fair wind and a good weather." "At
sea!" said the captain: "how can that be?"
"Come," answered Avery, "don't be in a
fright, but put on your clothes, and I'll
let you into a secret. You must know that I
am captain of this ship now, and this is my
cabin, therefore you must walk out; I am
bound to Madagascar, with a design of making
my own fortune, and that of all the brave
fellows joined with me."
The captain, having a little recovered
his senses, began to understand his meaning.
However, his fright was as great as before,
which Avery perceiving, desired him to fear
nothing; "for," said he, "if you have a mind
to make one of us, we will receive you; and
if you turn sober, and attend to business,
perhaps in time I may make you one of my
lieutenants; if not, here's a boat, and you
shall be set on shore." Gibson accepted of
the last proposal; and the whole crew being
called up to know who was willing to go on
shore with the captain, there were only
about five or six who chose to accompany
him.
Avery proceeded on his voyage to
Madagascar, and it does not appear that he
captured any vessels upon his way. When
arrived at the northeast part of that
island, he found two sloops at anchor,
which, upon seeing him, slipped their cables
and ran themselves ashore, while the men all
landed and concealed themselves in the
woods. These were two sloops which the men
had run off with from the East Indies, and
seeing Avery's ship, supposed that he had
been sent out after them. Suspecting who
they were, he sent some of his men on shore
to inform them that they were friends, and
to propose a union for their common safety.
The sloops' men being well armed, had posted
themselves in a wood, and placed sentinels
to observe whether the ship's men were
landing to pursue them. The sentinels only
observing two or three men coming towards
them unarmed, did not oppose them. Upon
being informed that they were friends, the
sentinels conveyed them to the main body,
where they delivered their message. They
were at first afraid that it was a stratagem
to entrap them, but when the messengers
assured them that their captain had also run
away with his ship, and that a few of their
men along with him would meet them unarmed,
to consult matters for their common
advantage, confidence was established, and
they were mutually well pleased, as it added
to their strength.
Having consulted what was most proper to
be attempted they endeavored to get off the
sloops, and hastened to prepare all things,
in order to sail for the Arabian coast. Near
the river Indus, the man at the mast-head
espied a sail, upon which they gave chase;
as they came nearer to her, they discovered
that she was a tall vessel, and might turn
out to be an East Indiaman. She, however,
proved a better prize; for when they fired
at her she hoisted Mogul colors, and seemed
to stand upon her defence. Avery only
cannonaded at a distance, when some of his
men began to suspect that he was not the
hero they had supposed. The sloops, however
attacked, the one on the bow, and another
upon the quarter of the ship, and so boarded
her. She then struck her colors. She was one
of the Great Mogul's own ships, and there
were in her several of the greatest persons
in his court, among whom, it was said, was
one of his daughters going upon a pilgrimage
to Mecca; and they were carrying with them
rich offerings to present at the shrine of
Mahomet. It is a well known fact, that the
people of the east travel with great
magnificence, so that these had along with
them all their slaves and attendants, with a
large quantity of vessels of gold and
silver, and immense sums of money to defray
their expenses by land; the spoil therefore
which they received from that ship was
almost incalculable.
Captain Avery engaging the Great
Mogul's Ship.
Taking the treasure on board their own
ships, and plundering their prize of every
thing valuable, they then allowed her to
depart. As soon as the Mogul received this
intelligence, he threatened to send a mighty
army to extirpate the English from all their
settlements upon the Indian coast. The East
India Company were greatly alarmed, but
found means to calm his resentment, by
promising to search for the robbers, and
deliver them into his hands. The noise which
this made over all Europe, gave birth to the
rumors that were circulated concerning
Avery's greatness.
In the mean time, our adventurers made
the best of their way back to Madagascar,
intending to make that place the deposit of
all their treasure, to build a small fort,
and to keep always a few men there for its
protection. Avery, however, disconcerted
this plan, and rendered it altogether
unnecessary.
Captain Avery receiving the three
chests of Treasure on board of his Ship.
