Jon Hagadorn

They did so, and he told them that he had something to propose to them for the common good, which was to provide against accidents.

He bade them consider the treasure they were possessed of, and said it would be sufficient for them all if they could secure it in some place on the shore.

Therefore, all they had to fear was some misfortune in the voyage.

he bade them consider the consequences of being separated by bad weather, in which case the sloops, if either of them should fall in with ships of force, must be either taken or sunk, and the treasure on board her lost to the rest, besides the common accidents of the sea.

As for his part, he was so strong, he was able to make his party good with any ship they would like to meet in those seas, that if he met with any ship of such strength that he could not take her, he was safe from being taken, being so well manned.

Besides, his ship was a quick sailor, and could carry sail when the sloops could not.

Wherefore he proposed to them to put the treasure on board his ship, to seal up each chest with three seals, whereof each was to keep one, and to appoint a rendezvous in case of separation.

Upon considering this proposal, it appeared so reasonable to them that they readily came into it, for they argued to themselves that an accident might happen to one of the sloops and the other escape, wherefore it was for the common good.

The thing was done as agreed to, the treasure put on board of Avery, and the chest sealed.

They kept company that day and the next, the weather being fair, in which time Avery tampered with his men, telling them they now had sufficient to make them all easy, and what would hinder them from going to some country where they were not known, and living on shore all the rest of their days in plenty.

They understood what he meant, and in short they all agreed to bilk their new allies, the Sloops men, nor do I find that any of them felt any qualms of honor rising in his stomach to hinder them from consenting to this piece of treachery.

In fine, they took advantage of the darkness that night, steered another course, and by morning lost sight of the sloop men.

I leave the reader to judge what swearing and confusion there was among the sloop's men in the morning when they saw that Avery had given them the slip, for they knew by the fairness of the weather and the course they had agreed to steer that it must have been done on purpose, but we leave them at present to follow Mr. Avery.

Avery and his men, having consulted what to do with themselves, came to a resolution to make the best of their way towards America, and none of them being known in those parts, they intended to divide the treasure, to change their names, to go ashore, some in one place, some in another, to purchase some settlements, and live at ease.

The first land they made was the island of Providence, then newly settled.

Here they stayed some time, and having considered that when they should go to New England, the greatness of their ship would cause much inquiry about them, and possibly some people from England, who had heard the story of a ship's being run away with from the groin, might suspect them to be the people.

They therefore took a resolution of disposing their ship at Providence, upon which Avery, pretending that the ship being fitted out upon the privateering account, and having had no success, he had received orders from the owners to dispose of her to the best advantage.

He soon met with a purchaser, and immediately bought a sloop.

In this loop he and his companions embarked.

They touched at several parts of America, where no person suspected them, and some of them went on shore, and dispersed themselves about the country, having received such dividends as Avery would give them, for he concealed the greatest part of the diamonds from them, which in the first hurry of plundering the ship they did not much regard, as not knowing their value.