A watchword was given, and no boat to be admitted on board the ship.  This word, which was for that night, Coventry, was known to them.  At 8 o’clock they manned the twelve-oared boat, and the one they found at Mayotta, with 24 men, and set out for the ship.  When they were put off, the captain of the Speaker desired them to come back, as he wanted to speak with them.  Capt.  Booth asked what he wanted!  He said, “they could never take his ship.”  “Then,” said Booth, “we’ll die in or alongside of her.”—­“But,” replied the captain, “if you will go with safety, don’t board on the larboard side, for there is a gun out of the steerage loaded with partridge, which will clear the decks.”  They thanked him, and proceeded.

When they were near the ship they were hailed, and the answer was, the Coventry.  “All well,” said the mate, “get the lights over the side;” but spying the second boat, he asked what boat that was?  One answered it was a raft of water, another that it was a boat of beef; this disagreement in the answers made the mate suspicious, who cried out—­Pirates, take to your arms my lads, and immediately clapped a match to a gun, which, as the priming was before wet by the treachery of Hugh Man, only fizzed.  They boarded in the instant, and made themselves masters of her, without the loss of a man on either side.

The next day they put necessary provisions on board the French built ship, and gave her to the captain of the Speaker, and those men who would go off with him, among whom was Man, who had betrayed his ship; for the pirates had both paid him the 100_l_ agreed, and kept his secret.  The captain having thus lost his ship, sailed in that which the pirates gave him, for Johanna, where he fell ill and died with grief.

The pirates having here victualled, they sailed for the Bay of St. Augustine, where they took in between 70 and 80 men, who had belonged to the ship Alexander, commanded by Capt.  James, a pirate.  They also took up her guns, and mounted the Speaker with 54, which made up their number, and 240 men, besides slaves, of which they had about 20.

From hence they sailed for the East Indies, but stopped at Zanguebar for fresh provisions, where the Portuguese had once a settlement, but now inhabited by Arabians.  Some of them went ashore with the captain to buy provisions.  The captain was sent for by the governor, who went with about 14 in company.  They passed through the guard, and when they had entered the governor’s house, they were all cut off; and, at the same time, others who were in different houses of the town were set upon, which made them fly to the shore.  The long-boat, which lay off a grappling, was immediately put in by those who looked after her.  There were not above half a dozen of the pirates who brought their arms ashore, but they plied them so well, for they were in the boat, that most of the men got into her.  The quarter-master ran down sword in hand, and though he was attacked by many, he behaved himself so well, that he got into a little canoe, put off, and reached the long-boat.