the little Brazilian
town, the tropical foliage, the Holy Procession, "wax figure" and priests,
followed by the Governor with an English buccaneer on either side, and
headed by a crew of drunken Protestant English sailors playing "Hey, boys,
up go we!"

Rogers, not to be outdone in hospitality, next day entertained the
Governor and fathers on board the _Duke_, "when," he says, "they were very
merry, and in their cups propos'd the Pope's health to us. But we were
quits with 'em by toasting the Archbishop of Canterbury; and to keep up
the humour, we also proposed William Pen's health, and they liked the
liquor so well, that they refused neither." Alas! the good Governor and
the fathers were not in a fit state to leave the ship when the end came to
the entertainment, so slept on board, being put ashore in the morning,
"when we saluted 'em with a huzza from each ship, because," as Rogers
says, "we were not overstocked with powder."

It was in March, 1710, that Rogers brought his little fleet into the
harbour of Guam, one of the Ladrone Islands. Although at war with Spain,
the captain soon became on his usual friendly terms with the Governor of
this Spanish colony, and gave an entertainment on board his ship to him
and four other Spanish gentlemen, making them "as welcome as time and
place would afford, with musick and our sailors dancing." The Governor
gave a return party on shore, to which Rogers and all his brother officers
were invited, partaking of "sixty dishes of various sorts." After this
feast Rogers gave his host a present, consisting of "two negro boys
dress'd in liveries." One other instance of Woodes Rogers adaptability
must suffice. In the year 1717 he was appointed Governor to the Bahama
Islands, at New Providence, now called Nassau. His chief duty was to stamp
out the West India pirates who had made this island their headquarters for
many years, and were in complete power there, and numbered more than 2,000
desperadoes, including such famous men as Vane and Teach. Rogers's only
weapon, besides the man-of-war he arrived in, was a royal proclamation
from King George offering free pardon to all pirates or buccaneers who
would surrender at once to the new Governor. At first the pirates were
inclined to resist his landing, but in the end the tactful Rogers got his
own way, and not only landed, but was received by an armed guard of
honour, and passed between two lines of pirates who fired salutes with
their musket