In February, Vane sailed from Barnacho, for a cruise; but, some days after he was out, a violent tornado overtook him, which separated him from his consort, and, after two days’ distress, threw his sloop upon a small uninhabited island, near the bay of Honduras, where she staved to pieces, and most of her men were drowned:  Vane himself was saved, but reduced to great straits for want of necessaries, having no opportunity to get any thing from the wreck.  He lived here some weeks, and was supported chiefly by fishermen, who frequented the island with small crafts from the main, to catch turtles and other fish.

[Illustration:  Vane arrested by Captain Holford.]

While Vane was upon this island, a ship put in there from Jamaica for water, the captain of which, one Holford, an old buccaneer, happened to be Vane’s acquaintance.  He thought this a good opportunity to get off, and accordingly applied to his old friend:  but Holford absolutely refused him, saying to him, “Charles, I shan’t trust you aboard my ship, unless I carry you as a prisoner, for I shall have you caballing with my men, knocking me on the head, and running away with my ship pirating.”  Vane made all the protestations of honor in the world to him; but, it seems, Captain Holford was too intimately acquainted with him, to repose any confidence at all in his words or oaths.  He told him, “He might easily find a way to get off, if he had a mind to it:—­I am going down the bay,” said he, “and shall return hither in about a month, and if I find you upon the island when I come back, I’ll carry you to Jamaica, and there hang you.”  “How can I get away?” answered Vane.  “Are there not fishermen’s dories upon the beach?  Can’t you take one of them?” replied Holford.  “What!” said Vane, “would you have me steal a dory then?” “Do you make it a matter of conscience,” replied Holford, “to steal a dory, when you have been a common robber and pirate, stealing ships and cargoes, and plundering all mankind that fell in your way!  Stay here if you are so squeamish?” and he left him to consider of the matter.

After Captain Holford’s departure, another ship put into the same island, in her way home, for water; none of the company knowing Vane, he easily passed for another man, and so was shipped for the voyage.  One would be apt to think that Vane was now pretty safe, and likely to escape the fate which his crimes had merited; but here a cross accident happened that ruined all.  Holford returning from the bay, was met by this ship, and the captains being very well acquainted with each other, Holford was invited to dine aboard, which he did.  As he passed along to the cabin, he chanced to cast his eye down into the hold, and there saw Charles Vane at work:  he immediately spoke to the captain, saying, “Do you know whom you have got aboard there?” “Why,” said he, “I have shipped a man at such an island, who was cast away in a trading sloop, and he seems to be a brisk hand.”  “I tell you,”