Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-06-13
Mr.. SMITHS ADVENTURE.
Thrilling Story Of a Pirate Grew.

AuluiTdllll. Int pIlcOucf WIN hiONt
arraigned, and who was liable, if con
victed, to the penalty of death, had
passed through a series of mishaps anC
adventures stranger than fiction, anC
only rivaled by the career of some o.
Dumas heroes. Involuntary the
associate of a crew of murderers anG
buccaneers, whose deeds were such as
to strike terror into every merehant
shippers heart, the prisoner, Aaron
Smith, now stood at a criminal bar
and had to prove to a jury that hi
companionship among pirates haC
been compulsory. On that proof hi.
life hung on that sharp December day
To a nation like England, rich il
merchant shipping, and deriving from
it enormous wealth, the crime q
piracy was always a heneous one.
Far back as the twenty-eighth year OF
Henry Wits reign, a statute had
made robbery on the high seas punish
able with death and loss of lands.
When to this robbery murder, in Its
most cruel form, was added, it is evil
dent that to Englishmen the crime
and the criminals became so hateful
as TO be hunted down on every chance.
The reports of the atrocities of the
West India thieves had come, ever
and anon, across the ocean to England,
and had reused hate and fear and hon
est wrath.
The risk which Aaron Smith ran
was a very dangerous one. He was
acquitted, however, for his story,
which, during the space Of some hours,
held court, jury and public enthralled
by its interest, was marked by the
signs of truth. He called twenty
witnesses to testify to his humanity
and honesty. The girl to whom he
was betrothed, whose beauty attracted
general admiration, proved that their
marriage would have long since taken
place had not the prisoner been de-
tanned abroad. The tears Of the
young lady and the emotion Of the
\ prisoner touched those present as sin
cere tokens of grief, and Aaron Smith
was held a deeply-injured man and
set free. He drew up a little volume
called THE Atrocities of the Pirates,
containing a very simple and unvar-
nished record Of bis adventures, and
which was published In 1924. In
June, 1921, Aaron Smith left in the
war-ship Harrington for the West
Indies. There he stayed, having left
the ship, for some time, engaged in
various pursuits, when he became
engaged as first mate of the brig
Zephyr, a Mr. Lumsden being master.
On the 18th Of June the voyage to
England commenced. Some days
brought the brig off Cape st. Antonio,
whence she stood eastward.
On the next day, at Ppm, a strange
schooner stood ont from the coast OF
Cuba toward the Zephyr. The mas
ter was informed of this bySmith and
one Captain Cowper, a passenger, but
%Obstinately refused to change his
course. suppOsing-I presume, on the
civis- Romanag principle-that as he
bore an English flag, none would
modest him. Mr.. Lumsden was
doomed to be harshly ~undeceived.
The grim schooner came on swiftly, her
decks full of pen and lowered boats.
Next came a hOarse order of lay-to.
enforced by a yolley OF musketry.
which increased the rising terror OF
the Xephyr's master. The brig was
now boarded by the pirates boats.
which were filed with armed men.
The chief, a ferOcious fellow, staid in
the schooner, and had Lumsdon, Cow.
per, Smith and others brought before
him on his own deck. His questions
in broken English, as to cargo, ETC.,
were enforced by threats of burning
the Zephyr aud every soul belonging tC
her il the truth was not told. Smith
was informed by the pirate captain
that he would be kept TO navigate the
sooner. The mate entreated to BE-
released, and drew a narrowing pictur,
Ut 40 imaginary wife aud children
longing for his return but all in vain
Ultimately he was farced to go aboard
the brig, collect his property apd
uecessaries for navigation, and return
% bis new master, In the interim
Lumsden aud powper were dashed Il
the pumps, and combgstibles placed
round them and fred, to extOrt a con
fessiOn as to hidden treasure. Tn,
pirates plaldered the brig, and Smitl
was driven al the point Of the knit
into the pirate schooner. and saw tn
brig and his companions sail oil, leaV
him in captivity.
In due course, the schooner touche,
at haFb0r-Ri Medias-where al
evident understanding existed be
tween the pirates aud the Spanish
magistrates, and where a dance tool
place between the crew and the fai
ladies of the neighborhood, at tn
chief magistrate house. Our hero
compelled to share in the festiyitie.
made the acquaintance of a youn.
Spanish beauty, Seraphiha, who seem
to have excited a reciprocal attach
meDt in his heart. These Arcadia
delights Of music and dancing anu
hobnobbing Of Spanish authorize
: with corsairs were followed BY tn
4, sale on board the schooner of tn
briggs cargo, the love making o
Smiths part 10 Seraphina, and hi
;, promises OF marriage ii she would al
j. his escape, and wound up by a iuriou
e light between two OF the pirates, on
2 being stabbed. Smith was ordere,
despite his protestatiOns, to act (,
! surgeon, the captain admitting no pie
Of ignorance, and the unhappy car
tive had to stanch and bandage as be
n he could. The cause of the QUAR-
$ was investigated. One wounded mi
Informed his captain that the 9th
had formed q plot to assassipate bir
Theerew simultaneously rushed dow
liant of fha nonp xurainbf, -