Read Ebook: Captain William Kidd and Others of the Buccaneers by Abbott John S C John Stevens Cabot

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Ebook has 983 lines and 82349 words, and 20 pages

Renown of Captain Kidd.--Wild Legends.--Demands of Spain.--Opposition of the Maritime Powers.--The Rise of the Buccaneers.--The Pirates' Code.--Remonstrance of Spain.--Reply of France and England.--Confession of a Buccaneer.--Adventures of Peter the Great. 9

Ravages of the Pirates.--The King's Interview with Earl Bellomont.--William Kidd, the New-York Merchant.--His Commission.--Sailing of the Adventure.--Recruiting in New York.--Circuitous Trip to Madagascar.--Perils and Sufferings.--Madagascar the Pirates' Home.--Murmurings of the Crew.--Kidd reluctantly turns Pirate.--His Repulses, and his Captures. 29

Audacity of Kidd.--Fate of the November.--Kidd kills William Moore.--The Renowned Ballad.--Kidd's Compunctions.--Kidd at Madagascar.--Piratic Carousals.--The Artificial Hell.--Kidd's Return to the West Indies.--Exaggerated Reports of Avery.--His wretched Career and wretched End. 51

Appalling Tidings.--Trip to Curacoa.--Disposal of the Quedagh Merchant.--Purchase of the Antonio.--Trembling Approach toward New York.--Measures for the Arrest of Kidd.--He enters Delaware Bay.--Touches at Oyster Bay and Block Island.--Communications with the Government.--Sails for Boston.--His Arrest.--Long Delays.--Public Rumors.--His Trial and Condemnation. 75

The Guilt of Kidd.--Rumors of Buried Treasure.--Mesmeric Revelation.--Adventures of Bradish.--Strange Character of Major Bonnet.--His Piracies.--Encounters.--Indications of Insanity.--No Temptation to Turn Pirate.--Blackbeard.--Bonnet Deposed. 98

Seizure of the Protestant Caesar.--The Piratic Squadron.--Villany of the Buccaneers.--The Atrocities of Blackbeard.--Illustrative Anecdotes.--Carousals on Shore.--Alleged Complicity with the Governor.--Hiding-place near Ocracoke Inlet.--Arrangements for his Capture.--Boats sent from two Men-of-War.--Bloody Battle.--The Death of the Pirate.--His Desperate and Demoniac Character. 110

Bonnet's Abandonment by Blackbeard.--Avails Himself of the King's Pardon.--Takes Commission as a Privateer.--Rescues Blackbeard's Pirates.--Piratic Career.--Enters Cape Fear River for Repairs.--Captured by Colonel Rhet.--The Conflict.--Escapes from Prison.--The Pursuit, and Trial and Sentence. 125

Commencement of his Career.--Bold Capture.--Brutality of the Pirates.--Reverses and Captivity.--Barthelemy doomed to Die.--His Escape.--Sufferings in the Forest.--Reaches Gulf Triste.--Hardening Effect of his Misfortunes.--His new Piratic Enterprise.--Wonderful Success.--The Tornado.--Impoverishment and Ruin. 139

Early Life of Lolonois.--His Desperate Character.--Joins the Buccaneers.--His Fiend-like Cruelty.--The Desperadoes Rally around Him.--Equips a Fleet.--Captures Rich Prizes.--Plans the Sack of Maracaibo.--The Adventurous Voyage.--Description of Venezuela.--Atrocities at Maracaibo and Gibraltar.--Doom of the Victors. 151

Gibraltar in Ashes.--The Return to Maracaibo.--Division of the Plunder.--Peculiar Scene.--Reception of the Pirates at Tortuga.--Fiend-like Carousal.--The Pirates Reduced to Beggary.--Lolonois's New Enterprise.--The "Furious Calm."--Days of Disaster.--Ravaging the Coast.--Capture of San Pedro. 170

