 man's expectations. We found many ships, and
took many; yet few of them contained much money, their goods were usually
nothing to our purpose - what did we want with a cargo of ploughs, or even of
tobacco? - and it is quite a painful reflection how many whole crews we have
made to walk the plank for no more than a stock of biscuit or an anker or two of
spirits.
    In the meanwhile our ship was growing very foul, and it was high time we
should make for our port de carénage, which was in the estuary of a river among
swamps. It was openly understood that we should then break up and go and
squander our proportions of the spoil; and this made every man greedy of a
little more, so that our decision was delayed from day to day. What finally
decided matters was a trifling accident, such as an ignorant person might
suppose incidental to our way of life. But here I must explain: on only one of
all the ships we boarded, the first on which we found women, did we meet with
any genuine resistance. On that occasion we had two men killed and several
injured, and if it had not been for the gallantry of Ballantrae we had surely
been beat back at last. Everywhere else the defence (where there was any at all)
was what the worst troops in Europe would have laughed at; so that the most
dangerous part of our employment was to clamber up the side of the ship: and I
have even known the poor souls on board to cast us a line, so eager were they to
volunteer instead of walking the plank. This constant immunity had made our
fellows very soft, so that I understood how Teach had made so deep a mark upon
their minds; for indeed the company of that lunatic was the chief danger in our
way of life. The accident to which I have referred was this: - We had sighted a
little full-rigged ship very close under our board in a haze; she sailed near as
well as we did - I should be nearer truth if I said, near as ill; and we cleared
the bow-chaser to see if we could bring a spar or two about their ears. The
swell was exceedingly great; the motion of the ship beyond description; it was
little wonder if our gunners should fire thrice and be still quite broad of what
they aimed at. But in the meanwhile the chase had cleared a stern gun, the
thickness of the air concealing them; and being better marksmen, their first
shot struck us in the bows,
