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A True Historie G Account of the PYRATE Captain Miss0n.his crew G their Colony of Libertatia founded on Peoples Rights G Liberty on the Island of .

épettarular illitnefl MISSUN AND LIBERTATIA

RETOLD BY LARRY LAW

Published and Printed by épertqrgtqg Tfliitnes

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in R E A so N s °"'“'"s This story of Misson, his pirate l For Reducing the crew and their free colony of Libertatis is J not offered as a model for a nor as an indication of how a libertarian society Pyrates at Maclagalcar: night be constructed today. Rather it is an _ . _. . ' :- _. ._ 0 account of an early attempt by a group of people to build a genuinely libertarian and - ' ' .‘! .1 ' ' "i - . "i ' t . egalitarian community. A community which attempted to live by the maxim "Liberty, PROPOSALS b}1mb(y aflkred 1. the Ho- Equality, Fraternity" nearly one hundred : ' _ naurable Htmfe"of Common), for efifling tbéfltme. years before the French Revolution.

I-I A T certain Pyrates having fome Yeats line: found the Ifland of Mah- Captain Hisson spent most of his gafcar to be the molt Proper, if not the onl%_ Place in the World for their adult life as a pirate. However, his ship, Abode, and carrying on their Deltrufiiive rade with Security, betoolt a themfelves thither r, and being iince incteafed to a formidable Body are be- which flew a flag with the emblafionment come a manifeli Oblirueiion to Trade, and Scandal to our Nation and "Liberty", was not unique in the late 17th being molt of them Etglifi, -at leafi four Fiftha. and early 18th century. host of ships of that time were floating republics. That Madajgafirar is one of the Latgelt lflandain the World, and very Fruirftll, lie! On board these vessels decisions were made near the Entrance into the Eafl-Indies, and is divided into a great many petty Kingdoms by the assembled ship's company or by an independant of each other, fo that there is no making Application to my Supream Mo- narch ( or indeed any elfe) to Expel or Defiroy the Pyrates there. - . elected delegate committee. Some pirate ships in the Caribbean even drew up detailed 1 That upon a general Peace, when Multitude: ofSoldiers and Seamen wantfimplop constitutions. Unlike the autocratic pirate ment or b length ofTime, and the Pyrates generating with the Women of the Coun- captains of story books the real pirate try, their bhtmbers fhould be inereafed, they ma form thenfelvea into a Settlement of captains only had the right of command Robbers, as Prejudicial to Trade as any on the &>alt of during the actual engagement of other ships. For it's natural to confider, That all -Perfons owe by lnliind a Lore to the Pliceiof At other times the Quartermaster took the their Birth : Therefore the prefent P rates mull delire to return to their Native Coon-' role of community leader and acted as try 5 and if this ptefent Generation fliouldbe once Extinéi, their Children will havethe O4 arbiter should quarrels arise between crew fame lnclination to Mudagzfcar as thefe hare to Frtglnd, and will not have any fuch PI members. Affection for England, altho’ they will retain the Name of Errglifi 5 and confequently all dtofe fuceceding Dr.-predationa committed by them will be charged to the Account of Ertglaud. Notwithltanding they were not born with us, fo that this fee-ans the only The loot from captured ships was Time for Reducing them to their Obedience, and preventing all thofe evil Con‘ fgqueuces. _ shared almost equally. The captain usually got a double share for physically leading It mull tltcreforc be allowid tobe a very delirable and neceliitry Thing, that they the attack and sometimes a one and a half fhould be lupprcllird in Time 5 and that if it ever be effeéied, it mull ht etthet- 1;." ltotoe COMMONSPROPOSAL7 or Perfwalion. . 1 Al

