uld not be found.

By this time the boat was along the ship's side, and there being nobody
to oppose them, the pirates immediately boarded us, and coming on the
quarter-deck, fired their pieces several times down into the steerage,
giving one sailor a wound of which he died afterwards.

At last some of our people bethought themselves to call out for quarter,
which the pirates granting, their quartermaster came down into the
steerage, asking where the captain was. I told him I had been so till
now. On that he asked me how I durst order my people to fire at their
boat out of the steerage.

I answered, 'I thought it my duty to defend my ship if my people would
have fought.'

On that he presented a pistol to my breast, which I had but just time to
parry before it went off, so that the bullet passed between my side and
arm. The rogue, finding he had not shot me, turned the butt-end of the
pistol, and gave me such a blow on the head as stunned me, so that I
fell on my knees, but immediately recovering myself, I jumped out of the
steerage upon the quarter-deck, where the pirate boatswain was.

He was a bloodthirsty villain, having a few days before killed a poor
sailor because he did not do something as soon as he ordered him. This
cruel monster was asking some of my people where their captain was, so
at my coming upon deck one of them pointed me out. Though the night was
very dark, yet, there being four lanterns with candles, he had a full
sight of me; whereupon, lifting up his broadsword, he swore that no
quarter should be given to any captain that defended his ship, at the
same time aiming a full stroke at my head. To avoid it I stooped so low
that the quarter-deck rail received the blow, and was cut in at least an
inch deep, which happily saved my head from being cleft asunder, and the
sword breaking at the same time with the force of his blow on the rail,
it prevented his cutting me to pieces.

By good fortune his pistols, that hung at his girdle, were all
discharged, otherwise he would doubtless have shot me. But he took one
of them and endeavoured to beat out my brains, which some of my people
observing, cried:

'For God's sake don't kill our captain, for we never were with a better
man.'

This turned the rage of him and two other pirates on my people, and
saved my life; but they cruelly used my poor men, cutting and beating
them unmercifully. One of them had his chin almost cut off, and another
received such