At the sight
of the King's men the pirates flung themselves headlong aboard their
schooners, and endeavoured to make off, but they were soon captured and
brought back, to be afterwards tried and hanged at the yard-arm.
When the man-o'-war's men boarded us, I ran down the companion stairs
in search of the captain, whom I found lying senseless at the foot of
the ladder. Fortunately for him, and for all of us, he had been stunned
by a blow from one of the pirates as he descended, and was thus
prevented from carrying out his desperate resolve to fire the magazine.
This was my last adventure upon the voyage, and some weeks later,
without further mishap, we sighted a Dutch vessel bound for Amsterdam,
to which, at my request, I was transferred.
CHAPTER XXV
I ARRIVE AT AMSTERDAM
My first care after arriving at Amsterdam was to interview the
goldsmiths with a view to disposing of the jewels I had brought from
the Island of Gems, which proved to be of such value that I realized a
considerable sum by the sale of a small portion, for I wished to keep
some of the best as a wedding present for Anna.
I lost no time in sending my compliments to the Count of Holstein, with
a request that I might be allowed to call upon him.
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