While steering their course, Avery sent a
boat to each of the sloops, requesting that
the chiefs would come on board his ship to
hold a conference. They obeyed, and being
assembled, he suggested to them the
necessity of securing the property which
they had acquired in some safe place on
shore, and observed, that the chief
difficulty was to get it safe on shore;
adding that, if either of the sloops should
be attacked alone, they would not be able to
make any great resistance, and thus she must
either be sunk or taken with all the
property on board. That, for his part, his
ship was so strong, so well manned, and such
a swift-sailing vessel, that he did not
think it was possible for any other ship to
take or overcome her. Accordingly, he
proposed that all their treasure should be
sealed up in three chests;--that each of the
captains should have keys, and that they
should not be opened until all were
present;--that the chests should be then put
on board his ship, and afterwards lodged in
some safe place upon land.
This proposal seemed so reasonable, and
so much for the common good, that it was
without hesitation agreed to, and all the
treasure deposited in three chests, and
carried to Avery's ship. The weather being
favorable, they remained all three in
company during that and the next day;
meanwhile Avery, tampering with his men,
suggested, that they had now on board what
was sufficient to make them all happy; "and
what," continued he, "should hinder us from
going to some country where we are not
known, and living on shore all the rest of
our days in plenty?" They soon understood
his hint, and all readily consented to
deceive the men of the sloops, and fly with
all the booty; this they effected during the
darkness of the following night. The reader
may easily conjecture what were the feelings
and indignation of the other two crews in
the morning, when they discovered that Avery
had made off with all their property.
Avery and his men hastened towards
America, and being strangers in that
country, agreed to divide the booty, to
change their names, and each separately to
take up his residence, and live in affluence
and honor. The first land they approached
was the Island of Providence, then newly
settled. It however occurred to them, that
the largeness of their vessel, and the
report that one had been run off with from
the Groine, might create suspicion; they
resolved therefore to dispose of their
vessel at Providence. Upon this resolution,
Avery, pretending that his vessel had been
equipped for privateering, and having been
unsuccessful, he had orders from the owners
to dispose of her to the best advantage,
soon found a merchant. Having thus sold his
own ship, he immediately purchased a small
sloop.
In this he and his companions embarked,
and landed at several places in America,
where, none suspecting them, they dispersed
and settled in the country. Avery, however,
had been careful to conceal the greater part
of the jewels and other valuable articles,
so that his riches were immense. Arriving at
Boston, he was almost resolved to settle
there, but, as the greater part of his
wealth consisted of diamonds, he was
apprehensive that he could not dispose of
them at that place, without being taken up
as a pirate. Upon reflection, therefore, he
resolved to sail for Ireland, and in a short
time arrived in the northern part of that
kingdom, and his men dispersed into several
places. Some of them obtained the pardon of
King William, and settled in that country.
The wealth of Avery, however, now proved
of small service, and occasioned him great
uneasiness. He could not offer his diamonds
for sale in that country without being
suspected. Considering, therefore, what was
best to be done, he thought there might be
some person at Bristol he could venture to
trust. Upon this he resolved, and going into
Devonshire, sent to one of his friends to
meet him at a town called Bideford. When he
had unbosomed himself to him and other
pretended friends, they agreed that the
safest plan would be to put his effects into
the hands of some wealthy merchants, and no
inquiry would be made how they came by them.
One of these friends told him, he was
acquainted with some who were very fit for
the purpose, and if he would allow them a
handsome commission, they would do the
business faithfully. Avery liked the
proposal, particularly as he could think of
no other way of managing this matter, since
he could not appear to act for himself.
Accordingly, the merchants paid Avery a
visit at Bideford, where, after strong
protestations of honor and integrity, he
delivered them his effects, consisting of
diamonds and some vessels of gold. After
giving him a little money for his present
subsistence, they departed.
He changed his name, and lived quietly at
Bideford, so that no notice was taken of
him. In a short time his money was all
spent, and he heard nothing from his
merchants though he wrote to them
repeatedly; at last they sent him a small
supply, but it was not sufficient to pay his
debts. In short, the remittances they sent
him were so trifling, that he could with
difficulty exist. He therefore determined to
go privately to Bristol, and have an
interview with the merchants
himself,--where, instead of money, he met
with a mortifying repulse; for, when he
desired them to come to an account with him,
they silenced him by threatening to disclose
his character; the merchants thus proving
themselves as good pirates on land as he was
at sea.
