Evans worked as a ship's mate for vessels operating out of Jamaica after losing his position aboard a Nevis-based sloop.

With little work to be had, he and a few others from Port Royal conspired in September 1722 to row around the island in a canoe, robbing houses at night.

[1] Tiring of simple robbery, they located a Bermudan sloop, rowed out to it, and Evans announced “that he was Captain of the Vessel, which was a Piece of News they knew not before.”[2] The pirates celebrated at a local tavern and spent so liberally they were invited back; instead the pirates returned at night and looted the tavern before returning to sea.

[3] They captured another vessel near the Windward Islands, forcing several sailors to join their crew before releasing the ship.

[2] They had earlier forced the Lucretia’s navigator to join them; when he refused to pilot their ship any further, the crew broke up.