.4a_n-E-'.-_-_ ..n.._ - Hie. 1.4.11, ;-;@_ or one and a quarter share went to the Because of this lack of corroborating Quartermaster, Gunner or Ship's Carpenter. evidence some writers have dismissed the Fixed amounts were also paid for injuries account as fable - others suspect that suffered in battle. ‘‘ was a pseudonym of Daniel Defoe. However, we need to ask why, The real autocratic and merciless in such a comprehensive and authoritative sea captains were to be found on the merchant catalogue as the "General History",Johnson ships and men-of-war of the tine. Conditions should have chosen to include just one for ordinary seamen were both harsh and ficticious character. It should also be dangerous - and the pay was poor. Punishments remembered that Johnson was writing very available to the ships officers included recent history and in some cases about nanacling, flogging and keel-hauling - a living people whose exploits, or reported punishment which involved the victim being exploits, would have been known to his pulled, by means of a rope, under the hull readers. of the ship from one side to the other. Keel-hauling Was a punishment which often There are a few passing proved fatal. references to Misson, particularly in relation to his friendship with the North The pirates’ lack of this type American pirate Captain Tew, but these all of oppressive leadership and harsh punish- post date Johnson's "General History". ment is often given as the reason for their downfall. This is a strange assertion Johnson may even have used as few pirates ever met downfall. On the the real or imaginary Misson as a vehicle West Indies routes the chance of capture for his own radical views. The speech was less than one in a hundred - on the denouncing those who profit from East Indies route it was virtually non- would certainly have been safer reported existent. from the lips of a pirate than Written in the First Person — particularly at a time The only source for the complete when the Royal Family had a large financial story of Hisson and his crew is "A General interest in the slave trade. Johnson History of the Robberies and Murders of himself claimed that the bulk of the Misson the Host Notorious Pirates" by Captain story came from a manuscript written by Clarles Johnson. The Misson story appears Misson himself and passed to Johnson by it the enlarged second edition published a French contact - but one could still say in 1726. Unfortunately this is the only that, were that true, Johnson would not have source of information about Misson. There been the first, nor the last, historian to exists other documentary evidence for the be taken in by a fake document. erploitsrof the other pirates in the "General History" but none for Misson. But reading the "General History" 2 3 . Johnson appears to be no fool. Another Victoire. Misson wag signed on 3,3, 3 pirate of popular legend at the time was volunteer and dispatched to Marseilles to Avery who was reputed to have ruled as join his ship. king an island paradise complete with boundless and dusky maidens in The Victoire set sail almost at attendance. Johnson tracked him down and once to cruise the Mediterranean and Hisson found him to be a vain and penniless set about his work with enthusiasm. In his drnnkard. free time he paid the bo'sun and ship's carpenter to teach him the skills of ship construction and maintenance.

In much the same way as that other When the Victoire docked at folk hero, Robin Hood, Misson has been Naples Misson obtained leave to visit Rome credited with, in addition to his own - a particular desire of his. He was exploits, the exploits of others and incidents outraged at the decadence of the Papal both exaggerated and imagined. As with Robin Court and came to the conclusion that "all Hood there is more than a trace of wishful religion was no more than a curb upon the thinking in the story of Hisson. But the wish minds of the weaker." was there and if nothing else the story of Misson stands as an over 250 year old tribute to the concept of a society run on a system of co-operation and mutual aid,which cared for its old and disabled, was merciful to He confessed his doubts to a its malefactors, ran its own affairs and YOUH8 Dominican priest who surprised Misson needed neither money nor policemen. by admitting to the same opinion. In strong terns the priest denounced the self-interest and corruption of the clergy and added, "For my part, I an quite tired of the farce, and MISSDN will lay hold of the first opportunity to throw off this masquerading habit,“ Misaon Hisson — a non de guerre, his real supplied this opportunity and bought the name is not revealed - was born in Provence priest a suit of clothes and took him as a of a large and long established family. He volunteer on board the Victoire. The priest was educated in humanities, logic and math- was Signor Caraccioli and the two were to ematics and sent for a year to the Academy become lifelong companions. at Angers. Upon his return the sixteen year old Hisson was to be sent to join the Musket- They rejoined the ship at Leghorn eersu But the young Hisson was an avid reader and two days out of port they were attacked of travellers tales and wanted to travel bl two Sallee pirates. The‘Victoird‘sank one himself. A relative, a Monsieur Fourbin, pirate and boarded the other. Misson and it was in command of a French warship, the

