PELSART’s VOYAGE TO AUSTRALASIA. 433

apothecary at Harlem. This man, when they were on the coaft of Africa , hadplotted with the pilot and fome others to run away with the velfel, and either to carryher into Dunkirk, or to turn pirates in her on their own account. This fupercargohad remained ten days on board the wreck, not being able in all that time to get onihore. Two whole days he fpent on the mainmaft, floating to and fro, till at laft, bythe help of one of the yards, he got to land. When he was once on Ihore, the com-mand, in the abfence of Captain Pelfart, devolved of courfe upon him, which imme-diately revived in his mind his old defign, infomuch that he refolved to lay hold of thisopportunity to make himfelf mailer of all that could be faved out of the wreck, con-ceiving that it would be eafy to furprize the captain on his return, and determining to.go on the account, that is to fay, to turn pirate in the captain’s veflel. In order tocarry this defign into execution, he thought neceflary to rid themfelves of fuch of thecrew as were not like to come into their fcheme ; but before he proceeded to dip hishands in blood, he obliged all the confpirators to fign an inftrument by which they en-gaged to Hand by each other.

The whole Ihip’s company were on Ihore in three iflands, the greateft part of themm that where Cornelis was, which ifiand they thought fit to call the burying-place ofBatavia. One Mr. Weybhays was fent with another body into an adjacent ifland tolook for water, which, after twenty days fearch, he found, and made the appointedhgnal, by lighting three fires, which, however, were not feen, nor taken notice of bythofe under the command of Cornelis, becaufe they were bufy in butchering their com-panions, of whom they had murdered between thirty and forty ; but fome few, how-cver, got off upon a raft of planks tied together, and went to the ifland, where Mr."Weybhays was, in order to acquaint him with the dreadful accident that had happened.Mr. Weybhays having with him forty-five men, they all refolved to Hand upon theirguard, and to defend themfelves to the laft man, in cafe thefe villains fhould attackthem. This indeed was their defign, for they were apprehenfive both of this body,and of thofe who were on the third ifland, giving notice to the captain on his return,and thereby preventing their intention of running away with his veflel. But as thisthird company was by much the weakeft, they began with them firft, and cut them all°ff, except five women and feven children, not in the leaft doubting that they Ihouldhe able to do as much by Weybhays and his company ; in the mean time, having broke°pen the merchant’s chefts, which had been faved out of the wreck, they convertedthem to their own ufe, without ceremony.

The traitor, Jerom Cornelis, was fo much elevated with the fuccefs that hadhitherto attended his villainy, that he immediately began to fancy all difficulties were° Ve r, and gave a loofe to his vicious inclinations in every refpedt: he ordered clothesto be made of rich fluffs that had been faved, for himfelf and his troop, and havingc hofen out of them a company of guards, he ordered them to have fcarlet coats, witha double lace of gold or filver. There were two minifter’s daughters among the^°men, one of whom he took for his own miftrefs, gave the fecond to a favourite of^ Is > and ordered that the other three women Ihould be common to the whole troop :

. afterwards drew up a fet of regulations, which were to be the laws of his new prin-cipality, taking to himfelf the ftyle and title of Captain-general, and obliging his party° fign an a£t or inftrument, by which they acknowledged him as fuch. Thefe pointsS^e fettled, he refolved to carry on the war. He firft of all embarked on board twoallo Ps twenty-two men, well armed, with orders to deftroy Mr. Weybhays and his< - 0l npany ■ and on their -mifcarrying, he undertook a like expedition with thirty-feven

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