r now, would stand that kind of treatment, so
Simms ran away, becoming a pickpocket and later a highwayman. After
numerous adventures and escapes from prison, he was pressed on board
H.M.S. _Rye_, but he deserted his ship at Leith. After an "affair" at
Croydon, Simms was transplanted with other convicts to Maryland, in the
_Italian Merchant_. On the voyage he attempted, but without success, to
raise a mutiny. On his arrival in America he was sold to the master of the
_Two Sisters_, which was taken a few days out from Maryland by a Bayonne
pirate. Carried to Spain, Simms got to Oporto, and there was pressed on
board H.M.S. _King Fisher_. Eventually he reached Bristol, where he
bought, with his share of booty, a horse and two pistols, with which to go
on the highway.

Hanged on June 17th, 1747, for stealing an old silver watch and 5s. from
Mr. Francis Sleep at Dunstable.

SKIPTON, CAPTAIN.

Commanded a pirate ship, in which he sailed in company with Captain
Spriggs. Being chased by H.M.S. _Diamond_ off the coast of Cuba, Skipton
ran his sloop on to the Florida Reef. Escaping with his crew to an island,
they were attacked by the Indians, and many of them were captured and
eaten. The survivors, embarking in a canoe, were caught by the man-of-war
and taken prisoner.

SKYRM, CAPTAIN JAMES. Welsh pirate.

Hanged at the advanced age--for a pirate--of 44.

Commanded the _Ranger_, one of Captain Roberts's ships that cruised in
1721 and 1722 off the West Coast of Africa. In the fight with the King's
ship that took him he was very active with a drawn sword in his hand, with
which he beat any of his crew who were at all backward. One of his legs
was shot away in this action, but he refused to leave the deck and go
below as long as the action lasted. He was condemned to death and hanged
in chains.

SMITH, GEORGE. Welsh pirate.

One of Captain Roberts's pirates. Hanged at the age of 25.

SMITH, JOHN.

One of the mutinous crew of the _Antonio_. Hanged at Boston in 1672.

SMITH, JOHN WILLIAMS.

Of Charleston, Carolina.

Hanged in 1718 for piracy, at Charleston.

SMITH, MAJOR SAMUEL. Buccaneer.

At one time a buccaneer with the famous Mansfield.

In 1641 he was sent, by the Governor of Jamaica, with a party to reinforce
the troops which under Mansfield had recaptured the New Providence Island
from the Spanish. In 1660 he was taken prisoner by the Spanish and carried
to Panama and there kept in chains in a