5 4 Caraccioli were part of the first wave of kill except "in defence of our material attack - Caraccioli needing surgery after right, which is such a share of earth as being shot in the thigh. p is necessary for our support.” Caraccioli spoke to Misson of "setting up for them- The 'Victoire' returned to selves" - an idea which appealed to many Marseilles and after a month was sent to of the crew. Rochelle to escort merchant ships to the West Indies. The merchant ships were far On a cruise out of Martinique from ready and Misson and Caraccioli signed the 'Victoire' met with a 40-gun English on for a short cruise in the English Channel man-0'-war, the 'Winchelsea'. The ships aboard the 'Triumph'. Preying upon engaged and the first broadside from the English merchantmen they finally towed English ship killed the captain, second back a prize which they sold in Brest. captain and the three lieutenants on board the 'Victoire'. This left only the The two returned to the 'Victoire' master who was for surrendering, but Misson and one month later set sail for Martinique and Caraccioli rallied the crew and fought and Guadalupe. The long voyage gave much on for three hours. time for discussion. Having dispatched the Christian church Caraccioli turned his - By some accident the 'Winchelsea' attention to the absurdities of the Jewish suddenly blew up and sank. The French put and Moslem religions. The other crew members down boats but found only one survivor, started to join in the discussions and soon a Lieutenant Franklin, who died two days Caraccioli had a number of proselytes who 1ater.The crew of the 'Victoire' suddenly saw him as a new prophet who had risen to found themselves in control of their own reform the abuses of religion. But Caraccioli ship. They hardly needed Caraccioli to was just warming up; ” When he had experien- evoke the beginings of Mohamet and Darius ced the effects of his religious arguments, to see the potential of the situation in he fell upon government, and showed them which they found themselves. that every man was born free, and had as much right to what would support him as to Misson announced his resolve to the air he respired.....that the vast lead a life of liberty and the crew called difference between man and man. the one upon him to be their captain. He accepted wallowing in luxury, and the other in the their offer on condition that all those most pinching necessity, was owing only $0 averse to following his fortune would be avarice and ambition on the one hand and a put ashore near to civilisation. No one pusilanimous subjection on the other." took up his offer. They then elected a ship's council u He denounced the death Penalty - Caraccioli as lieutenant, the school- for any crime and renounced the right to master as second lieutenant and Jean Besace

5 7 as third. Matthieu le Tondu and the gunner distrust naturally r¢11°w.a,~t B "B ””y" they elected as their representatives in council. The new council met at once in the Misson warned the crew that they great cabin - to decide which course to would find few friends in the world. The steer. They agreed that the Spanish coast majority of mankind lived in slavery "by was likely to be the most profitable. which their spirits were broke” making them incapable of generous thought. Such Matthieu le Tondu asked what men "dance to the music of their chains colours they would fly and suggested a and would brand this generous crew with the black flag as the most terrifying; but invidious name of pirates. and think it Caraccioli objected. They were not pirates meritorious to be instrumental in their he insisted, but vigilant guardians of the destruction.” peoples‘ rights and liberties. He advised a white flag with ‘Liberty’ painted on the The crew of the ’Victoire' fly. numbered two hundred able hands and thirty -five sick or wounded. Off St.Christopher's The canvas bulkhead of the they took an English sloop, relieved her great cabin had been rolled up for the crew of two puncheons of rum and six hogsheads to hear their council in session and at of sugar, and sent her on her way. The this point the assembled crew took up the master of the sloop, Thomas Butler, "owned cry 'Libertyt' he never met with so candid an enemy."

