The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1872-01-06
Srlett Story.
From The Southern Nagasi,e for January.
al SOLDIER OF FORTUNE.
BY ENRIQUE FARMER

flames Ellis was born somewhere on the
border of Adams cohnty, Pennsylvania,
and what is now known as Carroll county,
Maryland. At the age of fifteen he and his
hrother resolved to abandon the old home
and go to sea in search Of adventures, with
Sn especial eye to making their fortunes in
the tropics; so, travelling on foot to Bald.
more, they shipped in a schooner bound for
the West Indies When out for a number
Of days the vessel was wrecked, and the
cargo and most Of the crew lost. Ellis and
bis Brother, however, got safe to shore; and
after journey on foot of over three hun.
dred miles to the nearest seaport, they
found Portuguese mcrchantman driven
there by stress OF weather, and shipped
abonrd her for Brazil. When but three
days out at sea the vessel went to pieces in
a storm, and every soul on board save Ellis
perished. Ellis was picked up by II Spanish
ahip from Barcelona, and carried to New
Orleans.
He now concluded to abandon the sea.
New Orleans was in those times the res IT
ofmany daring adycnturers and frccboot.
ers, and in few months Ellis had formed
the acquaintance Of some ofthe boldest aud
most abandoned Of these men. For four
year he livod in and about the city, drift.
ing up and down the river us inclination or
husiucss demanded His life was one Of
daily danger and excitement. He became
proficient in the French and Spanish Ian.
guages, while the loose habits prevailing at
the time on the river were not without their
Influence upon him. He soon became an
adept at swearing, horsetrading. ,riukiug,
and card playing and while he at first
slammed the desperate personal encounters
80 common in that region Mt the time, still
his associates and habits in time forced him
into them and before the four years were
ont he had fought half dozen duels, aud
10 band to hand struggles had killed men,
althoulh on several occasions he had fared
badly and received desperate wounds. Thus
hecame to be elasscd with the most daring
and reckless spirits on the river.
AT the close of the fourth year. in a
bloody battle, he killed his man. ard that
under peculiarly aggravated circumstances.
He was charged with having brought on
the fght in order to kill his personal enemy.
Individual meEbers OF the clan censured
him severely, while the personal friends of
<hc deceased talked freely of vengeance.
Wheshcr Ellis's part in this tragedy was as
dsueditable as was reported or not Ger.
tain Il is that he deemed it prudent to flee
the country. The authorities, too, felt
called upon to rid the settlement of these
dangerous pes is, Fills and dozen
Others were marked down as proper per.
sons 10 be sacrificed to the outraged aud
violated laws of this territory. So the out.
laws Of Natchez and New Orleans organis.
Cd an expedition whose primary objec IS
wefe maraudiug, warring against legitimate
conimerce, and accumulating dollars, The
Rio Grade was selected as the point best
Ahapted to the purposes Of these despera.
does, and they elected one Captain Della.
eroix the leader of the expedition. This
man had been engaged in most of the fiji.
buktering and piratical raids upon Spanish
merchantmen in southern waters, and for
many years was the leading spirit IN keep.
ipg the cities and commercial circles of the
tropics in a continual ferment.
Az last the party, well.armed and with
rinnder and property enough to enrich
country, crossed the "Great River" aud
stated westward But their well matured
plans were destined to disastrous failure.
They passed through wild country, infest.
Cd by hostile Indians who raided at pleasure
upon Texas plantations, and foraged at
vii into the Mexican settlements toward
fhe west. They hunted on the Nueces,
Bfazos, and Trinity, and camped in defiance
of Mexican authority on any spot in the
then province of Texas. Ellis and his
hiends had just fairly entered the unpeo.
pled pampas when band of wild Conan.
ches rode down upon them, surveyed the
Invaders at a safe distance, then turning