THE pirates of the Spanish Main and the southern
coasts of this country have enjoyed almost a monopoly of
popular interest in fact and fiction. As early as 1632,
however, the New England coast was plagued by pirates and
the doughty merchant seamen of Salem and other ports were
sallying forth to fight them for a hundred years on
end.
In 1670 the General Court published in Boston, "by
beat of drum," a proclamation against a ship at the Isle
of Shoals suspected of being a pirate, and three years
later another official broadside was hurled against
"piracy and mutiny." The report of an expedition sent out
from Boston in 1689, in the sloop Mary, against notorious
pirates named Thomas Hawkins and Thomas Pound, has all
the dramatic elements and properties of a tale of pure
adventure. It relates that "being off of Wood's Hole, we
were informed there was a Pirate at Tarpolin Cove, and
soon after we espyed a Sloop on head of us which we
supposed to be the Sloop wherein sd. Pound and his
Company were. We made what Sayle we could and soon came
near up with her, spread our King's Jack and fired a shot
athwart her forefoot, upon which a red flagg was put out
on the head of the sd. Sloop's mast. Our Capn. ordered
another shot to be fired athwart her forefoot, but they
not striking, we came up with them. Our Capn. commanded
us to fire at them which we accordingly did and called to
them to strike to the King of England.
"Pound, standing on the Quarter deck with his naked
Sword flourishing in his hand, said; 'Come on Board you
Doggs, I will strike you presently,' or words to that
purpose, his men standing by him upon the deck with guns
in their hands, and he taking up his Gun, they discharged
a Volley at us and we at them again, and so continued
firing one at the other for some space of time.
"In which engagement our Capn. Samuel Pease was
wounded in the Arme, in the side and in the thigh; but at
length bringing them under our power, wee made Sayle
towards Roade Island and on Saturday the fifth of sd.
October got our wounded men on shore and procured
Surgeons to dress them. Our said Captaine lost much blood
by his wounds and was brought very low, but on friday
after, being the eleventh day of the said October, being
brought on board the vessell intending to come away to
Boston, was taken with bleeding afresh, so that we were
forced to carry him on Shore again to Road Island, and
was followed with bleeding at his Wounds, and fell into
fitts, but remained alive until Saturday morning the
twelfth of Octbr. aforesaid when he departed this
Life."
This admirably brief narrative shows that Thomas
Pounds, strutting his quarter deck under his red "flagg"
and flourishing his naked sword and crying "Come on, you
doggs," was a proper figure of a seventeenth century
pirate, and that poor Captain Pease of the sloop Mary was
a gallant seaman who won his victory after being wounded
unto death. Pirates received short shift and this crew
was probably hanged in Boston as were scores of their
fellows in that era.
Puritan wives and sweethearts waited months and years
for missing ships which never again dropped anchor in the
landlocked harbor of Salem, and perhaps if any tidings
ever came it was no more than this:
"May 21 (1697)-The ketch Margaret of Salem, Captain
Peter Henderson was chased ashore near Funshal, Madeira,
by pirates and lost. Of what became of the officers and
crew the account says nothing."
In July of 1703, the brigantine Charles, Capt. Daniel
Plowman, was fitted out at Boston as a privateer to
cruise against the French and Spanish with whom Great
Britain was at war. When the vessel had been a few days
at sea, Captain Plowman was taken very ill. Thereupon the
crew locked him in the cabin and left him to die while
they conspired to run off with the brigantine and turn
pirates. The luckless master conveniently died, his body
was tossed overboard and one John Quelch assumed the
command. The crew seem to have agreed that he was the man
for their purpose and they unanimously invited him to
"sail on a private cruise to the coast of Brazil." In
those waters they plundered several Portuguese ships, and
having collected sufficient booty or becoming homesick,
they determined to seek their native land. With striking
boldness Quelch navigated the brigantine back to
Marblehead and primed his men with a story of the voyage
which should cover up their career as pirates.