The property of the dead officers: After some minor adventures - was brought up on deck. Those in need of including an attempt by a privateer to clothes were given new ones and the money take the 'Victoire' - the crew took a was placed in a common chest which was Dutch prize. With Misson and Caraccioli securely padlocked - each member of the masquerading as Fourbin and his First council having a key. Misson brought out Lieutenant they sold their prize and put the plate from the great cabin and put it ashore their prisoners at Carthagena. in the common coffer,but the crew requested Don Juan de la Zerda, the Governor, was that he should keep it out for his own use. so taken in by Misson and Caraccioli that, their business concluded, he asked He addressed the ship’ company if they would do him a small favour. and called for the rule of brotherly love, He wanted them to meet with and escort "the banishment of all private piques and the St. Joseph, a galleon of seventy grudges. That in throwing off the YOKB °f guns, then lying in Pbrto Bello. The tyranny...he hoped none would follow the Governor was concerned for her cargo of example of the tyrants, and turn hid baok 800,000 pieces of eight and a_aubstantial on justice; for when equity was trodden amount of gold bullion. underfoot, misery, confusion and lutudl

1» The! Qflllefi a general nesting of The 'Victoire' left to ‘escort’ the entire ship's company and the vote was the'St.Joseph' but found that she had left for Africa. After an uneventful crossing‘ two days earlier. The hull of the 'Victoire' they arrived off the Gold Coast and fell had grown foul; she was slowing down and upon the 'Nieuwgtadt'. a Dutch slaver. becoming hard to steer. The warn waters of After a running battle lasting two and a the Caribbean encourage the growth of weeds half hours they took the Dutchman. The on the botton of ships, and the sea is also 'Hieuwstadt' had just started trading infested with Teredo, a shellfish which and had only seventeen slaves on board. attaches itself to the hull and eats the Misson ordered the slaves to be clothed wood gway, ships had to be careened three out of the Dutch mariners sea chests and to six tines a year. This involved dry- told the crew "that no nan had power over docking the ship, scraping the hull and the liberty of another, and while some who replacing rotted timbers. The best ships professed a more enlightened knowledge of had their hull sheathed with lead or copper, thfl Deity Bfflld I811 llkfl bflggtfl, they Prgved but the pirates had to make do with a that their religion was no morg than a sealing coat of a tar, tallow and sulphur Krilace.” For his part ' he had not exempt- mixture. ed his neck from the galling yoke of slavery and asserted his own liberty, to Not having dry-dock facilities enslave others." the pirates careened their ships by benching them and, by use of tackle attached to near- by trees.Pulling then first on to one side The slaves were taken one to each and then the other. Sometimes they could mess by the French so that they might sooner only manage a partial careening while on learn their language and the day to day the run. work of the ship. There was little chance of the After the Atlantic crossing the 'Victoire' overtaking the 'St.Joseph' so 'Victoire' was in a bad state1"Their ship they pulled into a land locked bay and, by series very foul and going heavily through moving the guns to one side of the ship and the water, they ran into the river of Lagos, then to the other they scraped and tallowed where they hove her down, taking out such as far down as they could; but they could Plank! as had suffered lost by the worms, not properly careen her keel. and substituting new in their room," Than th9Y ¢8I°°n9¢ th° P1156 and headed south. with the ship righted again the ship's council split on which course to steer. Misson at one point had to Misson and Caraccioli were for noving to the assemble the entire crew forfgllectura on African coast, while the others were for B'68T1n8 end.drunkeness. The*Dutch prisoners going to New England declaring that the were passing bad habits onto the French 'Victoire' had a rotten keel and was unfit crew and the effect on morale was becoming for a transatlantic voyage. 11 ‘IO

