Of Capt. England.
119
A Letter from Captain Mackra, dated at Bombay, Nov. 16, 1720.
WE arrived the 25th of July last, in Company of the Greenwich, at Juanna, (an Iſland not far from Madagaſcar) putting in there to refreſh our Men, we found fourteen Pyrates that came in their Canoes from the Mayotta, where the Pyrate Ship to which they belong’d, viz. the Indian Queen, two hundred and fifty Tons, twenty eight Guns, and ninety Men, commanded by Capt. Oliver de la Bouche, bound from the Guinea Coast to the Eaſt-Indies, had been bulged and loſt. They ſaid they left the Captain and 40 of their Men building a new Veſſel to proceed on their wicked Deſign. Capt. Kirby and I concluding it might be of great Service to the Eaſt-India Company to deſtroy ſuch a Nest of Rogues, were ready to ſail for that Purpoſe the 17th of Auguſt, about Eight o’Clock in the Morning, when we diſcovered two Pyrate Ships ſtanding into the Bay of Juanna, one of thirty four, and the other of thirty Guns. I immediately went on Board the Greenwich, where they ſeem’d very diligent in Preparations for an Engagement, and I left Capt. Kirby with mutual Promiſes of ſtanding by each other. I then unmoor’d, got under Sail, and brought two Boats a-head to row me cloſe to the Greenwich; but he being open to a Valley and a Breeze, made the best of his Way from me; which an Oſtender in our Company, of 22 Guns, ſeeing, did the ſame, though the Captain had promiſed heartily to engage with us, and I believe would have been as good as his Word, if Capt. Kirby had kept his. About half an Hour after Twelve, I called ſeveral times to the Greenwich to bear down to our Aſſiſtance, and fir’d Shot at him, but to no Purpoſe. For tho’ we did not doubt but he would join us, becauſe when he got about a League from us, he brought his Ship to, and look’d on, yet both he and the Oſtender baſely deſerted us, and left us engaged with barbarous and inhuman Enemies, withH 4their
