Capt. Bartho. Roberts. 261 



from the Owners ; though the true Reafon might 

 be, that he thought it diftionourable to treat with 

 Robbers ^ and that the Ship, feparate from the 

 Slaves, towards whom he could miftruft no Cruel- 

 ty, was not worth the Sum demanded ^ hereupon, 

 Roberts lends the Boat to tranfport the Negroes, in 

 order to fet her on Fire ^ but being in haft, and 

 finding that unihackling them coft much Time and 

 Labour, they actually let her on Fire, with eighty 

 of thole poor Wretches on Board, chained two and 

 two together, under the miferable Choice of perilli- 

 ing by Fire or Water : Thole who jumped over- 

 board from the Flames, were leized by Sharks, a 

 voracious Filh, in Plenty in this Road, and, in their 

 Sight, tore Limb from Limb alive. A Cruelty un- 

 paralell'd ! And for which had every Individual been 

 hanged, few I imagine would think that Juftice had 

 been rigorous. 



The Pyrates, indeed, were obliged to difpatch 

 their Bulinefs here in haft, becaufe they had in* 

 tercepted a Letter from General Phips to Mr. BaU^ 

 wwy the Royal Africm Company's Agent at Whydah^ 

 (giving an Account, that Roberts had been leen to 

 Windward of Cape Three Toints^ that he might 

 the better guard againft the Damages to the Com- 

 pany's Ships, if he Ihould arrive at that Road 

 before the Swallow Man of War^ which he alTured 

 him, (at the Time of that Letter, j was purluing 

 them to that Place. Roberts callM up his Company, 

 and defined they would hear Vhlfs Speech, (for lb 

 he was plealed to call the Letter,^ and notwith- 

 ftanding their vapouring, perfwaded them of the 

 Keceliity of moving ; for, fays he, fuch brave Fel- 

 * lows cannot be fuppofed to be frightned at this 

 ^ News, yet that it were better to avoid dry Blows, 

 ^ which is the beft that can be expefted, if over- 

 [ taken* 



This 