- - obvious. Off the coast of Angola they On board she had a quarter of a million took another Dutchman loaded with o10th- pounds worth of gold dust, but the human Thie gave work to the 'Victoir€s' tailors price was high with thirty dead and twenty "for the whole crew began to be out at seven wounded — including Caraccioli who elbows.” had to have his right leg alputated. By now Misson had ninety p p prisoners which he put on the 'Hieuwstadt' ~ li t h Dut h i . with enough Supp es 0 reac a C h I While Caraccioli recovered from settlement along the coast. Eleven of t e his;wounds on Johanna, Hisson took the Dutchmen chose to stay with Misson. 'Victoire' on a cruise. ‘He stretched over to Madagascar and coasted along this island Just north of Table Bay the to the northward, as far as the most northerly 'Victoire' was engaged by an English point, when turning back he encountered a man-o'-war of the sale size (40 guns). Bay to the northward of Diego Suares. He ran Misson's crew boarded and took her. ten leagues up this bay, and on the larboard Nearly all the English seamen, but not side found it afforded a large and safe the officers, cane over to Hisson. harbour with plenty of fresh water. He Caraccioli was put in charge of the new cane here to an anchor, went ashore and prize, renamed the 'Bijou',and the crew examined the nature of the soil, which he elected their officers. found rich, the air wholesome and the country level. He told his nen that this. Both ships then made for the was an excellent place for an asylum, and island of Johanna, north of Hadagasoar.v that he determined here to fortify and The island was a common stopping place for raise a small town, and lake docks for ships on the Indian routes because of its ‘shipping, that they might have some place ample supplies of fresh water, friendly to call their own, and a receptacle when natives and abundance of antiscorbmtic age or wounds had rendered them incapable fruits. of hardship, where they night enjoy the The pirates became friendly with fruits of their labour, and go to their the islanders and assisted in the defence graves infpeace." of the island against an invasion attempt by nearby Uohilian Islanders. During their ” Back once more on Johanna, extended stay many of the pirates, including Hisson put his plan to the two ships‘ Misson and Caraccioli, took Johannan wives. crews and won their agreement. In return for a promise to cone to Johanna's aid ' Using Johanna as a base they should it be attacked, the Queen of the cruised the area looking for a prize. They island offered three hundred men to help found a Portuguese ship - over half as big in the building of the new settlement. The again as the 'Victoire' - and fought a long only condition was that the men must be and bloody engagement before she Fae taken. returned to Johanna after four months. I3 ‘I2

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The pirates called their new who had left to form a collnnity of their home Libertatia and renouncing the titles own further up the lnitgascar coast. of English, French, Dutch or African they called themselves Liberi. Their first work I When the flotilla arrived at of construction was to raise two forts, one Libertatia Tew fired off a nine gun salute on each side of the harbour. These they and the_first fort answered with an equal equiped with forty guns taken from the number. Their arrival presented Libertatia Portuguese prize. Then they set about with a new problem. They now had 190 building houses and storerooms. Portuguese prisoners and only a population of two hundred in their own community, - A group travelled up country excluding the Johanna Islanders. About making friends and exchanging gifts with seventy of the Portuguese came over to the local natives. With the work well in the Libertatians after a speech made hand Misson took the 'Victoire' to the by Caraccioli (whom Johnson describes.as coast of Zanlibar and fell upon another "having the art of persuasion'.) The rest Portuguese carrying gold. The 'Victoire' of the prisoners were set to work on a was outgunned and outnanned and, feeling new dock about half a mile above the mouth he had bitten off more than he could of the harbour. They were kept in that area chew, Misson made off. However the and Libertatia was.made out of bounds to Portuguese gave chase and attacked the them in case they discovered their own 'Victoire'. The running battle lasted strength and rebelled. The~'Bijoux' laid four hours but the crew of the 'Victoire‘ as a guardship between the two communities. finally succeeded in boarding and taking their prize. They locked the Portuguese Meanwhile the pirates became seamen between decks and, with a skeleton farmers sowing mails and wheat and other crew on board, the prize followed the seeds found on board their prifies. The 'Victoire' back to,Libertatia, fields were held in common and "no hedge bounded any particular man's property”, Within sight of Madagascar they came upon a sloop which stood for It was time to return the them and flew a black flag with a white Johannan men hone but this presented emblem depicting an arm brandishing a another problem. To send a ship out under- Boimitar. It was the pirate , manned was to risk losing it. To deplete After some discussion Tew and his men the number of Libertatians by fully manning decided to accompany the 'Victoire' to a ship was to risk the prisoners taking over Libfirtatia, e the town. Hisson proposed giving the last prize to the Portuguese prisoners and Such a colonY was no new idea setting them free. Tew and Caraccioli to these pirates. Tew had lost his opposed this on the grounds that their Quartermaster and twenty-three crewman base would soon be known to all and attacked in force. A meeting was called and Misson's I4 i

