and being extremely popular, soon engaged a sufficient number of men to
serve under him. The great majority of the Buccaneers at this time being
French, and dissatisfied to see an Englishman invested with such a
command, merely by the choice of the crew, without any commission, they
plundered the English of their ships, goods, and arms, and turned them
ashore on the island of _Avache_, on the coast of St Domingo, usually
called _Ash_ by English seamen. On this occasion, an old Buccaneer,
named Captain _Tristian_, having more humanity than the rest, carried
Captain Davis, Captain Cooke, and eight other Englishmen to Petit Goave;
where, while Captain Tristian and many of his men were ashore, these
Englishmen made themselves masters of the ship, sending all the French
in their turn ashore, and sailed to Avache, where, by using Captain
Tristian's name to the governor, they procured all the rest of their
countrymen to be sent on board.

Being now sufficiently strong to set up for themselves, they resolved to
make prize of whatever came in their way, and accordingly took two
French ships, one laden with wine, and the other of considerable force,
in which they embarked, carrying her and their prize goods to Virginia,
where they arrived in April 1683. After selling their wines and other
goods, they purchased provisions, naval stores, and every thing else
that might be wanted during a long voyage, and fitted out their prize
ship as a privateer, naming her the Revenge. According to the narrative
of Cowley, she carried eight guns and 52 men, while Dampier gives her 18
guns and 70 men.[146]

[Footnote 146: This difference, at least in regard to the size and force
of the ship, will be found explained in the sequel, as they took a
larger ship on the coast of Africa, which they used during the voyage,
and named the Revenge after their own ship. The additional number of men