ABSTRACT
About this year, a native of Dieppe, commonly called Pierre le Grand, sailed from Tortuga, in a boat with twenty-eight men, upon a piratical cruize: he is said to have been the first that did so from that island, and his success induced others to follow his example. He had been a long time at sea, without meeting with any thing, and was in danger of starving from want of provisions, when a large Spanish ship hove in sight off Cape Tiburon. The whole crew now swore to stand by Pierre le Grand to the last; and he, before they engaged, ordered the surgeon to bore holes in the sides of the boat, that she sinking under them, they might have no hopes of life but in conquering! This was accordingly done; and at dusk in the evening, they ran alongside the Spaniard, and boarded her, each man armed with a sword and pistol: they made immediately for the cabin, where the captain was playing at cards; and securing him, and killing a few that made resistance, they won the prize. Le Grand kept on board as many of the men as sufficed to navigate her, and sent the rest on shore. With these he made the best of his way to France,
Charles the Second granted, by letters patent, an exclusive right of trade to Africa, to Queen Catharine; Mary, the Queen Dowager; the Duke of York, and several others, as a company of royal adventurers! They undertook to supply the West India planters with 3000 slaves annually. This company was so reduced by war, misconduct, and interloping traders, that they surrendered their charter in 1672, and in consideration of J£34,000, gave up their effects ta a new company I
Adrian Lampsius, a Flushing merchant, procured letters patent from Louis the Fourteenth, creating him Baron of Tobago, and also a resignation from the Dutch West India Company of their right to the island; and thus becoming proprietor of the island under the crown of France, he sent over M. Hubert de Beveren as governor: under his administration, the colony flourished, and the island was strengthened with new fortifications.
