The Monarchs of the Main (Volume 3); Or, Adventures of the Buccaneers

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1855. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER IV. THE PIRATES OF NEW PROVIDENCE AND THE KINGS OF MADAGASCAR. Laws and dress--Government--Blackbeard--His enormities--Captain Avery and the Great Mogul--Davis--Lowther--Low--Eoberts--Major Bonnet--Captain Gow--the Guinea coast. The last refugee Buccaneers turned pirates, and settled in the island of New Providence. The African coast, and not the main, was now their cruising ground, and Madagascar was their new Tortuga. They no longer warred merely against the Spaniard--their hands were raised against the world. Their cruelty was no longer the cruelty of retaliation, but arose from a thirst of blood, never to be slaked, and still unquenchable. There was no longer honour among the bands, and they grew as cowardly as they were ferocious. Flocks of trading vessels were scuttled, but no town attacked. We waste time even to detail their guilt, and only append the terrible catalogue as a finis to our narrative. The following articles, signed by Eoberts's crew, may furnish a fair example of the ordinary rules drawn up by pirate captains: --Every man has a vote in affairs of moment, and an equal title to the fresh provisions or strong liquors at any time seized; which he may use at pleasure, unless a scarcity make it necessary for the good of all to vote a retrenchment. Every man shall be called fairly in turn by list on board the prizes, and, over and above their proper share, shall be allowed a change of clothes. Any man who defrauds the company to the value of a dollar in plate, jewels, or money, shall be marooned. If the robbery is by a messmate, the thief shall have his ears and nose slit, and be set on shore at the place the ship touches at. No man shall play at cards or dice for money. The lights and candles to be put out at eight o'clock at nig...