As this prince had war with powerful neighbours, he left his country, taking with him all his great men, wives, and relations, with a company of about 500 fighting men, followed North, and settled by him, where he remained two years. During this space, being supplied with arms and powder by Capt. North, he made several inroads into the countries of his enemies, and made all he conquered swear allegiance to Capt. North.
At the expiration of two years, Captain Halsey came in with a brigantine, as is related in the life of Capt. White. This crew, having made a broken voyage, where discontented with their captain, and desired North to take the command upon him; but he declined it, saying, Halsey was every way as capable, and that they ought not to depose a man, whom they could not tax with either want of courage or conduct; and for his part, he would never take the command from any one who did not justly merit dismission, which was not Halsey’s case.
The crew were not, however, satisfied, and they made the same offer to White, but by North’s industry, they were, at last, prevailed on to continue their old commander; and as North and his companions had expended their money in settling their plantations, and wanted clothes, the former, therefore, accepted the quarter-master’s post under Halsey, and the others went in the capacity of private gentlemen adventurers, I mean plain foremast men, as may be gathered in the life of that pirate, to which I refer for an account of the expedition they made in the Red Sea. Capt. Halsey on board a prize, left North to command the brigantine they set out in. The two commanders were separated by a storm, but both made for Madagascar Halsey got to Ambonavoula, but North fell in with Maratan, where finding the brigantine was very much worm eaten, and made a great deal of water, with one consent, they took ashore all their goods, and laid up their vessel.
The pirates continued here a whole year, when being desirous of going to Ambonavoula, they asked the king’s assistance to build a boat, and he, for 1000 dollars, set negroes to work, under the directions of Capt. North, and a vessel of 15 tons was set up and launched with great dispatch. In this boat they went to a river, called Manangaro, thirty leagues to the northward of Maratan. Here some of their comrades came to them in a boat belonging to the Scotch ship Neptune, and helped to transport their goods to Ambonavoula, where he had before settled, and had a woman and three children.