ur
arrival at Port Royal, was permitted by the admiral to be sent to the
King's Hospital, and the lady, who was most tenderly attached to him,
went on shore and remained at the Hospital to attend upon him. I was
glad when she was gone, for I knew how much cause she had for her
hatred of me, and I could not see her without remorse. As soon as we
had completed our repairs, filled up our provisions and water, we
sailed upon another cruise, which was not so successful, as you will
presently perceive.

For five or six weeks we cruised without success, and our people began
to grumble, when one morning our boats in shore off Hispaniola
surprised a small schooner. A negro who was among the prisoners
offered to conduct us through the woods by night to the house of a
very rich planter, which was situated about three miles from a small
bay, and at some distance from the other plantations. He asserted that
we might there get very valuable plunder, and, moreover, obtain a
large ransom for the planter and his family, besides bringing away as
many of the negro slaves as we pleased.

Our captain, who was tired of his ill-success, and who hoped also to
procure provisions, which we very much wanted, consented to the
negro's proposal, and standing down abreast of the bay, which was in
the Bight of Lugan, he ran in at dark, and anchoring close to the
shore, we landed with forty men, and, guided by the negro, we
proceeded through the woods to the house. The negro was tied fast to
one of our stoutest and best men, for fear he should give us the slip.
It was a bright moonlight; we soon arrived, and surrounding the house,
forced our way in without opposition. Having secured the negroes in
the out-houses, and placed guards over them, and videttes on the
look-out to give timely notice of any surprise, we proceeded to our
work of plunder. The family, consisting of the old planter and his
wife, and his three daughters, two of them very beautiful, was secured
in one room. No words can express their terror at thus finding
themselves so suddenly in the power of a set of ruffians, from whose
brutality they anticipated every evil. Indeed the horrid excesses
committed by the privateers'-men, when they landed on the coast, fully
justified their fears, for as this system of marauding is considered
the basest of all modern warfare, no quarter is ever given to those
who are taken in the attempt. In return, the privateers'-men hesitate
at no barbarity whe