Suspicion was turned against them, however, the vessel
was searched, and much plunder revealed. The pirates
tried to escape along shore, but most of them, Quelch
included, were captured at Gloucester, the Isle of
Shoals, and Marblehead. One of the old Salem records has
preserved the following information concerning the fate
of these rascals:
(1704)- "Major Stephen Sewall, Captain John Turner and
40 volunteers embark in a shallop and Fort Pinnace after
Sun Set to go in Search of some Pirates who sailed from
Gloucester in the morning. Major Sewall brought into
Salem a Galley, Captain Thomas Lowrimore, on board of
which he had captured some pirates and some of their Gold
at the Isle of Shoals. Major Sewall carries the Pirates
to Boston under a strong guard. Captain Quelch and five
of his crew are hung. About 13 of the ship's company
remain under sentence of death and several more are
cleared."
Tradition records that a Salem poet of that time was
moved to write of the foregoing episode:
There is a vivacious and entertaining flavor in the
following chronicle and comment:
The official account of the foregoing misfortune is to
be found among the notarial records of Essex county and
reads as follows:
In the following year Captain John Shattuck entered
his protest at Salem against capture by pirates. He
sailed from Jamaica for New England and in sight of Long
Island (West Indies) was captured by a "Pyrat" of 12 guns
and 120 men, under the command of Captain Charles Vain,
who took him to Crooked Island (Bahamas), plundered him
of various articles, stripped the brig, abused some of
his men and finally let him go. "Coming, however, on a
winter coast, his vessel stripped of needed sails, he was
blown off to the West Indies and did not arrive in Salem
until the next spring."
In 1724 two notorious sea rogues, Nutt and Phillip,
were cruising off Cape Ann, their topsails in sight of
Salem harbor mouth. They took a sloop commanded by one
Andrew Harradine of Salem and thereby caught a Tartar.
Harradine and his crew rose upon their captors, killed
both Nutt and Phillip and their officers, put the pirate
crew under hatches, and sailed the vessel to Boston where
the pirates were turned over to the authorities to be
fitted with hempen kerchiefs.
On the first of May, 1725, a Salem brigantine
commanded by Captain Dove sailed into her home harbor
having on board one Philip Ashton, a lad from Marblehead
who had been given up as dead for almost three years. He
had been captured by pirates, and after escaping from
them lived alone for a year and more on a desert island
off the coast of Honduras. Philip Ashton wrote a journal
of his adventures which was first published many years
ago. His story is perhaps the most entertaining narrative
of eighteenth century piracy that has come down to
present times. Little is known of the career of this lad
of Marblehead before or after his adventures and
misfortunes in the company of pirates. It is recorded
that when he hurried to his home from the ship which had
fetched him into Salem harbor there was great rejoicing.
On the following Sunday Rev. John Barnard preached a
sermon concerning the miraculous escape of Philip Ashton.
His text was taken from the third chapter of Daniel,
seventeenth verse: "If it be so our God whom we serve is
able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He
will deliver us out of thy hands, O King."
It is also known that at about the same time that
Philip Ashton was captured by pirates his cousin,
Nicholas Merritt, met with a like misfortune at sea. He
made his escape after several months of captivity and
returned to his home a year later when there was another
thanksgiving for a wanderer returned.
What the early shipmasters of Salem and nearby ports
had to fear in the eighteenth century may be more clearly
comprehended if a part of the journal of Philip Ashton is
presented as he is said to have written it upon his
return home. It begins as follows:
"On Friday, the 15th of June, 1722, after
being out some time in a schooner with four men and a
boy, off Cape Sable, I stood in for Port Rossaway,
designing to lie there all Sunday. Having arrived
about four in the afternoon, we saw, among other
vessels which had reached the port before us, a
brigantine supposed to be inward bound from the West
Indies. After remaining three or four hours at anchor,
a boat from the brigantine came alongside, with four
hands, who leapt on deck, and suddenly drawing out
pistols, and brandishing cutlasses, demanded the
surrender both of ourselves and our vessel. All
remonstrance was vain; nor indeed, had we known who
they were before boarding us could we have made any
effectual resistance, being only five men and a boy,
and were thus under the necessity of submitting at
discretion. We were not single in misfortune, as
thirteen or fourteen fishing vessels were in like
manner surprised the same evening.
