ared war upon
all the world," aimed at something more elaborate. Roberts flew several
flags, all made to his own design.

On one was depicted a "human anatomy," holding a rummer, or glass, of
punch in one bony hand, and a flaming sword in the other. Another
favourite flag of Roberts had a huge portrait of himself, sword in hand,
and two skulls.

Another had a "skellington" standing with either foot firmly placed on a
skull, and under one skull were embroidered the letters A.B.H., under the
other A.M.H., which letters stood for a Barbadian's head and a
Martinican's head, to warn any inhabitant of either of these islands what
to expect if he was so unfortunate as to be taken prisoner by Bartholomew,
who never forgot nor forgave two occasions on which he was very roughly
handled by ships from Barbadoes and Martinique.

The weak point in all pirate ships was the lack of discipline. Time and
again some successful enterprise, almost completed, was thrown away by
lack of discipline. No captain could be certain of his command or crew. If
he did anything they disapproved of, the crew would throw him in chains
into the hold, or as likely overboard, and elect another. It is on record
that one ship had elected thirteen different commanders in a few months.
Some of the big men retained their commands, Roberts holding the record,
for a pirate, of four years, until his death; while Bartholomew Sharp
holds the record for a buccaneer.

Having procured a vessel, perhaps little more than a fishing-boat,
sometimes only an open row-boat, the embryo pirates would paddle along
some coast until they came across an unsuspecting craft, one not too big
for the desperadoes to attack. Hiding their arms, they would row
alongside, and then suddenly, with shouts and curses, board the vessel,
kill any who resisted, and start a cruise in their new ship, their number
being increased by volunteers or forced men from amongst the prize's crew.
Cruising thus, the pirates would gradually get together a small fleet of
the fastest and best sailing vessels among their prizes and increase their
crew as they went along.

Both the buccaneers and the pirates had their favourite haunts and places
of rendezvous. These had to be within easy sailing distance of one or more
regular trade routes, and at the same time had to be in some quiet spot
unlikely to be visited by strange craft, and, besides being sheltered
from storms, must have a suitable beach on which thei