n - . ~ , -.~,.--»--- u Hope Tew’s crew.took a Dutch East Indies proposal was agreed to - the only alternative galley and found on board;a large quantity. being the wholesale slaughter of the of English crown pieces. These were ' taken prisoners. for the common treasury | money being of no use where everything was in common.” Off Misson addressed the prisoners the coast of Angola they took an English and told them that he knew the consequences slaver with 240 men, women and children of giving them liberty and that he expected below decks. The 'Bijoux's’ African to be attacked as soon as the place of his ‘*0 crewman, who had also been taken on that retreat was known. However, he said he "did coast, discovered many relatives and friends not make war with the oppressed but with the i on board the slaver. Giving Tew assurance oppressors". He enquired into the circumstances ll of good conduct the African crewmen struck of each of the prisoners and made good where off the fetters and handcuffs of the slaves ever it was possible. In return he required and regaled them with the glories of their an oath from each that he should never RBI llffle serve against Libertatia. Upon their return to Libertatia The ship, with its guns removed, and the completion of the new dock they was provisioned for a voyage to the coast began the construction of two sloopa to of Zanzibar. Shortly afterwards the town be named the ‘Childhood’ and ‘Liberty’. was visited by about fifty local tribesmen They were to be of 80 tons and armed with wishing to trade cattle and slaves. Deals eight guns each. Their object was to were made and the slaves,being handed over, embark upon an expedition to chart the "were immediately clothed and put under the 4 "coasts, sands and shoals and depths of' care of as many whites, who, by all possible the Island of Badagascar" as well as to demonstrations, endeavoured to make them provide training ships for the released understand that they were 91193193; to B1 8V9 840 II B1 ave TY e

I It took the ‘Bijoux’ three A J Attempts to teach the Africans round trips to return the Johanna men home. functional French eventually produced as useful kind of Esperanto as the Africans Those of Misson’s company who had ? previously decided to settle on Johanna started to use a language made up of their came back on the ‘Bijoux’, along with own words; French, English, Dutch, their wives and children. Upon their return Portuguese and words picked up from the Nisson and Caraccioli pressed on with the six native Madagascar families who had work on the dock while Tew cruised the now moved into the community. ‘Bijoux’ on the Guinea coast. J The two sloops, with elected officers and equally mixed black and white _ Just north of the Cape of Good crews, took off on their survey of the

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island. The survey took four months to The Indian ship proved a heavy 0 complete and the schoolmaster produced aailar and was nearly lost in a storm on c detailed charts of the coast. the way to Madagascar. Once in Libertatia this lumbering monster of a ship was With many of the African ex-slaves . broken up carefully keeping all her now familiar with the basics of seamanship “cordage and knee timber, bolts, eyes, Misson and Tew, with two ships, went chains and other iron work.” The 110 guns cruising on the Arabian coast. Here they were mounted in two batteries at either soon net a ship of the Great Mogul; an side of the harbour mouth. enormous vessel with 110 guns and 1,500 sailors and pilgrims on board. She was By this time the colonists bound for Jeddah with pilgrims for Mecca. had a good parcel of land under °"1t1Vflt1°n Despite her sifie she put up a poor defence, as well as a herd of some 500 cattle the sailors being hampered by the volume of bought from the local traders. The QOCR "es- humanity and baggage on board. The two also finished and its first ship wae the pirates drew alongside and made to board 'Victoire'. She was eettine 01¢ end leek? her. The defenders fired one round of and unfit for a long voyage- She Fag small arms fire and fled below. pulled to pieces and rebuilt keeping the same name. When the rebuilt 'Victoire' It was decided to keep the ship was about to leave to cruise the Guinea and sail it back to Libertatia. The guns coast one of the sloops, with a highly would be useful and it could be more care- agitated crew of African trainee eeamen. fully searched for the treasure that the entered the bay. She had been on a training Indians often hid in the deck ceilings cruise when she came across five tall ships and ballast. The passengers and crew were on a direct course for Libertatia. TheY to be put ashore between Ain and Aden were Portuguese by their build, with fifty within walking distance of civilisation. guns apiece and brimming over with armed An incident which occurred during the men. landing of the passengers marks, in retrospection, the beginning of Hisson's The inevitable attack was "P03 loss of influence in Libertatia's them and the whole colony stood to battle development as-a libertarian community. . stations. The five ships made directly fer The pirate crew brought back with then the harbour and ran up their Portuguese a hundred girl passengers between the ages colours. The two forts were not as effective of twelve and eighteen years. They intended as had been hoped. Their cannon fire taking then back to Libertatia as 'wives' managed to produce a heavy list in 039 for the unmarried men. Misson strongly of the ships but the remaining four sailed objected to this and called a meeting of on unscathed. Once inside the harbour they the ships companies. He found himself in thought that their task was neaI1Y done a minority of one. and they prepared to l0Fer boats full of