The Pirates' Perfidy.--Capture of a Spanish Ship.--Misery of the Pirates.--Desertion of Vauclin.--The Shipwreck.--Life upon the Island.--Expedition to Nicaragua.--Its utter Failure.--Ferocity of the Indians.--Exploring the River.--The Retreat.--Coasting to Darien.--Capture and Death of Lolonois.--Fate of the Remnants. 186

Testimony of Charles Johnson.--Marriage of Mary Read's Mother.--Singular Adventure.--Reasons for Disguising her Daughter.--Early Training of Mary as a Boy.--She Enlists on board a Man-of-War.--The Character she Developed.--Enters the Army.--Skill and Bravery.--Falls in Love with a Fleming.--Reveals her Sex.--The Marriage.--Happy Days.--Death of her Husband.--Adversity.--Resumes Male Attire. 201

Rackam the Pirate.--Anne Bonny his Wife.--Her Reasons for Assuming a Boy's Dress.--Infamous Character of Rackam.--Anne falls in Love with Mary.--Curious Complications.--The Duel.--Chivalry of Frank.--The Capture.--The Trial.--Testimony of the Artist.--Death of Mary Read.--Rackam Dies on the Scaffold. 214

His Origin.--Goes to the West Indies.--Joins the Buccaneers.--Meets Mansvelt the Pirate.--Conquest of St. Catharine.--Piratic Colony there.--Ravaging the Coast of Costa Rica.--Sympathy of the Governor of Jamaica.--Death of Mansvelt.--Expedition of Don John.--The Island Recaptured by the Spaniards.--Plans of Morgan.--His Fleet.--The Sack of Puerto Principe.--Horrible Atrocities.--Retreat of the Pirates.--The Duel.--They Sail for Puerto Velo.--Conquest of the City.--Heroism of the Governor. 225

The Torture.--Sickness and Misery.--Measures of the Governor of Panama.--The Ambuscade.--Awful Defeat of the Spaniards.--Ferocity of the Pirates.--Strange Correspondence.--Exchange of Courtesies.--Return to Cuba, and Division of the Spoil.--Wild Orgies at Jamaica.--Complicity of the British Government with the Pirates.--The New Enterprise.--Arrival of the Oxford.--Destruction of the Cerf Volant.--Rendezvous at Samona. 246

The Delay at Ocoa.--Hunting Excursions.--The Repulse.--Cities of Venezuela.--The Plan of Morgan.--Suggestions of Pierre Picard.--Sailing of the Expedition.--They Touch at Oruba.--Traverse Venezuela.--Enter Lake Maracaibo.--Capture of the Fort.--The City Abandoned.--Atrocities of the Pirates. 260

Preparations for the Defence of Gibraltar.--The Hidden Ships.--The Hiding-place of the Governor and the Women.--Disaster and Failure.--Capture of the Spanish Ships.--The Retreat Commenced.--Peril of the Pirates.--Singular Correspondence.--Strength of the Spanish Armament.--The Public Conference of the Pirates.--The Naval Battle.--The Fire-Ship.--Wonderful Achievement of the Pirates. 273

The Threat to Espinosa.--Adroit Stratagem.--Wonderful Escape.--The Storm.--Revelry at Jamaica.--History of Hispaniola.--Plan of a New Expedition.--The Foraging Ships.--Morgan's Administrative Energies.--Return of the Foragers.--Rendezvous at Cape Tiburon.--Magnitude and Armament of the Fleet.--Preparations to Sail. 290

The Defences at St. Catherine.--Morgan's Strategy.--The Midnight Storm.--Deplorable Condition of the Pirates.--The Summons to Surrender.--Disgraceful Conduct of the Spanish Commander.--The Advance to Chagres.--Incidents of the Battle.--The Unexpected Victory.--Measures of Morgan. 305

Preparations to Ascend the River.--Crowding of the Boats.--The Bivouac at Bracos.--Sufferings from Hunger.--The Pathless Route.--The Boats Abandoned.--Light Canoes Employed.--Abandoned Ambuscades.--Painful Marches, Day by Day.--The Feast on Leathern Bags.--Murmurs and Contentions.--The Indians Encountered.--Struggling through the Forest.--The Conflagration at Santa Cruz.--Battle and Skirmishes.--First Sight of Panama.--Descent into the Plain.--Feasting. 319

