The good fortune of Low was now singular; in his way thither he captured a French ship of 34 guns, and carried her along with him.  Then entering St. Michael’s roads, he captured seven sail, threatening with instant death all who dared to oppose him.  Thus, by inspiring terror, without firing a single gun, he became master of all that property.  Being in want of water and fresh provisions, Low sent to the governor demanding a supply, upon condition of releasing the ships he had taken, otherwise he would commit them to the flames.  The request was instantly complied with, and six of the vessels were restored.  But a French vessel being among them, they emptied her of guns and all her men except the cook, who, they said, being a greasy fellow, would fry well; they accordingly bound the unfortunate man to the mast, and set the ship on fire.

The next who fell in their way was Captain Carter, in the Wright galley; who, because he showed some inclination to defend himself, was cut and mangled in a barbarous manner.  There were also two Portuguese friars, whom they tied to the foremast, and several times let them down before they were dead, merely to gratify their own ferocious dispositions.  Meanwhile, another Portuguese, beholding this cruel scene, expressed some sorrow in his countenance, upon which one of the wretches said he did not like his looks, and so giving him a stroke across the body with his cutlass, he fell upon the spot.  Another of the miscreants, aiming a blow at a prisoner, missed his aim, and struck Low upon the under jaw.  The surgeon was called, and stitched up the wound; but Low finding fault with the operation, the surgeon gave him a blow which broke all the stiches, and left him to sew them himself.  After he had plundered this vessel, some of them were for burning her, as they had done the Frenchman; but instead of that, they cut her cables, rigging, and sails to pieces, and sent her adrift to the mercy of the waves.

[Illustration:  The Cruelties practised by Captain Low.]

They next sailed for the island of Madeira, and took up a fishing boat with two old men and a boy.  They detained one of them, and sent the other on shore with a flag of truce, requesting the governor to send them a boat of water, else they would hang the other man at the yard arm.  The water was sent, and the man dismissed.

They next sailed for the Canary Islands, and there took several vessels; and being informed that two small galleys were daily expected, the sloop was manned and sent in quest of them.  They, however, missing their prey, and being in great want of provision, went into St. Michael’s in the character of traders, and being discovered, were apprehended, and the whole crew conducted to the castle, and treated according to their merits.