"When carried on board the brigantine, I found
myself in the hands of Ned Low, an infamous pirate,
whose vessel had two great guns, four swivels, and
about forty two men. I was strongly urged to sign the
articles of agreement among the pirates and to join
their number, which I steadily refused and suffered
much bad usage in consequence. At length being
conducted, along with five of the prisoners, to the
quarterdeck, head Low came up to us with pistols in
his hand, and loudly demanded: 'Are any of you married
men?'
"This unexpected question, added to the sight of
the pistols, struck us all speechless; we were alarmed
lest there was some secret meaning in his words, and
that he would proceed to extremities, therefore none
could reply. In a violent passion he cocked a pistol,
and clapping it to my head, cried out: 'You dog, why
don't you answer?' swearing vehemently at the same
time that he would shoot me through the head. I was
sufficiently terrified by his threats and fierceness,
but rather than lose my life in so trifling a matter,
I ventured to pronounce, as loud as I durst speak,
that I was not married. Hereupon he seemed to be
somewhat pacified, and turned away.
"It appeared that Low was resolved to take no
married men whatever, which often seemed surprising to
me until I had been a considerable time with him. But
his own wife had died lately before he became a
pirate; and he had a young child at Boston, for whom
he entertained such tenderness, on every lucid
interval from drinking and revelling, that on
mentioning it, I have seen him sit down and weep
plentifully. Thus I concluded that his reason for
taking only single men, was probably that they might
have no ties, such as wives and children, to divert
them from his service, and render them desirous of
returning home.
"The pirates finding force of no avail in
compelling us to join them, began to use persuasion
instead of it. They tried to flatter me into
compliance, by setting before me the share I should
have in their spoils, and the riches which I should
become master of; and all the time eagerly importuned
me to drink along with them. But I still continued to
resist their proposals, whereupon Low, with equal fury
as before, threatened to shoot me through the head,
and though I earnestly entreated my release, he and
his people wrote my name, and that of my companions,
in their books.
"On the 19th of June, the pirates changed the
privateer, as they called their vessel, and went into
a new schooner belonging to Marblehead, which they had
captured. They then put all the prisoners whom they
designed sending home on board of the brigantine, and
sent her to Boston, which induced me to make another
unsuccessful attempt for liberty; but though I fell on
my knees to Low, he refused to let me go; thus I saw
the brigantine depart, with the whole captives,
excepting myself and seven more.
"A very short time before she departed, I had
nearly effected my escape; for a dog belonging to Low
being accidentally left on shore, he ordered some
hands into a boat to bring it off. Thereupon two young
men, captives, both belonging to Marblehead, readily
leapt into the boat, and I considering that if I could
once get on shore, means might be found of effecting
my escape, endeavored to go along with them. But the
quartermaster, called Russell, catching hold of my
shoulder, drew me back. As the young men did not
return he thought I was privy to their plot, and, with
the most outrageous oaths, snapped his pistol, on my
denying all knowledge of it. The pistol missing fire,
however, only served to enrage him the more; he
snapped it three times again, and as often it missed
fire; on which he held it overboard, and then it went
off. Russell on this drew his cutlass, and was about
to attack me in the utmost fury, when I leapt down
into the hold and saved myself.
"Off St. Michael's the pirates took a large
Portuguese pink, laden with wheat, coming out of the
road; and being a good sailor, and carrying fourteen
guns, transferred their company into her. It
afterwards became necessary to careen her, whence they
made three islands called Triangles lying about forty
leagues to the eastward of Surinam.