First Sight of the City.--The Spanish Scouts Appear.--Morgan's Advance.--Character of the Country.--Fears of the Spaniards.--Removal of Treasure.--Capture of the City.--The Poisoned Wine.--Magnificent Scenery of the Bay.--Description of Panama and its Surroundings.--Wealth of the City.--Scenes of Crime and Cruelty. 335

Return of the Explorers.--The Beautiful Captive.--Sympathy in her behalf.--Embarrassments of Morgan.--Inflexible Virtue of the Captive.--The Conspiracy.--Efficiency of Morgan.--His Obduracy.--The Search of the Pirates.--The Return March.--Morgan Cheats the Pirates.--Runs Away. 349

Partial Solution of a Mystery.--Montbar's Birth.--His Education and Delusions.--Anecdote of the Dramatic Performance.--Montbar Runs Away from Home.--Enters the Navy.--His Ferocious Exploits.--Joins the Buccaneers.--Desperate Battles on the Land and on the Sea.--His Final Disappearance. 360

CAPTAIN KIDD.

Renown of Captain Kidd.--Wild Legends.--Demands of Spain.--Opposition of the Maritime Powers.--The Rise of the Buccaneers.--The Pirates' Code.--Remonstrance of Spain.--Reply of France and England.--Confession of a Buccaneer.--Adventures of Peter the Great.

There are but few persons, in the United States, who have not heard the name of the renowned pirate, Captain Kidd. There are also but few to be found who have any intelligent conception of his wild and guilty career. The banks of the Hudson, the islands scattered through the Sound which skirts the southern New-England coast, and the wild rivers and craggy harbors which fringe the rugged shores of Maine, are all rich with legends of the exploits and hiding-places of this notorious buccaneer.

Thousands of fanatical people have employed themselves in digging among the rocks and sands, in search of treasure of gold and jewels supposed to have been buried, in iron-bound chests, by this chief of outlaws. It was well known that he had plundered many a rich Spanish galleon, laden with golden coin, bound to or from the colonies. Many a Spanish lady had been compelled to walk blindfolded the awful plank, until she was jostled into the sea, while her chests of golden ingots and diamonds fell into the hands of brutal assassins.

It was not always easy for the pirates to dispose of these treasures. They were sometimes pursued by men-of-war. Doubtless, as a measure of safety, they did at times bury their spoil, intending at a convenient hour to return and reclaim it. And it can hardly be questioned that, in some cases, pursued, harassed, cut up, they never did return. Therefore it may be that there is treasure still hidden in some secluded spot, which may remain, through all coming ages unless by some accident discovered. This belief has, in bygone days, nerved many a treasure-seeker to months of toil, all along our northern coast, from Passamaquoddy Bay to the Jerseys.

Half a century ago, when superstition exerted much more powerful sway than now, the wildest stories were told, around the fireside, of the complicity of the robber with the Archfiend himself, and of the agency of the Prince of the Power of the Air in protecting his subjects. Hundreds of parties, equipped with hazel rods, whose dip should guide them to the treasure, and with spades to dig, have gone to the most lonely spots at dead of night, in search of these riches. It was believed that not a word must be spoken, and particularly that Satan was so jealous, that if the Divine name were uttered, some terrible doom would befall them.

They obeyed all the directions implicitly. The spot was found. In silence and with energy they plied their spades. At the depth of five feet they struck the chest. There it was, beyond all question, in its massive strength of oak and iron. The size of the chest and the difficulty with which it could be moved, proved that they had come upon an amount of treasure which would enrich them all beyond the dreams of romance. One thoughtlessly, in the excess of his excitement, exclaimed, "Thank God!" In an instant there was a flash of lightning which blinded them all; a peal of thunder which stunned them all. Those in the pit were violently thrust out, and every one was thrown helpless and senseless upon the ground.

