March 18th,
1635.
On me way down
ta Margarita, a bleedin' Spanish Frigate comes a sniffin'. Tha
bastid as a go at me and I's gotta run fer it on tha account we's
got ney ammo 'n only fifteen marines.
Well maties, we
finally gets away from tha Git, 'n heads up into Margarita harbour
where thar be a fleet 'o five trade ships docked.
Now, I be a lil'
disappointed dat all that thar prey be there. And I had ta stand on
deck and watch as we sailed past all those nice ships. Gritting me
teeth in frustration, we headed fer tha dock 'n berthed.
Now lads, me
bein' new to tha Caribbean, me reputation of a complete and utter
bastid had yet ta catch upta me. So I had ney worries 'o trading in
this Spanish stronghold - fer now.
However, on
entering tha shipwrights, twas evident tha blaggard knew I wus a
pirate! Cos tha theiv'n bastid charged me a bleedin' fortune fer a
keg 'o gunpowder and tha swine wus asking fer a thousand pesos fer
ONE friggin' cannon!
I ask yew,
who's tha bleedin' pirate, eh?
Anyhow, after
reluctantly handin' over me well-earned ill-gotten gains to this
bloody theiv'n bastid, I goes to tha tavern 'n recruits me a handful
'o men, has a drink 'o two, and heads upstairs ta get a whore to
polish me sword.
After a couple
'o hours, me quartermaster tells me we'd better not stay much longer
- cos tha Spaniards were getting wary 'o our antics.
So, we heads
back to me ship, hoists tha anchor, 'n sails on out.
Now, to me
delight, them thar five ships we spotted earlier were still thar!
And I had me a keg 'o powder ta use dis time!
So, bein' like
any murderous swines, we sails upto tha first ship - waves to her
nice lil' crew, and gives 'em a point-blank graping.
Tha other ships
soon spread out 'n had tha cheek ta tell me off for disturbin' thar
shore leave. And what followed next is hard fer me ta write.
We found
ourselves surrounded by ships on all sides, tha buggers had cut-off
our escape route 'n they wus moving in fer a multiple boarding!
Needless, ta
sey, ol Coggy bit off more than I could chew on this 'ere occasion,
and it wasn't long before I wus treading water wit me men 'n some
unfortunate Spanish swabs.
Twas tha end 'o
me Brig, but tha Spaniards were kind enough to make me guest 'o
honour in that thar fine prison they has.
I'm spending tha next few months livin' on cock-roach soup 'n water 'cos tha blaggards won't put me on trial 'til June.
I just gotta 'ope tha judge 'ill take pity on a wretch like me and let me go. If'n 'e does, I promises ta take pity on him when I returns one day to liberate this vile 'ell hole of it's entire inhabitants...
Cap'n Cognito,
18th day 'o March, 1635.
(Awaiting trial
in Margarita)