Captain Lehay 

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Lehay commanded the French sloop, the Marthel Vodroit with about a hundred and seventy men, made up of English, Scotch, Irish, French and Spaniards. This Frenchman had taken three English prizes, took two ships off Virginia, a sloop at Delaware Capes and two ships in Delaware Bay. He entered into the Delaware waters and hoisted an English flag signaling he was a harmless visitor. The pilot boats dispatched out to the ship only to discover the flag hoisted was a trap. Pilot William Flower obeyed the instructions, leading them into Cape Henlopen. Flower promised other captives aboard that he'd take the ship so near to the shore so they could escape by swimming. When coming around towards Cape Henlopen the ship was boarded by another pilot, Luke Shields, who refused to go near enough to shore to let the captive escape, instead stating that he'd take the vessel where she could capture the most prizes, since that was the purpose for which she had come. This tale reveals the differing intentions of pilots- some were loyal to their settlements while others were loyal to the highest bidder. The pilots were no doubt greatly rewarded for leading the vessels clear of all opposition and trouble and to points most likely to contain a prize.

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