ſixty Hogſheads of Sugar, and from honeſt Mr. Knight, twenty; which it ſeems was their Dividend of the Plunder taken in the French Ship; the latter did not long ſurvive this ſhameful Diſcovery, for being apprehenſive that he might be called to an Account for theſe Trifles, fell ſick with the Fright, and died in a few Days.
After the wounded Men were pretty well recover’d, the Lieutenant ſailed back to the Men of War in James River, in Virginia, with Black-beard’s Head ſtill hanging at the Bolt-ſprit End, and fiveteen Priſoners, thirteen of whom were hanged. It appearing upon Tryal, that one of them, viz. Samuel Odell, was taken out of the trading Sloop, but the Night before the Engagement. This poor Fellow was a little unlucky at his firſt entering upon his new Trade, there appearing no leſs than 70 Wounds upon him after the Action, notwithſtanding which, he lived, and was cured of them all. The other Perſon that eſcaped the Gallows, was one Iſrael Hands, the Maſter of Black-beard’s Sloop, and formerly Captain of the ſame, before the Queen Ann’s Revenge was loſt in Topſail Inlet.
The aforeſaid Hands happened not to be in the Fight, but was taken afterwards aſhore at Bath-Town, having been ſometime before diſabled by Black-beard, in one of his ſavage Humours, after the following Manner.One Night drinking in his Cabin with Hands, the Pilot, and another Man; Black-beard without any Provocation privately draws out a ſmall Pair of Piſtols, and cocks them under the Table, which being perceived by the Man, he withdrew and went upon Deck, leaving Hands, the Pilot, and the Captain together. When the Piſtols were ready, he blew out the Candle, and croſſing his Hands, diſcharged them at his Company; Hands, the Maſter, was ſhot thro’ the Knee, and lam’d for Life; the other Piſtol did no Execu-
