, 1872-03-14

lnitted.
: Eliza was kept most of the time al
the hospital in charge Of the old woman
stationed there, As she rapidly devrlop-
ed into womanhood, it was considered
no place for her to be among rough men
in the midst Of carousals ar fights.
Year by year we gradually acquired
a vast sum of money and jewels of all
kinds. We had millions of silver dol
lars and specimens of rich Indian work
manship in silver and gold. During the
revolution on land the wealthy Spanish
residents were gathering together their
riches and departing for Spain. 1t was
from them that the pirates reaped their
harvests, and many an affluant family
was reduced to poverty in single day.
"The Chief had established general
rendezvous at Cocos Island, which is
situated il latitude 50 49, north, and lon
gituce $40 west. This was more than
three hundred miles from Panama.
solitary spot in the ocean. Here we
were at home amid the tropical foliage,
caverns, and beneath the humid sky.
"The island is about nine miles long
by four miles in average width. 1t is
very hilly and covered with perennial
verdure. A few land birds and wild
hogs inhabited the place. The waters
about its shores were tehming with fish
es and its rocks barbored innumerable
sea fowl.
Son one side is hill higher than
Telegraph hill in this city. There is a
natural tunnel passing through its base,
branching off from which are many dark
caverns. Here the pirates found re-
treat consistent with their lives. The
interior was made habitable and its ap-
proaches strongly garded. In one place
there is cave. which was secretly clos
! ed SO as to defy discovery. There we
deposited our treasure and there it is
to-day.
"Days and weeks, and sometimes
months, were spent in this lonely spot
after profitable enterprise. The days
were occupied in fishing. in working up
on the brig, in repairing arms, or in in
dolence the nights in carousals and
druken sprees. Occasionally the men
would pass the time away counting their
gains aud estimating their share in them
when they should be divided. Often
have I with my own hands examined
the stolen riches, can even see them
now, glittering in the torch light.
"Once when was ten years of age,
we were at sea watching in the patti of a
rich prize, which our chief hoped to Sc
cure. Instead of meeting our prey we
were chased by a French galiot. Our
brig was fast sailer, but the French
man was superior; both in that respect
} and also in armament and the number
of its nen. We were overtaken, and,
Notwithstanding our desperate fighting,
the graphing irons were thrown on
board and our decks were crowded with
the enemy. They we're confident of an
easy victory. Their numbers, they tho't
would completely overpower us and
cause us to surrender. But they were
mistaken. Our men we're fighting fol
their lives, and were desperate. They
had braved death before, and now they
could do it again. The decks were COW
cred with the dead and the dying.
"Our Captain-this bold, fearless
} man, to whom death would have been 6
7 blessing and a cure for his fostered dis.
pair-was like giant among pigmies.-
He cut his way from one end of the brig
) to the other and back again, until his
7 presence seemed like that of destroy
, ing angel. At last terrified and panic
stricken, the Frenchmen, unable to COPE
with devils incarnate, fled precipitately
u was on the poop-deck, just as w
, are now. An officer was running pas
and struck me over the head with hi
sabre. Here are the sears {: look--on m,
forehead and look, where in its descen
t the point split open my lip. 1t was I
: sad blow for him. My life was consid
: cred sacred by our crew, and seeing thu
act, one of our seamen shot the French
t man through the back. He fell dead a
: my feet. 1t was so vivid, that terrible
l fight, cannot efface the recollection O.
it from my mind.
+ "We commenced fighting with ont
g hundred and sixty men. We gained thu
| victory and left the gaiiot dismantled
but we counted at roll call only sixty
men alive. 1t was frightful slaugh
ter.
E In 1924. after I had been held captive
\ for seven long years, and the pirate chic
had been leading the life of an outlaw, 9
r rotber and murderer for thirteen years
7 it was concluded by him and his reck
Less band to bring to q close their careel
) of violence and rapine. They were to
r make one more expedition and then re-
turn to their island, divide their spoils,
and abandon their brig. They looked
forward to n brilliant future with money