Virginia advocate. [volume] (Charlottesville, Va.) 1827-1860, 1830-08-13
HISTORICAL.
ADVENTURE WITH A pJRAT

/
schooner Grampus, stationed at St.
THOMAS, captured celebrated pirate,
that mad been outlawed for some years,
In the following manner The name
OF the pirate | cannot now remember.
Captain Sloat, having heard that the
pirate was somewhere along the South
side OF Puerto Rico, purchased or hired
small sloop that had just arrived at ST.
Thomas, from thence, loaded with to-
bacco and coffee. As soon as she had
discharged her cargo, he put two lieu
tenants, and thirtv-6v men on board.
well armed, with four or six small six.
Founders, with orders Immediately to
proceed to the same place she would
have returned to, had he not engaged
her, retaining one or two o. her fotm er
crew as pilots. On her entering the
small harbor, the pirate discovered and
knew her, and made all possible sail 10
prevent her communicating with the
shore before he captured her expecting
to find specie or dry goods, in return for
the tobacco and coffee that she had Ia.
ken to ST. Thomas.
AS he approached the sIoop to nearly
short parallel distance, he showed
symptoms of suspicious OH discovering
the guns (all the hands were concealed
but the pilots he then had too much
headway to escape, which he attempted
by wearing: but the sloop got outside
OF him, and gave him discharge OF
musketry, which was kept up with all
the vigor possible, killing eleven of his
crew, the remainder laid flat down, and
refused to assist in either fighting or
navigating the vessel: their sole ankle
iy was to escape from the shower of
balls that was passing over them. I'm
der these circumstances. the pirate dis
played the most astonishing GOODNESS
and indifference to his life, which call
ed forth the unqualified admiration Of
the officers and men opposed to him.
Lieut.. Magruder, the second in COM
mand, (the first was lieut. Fender
CAST, informed me that he saw the pi-
rate, alone on his legs, steering his YES
sci, Ia small sloop or schooner,) occa-
slonallyv running forward 10 get up his
squaresall. haul it up little, then re-
turn TO his helm, get the vessels head
right, put the tIller between his legs,
load his iusee, and fire it; again run
forward, get up the square sail little
more, return to his helm, load again,
and so on, until he got up the sail, and
discharged his gun fourteen times {;
when he at last succeeded, unassisted,
IN ouisailing his opponents, and run
ming his vessel on shore, when the sur
vIvIng seventeen Of his crew leaped
overheard. Some of them were killed
and wounded before they reached the
shore. Lam not certain whether the
slx-pounders were fired or not, but the
pirate escaped unhurt.
The firing alarmed the country; the
magistrates ordered out the militia, and
had them stationed as quickly as they
assembled, TO assist in taking any Of
the pirates that might land. The
Americans soon followed and succeed
ed in taking or killing all but the chief,
of whom for short time they lost all
trace, until they fell in with herd, in
| great distress, who complained of e
man, with curious hand, three fingers
growing together, having compelled
him to exchange clothes, and to give
him up the charge of the cattle, which
he was now driving towards the interi-
or, in his assumed costume. The pur-
suers Immediately knew this to be the
one they were in search Of, and recol-
lected OF having more than once passed
him, without suspecting who it was, SO
well did he act his part, aud such un-
concern did he show. In q short time
they again discovered the pretended
herd. Two or three of the foremost i'm
the pursuit attacked him. He made a
wonderful defence. One or two attac ok
ed him with swords for some little time
while third seeing how obstinately he
fought, fired his blunderbuss, loaded
with slugs, at him, which took effect in
his shoulder and knee. He Deverthe-
less continued to fight with his other
hand, until the one who fired at hin,
struck him with the butt end of his
blunderbuss on the ribs, most severe
blow, which brought him tothe ground
They even then had difficulty in secu
ring bin.
! He and the other prisoners were sen
to ST. Johns, the Capital of Puerto Ri
, co, to be tried. The American return
ed 10 St. Thomas, after being in grea
distress, from the leaky state OF TIN
, slooP, and the heavy rains that fell du
ring this expedition. The deck, a
they expressed it, leaked like a riddle
After their return, Captain Sloat de
termlned to visit the pirate, and sale
to St. Johns, Puerto Rico. He wa
! admitted to the cathot where the pirar
. va sconhned, thirty feet below the levt
ofthe sea, in the Moro Castle. lie foun
him quite composed, and busiIy emplo)
d ed III taking all possible care he coul
y OF his wounds, although he was the