trees and build a sloop of four
tons, which they finished in six weeks, meanwhile living on sea fowl and
their eggs, which were plentiful. Finally they sailed for Tobago, but
missing that island got to Tortuga, where they arrived almost perishing
with hunger and thirst, having had nothing to eat or drink for six days.
Even then they were not discouraged, but after resting awhile, set sail
in the same boat for New England, passing along the Spanish islands,
often unable to land for water on account of the enemy, and lying under
cover of the mangroves, to be almost devoured by mosquitoes. Even with
all this care they were taken at last, stripped, thrust down in the
hold of a Spanish _guarda-costa_, and finally kept as slaves in the
island of Cuba.

In the early years of the seventeenth century few of the adventurers had
any commissions, but as the mother countries began to establish
settlements, letters of marque were granted when there was a war. The
corsairs and pirates then became privateers, only to go back to their
old trade when peace was nominally restored. Some played fast and loose
with these commissions, sometimes having both French and English at the
same time, either to be used according to circumstances. The French
Governors went so far as to sell these documents signed and sealed, but
without names, so that they passed from hand to hand ready to be filled
up when the pirate wished to escape the yard-arm. The young colonies
were too weak to incur their displeasure--in fact they were glad to
encourage their visits, as the settlers could always pick up good
bargains when they sold their booty. Yet, with all that, there was a
dread of them, even among their own countrymen, which prevented that
feeling of safety which best consists with the progress of a colony.

We can say little of individuals, as there were so many, but we may
mention a few of the most striking characters and their daring exploits.
They inspired such dread among the Spaniards that at last the latter
hardly dared to defend themselves against them, but on their approach
immediately surrendered. If the cargo was rich, quarter was granted, but
if otherwise, or anything was found secreted, the whole company,
officers, crew, and passengers, were forced to leap overboard. Pierre
Legrand with his twenty-eight men once attacked a great Spanish galleon,
and before going alongside scuttled his own vessel so that it sunk as
the pirates leapt on to the en