Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1860-04-04

Uauu Slooo oCoiAS uSi3 eno SioSocoI iihn n]<>S
the last was twenty-nine years old, t.,
first was twenty-five.
The heavy wash was over, and the clothes
hung out to dry, and Tom had stuck his fnge'
in the dirty baby's eye. Tom had beer
spanked, and supper made upon crust o
bread, then the bride and bridegroom wen
grumbling to bed-that's all was sed.
The Ties of Masonry held Sacred by 6
Pirate.
Among the buccaneers were adventurers
who acted, in some degree, from principle
Many conscientiously detested the Spapisl
people of account oil their real orali' eS
cruelties toward the Indians. InPlundering
them they believed they re<only despoil'
ing the robbers of that to. which they had
no legal claim, and in gtalturing them, that
they were avenging iAe atrocities Of Pizarro
and Cortes; and er from considering their
actions as crime, esteemed them not merely
honorable bus just. But the pirates who sue,
ceeded then, were of more ruffianly caste,
and had no other motive for their rapacity
than sensual indulgence while they were
equally distinguished by their tumultuous
and licentious conduct, by their opposite
qualities Of caution and rashness, idleness and
energy, negligence and vigilance, by their
aversion to all restraint, and by their want Of
fixed rules and a definite line of conduct.
Possessed of the bravery of their predecessors,
they often fought as if the Individual charac-
ter and interest Of each were at stake-which,
indeed, formed the life and spur Of these us.
sociations; but they were utterly destitute
Of the ambition Of renown, strangers to glory,
and actuated solely by the love OF transitory
qualification.
These pirates continued to infest the Ameri-
can seas for considerable time after the
commencement Of the last century, and prey
ed upon the trade of every country. The
Hses&.alie:, fiomzthe =es.snsire- 1o"ilnefte
then carried on there by various nations
formed the focus Of attraction to those lawless
despcradoes for, besides being great field
of robbery, the various islets and shallow
creeks afforded them safe retreats from pur
suit, as well as abounding in turtle, iish
water, and other refreshments. Their favorite
station was among the Lucayos or Bahama
Island which, though the first discovery o.
Columbus, had been desolated by the bar,
baran Spaniards, and then abandoned, after
carrying off the aburginals to perpetual slave.
ry in the mines Of IIispaniola.
The incident which has furnished the par.
ticular facts Of this little sketch, was authcn-
ticated by an old Mason over eighty years
old, and who frequently related the story,
which was one of the principal motives that
induced him to become member Of the
Fraternity OF Free and accepted Masons.
He says in the year 1896 he shipped as a
lad on board vessel called the Rover, be-
longing to St. Johns, owned by Hugh John
son, Esq, and commanded by James Holly,
and bound to the Bay Of Honduras, from
Kingston to the island of Jamaica. To wind
ward in the east, the deep blue of the sky
had begun to be broken by the faintest OF
light, while before its pale silvery line oi
grey, the herald of the days approach, the
stars seemed counselling the night to with
draw. In the midst Of this deep CLEAN he
behcld dark mass appearing itself. The
general cry was "That's pirate shipl"
With the most beautiful effect which it is
possible 10 conceive, sudden gleam of fame
bursting from it's base, seemed to spread itself
over the whole space of the sea and sky the
plunging of shot about half mile to wind
ward, and the heavy sullep sound succeeding,
announced that our pursue, had commenced
firing.
Looking on the instant, toward the quarter.
deck, to see how this summons would be
received by captain Holly, we saw him
standing by the wheel, with upturned eyes,
momentariy expecting to see some of his
spars 20 overheard, or 1t might have been,
cogitating for some new resource against az.
preaching fate.
For quarter of an hour after the first gun,
no further notice was taken of them than by
her continuing to bear gradually down. At
the end of this time, one, two, three successive
flashes again lit up the scene around with
uncommon grandeur and beauty nor was
that all /; the fash was succeeded by sud-
den tear, and crack went some Of the canvas
aloft, rendng it into strips. He loesed up |;
q ball had passed through the leach Of the
weather fore-topmast studding sail, and the
wind following up the mischief which the shot
had begun, in two seconds reduced the whole
to rags.
The captain regarded the spectacle with q
look of mingled courage and despair. He
uttered no word. but STOPPING down to hide
his countenance, he patted the head of his
large Newfoundland dog which was laying at
his feet, while he directed the helmsman to
take the poor creature below and tie her up
out of the way of those devils messengers-
meaning the shots; after which little trait
of kindness he took the stcerage into his own
hands, and cried out:
GAIL hands shorten sail! Aft here, Roberts,
and hoist the flag of distress"
The studding sails wero now by his orders
successively taken in, and top-gallant sails