John Rackam was voted Captain of the Brigantine, in Vane’s Room, and proceeded towards the Caribbee Iſlands, where we muſt leave him, till we have finiſhed our Story of Charles Vane.
The Sloop ſailed for the Bay of Honduras, and Vane and his Crew put her into as good a Condition as they could by the Way, to follow the old Trade. They cruiſed two or three Days off the North-Weſt Part of Jamaica, and took a Sloop and two Pettiagas, and all the Men entered with them; the Sloop they kept, and Robert Deal went Captain of her.
On the 16th of December the two Sloops came into the Bay, where they found only one at an Anchor, call’d the Pearl, of Jamaica, Captain Charles Rowling Maſter, who got under Sail at the Sight of them; but the Pyrate Sloops coming near Rowling, and ſhewing no Colours, he gave them a Gun or two; whereupon they hoiſted the black Flag, and fired three Guns each, at the Pearl; ſhe ſtruck, and the Pyrates took Poſſeſſion, and carried her away to a ſmall Iſland called Barnacko, and there they cleaned, meeting in the Way with a Sloop from Jamaica, Captain Wallden Commander, going down to the Bay, which they alſo made Prize of.
In February, Vane ſailed from Barnacko, in order for a Cruize; but ſome Days after he was out, a violent Turnado overtook him, which ſeparated him from his Conſort, and after two Days Diſtreſs, threw his Sloop upon a ſmall uninhabited Iſland, near the Bay of Honduras, where ſhe was ſtaved to Pieces, and moſt of her Men drowned: Vane himſelf was ſaved, but reduced to great Streights, for want of Neceſſaries, having no Opportunity to get any Thing from the Wreck. He lived here ſome Weeks, and was ſubſiſted chiefly by Fiſhermen, who frequented the Iſland with ſmall Craft, from the Main, to catch Turtles, &c.
