Twelve months after, the Charles brigantine Capt. Halsey, came in, as is mentioned in his life. Williams went on board him and made a voyage. At their return they came to Maratan, lived ashore, and assisted the king in his war against his brother, which being ended in the destruction of the latter, and a pirate lying at Ambonavoula, sending his long-boat to Manangcaro, within ten leagues of Maratan, Williams and the rest went on board, and in three months after he had been at Ambonavoula, he was chosen captain of the Scotch ship, mentioned in Halsey’s life. This ship he worked upon with great earnestness, and made the Scotch prisoners labour hard at the fitting her up for a voyage; and she was nearly ready for sea, when a hurricane forced her ashore, and she was wrecked.
Some time after this he set up and finished a sloop, in which he and ten of his men designed for Mascarenhas; but missing the island, they went round Madagascar, to Methelage, where he laid his vessel ashore and tarried a year; but the king being tired with his morose temper, and he disagreeing with every body, was ordered to be gone, and accordingly fitting up his vessel, he put to sea, intending to go round the north end of the island; but the wind being at E. S. E. and the current setting to N. W. he put back to a port called the Boyn, within ten leagues of Methelage, in the same king’s dominions whom he had left. The governor of this place was descended from the Arabs, and it was here that the Arabians traded.
When he came to an anchor, he and three of his men (he had but five with him) went on shore, paddled by two negroes. David Eaton and William Dawson, two of the men, required a guide, to show them the way to the king’s town; the governor ordered them one, and at the same time laid an ambush for them in the road, and caused them to be murdered. When they had left the Boyn, Williams and Meyeurs, a Frenchman, who also came ashore in the canoe, went to buy some samsams, which are agate beads. As they were looking over these goods, a number of the governor’s men came about them, seized them both, and immediately despatched Meyeurs. Williams they bound, and tortured almost a whole day, by throwing hot ashes on his head and in his face, and putting little boys to beat him with sticks. He offered the governor 2000 dollars for his life, but he answered, he would have that and the money too; and accordingly, when he was near expiring, they made an end of him with their lances.