Indian Antiquary Vol 48

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 207

NOVEMBAR, 1919)
EPISODES OF PIRACY IN THE EASTERN SEAS
203
have seen more had they not bin to windward of us, which caused the smoke of the guns to hinder our sight.
We lost in this engagement our Commander, Cheife Mate and 6 more with 16 wounded, their names as followeth, John Cribb Commander, John Allen Cheife Mate, John Bristow, John Beneto Sergeant, John Adamson, Moses Jones, William Jones, Tim Rymer (or Trimer) killed, Mr. Richard Salvey, Mr. Benjamin Henry, Mr. Robert Bathurst, Nath. Branguin Purser, Adam Bushell Gunner, Swan Swanson Boatswaine, James Farlee Quartermaster, Thomas Bodey, Has. Fabeen, Janies James, Richard Booth, Philip Cockram, Henry Godfrey, William Smith, Richard Dragger, Albert Nasbett wounded, of all which Mr. Salvey is most dangerous.
The enemy by tbe belp of the oars being out of sight of us, we reofficered our ship. makeing Mr. Baker Master who was Second Mate, with severall other officers according to their course[seniority) and desert. So God send us to our desired Port in safety. Amen!"
[Note by Mr. Salvey himself. ]
. "I the writer of this, haveing received besides bruises one shott which went a little below my small ribs and struck downwards towards the neck of my bladder above 5 inches and still [ 22 October 1687 ) remains in my body but (blessed be God) I feel little paine except upon change of weather.”
[Journal of the Charles, Captain John Preston, by Nat. Warren,
8.d. 17 August 1689. Sloane MS. 3672 ).
XI. SUCCESSFUL DEFENCE OF THE CÆSAR, 3187 OCTOBER 1686. Towards the end of the 17th century the Buocaneers, who bad previously practised their profession in the West Indies and the South Sea, began to find a great diminution in the number and value of their captures. Accordingly they turned their attention to the East. Some sailed across the Pacific to the Pbilippines and thence through the Straits to the Bay of Bengal, as we shall see in the next Episode (No. XII). Others gailed to the west coast of Africa, where they could obtain rich cargoes of slaves, gold-dust and ivory from the ships of the Royal African Company or, perchance, pick up a fine haul of treasure from an outward bound vessel of the East India Company or an equally valuable prize of India goods from one or its return voyage. It is true that these ships were well found, armed and mapped, but the pirates sailed in small fleets and had the advartage of oumbers. In the attack on the Casar it will be seen that the pirates hoisted red or bloody colours and with a little more courage and persistence would probably have been successful. "True and enact account of an engagement maintained by the ship Caesar, Captain Edward Wright Commander, against five ships (pirales) in sight of the Island 81. Jago 5
on Sunday the last day of Oclober 1686. "We presume your Honours were advised of our safe tho' late arrival at St. Jago the 28th Ootober, where boving refreshed our men as usually, on Sunday following being the last day of the month by suprising we were got under sail and bad scarce opered the
* One of the Cape Verde Islande.