This I did, as well to know what Notions you had of us in England, as to give a formidable Account of us, and of our Circumstances to England, which I knew might be of Use to us several Ways hereafter. Then I made him tell his Part, which he did freely enough; he told us, that indeed they had receiv'd an Account in England that we were exceeding strong; that we had several Gangs of Pirates from the Spanish West-Indies, that had taken great Booties there, and were gone all to Madagascar to join Captain Avery; that he had taken three great East-India Ships, one Dutch, and two Portuguese, which they had converted into Men of War; that he had 6000 Men under his Command; that he had twelve Ships, whereof three carry'd 60 Guns a-piece, and six more of them, from 40 to 50 Guns; that they had built a large Fort to secure their Habitations; and that they had two large Towns, one on one Side, one on the other of a River, cover'd by the said Fort, and two great Platforms or Batteries of Guns to defend the Entrance where their Ships rode; that they had an immense invaluable Treasure; and that it was said, Captain Avery was resolv'd to People the whole Island of Madagascar with Europeans, and to get Women from Jamaica and the Leeward Islands; and that it was not doubted but he would subdue, and make himself King of that Country, if he was let alone a little longer.

I had enjoin'd my Men, in the first Place, not to let him know that I was Avery, but that I was one of his Captains; and in the next Place, not to say a Word but just Ay, and No, as Things occurr'd, and leave the rest to me. I heard him patiently out in all the Particulars above, and when he had done, I told him it was true, Captain Avery was in the Island of Madagascar, and that several other Societies of Buccaneers and Freebooters were join'd him from the Spanish West-Indies; for, said I, the Plenty and Ease of our living here is such, and we are so safe from all the World, that we do not doubt but we shall be twenty thousand Men in a very little Time, when two Ships which we have sent to the West-Indies shall come back, and shall have told the Buccaneers at the Bay of Campeachy, how we live here.