Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1830-06-29
LETTERS FROM. GIBRALTAR.
By ihs Author Of "1Hc Military Sketch Book .

the garrjson, aud during that short time have seen
and heard and thought of many things worth writing
down for your entertainments; but as cannot within
tho limits 1T one ettor much on oil, will begin with
the ro,s interesting matter, and from it's nature,
Judge Il will DO as nauca can speak Of for the
present
The subject, then, that shall occupy The remainder
Of this 10 the Of despc ate pirate, who
ysas tried and executed last week. Ike had been
prisoner in the esreon for nineteen tnon,hs during
which Time the British Government spared neither
egnnst him. The affair has caused the greatest ex.
citemen, here well as at Cadiz, owing TO tue de-
vclopmeA, OF the atrocities whch marked tho charac
ter Of this man, and the diaboca rang Of which he
ras the leader. Nothing el.e lie talked of and
Q thousand horrors are added to his quilt,
which, although he was guilty enough, ho has no
I,ghtto bear The fooss'ng IL oil the authentic in
for,pstion | could collect concerning him. I have
drawn it from his trial, from tho Confessions of his
nccompces, from the Keepers Of hs prison. and not
d little from his own Ina. II Will be found more in
tcrestng than all the tales and sketches furnished
the "AunualS" ma rnnes, and other vehicles of in
vcntion from the simple fac-,ha it is truth and no,
fiction
Benito de Soto, the Pirate Of the JMornins Star
Bcnito dc Soto wns nat.vc of o small vi!!ae
near Corunna, be was bred MARINER and was in the
guiitless exercise of ls calling Buenos Ayres il
tho year 1897. vessel was there being fitted out
for voyage TO the coast of Africa for the purpose of
smuggling slaves; and she required strong cr-w,
great number OF sailors wero .nrarcd umopgs.
whom was Soto. Tho Portuguese of South America
bnvo yet privilege Of dealing slaves ON a certain
part OF the African coast bot II the intent DON of
tho captain of this rosse TO exceed the limits of his
trade, and To- run farther down. take his cargo
OF human beings rom part of the country. which
was proscrb"d IN the certainty Of being there ena-
oied TO purchase slaves at much lower rate than he
could in the regular way; or, perhaps, to take away
by force many as he could stow into his ship He
therefore required considerable number of hands for
The enterprise; and in such traffic. it may easily he
mi h.a na1r t-sFth o.
subject of much consideration Gh the eupioycr-
Fronch, Spanish Portuguese, and others, were en- err
ed Oh board, most OF them encgadoes and thew set
sail on Their evil voyage, With every ope Of infamous
success.
Those wio deal in evil, carry along with them the
springs OF their own destruction, upon which thew
will,read spite Of every caution, aud their lima rim
ed security is but the brink of the pit into which they
are to fall 1t was with the captain of this slave
ship. He arrived in Africa took IN n considerable
number OF slaves and in order complete hir cargo
went ON shore, leaving his nate in charge of the YES
sell This mate was bold, wicked. reckless. and
ongovcrnabie spirit. and pcrceivng Ecnito Dc Soto
mind congenial with his own, be fixed on him MS
Ut person TO join in design he had conceived of
running away with the vessel md becoming a pirate
Accordingly the mate proposed his plan to Soto who
not only agreed to join in It, but declared that he him
sell had been contemplating q similar enterprise du-
ring the voyage. Thus both were once of mind,
and they lost no time in maturing their plot.
Ih9 first step was to break the matter to other
members Of the crew. In this they proceeded can
urusy. and succeeded far es TO gain over twenty
Two ou OF the whole, leaving eighteen vi. -cmnincd
f1iIhful to their trust. Every means We're used 10
corrupt be well disposed both persuasion and ibreo,s
woe reSor ed 10. but without cfct, and Tho leader Of
tae conspiracy, the mate, began despair of ob,a;,
ing the desired object. Soto however. was nat so
easily depressed He at once decided on se,anu tho
SLIP upon the strength of hi party and vii houf con
sut'ng the male, he collected all tue arms of the YES
G called the cons2,rators together pot into each of
their possession cntlaas and brace of PISTOLS and
armed himself in like manner, and at the head Of the
gangdr-w bis sword and declared the to be the
COMMANDER OF the ship, Gsid the who Joined n
part owneTs. Still those who had rejected the evil
Offer remained uniDoved; which Soto ordered oct
the boat and pointing to the land, cried out sTbere
IS the African coast; this ship-one or the 9th
er must be chosen by every board within FIVE
minutes"
This declaration, although it had the effect of pre-
venting any resistance that might he offered by The
well disposed to the taking of the vessel, did not
change them from their purposes they still refused 10
JOIN IN the robbery and entered one by one into the
boat at the orders of Soto, and with but one pair of
oars la that was allowed 10 ,hcm) put off for the
sAofe from which they were then about ten miles
cstant Had the weather continued calm, as it was
vhcn the boa. left the ship she would have made tho
shore b. daah but unhappiiy strong gale of wind
set IN shortly after her departure, and she was seen
ny S'to and hisg g rugeling with the billows and
approaching night al such distance from the land
e: she could not possibly accomplish while the yale
lasted All on board the ship agreed in the opinion
that the bnat could live. as they Gew awav from
her at the rate Of ten knots an hour, under close
eefed topsails leaving heir unhappy messmaes TO
her inevitable fae. Those of the pirates who we're
lately executed at CadIz, declared that every soul in
the boat perished.
The drunken uproar which that night rcirned in
the pirate ship was in horrld unison with the elements
nFoond hcF; contention and quarrellng following the
brutal ebriety OF the pirates each evil spirit sought
he mastery of the others, and Solo's which was the
mend OF ALL began to grasp and grapple for its prop
or place-'he head of such a diaboical community
The mate (now the chef at once gave the reins
TO his rnfan tyranny; and the keen eye of Soto say
Would next day rule him with an iron rod. Promnt
ID his actions as he was penetrating IN his Judgment
lie had no sooner conceived jealousy for the leader
than he determined to put him aside; and as his rival
lay IN his drunken sleep, Soto put pistol to his head
and deliberately shot him For this act he excused
himself to his crew, by stating them that il was iu
teir protection he did the ac; that their ae
the others death; and concluded by declaring himself
n"r leader, and promising golden harvest to their
future lsbours, provided they obcyed him. Soto sue
cecded to the height Of his wishes aud was uuoni.