66 THE SEA. 



He was to be the Don Quixote of the ocean. He advised that, as they did not proceed 

 upon the same grounds with pirates, who were men of dissolute lives and no principles, 

 they should not adopt their colours. " Ours," said he, " is a brave, a just, an innocent, 

 and a noble cause the cause of liberty." He advised a white ensign, with the motto 

 " For God and liberty " inscribed upon it. The valuable property on board was put under 

 lock and key, for the general benefit. When the plate belonging to the late captain 

 was going to the chest, the men unanimously voted it for Misson's use. Misson then 

 spoke to the assembled crew ; and the observations of this moral robber are worthy of note. 

 He said that, ' ' since they had resolved unanimously to seize upon and defend their liberty, 

 which ambitious men had usurped, and that this could not be esteemed by impartial judges 

 other than a brave and just resolution, he was under an obligation to recommend to them 

 a brotherly love to each other, the banishment of all private piques and grudges, and a 

 strict agreement and harmony among themselves ; that in throwing off the yoke of tyranny, 

 of which the action spoke abhorrence, he hoped none would follow the example of tyrants, 

 and turn his back upon justice; for when equity was trodden under foot, misery, confusion, 

 and distrust naturally followed. He also advised them to remember that there was a 

 Supreme Being, the adoration of whom reason and gratitude prompted us to, and our 

 own interest would engage us .... to conciliate; that he was satisfied that men 

 born and bred in slavery, by which their spirits were broken and made incapable of so 

 generous a way of thinking; who, ignorant of their birthright, and the sweets of liberty, 

 dance to the music of their chains which was, indeed, the greater part of the inhabitants . 

 of the globe would brand this generous crew with the invidious name of pirates, and 

 think it meritorious to be instrumental in their destruction. Self-preservation, therefore, 

 and not a cruel disposition, obliged him to declare war against all such as should refuse 

 the entry of their ports, and against all who should not immediately surrender and give 

 up what their necessities required; but in a more particular manner against all European 

 ships and vessels as concluded implacable enemies. And I do now," said he, " declare 

 such war, and at the same time recommend to you, my comrades, a humane and generous 

 disposition towards your prisoners, which will appear by so much more the effects of a 

 noble soul, as we are satisfied we should not meet the same treatment should our ill-fortune, 

 or more properly our disunion, or want of courage, give us up to their mercy." 



And strangest of all to tell, the pirate kept very closely to his creed. If he took a small 

 vessel, he would often let it go, after taking from the crew their ammunition, or some com- 

 paratively trifling matters; he was generous with his prisoners, and always spared life, 

 except in open fighting. Compared with some of the pirates whose lives have been recorded 

 in these pages he was an angel of light. Perhaps nothing will better exemplify this than 

 his conduct after taking a large Dutch ship, the Nieuwstadt, which had on board seven- 

 teen slaves and some gold-dust. He ordered them to be clothed, and told his men that 

 trading in those of our own species could never be right. He ordered them to be divided 

 among the messes, that they might sooner learn the French language. The Dutch 

 prisoners soon developed their latent tendencies for hard swearing and drinking; and 

 Misson found that his own men were becoming demoralised. He addressed them all on 

 board, and gave them a most serious lecture on the sin of swearing. 



