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lumber, bound for Jamaica; and off the eaſt-end of Cuba, we fell in with a French privateer which took us priſoners, and about eight they ſhipped off all we had. Our Captain having given a pair of ſilver buckles to his boy, he was no ſooner gone into the boat among the French that took us on board their privateer, than they took them out of his ſhoes, which grieved the poor boy very much: and about twelve that very day they had another engagement, with another Scotch Captain, Wylie, a letter of marque, belonging to Glaſgow. We prisoners were all commanded down to the pit during the egagement, and as ſoon as any of the French were wounded, the reſt tumbled them down to the doctor who was along with us; which fall and the daſhing they got with it, was enough to kill them whither they were wounded or not the very ſecond that was tumbled down was a man cut in two halves through the middle, and in his ſhoes were the boy’s ſilver buckles, which I perceived, and told my Captain, then he took out the one, and I the other; ſo the fellow had only the pleaſure to enjoy them about four hours: the next thing that come down was a great flame of fire, and was within a little of lighting on their magazine, which would have undoubtedly blown us all in the air if it had; one of their canons ſplit in pieces and killed a great many of them, at which very inſtant they were reſolved to ſtrike: But unluckily for us our countrymen in the letter of marque had ſtruke their flag; and we were all carried priſoners to Haſpinalo, where we were kept for ſom time, having about eighteen pence a day: one ſhilling from our own King, and ſix-pence from the