Whether he was frightened by these
menaces, or had seen some other person who
recognised him, is not known; however, he
went immediately to Ireland, and from thence
solicited his merchants very strongly for a
supply, but to no purpose; so that he was
reduced to beggary. In this extremity he was
determined to return, and cast himself upon
the mercy of these honest Bristol merchants,
let the consequence be what it would. He
went on board a trading-vessel, and worked
his passage over to Plymouth, from whence he
travelled on foot to Bideford. He had been
there but a few days, when he fell sick and
died; not being worth so much as would buy
him a coffin!
We shall now turn back and give our
readers some account of the other two
sloops. Deceiving themselves in the
supposition that Avery had outsailed them
during the night, they held on their course
to the place of rendezvouse; but, arriving
there, to their sad disappointment no ship
appeared. It was now necessary for them to
consult what was most proper to do in their
desperate circumstances. Their provisions
were nearly exhausted, and both fish and
fowl were to be found on shore, yet they
were destitute of salt to cure them. As they
could not subsist at sea without salt
provisions, they resolved to form an
establishment upon land. Accordingly making
tents of the sails, and using the other
materials of the sloops for what purposes
they could serve, they encamped upon the
shore. It was also a fortunate circumstance,
that they had plenty of ammunition and small
arms. Here they met with some of their
countrymen; and as the digression is short,
we will inform our readers how they came to
inhabit this place.
Captain George Dew, and Thomas Tew, had
received a commission from the Governor of
Bermuda to sail for the river Gambia, in
Africa, that, with the assistance of the
Royal African Company, they might seize the
French Factory situated upon that coast.
Dew, in a violent storm, not only sprang a
mast, but lost sight of his companion. Upon
this returned to refit. Instead of
proceeding in his voyage, Tew made towards
the Cape of Good Hope, doubled that cape,
and sailed for the straits of Babel-Mandeb.
There he met with a large ship richly laden
coming from the Indies, and bound for
Arabia. Though she had on board three
hundred soldiers, besides seamen, yet Tew
had the courage to attack her, and soon made
her his prize. It is reported, that by this
one prize every man shared near three
thousand pounds. Informed by the prisoners
that five other ships were to pass that way,
Tew would have attacked them, but was
prevented by the remonstrances of his
quarter-master and others. This difference
of opinion terminated in a resolution to
abandon the sea, and to settle on some
convenient spot on shore; and the island of
Madagascar was chosen. Tew, however, and a
few others, in a short time went for Rhode
Island, and obtained a pardon.
The natives of Madagascar are negroes,
but differ from those of Guinea in the
length of their hair and in the blackness of
their complexion. They are divided into
small nations, each governed by its own
prince, who carry on a continual war upon
each other. The prisoners taken in war are
either rendered slaves to the conquerors,
sold, or slain, according to pleasure. When
the pirates first settled among them, their
alliance was much courted by these princes,
and those whom they joined were always
successful in their wars, the natives being
ignorant of the use of fire-arms. Such
terror did they carry along with them, that
the very appearance of a few pirates in an
army would have put the opposing force to
flight.
By these means they in a little time
became very formidable, and the prisoners
whom they took in war they employed in
cultivating the ground, and the most
beautiful of the women they married; nor
were they contented with one, but married as
many as they could conveniently maintain.
The natural result was, that they separated,
each choosing a convenient place for
himself, where he lived in a princely style,
surrounded by his wives, slaves and
dependants. Nor was it long before jarring
interests excited them also to draw the
sword against each other, and they appeared
at the head of their respective forces in
the field of battle. In these civil wars
their numbers and strength were greatly
lessened.
The servant, exalted to the condition of
a master, generally becomes a tyrant. These
pirates, unexpectedly elevated to the
dignity of petty princes, used their power
with the most wanton barbarity. The
punishment of the very least offence was to
be tied to a tree, and instantly shot
through the head. The negroes, at length,
exasperated by continued oppression, formed
the determination of extirpating them in one
night; nor was it a difficult matter to
accomplish this, since they were now so much
divided both in affection and residence.
