John Hagedorn

Accordingly he, with two or three others, went down into the hold, and closing up all the hatches, filled several pots full of brimstone and other combustible matter, and set it on fire, and so continued till they were almost suffocated, when some of the men cried out for air.'

At length he opened the hatches, not a little pleased that he had held out the longest.

The night before he was killed, he sat up and drank till the morning with some of his own men, and the master of a merchantman, and having had intelligence of the two sloops coming to attack him, as has been before observed, one of his men asked him, in case anything should happen to him in the engagement with the sloops, whether his wife knew where he had buried his money.

He answered,

that nobody but himself and the devil knew where it was, and the longest liver should take all.

Those of his crew who were taken alive told a story which may appear a little incredible, however.

We think it will not be fair to admit it, since we had it from their own mouths.

that once upon a cruise they found out that they had a man on board more than their crew.

Such a one was seen several days amongst them, sometimes below, and sometimes upon deck.

Yet no man in the ship could give an account who he was, or from whence he came, but that he disappeared little before they were cast away in their great ship.

But it seems they verily believed it was the devil.

One would think these things should induce them to reform their lives, but so many reprobates together encouraged and spirited one another up in their wickedness, to which a continual course of drinking did not a little contribute.

For in Blackbeard's journal, which was taken, there were several memorandums of the following nature, sound writ with his own hand.

Such a day, rum all out.

Our company somewhat sober.

A downed confusion amongst us.

rogues applauding, great talk of separation.

So I looked sharp for a prize.

Such a day took one with a great deal of liquor on board.

So kept the company hot, damned hot.