After a time they recovered one by one. The darkness was like that of Egypt, which could be felt. The rain was falling in torrents. Their pit was entirely closed up, and replaced by a ledge of solid granite. Terrified, they crept to their homes, fearing ever again to seek the treasure which the pirate, as an emissary of Satan, had seized with bloody hands, and with bloody hands had buried.

Again, there was a young woman who had a sacred stone into which she looked and saw whatever she wished to have revealed. She could read the fortunes of others. She could foresee all future events. She could reveal any secrets of the past. Into this mysterious crystal she gazed, and saw a small vessel, under an immense cloud of canvas, flying before a huge man-of-war. But the smaller vessel was the fleetest. The larger vessel was firing upon it with heavy cannon, and the balls were bounding over the waves. She looked upon the deck of the little schooner, and it was crowded with the fiercest-looking armed men. Among them stood a man, in rich uniform, with drawn sword, and pistols in his belt, who was evidently their leader. She at once recognized him as Captain Kidd.

It was in the evening twilight. The pirate ran in at the mouth of the Kennebec River. The man-of-war could not venture to follow amid the rocks and shoals. The commander, however, felt that the pirate was caught in a trap and that he could not escape. He decided to lay off and on until morning, carefully watching the mouth of the river. Then he would send his war-boats thoroughly manned, and the pirates would soon swing at his yard-arms, and their treasures would be transferred to his chests and his ship's hold.

Captain Kidd had a large amount of treasure on board his vessel, which he had plundered mainly from the rich argosies which carried on the commerce between Spain and her colonies. At the same time he was not at all particular in his inquiries as to what nationality the ship belonged to, if the cargo of goods or coin were valuable. His adventurous sail ran along the shores of both the Indies, and all richly freighted ships he encountered were doomed.

The swift-sailing schooner which had run into the mouth of the Kennebec was heavily laden with gold and silver coin, rich silks, and others of the most precious fabrics of the two Indies. To save these from capture, so the story goes, and to lighten his vessel, so as to be able to creep away over the shallow waters out of reach of the man-of-war, he threw the heaviest and least valuable articles overboard. Then landing a portion of the crew in the night, he searched out a secluded spot, where he dug a deep hole, and placed in it an immense iron-bound hogshead. Here he carefully packed away his gold and silver coin in strong canvas bags. His silks and satins were wrapped in canvas envelopes, and then protected with tarred cloth, impervious to both air and moisture. Thus the cask soon held treasure amounting to countless thousands. This was carefully covered up and concealed, Captain Kidd taking notes which would enable him to find the place without difficulty!

Then in the darkness he again spread his sails, and stealing out of one of the unfrequented mouths of the river, crept along the shore unseen, and turning his course south, was soon again engaged in his piratic cruise among the islands of the West Indies. He never returned to regain his treasure.

The next morning the man-of-war sent up three boats well manned and armed to capture the pirate. But not the slightest vestige of his vessel could be found. It was believed that Satan had aided them to escape. Some of the sailors declared that in the night they had seen the schooner under full sail in the clouds, passing over their heads, and that they had heard shouts of merriment from the demoniac crew.

The girl, looking into her enchanted stone, saw all this. She informed those inquiring of her, of the precise spot where the treasure was buried. To obtain it they must go at dead of night, and work in perfect silence. The utterance of a single word would bring disaster upon all their efforts.

They went, and worked with a will, in the darkness, by dim torchlight. Not a word was spoken. They reached the cask, spaded away the earth around it, and were just ready to open it and rifle it of its contents, when to their astonishment a little negro boy was seen sitting upon the head of the cask, entirely naked. One of them in his surprise thoughtlessly exclaimed, "Who are you?"

The spell was broken. Instantly one of the blackest of thunder-clouds enveloped them, with a tornado which wrecked the skies. Carousing fiends were seen with bat-like wings through the gloom. Shrieks of derisive laughter were heard. Every man was seized, and whirled through the air to distances several miles apart. Awaking from stupor, terror-inspired, they with difficulty found their way to their homes. Upon subsequently revisiting the spot they found no traces of their labor.