"In heaving down the pink, Low had ordered so many
men to the shrouds and yards that the ports, by her
heeling, got under water, and the sea rushing in, she
overset; he and the doctor were then in the cabin, and
as soon as he observed the water gushing in, he leaped
out of the stern port while the doctor attempted to
follow him. But the violence of the sea repulsed the
latter, and he was forced back into the cabin. Low,
however, contrived to thrust his arm into the port,
and dragging him out, saved his life. Meanwhile, the
vessel completely overset. Her keel turned out of the
water; but as the hull filled she sunk in the depth of
about six fathoms.
"The yardarms striking the ground, forced the masts
somewhat above the water; as the ship overset, the
people, got from the shrouds and yards, upon the hull,
and as the hull went down, they again resorted to the
rigging, rising a little out of the sea.
"Being an indifferent swimmer, I was reduced to
great extremity; for along with other light lads, I
had been sent up to the main-top-gallant yard; and the
people of a boat who were now occupied in preserving
the men refusing to take me in, I was compelled to
attempt reaching the buoy. This I luckily
accomplished, and as it was large secured myself there
until the boat approached. I once more requested the
people to take me in, but they still refused, as the
boat was full. I was uncertain whether they designed
leaving me to perish in this situation; however, the
boat being deeply laden made way very slowly, and one
of my comrades, captured at the same time with myself,
calling to me to forsake the buoy and swim toward her,
I assented, and reaching the boat, he drew me on
board. Two men, John Bell, and Zana Gourdon, were lost
in the pink.
"Though the schooner in company was very near at
hand, her people were employed mending their sails
under an awning and knew nothing of the accident until
the boat full of men got alongside.
"The pirates having thus lost their principal
vessel, and the greatest part of their provisions and
water, were reduced to great extremities for want of
the latter; They were unable to get a supply at the
Triangles, nor on account of calms and currents, could
they make the island of Tobago. Thus they were forced
to stand for Grenada, which they reached after being
on short allowance for sixteen days together.
"Grenada was a French settlement, and Low, on
arriving, after having sent all his men below, except
a sufficient number to maneuver the vessel, said he
was from Barbadoes; that he had lost the water on
board, and was obliged to put in here for a
supply.
"The people entertained no suspicion of his being a
pirate, but afterward supposing him a smuggler,
thought it a good opportunity to make a prize of his
vessel. Next day, therefore, they equipped a large
sloop of seventy tons and four guns with about thirty
hands, as sufficient for the capture, and came
alongside while Low was quite unsuspicious of their
design. But this being evidently betrayed by their
number and actions, he quickly called ninety men on
deck, and, having eight guns mounted, the French sloop
became an easy prey.
"Provided with these two vessels, the pirates
cruised about in the West Indies, taking seven or
eight prizes, and at length arrived at the island of
Santa Cruz, where they captured two more. While lying
there Low thought he stood in need of a medicine
chest, and, in order to procure one sent four
Frenchmen in a vessel he had taken to St. Thomas's,
about twelve leagues distant, with money to purchase
it; promising them liberty, and the return of all
their vessels for the service. But he declared at the
same time if it proved otherwise, he would kill the
rest of the men, and burn the vessels. In little more
than twenty-four hours, the Frenchmen returned with
the object of their mission, and Low punctually
performed his promise by restoring the vessels.
"Having sailed for the Spanish-American
settlements, the pirates descried two large ships
about half way between Carthagena and Portobello,
which proved to be the Mermaid, an English man-of-war,
and a Guineaman. They approached in chase until
discovering the man-of-war's great range of teeth,
when they immediately put about and made the best of
their way off. The man-of-war then commenced the
pursuit and gained upon them apace, and I confess that
my terrors were now equal to any that I had previously
suffered; for I concluded that we should certainly be
taken, and that I should not less be hanged for
company's sake; so true are the words of Solomon: 'A
companion of fools shall be destroyed.' But the two
pirate vessels finding themselves outsailed,
separated, and Farrington Spriggs, who commanded the
schooner in which I was stood in for the shore. The
Mermaid observing the sloop with Low himself to be the
larger of the two, crowded all sail, and continued
gaining still more, indeed until her shot flew over;
but one of the sloop's crew showed Low a shoal, which
he could pass, and in the pursuit the man-of-war
grounded. Thus the pirates escaped hanging on this
occasion.
