ishing boat
with two old men and a boy. They detained one of them, and sent the
other on shore with a flag of truce, requesting the governor to send
them a boat of water, else they would hang the other man at the yard
arm. The water was sent, and the man dismissed.

They next sailed for the Canary Islands, and there took several vessels;
and being informed that two small galleys were daily expected, the sloop
was manned and sent in quest of them. They, however, missing their prey,
and being in great want of provision, went into St. Michael's in the
character of traders, and being discovered, were apprehended, and the
whole crew conducted to the castle, and treated according to their
merits.

Meanwhile, Low's ship was overset upon the careen and lost, so that,
having only the Fancy schooner remaining, they all, to the number of a
hundred, went on board her, and set sail in search of new spoils. They
soon met a rich Portuguese vessel, and after some resistance captured
her. Low tortured the men to constrain them to inform him where they had
hid their treasures. He accordingly discovered that, during the chase,
the captain had hung a bag with eleven thousand moidores out of the
cabin window, and that, when they were taken, he had cut the rope, and
allowed it to fall into the sea. Upon this intelligence, Low raved and
stormed like a fury, ordered the captain's lips to be cut off and
broiled before his eyes, then murdered him and all his crew.

[Illustration: _The Captain of the Portuguese Ship cutting away the Bag
of Moidores._]

After this bloody action, the miscreants steered northward, and in their
course seized several vessels, one of which they burned, and plundering
the rest, allowed them to proceed. Having cleaned in one of the islands,
they then sailed for the bay of Honduras. They met a Spaniard coming out
of the bay, which had captured five Englishmen and a pink, plundered
them, and brought away the masters prisoners. Low hoisted Spanish
colors, but, when he came near, hung out the black flag, and the
Spaniard was seized without resistance. Upon finding the masters of the
English vessels in the hold, and seeing English goods on board, a
consultation was held, when it was determined to put all the Spaniards
to the sword. This was scarcely resolved upon, when they commenced with
every species of weapons to massacre every man, and some flying from
their merciless hands into the waves, a canoe was sent in pursuit