Such was the general character of the legends which were floating about very freely half a century ago. Captain Kidd was the hero of all these marvellous tales. It is not easy to account for the fact that his name should have attained such an ascendency over that of all other buccaneers. Though there was nothing so very remarkable in his achievements, there was something strange in the highest degree, in his partnership with men in England occupying the most exalted position in rank and power.

Very soon all seas swarmed with these adventurers. They sailed in fleets. In armed bands they landed and ravaged the coasts, battering down forts and capturing and plundering cities. They did not deem themselves pirates, but took the name of buccaneers. Though often guilty of great enormities, they assumed the air of legitimate privateersmen. With heads high uplifted they swaggered through the streets of England, France, and the Netherlands, with lavish hand scattering their ill-gotten gold. They were welcomed at every port they entered, for they proved very profitable customers. They sold their booty very cheap. They purchased very freely, regardless of price. In drunken frolics they had been known to scatter doubloons in the streets to see men and boys scramble for them. The merchants all welcomed them, not deeming it necessary to ask any questions for conscience' sake. Their numbers became so great and their depredations so audacious, that no ship could sail in safety under any flag. The buccaneers were not careful to obtain any commission. Assuming that they were warring against the enemies of their country, even when there was no war existing between the two nations, they ravaged the seas at their pleasure.

Generally their bands were well organized and under very salutary discipline. The following articles of agreement, signed by the whole crew, were found on board one of these ships:

"Every man is entitled to a vote in affairs of importance, and to an equal share of all provisions and strong liquors which may be seized. Any man who defrauds the company in plate, jewels, or money, shall be landed on a desert island. If he rob a messmate, his ears and nose shall be slit, and then he shall be landed on a desert island. No man shall play at cards or dice for money. The lights are to be put out at eight o'clock at night. No woman is to be allowed on board. Any man who brings a woman to sea disguised shall be put to death. No man shall strike another on board, but quarrels shall be settled on shore with sword or pistol.

"Any one deserting, or leaving his quarters, during an engagement, shall be either landed on a desert island or put to death. Every man losing a limb or becoming crippled in the service shall have eight hundred dollars. The captain and quartermaster shall receive two shares of every prize; the master, boatswain, and gunner, one share and a half, and all other officers one and a quarter. Quarter always to be given when called for. He that sees a sail first is to have the best pistols and small arms on board of her."

Thus it will be seen that these buccaneers were regularly organized bands, by no means ashamed of their calling. They were morally scarcely inferior to the robber knights and barons of the feudal ages, from whom the haughtiest nobles of Europe are proud to claim their lineage. They were not petty thieves and vulgar murderers. They unfurled their banners and waged open warfare on the sea and on the land, glorying in their chivalric exploits, and ostentatiously displaying, in all harbors, the trophies of their wild adventures.

These freebooters assumed the most gorgeous and extravagant dresses. Their favorite ornament was a broad crimson sash, of bright scarlet, passing round the waist, and fastened on the shoulder and hip with colored ribbons. This was so arranged that it formed a belt into which they could thrust three or four richly mounted pistols. These pistols were often sold at auction, on shipboard, for two hundred dollars each. Cocked hats, with a showy embroidery of gold lace, formed a conspicuous feature of their costume.

The captain, in time of battle, was invested with dictatorial power. He could stab or shoot any one who disobeyed his orders. His voice was generally decisive as to the treatment of prisoners. The large cabin was appropriated to his exclusive use. Often the freebooters combined, in several armed vessels, to attack some richly freighted fleet under convoy. Occasionally they landed, and captured and plundered very considerable cities.

These buccaneers were generally, as we have said, Englishmen, Frenchmen, or Germans. Still, adventurers from all nationalities crowded their decks. The Spanish Court remonstrated with the several Governments of Europe against these outrages. France replied:

"The people complained against act entirely on their own authority and responsibility, not by any commission from us. The King of Spain is at liberty to proceed against them according to his own pleasure."

Elizabeth, England's termagant queen, with characteristic tartness replied:

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