"Spriggs and one of his chosen companions dreading
the consequences of being captured and brought to
justice, laid their pistols beside them in the
interval, and pledging a mutual oath in a bumper of
liquor, swore if they saw no possibility of escape, to
set foot to foot and blow out each other's brains. But
standing toward the shore, they made Pickeroon Bay,
and escaped the danger.
"Next we repaired to a small island called Utilla,
about seven or eight leagues to leeward of the island
of Roatan, in the Bay of Honduras, where the bottom of
the schooner was cleaned. There were now twenty-two
persons on board, and eight of us engaged in a plot to
overpower our masters, and make our escape. Spriggs
proposed sailing for New England, in quest of
provisions and to increase his company; and we
intended on approaching the coast, when the rest had
indulged freely in liquor and fallen sound asleep, to
secure them under the hatches, and then deliver
ourselves up to government.
"Although our plot was carried on with all possible
privacy, Spriggs had somehow or other got intelligence
of it; and having fallen in with Low on the voyage,
went on board his ship to make a furious declaration
against us. But Low made little account of his
information, otherwise it might have been fatal to
most of our number. Spriggs, however, returned raging
to the schooner, exclaiming that four of us should go
forward to be shot, and to me in particular he said:
'You dog Ashton, you deserve to be hanged up at the
yardarm for designing to cut us off.' I replied that I
had no intention of injuring any man on board; but I
should be glad if they would allow me to go away
quietly. At length this flame was quenched, and,
through the goodness of God, I escaped
destruction.
"Roatan harbor, as all about the Bay of Honduras,
is full of small islands, which pass under the general
name of Keys; and having got in here, Low, with some
of his chief men, landed on a small island, which they
called Port Royal Key. There they erected huts, and
continued carousing, drinking, and firing, while the
different vessels, of which they now had possession,
were repairing.
"On Saturday, the 9th of March, 1723, the cooper,
with six hands, in the long-boat, was going ashore for
water; and coming alongside of the schooner, I
requested to be of the party. Seeing him hesitate, I
urged that I had never hitherto been ashore, and
thought it hard to be so closely confined when every
one besides had the liberty of landing as there was
occasion. Low had before told me, on requesting to be
sent away in some of the captured vessels which he
dismissed that I should go home when he did, and swore
that I should never previously set my foot on land.
But now I considered if I could possibly once get on
terra firma, though in ever such bad circumstances, I
should account it a happy deliverance and resolved
never to embark again.
"The cooper at length took me into the long-boat,
while Low and his chief people were on a different
island from Roatan, where the watering place lay; my
only clothing was an Osnaburgh frock and trowsers, a
milled cap, but neither shirt, shoes, stockings, nor
anything else.
"When we first landed I was very active in
assisting to get the casks out of the boat, and in
rolling them to the watering place. Then taking a
hearty draught of water I strolled along the beach,
picking up stones and shells; but on reaching the
distance of a musket-shot from the party I began to
withdraw toward the skirts of the woods. In answer to
a question by the cooper of whither I was going I
replied, 'for cocoanuts,' as some cocoa trees were
just before me; and as soon as I was out of sight of
my companions I took to my heels, running as fast as
the thickness of the bushes and my naked feet would
admit. Notwithstanding I had got a considerable way
into the woods, I was still so near as to hear the
voices of the party if they spoke loud, and I lay
close in a thicket where I knew they could not find
me.
"After my comrades had filled their casks and were
about to depart, the cooper called on me to accompany
them; however, I lay snug in the thicket, and gave him
no answer, though his words were plain enough. At
length, after hallooing loudly, I could hear them say
to one another: 'The dog is lost in the woods, and
cannot find the way out again'; then they hallooed
once more, and cried 'He has run away and won't come
to us'; and the cooper observed that had he known my
intention he would not have brought me ashore.
Satisfied of their inability to find me among the
trees and bushes, the cooper at last, to show his
kindness, exclaimed: 'If you do not come away
presently, I shall go off and leave you alone.'