I9 armed men. At this point they net I 'salute' challenged to personal combat with Tew to‘ from the two forts, the shore batteries settle a quarrel between their respective and the two aloops as well as broadsides crews. Caraccioli stopped this foolishness from the 'Victoire' and 'Bijoux'. This and suggested that, to avoid it happening cannomade sent two of the Portuguese ships again in the future, they should set up a straight to the bottom. Luckily for the formal government which would enact Portuguese they had contrived to enter just Ywholesome laws”. before the turn of the tide and " made more TI haste out than they did to get in”. The next day the entire community was assembled and were addressed on the The ‘Bijoux’ and 'Victoire' lo subject of organised government. Johnson gave chase. The listing ship dragged behind describes Caraccioli as having ” a and once she was overtaken by the 'Bijoux' persuasive and insinuating way of and 'Victoire' her two companions left her argument". They agreed to the election of to her fate. The crew put up a fierce a Lord Conservator and government and also defence but eventually called for quarter, to the sharing out equally of the commnn which was granted. treasure and the common cattle herd. Land could now be enclosed and deemed the private Unhappily, amongst the Portuguese property of he that enclosed it. prisoners taken were two men who had T previously been released by Hisson on oath A wooden Session House was built that they would never serve against him. and the first session lasted ten days and The two were given a public trial for passed many laws. Misson was appointed Lord "perjury and ingratitude”. Misson and Conservator with the title of Supreme Caraccioli called for corporal punishment Excellence. Tew was appointed Admiral of but Tew held out strongly for a public the Fleet goaraccioli Secretary of State. hanging. Tew held that for such a crime an The treasure and cattle were divided and exemplary punishment was necessary. the land enclosed. Those who enclosed more Eventually he won over Caraccioli. land than they could work themselves were Q Caraccioli then addressed the assembled : now able. and entitled by law, to hire the Libertatians. He acknowledged Hisson's assistance of other Libertatians. Within a tenderness towards nalefactors but month of the Portuguese attack Libertatia nevertheless felt that “no rule could be had instituted capital punishment, money, laid down which did not allow exceptions.“ private property and wage labour, By the end of his speech the crowd roared that “hanging was too good for them". They were hung from the two points of the The colony was still in need of forts. new recruits to maintain an agricultural land base as Well as run a viable fleet. The With the dream starting to fall community founded up the coast by Tew's apart in his hands Misson found himself Quartermaster and some twenty of his

