60 THE SEA. 



him only half awake. He inquired what was the matter with the ship : " Does she 

 drive ? What weather is it ? " He thought she was still in port. " No, no," answered 

 Avery; " we are at sea." "At sea!" said the captain. "How is that?" " Come, come," 

 said Avery, " put on your clothes, and I'll let you into a secret. You must know that I 

 am captain now, and this is my cabin ; therefore you must walk out ! " He then explained 

 his intentions of proceeding to Madagascar on a piratical venture. The captain was 

 terribly frightened, but Avery reassured him by saying that he could either go ashore, or, 

 if he chose to make one of them, and keep sober, he might in time be raised to the dignity 

 of lieutenant. Gibson preferred the former alternative, and, with four or five men of the 

 same mind, was put on shore. 



Avery sailed for Madagascar, where he was joined by two sloops, the sailors on board 

 which were themselves well inclined to his enterprise, having just before run away with 

 the vessels from the East Indies. They sailed in company, and off the mouth of the 

 Indus the man at the masthead espied a sail, and they gave chase. She was evidently 

 a fine tall vessel, possibly an East Indiaman. She proved something better, for, when they 

 fired a shot at her, she hoisted Mogul colours, and appeared ready for a fight. The sloops 

 first attacked, with Avery for a support. The men of the sloops attacked on either quarter, 

 and boarded her; she immediately afterwards struck her colours. She was one of the 

 Great Mogul's own ships, having on board many "distinguished persons of his own court, 

 including one of his daughters, going on a pilgrimage to the Holy City, Mecca. They 

 were carrying with them rich offerings to present at the shrine of Mahomet. They were 

 travelling in full Eastern magnificence, with retinues and slaves, immense sums of money, 

 jewellery, and plate. The spoil which they obtained was immense, and after rifling the 

 ship of everything valuable, the pirates allowed her to depart. The news soon reached 

 the Great Mogul, and he was so enraged that he threatened to extirpate the English 

 on the Indian coast. The East India Company had enough to do to pacify him, and 

 only succeeded in doing so by promising to use every endeavour to punish the pirates. 

 Avery's name and fame soon after reached Europe, and, as might have been expected, all 

 kinds of wild fables were circulated concerning him. 



On the voyage to Madagascar Avery proposed to the commanders of the sloops that 

 the treasures taken should be collectively stored on board his own ship, as being by 

 far the strongest and safest place, until an opportunity should occur for a division on 

 land. They acceded, and the treasure was brought on board, and, with what he had, 

 deposited in three great chests. Avery having got it on his own ship, suggested to his 

 men that they had now on board sufficient to make them all happy, and he proposed that 

 they should immediately make for some country where they were not known, and were 

 they might live in plenty. They soon understood his hint, and pressing on all sail, left 

 the sloops' crews to curse their perfidy. They proceeded to America, and at the Island of 

 Providence, then newly settled, divided the spoils, and Avery pretending that his vessel 

 had been an unsuccessful privateer, sold her readily. He then purchased a sloop, in which 

 he and his companions sailed, and most of them landed on various parts of the American 

 coasts, and settled. They dispersed over that country. 



Avery, however, had carefully concealed the greater part of the jewels and other 



