If you expect people to be lenient towards you just because you are not yet rich then you are painfully wrong. You ought to adapt to situation. Instead of running away, roleplay as if you are poor. Make a deal with would-be-pirate if possible. I remember once trying to extort few millions out of player who didn't have it yet. We made an inRP deal that his character will pay up later on or there will be grave consequences. And so he did.
Possibilities are endless as long as you put effort and work your imagination. Of course there has to be nice player behind harsh pirate character, but if you should not complain if you refuse to put in effort yourself.