harbor.  After a fortnight, when he was thought to be gone off, he returned, and took two of the fishing shallops belonging to the Frenchman, and manning them with pirates, they went in.  One shallop attacked the battery; the other surprised, boarded and carried the ship, just as the morning star appeared, for which reason he gave her that name.  In the engagement the owner’s son was killed, who made the voyage out of curiosity only.  The ship being taken, seven guns were fired, which was the signal, and the sloop came down and lay alongside the ship.  The captain told him he supposed he only wanted his liquor; but Lewis made answer he wanted his ship, and accordingly hoisted all his ammunition and provision into her.  When the Frenchman saw they would have his ship, he told her trim, and Lewis gave him the sloop; and excepting what he took for provision, all the fish he had made.  Several of the French took on with him, who, with others, English and French, had by force or voluntarily, made him up 200 men.

From Newfoundland he steered for the coast of Guinea, where he took a great many ships, English, Dutch and Portuguese.  Among these ships was one belonging to Carolina, commanded by Capt.  Smith.  While he was in chase of this vessel a circumstance occurred, which made his men believe he dealt with the devil; his fore and main top-mast being carried away, he, Lewis, running up the shrouds to the maintop, tore off a handful of hair, and throwing it into the air used this expression, good devil, take this till I come.  And it was observed, that he came afterwards faster up with the chase than before the loss of his top-masts.

[Illustration:  Captain Lewis giving a lock of his hair to the Devil.]

Smith being taken, Lewis used him very civilly, and gave him as much or more in value than he took from him, and let him go, saying, he would come to Carolina when he had made money on the coast, and would rely on his friendship.

They kept some time on the coast, when they quarrelled among themselves, the French and English, of which the former were more numerous, and they resolved to part.  The French therefore chose a large sloop newly taken, thinking the ship’s bottom, which was not sheathed, damaged by the worms.  According to this agreement they took on board what ammunition and provision they thought fit out of the ship, and put off, choosing one Le Barre captain.  As it blew hard, and the decks were encumbered, they came to an anchor under the coast, to stow away their ammunition, goods, &c.  Lewis told his men they were a parcel of rogues, and he would make them refund; accordingly he run alongside, his guns being all loaded and new primed, and ordered him to cut away his mast or he would sink him.  Le Barre was obliged to obey.  Then he ordered them all ashore.  They begged the liberty of carrying their arms, goods, &c. with them, but he allowed them only their small arms and cartridge boxes.  Then he brought the sloop alongside, put every thing on board the ship, and sunk the sloop.