Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1857-01-10
Pirates Of Cuba,

man who had been forced into their ser
vice:
A quarrel took place between two O
the crew, and desperate fight with knive
ensued, of which the rest were cool specta
tors.
The battle was for long time doubted
at length one fell with severe stab in the
left breast, bleeding profusely. / Wa.
instantly called to administer to the
wounded man; and it was ia vain for me
to declare that l knew nothing of the
healing art. The captain swore at me
and said he knew to the contrary; for the
master of the Zephyr had informed him
that had cured and saved the life Of his
sail-makier, who had fallen down the
hold; and, therefore, if | did not cure him,
he would serve me in the same manner.
| saw it would be useless to make any re-
ply, and therefore, having procured
| bandages, staunched the blood and
dressed his wounds in the best manner I
was able. was then obliged to turn my
attention to his antagonist, who had not
escaped unhurt:
The captain went below, and inquired
of the least injured of the wounded men
the cause of their quarrel. He told the
pirate that his antagonist was one of the
party formed by the chief mate to assassi-
nate him and the whole crew, and take
possession of the ship and plunder. That
officer, he informed him, had gone to
Havana for the purpose Of bringing some
more men, and that they were to put the
plan into effect when himself and the crew
were either asleep or inebriated. saw
that his brutal temper was excited by this
inform alton; his eyes flashed fire, and his
whole cOuntenance was distorted. He
vowed destruction against the whole par
ty, and rushing upon deck assembled the
crew, and impaired what he had heard.
The air rang with the most dreadful inn
precautions; they simultaneously rushed
below, and dragged the helpless wounded
wretch upon deck, and, regardless of
everything, proceeded to cut off his legs
and arms with blunt hatchet, then
the body with their knives,
threw the yet warm corpse overheard
Not contented with having destroyed their
victim, they next sated their vengeance
on his clothes, and everything belonging
to him, which they cut into pieces and
threw them into the sea.
While off Cape Buenayesta, boat
full of men, of the chief mates party,
appeared coming towards the schooner,
when the captain ordered his men to fire,
and five were killed; another jumped
overheard, but was taken, and most bar
DarousIy treated. Wounded and bleed
ug, he was exposed naked to the scorch-
ng heat of July sun of a tropical cli-
nate, in order to make him confess.
The man persisted in his plea Of inno-
;ence, declared that he had nothing to
confess, and entreated them all to spare
lis life. They paid no attention to his
assertions, but, by order of the captain,
be man was put into the boat, pinioned,
md lashed in the stern, and five of the
rev were directed to arm themselves
With pistols and muskets, and to go in
Ter. The captain then ordered me to 60
nth them. savageIy remarking that /
hould now see how he punished such
ascals, and giving directions to the boats
rev to row for three hours, backwards
nd forwards, through narrow creek
ormed by desert island and the island {
f Cuba. 4 will see,' cried he exult- ]
lgly, whether the mosquitoes and the
and-fies will not make him confess.
'rior to our leaving the schooner, the
thermometer was above ninety degrees in q
le shade, andgthe poor wretch was now /
Kposed naked to the full heat of the sun. '
D this state we took him to the channel, 4
ne side ofwhich wasbordered by swamps "a
Ill of mangrove trees, and swarming with !
le venomous insects before mentioned. i
We had scarcely been half an hour in '
lis place, when the miserable victim was
with pain; his body began to +
gelI, and be appeared one complete blis- q
r from head to foot. Ofen, in the c
ronY of his torments, did he implore v
em to end his existence, and release Q
"a from his misery. But the inhuman v
retches only mocked and laughed at f
m. In very short time, from the ef- h
cts ofo solar heata aud the sting Of mos.
litoes and sand-fiies, his face had be- v
me so swollen that not feature was 0
his voice began TO fail, Il
id bis articulation was no longer dis C
lct. lhad long suspected that the whole
ory of the conspiracy was q wicked and a
tfai fabrication, and the constancy with r
nicht this unfortunate being underwent e