14 NORTH SEA FISHERS AND FIGHTERS 



Cummins and Shepherd that they were not seen by 

 the King's ships, for although they were confident 

 of proving that they were on board the Tyger by 

 compulsion, and not from choice, it is likely that the 

 victors would have given them suspension from the yard- 

 arm first and trial afterwards, even if they had troubled 

 to inquire at all. 



In accordance with a sailor superstition of the time, 

 Jinks was not buried until the dawn broke. Then he 

 was cast overboard, Cummins repeating the Latin 

 prayer for the dead of the Roman Catholic Church a 

 performance for which his pious training had befitted 

 him. 



Cummins and Shepherd, after much suffering at sea, 

 landed at Penzance, and without loss of time made their 

 way back to Hull. Of their association with the pirate 

 nothing was said, nor was reference made to the strong- 

 box ; indeed, for many reasons, the two found it advis- 

 able to announce that they had been providentially 

 spared from the wreck of the Speedy, and after long 

 and perilous wanderings in strange countries had been 

 restored to their native town. 



With the booty which had fallen to him from the 

 pirate, Cummins carried out a yearning he had long felt, 

 and, on 8th August 1475, sailed in the Rainbow, a stout, 

 two-masted coasting vessel, with a crew of twenty-three 

 men and boys, to search for gold and ivory. The godly 

 uncle was consulted as to this expedition, and, upon his 

 advice, such things as the savages of North Africa were 

 known to prize beads, knives, and other showy trifles 

 were taken for purposes of barter, with powder, 

 arquebuses, pistolets, and fighting axes. The voyage 