. Z0 21 who had not held the office before "by original crew was still functioning and which agreement everyone would be raised v Tew resolved to visit them and invite them in time to the supreme command". The to join the colony of Libertatia. However settlers found that lot was preferable to the Council was against this blanket election as it "prevented all canvassing invitation and, forgetting their own origins and making interest for votes....left no in their new-found respectability, declared openings for making divisions and parties, that those who followed the old Quartermaster and was a means to continue that repose were " of mutinous temper, and might infect inseparable from a unity among themselves", others with a spirit of disorder," Tew was instructed to accept only those who But the settlers were fully aware made a serious application to join Libertatia of their position in relation to the outside and for whom Tew could give his personal world. Not being an ‘official’ colony they "parole of honour for their quiet behaviour". were unable to engage in legitimate trading because of the laws relating to aiding Tew left in the 'Victoire' and pirates. Furthermore, as pirates, they could later came to anchor off the settlement of be attacked with impunity by any passing. his ex-crewmembers. He flew an ensign and warship or adventurer. To this end the fired a salute but got no response. He Quartermaster said that they were open to landed in a small boat and was met by two representations from Englishmen in America men who conducted him to their settlement or Europe to fix a colony here and ” wipe in the woods. Tew invited them to re-join away the odious appellation of pirates”. But him in Libertatia and outlined the advantages while they were open to representations it would bring. The Quartermaster agreed they were not hopeful. The Quartermaster that it would certainly bring advantages added, "But 'tis ridiculous to think we will to Libertatia. But he could see little become subjects to greater rogues than advantage to himself and his companions ourselves”. C e when here they " enjoyed all the necessaries of life, were free and independent of all Tew went back to the 'Victoire' the world" and added " it would be madness and returned the next day with rum and again to subject ourselves to any government brandy. While Tew and the settlers shared a which, however mild, still exerted some bowl of punch a sudden storm arose. Tew Powfir " I signalled from the shore that he wished to be taken back on board, but the sea was The only government this settle- running too high for a boat to be put down, ment had was a Governor who held office for The storm increased and Tew and the settlers three months and was chosen by lot. The watched from the shore as the 'Victoire' power of the Governor "extended no further tried to ride it out. After two hours of than to the judging of matters of small struggling she " parted her cables, was difference which might arise". The lottery drove ashore where it was steep to, and Was open to every member of the settlement

23 ILL

Watched, unable to help, as Misson's sloop perished with all her men”. Went down. There were no survivors.

1 Tew had no choice but to accept Tew put in to a trading post his old comrades hospitality. After three run by an ex-pirate Adam Baldridge on the months they saw a large ship which Tew island of St.Nary's, just off the Madagascar believed was the ‘Bijoux’, but she ignored coast. Protected by Baldridge's fort he their signal fires. A month later, coming careened the sloop (which Baldridge listed early to the beach, Tew found two sloops as the ‘Amity’ - Tew's original sloop) at anchor a short distance from the shore. DC and fitted her for an Atlantic crossing, They were the 'Childhood' and ‘Liberty’. According to Baldridge's journal he left Misson put down a boat and came ashore. St.Mary's in December 1693, Ha arrived at Tew's joy soon disappeared when he heard I*’Q Rhode Island in April 1694, Misson's news. In the dead of night, without the least provocation, two large Tew lived quietly at home for groups Of natives had attacked Libertatia. many years but was constantly pestered by With the 'Victoire' and ‘Bijoux’ out his former crewmen to make just one more cruising the number of colonists was tIiP. Eventually he gave in and bought a greatly reduced. Caraccioli and what men small sloop. Attacking a ship of the Great he could assemble tried to make a stand M°8ul in the Red Sea he Was disembowelled but they were out to P160684 The natives by a connonball and died soon afterwards. then went through the town slaughtering . men, women and children alike. The forty- six survivors grabbed what loot they could and piled aboard the two sloops. Tew suggested that they went to America where Misson was unknown and could live in peace and comfort. The Quartermaster added that, while in America. he could try to procure a commission to settle a colony. Bat Misson was disillusioned after the ‘U I failure of Libertatia and resolved to return to Europe, secretly visit his family and retire from the world. The salvaged treasure and the survivors were divided between the two SIOOPB; the majority going with Tew. They waited a week in the hope that the 'Bijoux' would return. They then fill quotations used in the text are from set sail for the Guinea coast hoping to meet A Generdl History Of the Robberies and her there. En route the two ships were Murders of the most Notorious Pirates" overtaken by a storm and Tew and his Ore" by Cptn. Charles Johnson. lT26,

14 ,- 15

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