a Mulatto Boy, who was allow’d to attend them, and proved very truſty in his Meſſages, between the Principals; but the Evening of that Night they were to have made this Struggle, two of the Priſoners that ſat next to Aſhplant, heard the Boy whiſper them upon the Project, and naming to him the Hour they ſhould be ready, preſently gave Notice of it to the Captain, which put the Ship in an Alarm, for a little Time; and, on Examination, ſeveral of them had made ſhift to break off, or loſe, their Shackles, (no doubt for ſuch Purpoſe;) but it tended only to procure to themſelves worſe Uſage and Confinement.
In the ſame Paſſage to Cape Corſo, the Prize, Royal Fortune, was in the ſame Danger. She was left at the Iſland of St. Thomas’s, in the Poſſeſſion of an Officer, and a few Men, to take in ſome freſh Proviſions, (which were ſcarce at Cape Corſo) with Orders to follow the Ship. There were only ſome of the Pyrates Negroes, three or four wounded Priſoners, and Scudamore, their Surgeon; from whom they ſeemed to be under no Apprehenſion, eſpecially from the laſt, who might have hoped for Favour, on Account of his Employ; and had ſtood ſo much indebted for his Liberty, eating and drinking conſtantly with the Officer; yet this Fellow, regardleſs of the Favour, and loſt to all Senſe of Reformation, endeavoured to bring over the Negroes to his Deſign of murdering the People, and running away with the Ship. He eaſily prevailed with the Negroes to come into the Deſign; but when he came to communicate it to his Fellow Priſoners, and would have drawn them into the ſame Meaſures, by telling them, he underſtood Navigation, that the Negroes were ſtout Fellows, and by a Smattering he had in the Angolan Language, he had found willing to undertake ſuch an Enterprize; and that it was better venturing to do this, run
