Introduction
Pour prouver sa bonne foi et faire démentir les propos des Espagnols, sir Henry Morgan, qui gouverne alors la Jamaïque par intérim, raconte au comte de Sunderland, la façon dont il s'est pris pour débarrasser les Antilles d'un flibustiers néerlandais nommé Evertsen. Mais Evertsen lui-même et plusieurs des siens parviennent à échapper aux Jamaïquains. En fait, ce que Morgan ne raconte pas ici, c'est qu'au moment où il fut pris, Evertsen, commandant le Boneto, mouillait à Bull Bay (Jamaïque), en compagnie d'un autre flibustier, son compatriote le capitaine Yankey qui montait une barque longue nommée The Dolphin. Evertsen et quelques uns de ses hommes, ayant échappé à la fusillade s'embarquèrent avec Yankey et celui-ci devait à la fin de 1682 donner le commandemant d'une prise à son compatriote. Et l'on retrouvera Evertsen, quelques années plus tard, à nouveau capitaine d'un bâtiment flibustier (voir la lettre du gouverneur Molesworth, de mai 1685)
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Henry Morgan to the Earl of Sunderland [extrait] Port Royal, 1st February 1681 [11 février 1681]. (...) Since writing mine of 27th January, a ship has arrived with Your Lordship's letter, the King's commission and instructions, and three treaties for my guidance. I have summoned a Council for Thursday next, and issued writs for an Assembly to meet on the 18th March next. On Saturday night I had notice of one Captain James Everson commander of a sloop, a notorious privateer, being at anchor with a brigantine which he had lately taken. I presently secured all the wherries on the Point and manned a sloop with twenty-four soldiers and thirty-six sailors, which at midnight sailed from hence, and about noon came up with him in Bull Bay. Then letting the King's jack fly, they boarded him; they received three musket shot, slightly wounding one man, and returned a volley, killing some and wounding others of the privateers. Everson and several others jumped overboard and were shot in the sea near the shore. They then brought her away with twenty-six stout men, whom they brought last night into this harbour. These are prisoners on board H.M.S. Norwich to await trial for their lives. I have issued warrants for those that escaped of whom I doubt not to give an account of. Such is the encouragement which privateers received from my favour or the countenance of the government, whatever the reflections of the Spanish Ambassador. (...) P.S. Upon search we could find nothing like a commission. All Everson's men were English, to the number of seventy, except six Spaniards. I shall send these last next week to Carthagena. source: P.R.O. Calendar of State Papers, Colonial Series: America and West Indies, 1681-1685: no. 16. |
| LES ARCHIVES DE LA FLIBUSTE |
| sommaire || summary |
| Le Diable Volant |