commander, who had thrown off his allegiance to Low, and set up for
himself at the head of a gang of pirates, with a good ship of
twenty-four guns, and a sloop of twelve, both presently lying in
Roatan harbor. He had put in for fresh water, and to refit, at the
place where I first escaped; and, having discovered my companions at
the small island of their retreat, sent a periagua full of men to take
them. Accordingly they carried all ashore, as also a child and an
Indian woman; the last of whom they shamefully abused. They killed a
man after landing, and throwing him into one of the canoes containing
tar, set it on fire, and burnt his body in it.--Then they carried the
people on board of their vessels, where they were barbarously treated.
One of them turned pirate however, and told the others that John Hope
had hid many things in the woods; therefore, they beat him
unmercifully to make him disclose his treasure, which they carried
off with them.

After the pirates had kept these people five days on board of their
vessels, they gave them a flat of five or six tons to carry them to
the Bay of Honduras, but no kind of provision for the voyage; and
further, before dismissal, compelled them to swear that they would not
come near me and my party, who had escaped to another island.

While the vessels rode in the harbor, we kept a good look out, but
were exposed to some difficulties, from not daring to kindle a fire to
dress our victuals, lest our residence should be betrayed. Thus we
lived for five days on raw provisions.--As soon as they sailed,
however, Hope, little regarding the oath extorted from him, came and
informed us of what had passed; and I could not, for my own part, be
sufficiently grateful to Providence for escaping the hands of the
pirates, who would have put me to a cruel death.

Hope and all his people, except John Symonds, now resolved to make
their way to the Bay. Symonds, who had a negro, wished to remain some
time for the purpose of trading with the Jamaica-men on the main. But
thinking my best chance of getting to New England was from the Bay of
Honduras, I requested Hope to take me with him. The old man, though he
would gladly have done so, advanced many objections, such as the
insufficiency of the flat to carry so many men seventy leagues; that
they had no provision for the passage, which might be tedious, and the
flat was, besides ill calculated to stand the sea; as also, that it
was uncertain how ma