As they were Steering their Courſe, as has been ſaid, he ſends a Boat on Board of each of the Sloops, deſiring the Chief of them to come on Board of him, in order to hold a Council; they did ſo, and he told them he had ſomething to propoſe to them for the common Good, which was to provide againſt Accidents; he bad them conſider the Treaſure they were poſſeſs’d of, would be ſufficient for them all if they could ſecure it in ſome Place on Shore; therefore all they had to fear, was ſome Miſfortune in the Voyage; he bad them conſider the Conſequences of being ſeparated by bad Weather, in which Caſe, the Sloops, if either of them ſhould fall in with any Ships of Force, muſt be either taken or ſunk, and the Treaſure on Board her loſt to the reſt, beſides the common Accidents of the Sea; as for his Part he was ſo ſtrong, he was able to make his Party good with any Ship they were like to meet in thoſe Seas; that if he met with any Ship of ſuch Strength, that he could not take her, he was ſafe from being taken, being ſo well mann’d; beſides his Ship was a quick Sailor, and could carry Sail, when the Sloops could not, wherefore, he propoſed to them, to put the Treaſure on Board his Ship, to ſeal up each Cheſt with 3 Seals, whereof each was to keep one, and to appoint a Rendezvous, in Caſe of Separation.
Upon conſidering this Propoſal, it appeared ſo ſeaſonable to them, that they readily came into it, for they argued to themſelves, that an Accident might happen to one of the Sloops and the other eſcape, wherefore it was for the common Good. The Thing was done as agreed to, the Treaſure put on Board of Avery, and the Cheſts ſeal’d; they kept Company that Day and the next, the Weather being fair, in which Time Avery tampered with his Men, telling them they now had ſufficient, to make them all eaſy, and what ſhould hinder
