pation gone--their
lawful occupation at least. Many of them turned to piracy. The writer
of these two narratives speaks of his companions as privateers, but in
reality they had no legal status whatever. When the governor of Panama
asked for their commission, Captain Sawkins replied that "we would ...
bring our Commissions on the muzzles of our Guns, at which time he
should read them as plain as the flame of Gunpowder could make them."
Ringrose, p. 38. Legible, no doubt, but not legal.]

Ann acoumpt of our Intended Voyage from Jamaco with a party of shipps,
departing from the afore said Island to Poartavell: Receving Letpasses
to goe into the bay of Hundorus, to cutt Logwood, from his Maj'ties
Reall Subject the Earle of Carlisle.[2]

[Footnote 2: Charles Howard, earl of Carlisle, was governor of Jamaica
from 1678 to 1681. The names preceding are intended for Jamaica,
Portobello, and Honduras. Portobello had been a rich town, lying at
the northern end of the usual route across the isthmus from Panama.
The annual "plate fleet" was loaded here with the silver of Peru and
other produce of the Pacific coast. Henry Morgan and his buccaneers
had captured and sacked Portobello in 1668, Panama in 1671.]

_The Names of the Captaines_

Capt. John Coxon, the Chief Commander, in a Barque
Capt. Corneles Essex in a Barque
Capt. Bartholomew Sharpe[3] in a Barque
Capt. Robert Allison in a Sloope
Capt. Thomas Magott in a Sloope

[Footnote 3: Capt. Bartholomew Sharp, who figures largely in this
narrative and the next, as chief commander of the buccaneers during
most of the periods of their adventures, was also the author (or
source) of two histories of their expedition. The first, _The Voyages
and Adventures of Capt. Barth. Sharp and others in the South Sea_
(London, 1684), is mainly a reproduction of the captain's journal or
log; the second, "Captain Sharp's Journal of his Expedition, written
by Himself," published as part II. of Capt. William Hacke's _A
Collection of Original Voyages_ (London, 1699), is more literary in
form. Neither describes the period covered by the present document;
both begin, like document 45, with Apr. 5, 1680.]

In december about the Latter part in the yeare 1679 we meetts all up
at port amorrant,[4] where the party Concluded to make Capt. John
Coxon their Chiefe and to wood and watter at Porttamorrant, and after
make all expedition to take Portavella.

[Footnote 4: Port Morant,