Fortunately, however, for them, a negro
woman, who was partial to them, ran twenty
miles in three hours, and warning them of
their danger, they were united and in arms
to oppose the negroes before the latter had
assembled. This narrow escape made them more
cautious, and induced them to adopt the
following system of policy:--
Convinced that fear was not a sufficient
protection, and that the bravest man might
be murdered by a coward in his bed, they
labored to foment wars among the negro
princes, while they themselves declined to
aid either party. It naturally followed,
that those who were vanquished fled to them
for protection, and increased their
strength. When there was no war, they
fomented private discords, and encouraged
them to wreak their vengeance against each
other; nay, even taught them how to surprise
their opponents, and furnished them with
fire-arms, with which to dispatch them more
effectually and expeditiously. The
consequences were, that the murderer was
constrained to fly to them for protection,
with his wives, children, and kindred.
These, from interest, became true friends,
as their own safety depended upon the lives
of their protectors. By this time the
pirates were so formidable, that none of the
negro princes durst attack them in open war.
Captain Tew attacks the ship from
India.
Pursuing this system of policy, in a short
time each chief had his party greatly
increased, and they divided like so many
tribes, in order to find ground to
cultivate, and to choose proper places to
build places of residence and erect
garrisons of defence. The fears that
agitated them were always obvious in their
general policy, for they vied with each
other in constructing places of safety, and
using every precaution to prevent the
possibility of sudden danger, either from
the negroes or from one another.
A description of one of these dwellings
will both show the fears that agitated these
tyrants, and prove entertaining to the
reader. They selected a spot overgrown with
wood, near a river, and raised a rampart or
ditch round it, so straight and steep that
it was impossible to climb it, more
particularly by those who had no scaling
ladders. Over that ditch there was one
passage into the wood; the dwelling, which
was a hut, was built in that part of the
wood which the prince thought most secure,
but so covered that it could not be
discovered until you came near it. But the
greatest ingenuity was displayed in the
construction of the passage that led to the
hut, which was so narrow, that no more than
one person could go abreast, and it was
contrived in so intricate a manner, that it
was a perfect labyrinth; the way going round
and round with several small crossways, so
that a person unacquainted with it, might
walk several hours without finding the hut.
Along the sides of these paths, certain
large thorns, which grew on a tree in that
country, were stuck into the ground with
their points outwards; and the path itself
being serpentine, as before mentioned, if a
man should attempt to approach the hut at
night, he would certainly have struck upon
these thorns.
A Pirate and his Madagascar wife.
Thus like tyrants they lived, dreading, and
dreaded by all, and in this state they were
found by Captain Woods Rogers, when he went
to Madagascar in the Delicia, a ship of
forty guns, with the design of purchasing
slaves. He touched upon a part of the island
at which no ship had been seen for seven or
eight years before, where he met with some
pirates who had been upon the island above
twenty-five years. There were only eleven of
the original stock then alive, surrounded
with a numerous offspring of children and
grandchildren.
They were struck with terror upon the
sight of the vessel, supposing that it was a
man-of-war sent out to apprehend them; they,
therefore, retired to their secret
habitations. But when they found some of the
ship's crew on shore, without any signs of
hostility, and proposing to treat with them
for slaves, they ventured to come out of
their dwellings attended like princes.
Having been so long upon the island, their
cloaks were so much worn, that their
majesties were extremely out at elbows. It
cannot be said that they were ragged, but
they had nothing to cover them but the skins
of beasts in their natural state, not even a
shoe or stocking; so that they resembled the
pictures of Hercules in the lion's skin; and
being overgrown with beard, and hair upon
their bodies, they appeared the most savage
figures that the human imagination could
well conceive.
The sale of the slaves in their
possession soon provided them with more
suitable clothes, and all other necessaries,
which they received in exchange. Meanwhile,
they became very familiar, went frequently
on board, and were very eager in examining
the inside of the ship, talking very
familiarly with the men, and inviting them
on shore. Their design was to surprise the
ship during the night. They had a sufficient
number of men and boats to effect their
purpose, but the captain suspecting them,
kept so strong a watch upon deck, that they
found it in vain to hazard an attempt. When
some of the men went on shore, they entered
into a plan to seize the ship, but the
captain observing their familiarity,
prevented any one of his men from speaking
to the pirates, and only permitted a
confidential person to purchase their
slaves. Thus he departed from the island,
leaving these pirates to enjoy their savage
royalty. One of them had been a waterman
upon the Thames, and having committed a
murder, fled to the West Indies. The rest
had all been foremastmen, nor was there one
among them who could either read or write.
Captain Avery's Treasure.
|
