That vessel was commanded by one Rogers, who, on the second day of his cruise, discovered Roberts.  Ignorant of any vessel being sent after them, they made towards each other.  Roberts gave him a gun but instead of striking, the other returned a broadside, with three huzzas.  A severe engagement ensued, and Roberts being hard put to it, lightened his vessel and ran off.

Roberts then sailed for the Island of Dominica, where he watered, and was supplied by the inhabitants with provisions, for which he gave them goods in return.  Here he met with fifteen Englishmen left upon the island by a Frenchman who had made a prize of their vessel; and they, entering into his service, proved a seasonable addition to his strength.

Though he did not think this a proper place for cleaning, yet as it was absolutely necessary that it should be done, he directed his course to the Granada islands for that purpose.  This, however, had well nigh proved fatal to him; for the Governor of Martinique fitted out two sloops to go in quest of the pirates.  They, however, sailed to the above-mentioned place, cleaned with unusual despatch, and just left that place the night before the sloops in pursuit of them arrived.

They next sailed for Newfoundland, arriving upon the banks in June, 1720, and entered the harbor of Trepassi, with their black colors flying, drums beating, and trumpets sounding.  In that harbor there were no less than twenty-two ships, which the men abandoned upon the sight of the pirates.  It is impossible to describe the injury which they did at this place, by burning or sinking the ships, destroying the plantations, and pillaging the houses.  Power in the hands of mean and ignorant men renders them wanton, insolent and cruel.  They are literally like madmen, who cast firebrands, arrows and death, and say, “Are not we in sport?”

Roberts reserved a Bristol galley from his depredations in the harbor, which he fitted and manned for his own service.  Upon the banks he met ten sail of French ships, and destroyed them all, except one of twenty-six guns, which he seized and carried off, and called her the Fortune.  Then giving the Bristol galley to the Frenchman, they sailed in quest of new adventures, and soon took several prizes, and out of them increased the number of their own hands.  The Samuel, one of these, was a very rich vessel, having some respectable passengers on board, who were roughly used, and threatened with death if they did not deliver up their money and their goods.  They stripped the vessel of every article, either necessary for their vessel or themselves, to the amount of eight or nine thousand pounds.  They then deliberated whether to sink or burn the Samuel, but in the mean time they discovered a sail, so they left the empty Samuel, and gave the other chase.  At midnight they overtook her, and she proved to be the Snow from Bristol; and, because he was an Englishman, they used the master in a cruel and barbarous manner.  Two days after, they took the Little York of Virginia, and the Love of Liverpool, both of which they plundered and sent off.  In three days they captured three other vessels, removing the goods out of them, sinking one, and sending off the other two.