They took also a Vessel of Marooners that belonged to the Bay and carried to Campeche Town, where they erected a mighty Gallows, and threaten to hang them all.
Just then, as ill luck would have it, came in the Winchelsea man-of-war, by way of visit, which put the marooners into such a surprise that they set fire to the ship and sloop and fled ashore to the woods.
Jones gave a long story to the High Court of the Admiralty in 1723 that explained how he eventually came to be a marooner.
The Marooners who escaped carried their wanton ravages to other parts of the world.
There was hardly a creek or stream or point of land along our coast where fabulous treasures were not said to have been hidden by this worthy marooner.
Synonyms
freebooter
Origin
Mid 17th century: from the practice by pirates of marooning their victims on a desert island.