Ashton's Memorial

In June 1722, Philip Ashton (1702-1746) was captured by pirates while fishing at sea. In the Boston News Letter of 9 July 1722, Ashton was listed as being one of those captured by the pirate Edward Low. He escaped in March 1723 at Roatan Island by hiding in the dense vegetation. Despite many hazards, such as insects, tropical heat, and wild animals, he survived there for 16 months, until his rescue. This is his account - with original spellings.