mounted Thirty Guns by
the Number of Ports, tho' we were surprized they were all close, and not
a Man appeared on her Decks.

The Resolution was taken, to board on the Quarter, which they did; but
seeing no body appear, they feared some Stratagem. However, some of the
Crew ran into the Steerage and Great Cabbin; but seeing nobody, they
went between Decks, and, upon Examination, found her a Ship abandon'd,
and that she had Six Foot Water in the Hold. They took out of the Great
Cabbin Two Chests of Pieces of Eight, with some Hammocks and Cloaths
from between Decks, and so left her.

The next Day, we spied another Sail, which gave us Chase: We lay bye,
till we saw she was an Overmatch for us; for by the Canvass she spread,
we concluded her no less than a Man of War of Fifty Guns. We clapp'd
upon a Wind, and made all the Sail, and lay as close as we possibly
could, but it blowing a fresh Gale, we found she gain'd upon us. This
obliged our Men to throw over the Treasure which they had found the Day
before, and had been the Cause of no small Joy. Finding she still gained
upon us, we threw over our Eight Guns, which together with the Wind's
slackening, was the Means of our Escape; for now we visibly wrong'd the
Ship, and in less than Six Hours, lost her.

The Loss of the Money was a considerable Affliction to the Crew, but
that of their Guns was so great a one, it had well near set them all
together by the Ears. Some condemn'd the Captain for ordering them to be
thrown over, others justifying what he had done, as the only Means of
their Escape. At length, good Words, and a Bowl of Punch the Captain
made for each Mess, laid this Storm for a while; but that which at first
pacify'd these turbulent Spirits, was what blew them up again: For when
they were all drunk, the Boatswain said the Captain was a Coward, and
took a Merchant-man for a Man of War: That his Fear had magnified the
Object, and deprived them of the Means of either taking others, or
defending themselves. This he said in the Captain's Hearing, who,
without returning any Answer, took a Pistol from his Girdle, and shot
him dead; and then seizing another Mutineer, he ordered him a Hundred
Lashes at the Gangway, which were very honestly paid him.

After this, he called all Hands upon Deck, and told them he should not
be fit to command so many brave Fellows, would he suffer any to insult
him: That if any on board thought he was a braver Man than himself, he
was ready