Nothing, however, could induce me to discover myself;
and my comrades seeing it vain to wait any longer, put
off without me.
"Thus I was left on a desolate island, destitute of
all help, and remote from the track of navigators; but
compared with the state and society I had quitted, I
considered the wilderness hospitable, and the solitude
interesting.
"When I thought the whole was gone, I emerged from
my thicket, and came down to a small run of water,
about a mile from the place where our casks were
filled, and there sat down to observe the proceedings
of the pirates. To my great joy in five days their
vessels sailed, and I saw the schooner part from them
to shape a different course.
"I then began to reflect on myself and my present
condition; I was on an island which I had no means of
leaving; I knew of no human being within many miles;
my clothing was scanty, and it was impossible to
procure a supply. I was altogether destitute of
provision, nor could tell how my life was to be
supported. This melancholy prospect drew a copious
flood of tears from my eyes; but as it had pleased God
to grant my wishes in being liberated from those whose
occupation was devising mischief against their
neighbors, I resolved to account every hardship light.
Yet Low would never suffer his men to work on the
Sabbath, which was more devoted to play; and I have
even seen some of them sit down to read in a good
book.
"In order to ascertain how I was to live in time to
come, I began to range over the island, which proved
ten or eleven leagues long, and lay in about sixteen
degrees north latitude. But I soon found that my only
companions would be the beasts of the earth, and fowls
of the air; for there were no indications of any
habitations on the island, though every now and then I
found some shreds of earthen ware scattered in a lime
walk, said by some to be the remains of Indians
formerly dwelling here.
"The island was well watered, full of high hills
and deep valleys. Numerous fruit trees, such as figs,
vines, and cocoanuts are found in the latter; and I
found a kind larger than an orange, oval-shaped of a
brownish color without, and red within. Though many of
these had fallen under the trees, I could not venture
to take them until I saw the wild hogs feeding with
safety, and then I found them very delicious
fruit.
"Stores of provisions abounded here, though I could
avail myself of nothing but the fruit; for I had no
knife or iron implement, either to cut up a tortoise
on turning it, or weapons wherewith to kill animals;
nor had I any means of making a fire to cook my
capture, even if I were successful.
"To this place then was I confined during nine
months, without seeing a human being. One day after
another was lingered out, I know not how, void of
occupation or amusement, except collecting food,
rambling from hill to hill, and from island to island,
and gazing on sky and water. Although my mind was
occupied by many regrets, I had the reflection that I
was lawfully employed when taken, so that I had no
hand in bringing misery on myself; I was also
comforted to think that I had the approbation and
consent of my parents in going to sea, and trusted
that it would please God, in his own time and manner,
to provide for my return to my father's house. There
fore, I resolved to submit patiently to my
misfortune.
"Sometime in November, 1723, I descried a small
canoe approaching with a single man; but the sight
excited little emotion. I kept my seat on the beach,
thinking I could not expect a friend, and knowing that
I had no enemy to fear, nor was I capable of resisting
one. As the man approached, he betrayed many signs of
surprise; he called me to him, and I told him he might
safely venture ashore, for I was alone, and almost
expiring. Coming close up, he knew not what to make of
me; my garb and countenance seemed so singular, that
he looked wild with astonishment. He started back a
little, and surveyed me more thoroughly; but,
recovering himself again, came forward, and, taking me
by the hand, expressed his satisfaction at seeing
me.
"This stranger proved to be a native of North
Britain; he was well advanced in years, of a grave and
venerable aspect, and of a reserved temper. His name I
never knew, he did not disclose it, and I had not
inquired during the period of our acquaintance. But he
informed me he had lived twenty two years with the
Spaniards who now threatened to burn him, though I
know not for what crime; therefore he had fled hither
as a sanctuary, bringing his dog, gun, and ammunition,
as also a small quantity of pork, along with him. He
designed spending the remainder of his days on the
island, where he could support himself by hunting.
