The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1830-07-22
LETTERS FROM GIBRALTER.
By the Oalhorof"the Military Sketch Book" /"
I.n,o., o., ISon

IJ H'e u"HtoIy GtS .hHVUry ohttch booh.
January 3lst, 1880.
X I" = | have now been about two
months 10 the garrison, and during that
short time | have seen and heard and
thought ofmany things worth writing down
for your entertainment; but as cannot
within the limits of one letter touch on all,
/ will begin with the most interesting mat.
ter, and from its nature, Judge il will be
as much ss can speak Of for the present.
The subject, then, that shall occupy the
remainder of this letter, is the career Of
desperate pirate, who was tried and exc.
cuted last week He had been prisoner
in the garrison for nineteen months, during
which time the British Government spared
neither pains nor expense to establish full
chain of evidence against him. The affair
has caused the greatest excitement here,
as well as at Cadz, owing to the develope-
ment Of the atrocities which marked the
character Of this man, and the diabolical
gang Of which he was the leader. Moth
ing else is talked of; and thousand hor
rors are added to his guilt, which, although
he was guilty enough, he has no right to
bear. The following is all the authentic
information could collect concerning him.
] have drawn il from his trial. from tho con.
fessions o. his accomplices, from the keep.
ers ofhis prison, and not little from his
own lips. 1t will be found more interest
ing than all the tales and sketches furnish
ed in the "Annuals," magazines, and 9th.
er vehicles Of invention, from the simple
facts--that it is truth and not fiction.
BENITO DE SOTO, THE PIRATE OF
TIE MORNING STAR.
Benlto de Soto was native of a small
village near Corunna; he was bred mar
iner, and was in the guitless exercise Of
his calling at Buenos Ayres, in tho year
1927. A vessel was there being fitted out
for voyage to the coast of Africa, for the
smuggling Of slaves; and as she requireda
strong crew, great number oisailors were
engaged amongst whom was Soto. The
Portuguese of South America have yet
privilege of dealing in slaves on a certain
part Of the African coast, but it was the
intention of the captain Of this vessel to
exceed the limits of his trade, and to run
farther down, so as 10 take his cargo of
human beings from a part Of the country
which was prescribed, in the certainty OF
being there enabled TO purchase slaves at
n much lower rate than he could in the
regular way; or, perhaps, to take away by
force as many ns he could stow into his
ship. He therefore required a consdera.
ble number ofhands for the enterprise; and
in such a traffic, it may be easily concelv-
ed, that the morals of the crew could not
be ubiect of much consideration with the
employer. French, Spanish, Portuguese,
and others, were entered OH board, most
of them rcnegadocs, and they set sail on
their evil voyage, with every hope OF lnia-
nous success.
Those who deal in evil, carry along with
them the springs Of destruction, upon which
they will tread, in spite Of every caution,
and their imagined security is but the brink
was so with the captain of this slave ship.
He arrived in Africa, took in considera-
BILE number Of slaves, and in order to com.
plete his cargo, went on shore, leaving his
mate in charge of the vessel. This mate
was bold, wicked, reckless, and ungov.
ernabe spirit, and perceiving in Benlto de
Soto a mind congcnial with his own, he
fixed on him as fit person TO join in de
sign he had conceived, Of running away
with the vessel and becoming pirate. Ac-
cordingly the mate proposed his plan to So.
TO, who not only agreed to join in it, but
declared that he himselfhad been contem.
plating a similar enterprise during the
voyage. They both were at once of a mind,
and they lost no time in maturing their plot.
Their first step was to break the matter
TO the other members of the crew. In this
they proceeded cautiously, and succeeded
80 far as to gain over twenty two OF the
whole, leaving eighteen who remained
faithful to their trust. Every means were
used to corrupt the well disposed; both per
sussion and threats were resorted to, bu
without effect. and the leader Of the con
spiracy, the mate, began to despair Of OBJ
tanning the desired object, Soto, however
was not so easily depressed. He at once
decided on seizing the ship upon thu
strength Of his own party; and without con
sulting the mate, he collected all the arm
of the vessel, called the conspirators togeth
or, put into each Of their possession cut
lass and brace of pistols, and armng him
selfip like manner, advanced at the head O
the gang, drew his sword,an declared tn
mate to be the commander Of the ship. an
the men who joined him part owners. Still
those who had rejected the evil offer re
NAMED unmoved, on which Soto ordere
out the boat, and pointing to the land, erie
out, "There is the African coast, this is on
ship-one or the other must be chosen b
every man on board within five minutes"
This declaration, although it had the e'
feet Of preventing any resistance that nigh
be offered BY the well disposed to the TAX
ing Of the vessel, did not change them frot
their purPosc;they still refused to join in th
robbery, and entered one by one into th
boat, at the orders Of Soto, and with bt
ope pair of oars (all that was allowed