Buccaneers and Pirates


Port Royal one dark night with a fine breeze, putting 50 men
in the hold with plugs to stop shot-holes. Nobody suspected
this and when the sentries were aroused he had already passed
fourteen of the guns, and they could only place three shots
in his ship. He then went to the Bay Settlement of Belize for
logwood, anchoring at his caye.
 In 1686 three warships were out for him, the "Ruby" with
Captain Mitchell, the "Drake" with Captain Spragg, and the
"Falcon" with Captain Talbot. From Campeche to the Baha-
mas, from Hispaniola to the Mosquitos, they sought him. In
one encounter Captains Spragg and Talbot had to give up
the battle because all their powder was spent. Only later they
found out that Banister's ship was so disabled by their shot
that she had to be abandoned, and the crew took to a smaller
vessel. Not until February 9, 1687 could Captain Spragg
bring him with three others to Port Royal hanging at his
yard-arm, "a spectacle of great satisfaction to all good people."
Opinion was divided, for the competition for Spanish booty
was great amongst many departmental chiefs whose salaries
were in arrears on account of the state of the English treas-
ury. In 1688, the Duke of Albemarle, governor of Jamaica,
wrote these words to the Home government-"Had I the
honour of pardoning pirates, which formerly was usual here,
I could have done the King good service." In July 1718 Gov-
ernor Woodes Rogers of the Bahamas returned to New Prov-
idence from England with the King's pardon for all pirates.
Before this date no pirate was harmed in the Bay Settlement.
Each pirate had his special lair at a caye and this was general-
ly respected amongst them. Before this time accesses of virtue
had come sporadically to Jamaica. After 1718 they rapidly
melted away, for the strengthened government at Belize
started to hang from time to time at Gallows Point such as
were caught.
 It was at the Snake Cayes that the French buccaneer
 L'Ollonois anchored for three months. His real name was
 Jean David Nau, but he was called L'Ollonois by the Breth-