Page 68
An. 1682
The Authors 2d Voyage to the South Seas.
accompanied Captain Sharp into the South Seas in our former expedition, and leaving him there re- turn d over Land, as is faid in the introduction, and in the 1st and 2d Chapters; there was one Mr. Cook, an English Native of St. Christophers, a Creole, as we call all born of European Parents in the West Indies. He was a sensible man, and had been some years a Privateer. At our joyning our selves with those Privateers we met at our coming again to the North Seas, his lot was to be with Captain Yanky, who kept Company for some considerable time with Captain Wright, in whose Ship I was, and part- ed with us at our 2d Anchoring at the Isle of Tor- tugas; as I have said in the last Chapter. After our parting, this Mr. Cook being Quarter-master un- der Captain Yanky, the second place in the Ship, according to the Law of Privateers, laid claim to a Ship they took from the Spaniards; and such of Captain Yanky's men as were so disposed, particu- larly all those who came with us over Land, went aboard this Prize Ship under the new Captain Cook. This distribution was made at the Isle of Vacca, or the Isle of Ash, as we call it; and here they parted also such Goods as they had taken. But Captain Cook having no Commission, as Captain Yanky, Captain Tristian, and some other French Commanders had, who lay then at that Island, and they grutching the English such a Vessel, they all joyn'd together, plun- dered the English of their Ship, Goods and Arms, and turned them ashore. Yet Captain Tristian took in about 8 or 10 of these English, and carry'd them with him to Petit-Guaures: of which number Cap- tain Cook was one, and Captain Davis another, who with the rest found means to feize the Ship as she lay at Anchor in the Road, Captain Tristian and many of his men being then ashore: and the English sending ashore such French-men as remained in the Ship and were mastered by them, though superior in number, stood