In this Condition they arrived at the Iſland of Mauritius, about the Middle of February, ſheathed and refitted the Victory, and on the 5th of April ſailed again, leaving this terrible Inſcription on one of the Walls. Left this Place the 5th of April, to go to Madagaſcar for Limes,
and this, leaſt (like Lawyers and Men of Buſineſs) any Viſits ſhould be paid in their Abſence: However, they did not ſail directly for Madagaſcar, but the Iſland Maſcarine, and luckily as Rogues could wiſh, they found at their Arrival on the 8th, a Portugueſe Ship at Anchor, of 70 Guns, but moſt of them thrown overboard, her Maſts loſt, and ſo much diſabled by a violent Storm they had met with in the Latitude of 13° South, that ſhe became a Prize to the Pyrates, with very little or no Reſiſtance, and a glorious one indeed, having the Conde de Ericeira, Viceroy of Goa, who made that fruitleſs Expedition againſt Angria, the Indian, and ſeveral other Paſſengers on Board; who, as they could not be ignorant of the Treaſure ſhe had in, did aſſert, that in the ſingle Article of Diamonds, there was to the Value of between three and four Millions of Dollars.
The Vice-Roy, who came on Board that Morning, in Expectation of the Ships being Engliſh, was made a Priſoner, and obliged to ranſome; but in Conſideration of his great Loſs, (the Prize being Part his own,) they agreed after ſome Demurrings, to accept of 2000 Dollars, and ſet him and the other Priſoners aſhore, with Promiſes to leave a Ship that they might Tranſport themſelves, becauſe the Iſland was not thought in a Condition to maintain ſo great a Number; and tho’ they had learned from them, the Account of an Oſtender being to Leeward of the Iſland, which they took on that Information, (being formerly the Greyhound Galley of London,) and could conveniently have comply’d with ſo reaſonable a Requeſt; yet they ſent the