"I experienced much kindness from the stranger; he
was always ready to perform any civil offices, and
assist me in whatever he could, though he spoke
little; and he gave me a share of his pork.
"On the third day after his arrival, he said he
would make an excursion in his canoe among the
neighboring islands, for the purpose of killing wild
hogs and deer, and wished me to accompany him. Though
my spirits were somewhat recruited by his society, the
benefit of the fire, which I now enjoyed, and dressed
provisions, my weakness and the soreness of my feet,
precluded me; therefore he set out alone, saying he
would return in a few hours. The sky was serene, and
there was no prospect of any danger during a short
excursion, seeing he had come nearly twelve leagues in
safety in his canoe. But, when he had been absent
about an hour, a violent gust of wind and rain arose,
in which he probably perished, as I never heard of him
more.
"Thus, after having the pleasure of a companion
almost three days, I was as unexpectedly reduced to my
former lonely state, as I had been relieved from it.
Yet through the goodness of God, I was myself
preserved from having been unable to accompany him;
and I was left in better circumstances than those in
which he had found me, for now I had about five pounds
of pork, a knife, a bottle of gunpowder, tobacco,
tongs and flint, by which means my life could be
rendered more comfortable. I was enabled to have fire,
extremely requisite at this time, being the rainy
months of winter. I could cut up a tortoise, and have
a delicate broiled meal. Thus, by the help of the
fire, and dressed provisions, through the blessings of
God, I began to receive strength, though the soreness
of my feet remained. But I had, besides, the advantage
of being able now and then to catch a dish of cray
fish, which, when roasted, proved good eating. To
accomplish this I made up a small bundle of old broken
sticks, nearly resembling pitch-pine, or candlewood,
and having lighted one end, waded with it in my hand,
up to the waist in water. The cray fish, attracted by
the light, would crawl to my feet and lie directly
under it, when, by means of a forked stick, I could
toss them ashore.
"Between two and three months after the time of
losing my companion, I found a small canoe, while
ranging along the shore. The sight of it revived my
regret for his loss, for I judged that it had been his
canoe; and, from being washed up here, a certain proof
of his having been lost in the tempest. But on
examining it more closely, I satisfied myself that it
was one which I had never seen before... "
Three months after he lost his companion Philip
Ashton found a small canoe which had drifted on the
island beach. In this fragile craft he made his way to
another island where he found a company of buccaneers
who chased him through the woods with a volley of
musketry. Re-embarking in his canoe he headed for the
western end of this island and later reached Roatan
where he lived alone for seven months longer. Here he
was discovered and hospitably cared for by a number of
Englishmen who had fled from the Bay of Honduras in
fear of an attack by Spaniards. These refugees had
planted crop and were living in what seemed to Philip
Ashton as rare comfort. "Yet after all," he said of
them, "they were bad society, and as to their common
conversation there was but little difference between
them and pirates."
At length this colony of outlaws was attacked and
disbanded by a ship's company of pirates headed by
Spriggs who had thrown off his allegiance to Low and
set up in the business of piracy for himself with a
ship of twenty-four guns and a sloop of twelve.
Ashton evaded their clutches and with one Symonds,
who had also fled from the attack of Spriggs, made his
way from one island to another until he was fortunate
enough to find a fleet of English merchant vessels
under convoy of the Diamond man-of-war bound for
Jamaica. They touched at one of these islands near the
Bay of Honduras to fill their water casks and it was
there that Ashton found the Salem brigantine commanded
by Captain Dove.
The journal says in conclusion: "Captain Dove not
only treated me with great civility and engaged to
give me a passage home but took me into pay, having
lost a seaman whose place he wanted me to supply.
"We sailed along with the Diamond, which was bound
for Jamaica, in the latter end of March, 1725, and
kept company until the first of April. By the
providence of Heaven we passed safely through the Gulf
of Florida, and reached Salem Harbor on the first of
May, two years, ten months and fifteen days after I
was first taken by pirates; and two years, and two
months, after making my escape from them on Roatan
island. That same evening I went to my father's house,
where I was received as one risen from the dead."