Captain _Hume_, finding no Account could be had of these Pyrates, designed to go back, the next Day, to _Barbadoes_; but, it happened, that Night, that a Boat anchor'd there from _Santa Crux_, and informed him, that he saw a Pyrate Ship of 22 or 24 Guns, with other Vessels, going in to the North West Part of the Island aforesaid. The _Scarborough_ weigh'd immediately, and the next Morning came in Sight of the Rovers, and their Prizes, and stood to them, but the Pilot refused to venture in with the Ship; all the while the Pyrates fir'd red hot Bullets from the Shore. At length, the Ship came to an Anchor, along Side the Reef, near the Channel, and cannonaded for several Hours, both the Vessels and Batteries: About four in the Afternoon, the Sloop that guarded the Channel, was sunk by the Shot of the Man of War; then she cannonaded the Pyrate Ship of 22 Guns, that lay behind the Island. The next Night, _viz._ the 18th, it falling Calm, Captain _Hume_ weigh'd, fearing he might fall on the Reef, and so stood off and on for a Day or two, to block them up. On the 20th, in the Evening, they observed the Man of War to stand off to Sea, and took the Opportunity to warp out, in order to slip away from the Island; but at Twelve o'Clock they run a-ground, and then seeing the _Scarborough_ about, standing in again, as their Case was desperate, so they were put into the utmost Confusion; they quitted their Ship, and set her on Fire, with 20 Negroes in her, who were all burnt; 19 of the Pyrates made their Escape in a small Sloop, but the Captain and the rest, with 20 Negroes, betook to the Woods, where 'twas probable they might starve, for we never heard what became of 'em afterwards: Captain _Hume_ released the Prisoners, with the Ship and Sloop that remained, and then went after the two Pyrate Sloops first mentioned.
CHAP. III. OF Captain _TEACH_ alias BLACK-BEARD.
E_Dward Teach_ was a _Bristol_ Man born, but had sailed some Time out of _Jamaica_ in Privateers, in the late _French_ War; yet tho' he had often distinguished himself for his uncommon Boldness and personal Courage, he was never raised to any Command, till he went a-pyrating, which I think was at the latter End of the Year 1716, when Captain _Benjamin Hornigold_ put him into a Sloop that he had made Prize of, and with whom he continued in Consortship till a little while before _Hornigold_ surrendered.