Poor Conditions on Pirate Ship
The captured Manila Galleon was loaded with riches, but not much food. Supplies on all ships were rationed :
A pound and a half of flour between five men if they were white, or between six if they were black. The men traded rats among themselves for fourpence or sixpence depending on size ‘and eat them very savourly’. When Pieces of Pork were stolen, the thieves were thrashed with a cat o’ nine-tales. ‘A Negro we named Deptford’ died of his punishment. ‘
On the eighteenth of January we threw a Negro overboard, who died of a Consumption and Want together. On the 25th Thomas Williams, a Welch Taylor, died ; he was shot in the Leg at engaging the second Manila Ship, and being of weak Constitution, fell into a Dysentery, which kill’d him. The Spanish Pilot we took in the Batchelor died ; we kept him, thinking he might be of use to us, if he recovered of his Wounds ; but he was shot in the Throat with a Musket-ball which lodged so deep the Doctors could not come at it. On March the 3rd we buried a Negro call’d Augustine, who died of the Scurvy and Dropsy.
1710
