was in a certain latitude, and then expressly to follow the given
directions. When he arrived in the appointed place, he collected the
whole crew, and solemnly read his sealed instructions, which contained a
generous grant of the ship and all her stores to Davis and his crew,
requesting them to go to Brazil, and dispose of the cargo to the best
advantage, and make an equal division of the money.

Davis then commanded the crew to signify whether they were inclined to
follow that mode of life, when, to his astonishment and chagrin, the
majority positively refused. Then, in a transport of rage, he desired
them to go where they would.

Knowing that part of the cargo was consigned to merchants in Barbadoes,
they directed their course to that place. When arrived there, they
informed the merchants of the unfortunate death of Skinner, and of the
proposal which had been made to them. Davis was accordingly seized, and
committed to prison, but he having never been in the pirate service,
nothing could be proved to condemn him, and he was discharged without a
trial. Convinced that he could never hope for employment in that quarter
after this detection, he went to the island of Providence, which he knew
to be a rendezvous for pirates. Upon his arrival there, he was
grievously disappointed, because the pirates who frequented that place
had just accepted of his majesty's pardon, and had surrendered.

Captain Rogers having equipped two sloops for trade, Davis obtained
employment in one of these, called the Buck. They were laden with
European goods to a considerable value, which they were to sell or
exchange with the French and Spanish. They first touched at the island
of Martinique, belonging to the French, and Davis knowing that many of
the men were formerly in the pirate service, enticed them to seize the