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JANUARY, 1920)
EPISODES OF PIRACY IN THE EASTERN SEAS
cry. So they lett fall their Mainesaile and foresaile and stood away from him. The English ship sett her sailes also and stood away her course to the Eastward.”
(Colonial Office Records, 323. 2. 123. viii. India Office Records, O.C. 6473 & 6484.]
Letter from William Soame to the Honble Nath. Higginson Esq. and Council at Fort St. George,
dated Achin 11 August 1697. ** Since my accompanying of the 31st July, arrived here [Achin] Capt. Samuel Hyde in ship Dorrill the 8th instant, giving account that the 7th of July, the day after having been forced to ride fifteen days off of Dyamond Point (N. Sumatra), he spied a saile to windward, bearing down upon him, which coming up under his quarter and giving a Levitt 73 with the Musick of trumpets, hoboys and drum, dropt asterne without haling or anything of parley, but keeping company all the night, next day seem'd inclined to withdraw (by baring away sometime before the wind) till July the 9th in sight of Pulla Varera, springing their Luft [bringing their ship's head closer to the wind) and haling each other, said their ships name was the Resolution, T4 Capt. Robert Collifor Commander, bound also for China, after which the Boatswain of the Dorrill demanding the reason of their suspitious working, they answered, Don't you know us to be the Mocha? Wee want neither you nor your ship, but your inoney we will have, whereunto Capt. Hyde replied that if they had it, [it] should be out of the mussels of his guns, and bid them come up fairly alongside and take it.
Thereupon the engagement began and lasted from about 11 o'clock till past 2 afternoone, when the Mocha wheeled off and left them. Those who have since dyed of their wounds at sea were James Smith, Capt. Hyde's Cheife Mate, Andrew Miller, Barber, George Mopp, Servant to the Gunner, and Thomas Matthews, Servant to the Boatswaine. Those who continue dangerously wounded are John Amos, who lost one of his legs, and 'tis feared one of John Blake's must be cutt off. Their volleys of small shott were small and thick, and allmost incessant, as being extraordinarily manned, and keeping one constantly at topmost head, looking out as supposed in expectation of their associates.
The damages Capt. Hyde's ship received were loss of her sprit sail and yard, severall shott between Decks, breaking one of her main Beames, a shott into her Bread Roome, damaging most of her Bread, and one or two between wind and water, and most of her rigging cutt. The Dogge [? Dogs or Day] before engagement they put out the King's Jack, a broad red pennant and Merchant Colours, 76 but fought under none.
After the engagement Capt. Hyde try'de ten days for Malacca, but contrary winds and currents carried him over to the Simbelon (Sembilan) Islands on the Eastern Shoare, from whence, whilst taking in a longboat load of water, which they stood in great need of, a sail to windward appeared making towards them, probably the Mocha's Associate, but night coming on and steering their course that way, happily lost sight before morning.
73 A flourish.
76 See Deposition of Adam Baldridge for another Resolution. It appears from Kidd's trial that the Vocha was renamed Resolution by the Pirates (State Trialn, XIV, 153).
15 The red ensign.
