Louisiana capitolian., 1881-11-10
Life and Times Of Laitte.
DcBow's Review.

He did not remain long inactive.
Several privateers were at this time fit
ting out at the island, the captaincy Of
one of which was offered Lafitte and
accepted. She was beautiful, fast-sail-
ing vessel, and Lafitte spared no pains
to make her the pride Of the sea. Thus
equipped, he attacked indiscriminately
the weaker vessels of every nation, and
though he accumulated vast sums of
gold and silver, and enriched his crew,
these sums were as soon squandered in
prohigacy and liberality; and his de-
sires increasing with success, he resolved,
without hesitation, to embark in the
slavestrade. When at the Seychelles
taking in cargo or these miserable vic
tins bound for the Mauritius, he was
chased by an English man-of-war as far
as the equator and not having sufficient
provisions to carry him to the French
colony, with that energy, boldness and
decision for which he was remarkable,
he Immediately put the helm about and
made for the Bay of Bengal, with the
design of replenishing his stores from
some English vessel then in port. He
had not lost sight Of his formidable pur-
suer many days before he fell in with an
English armed schooner with numer-
GUS crew; which, after sanguinary
conflict, he captured. His own ship was
but two hundred tons, carrying two
guns and only twenty-six men, nine
teen of whom he transferred to the
schooner, of which he took command,
and proceeded to cruise on the coast Of
| Bengal. He had not cruised many days
on the coast, teeming as it was in rich
prizes, before he fell in with the Pagoda,
an English East Indiaman, carrying o
battery of twenty-six twelve Founders,
and manned with one hundred and fifty
men. He 80 manpnvred his vessel as to
! induce the enemy to believe him Gan
ges pilot: and as soon as he had the
! weather.gauge Of the ship, he suddenly
boarded, cutlas in hand, and put all who
| resisted to the sword. Laftte transfer
| red his command to the captured vessel,
and Immediately made sail for the Maui
ritius, where he arrived, sold both priz-
es, and purchased strong, well-built
ship, called the "La Confdance," in
! which he put twenty-six guns and two
hundred and fifty men. Shortly after
(in the year 1907, he sailed in her for
the coasts Of British India; and while
cruising of the Sand Head, foil in with
the "Queen" East 1ndiaman, pierced tor
forty guns, and manned with . crew Of
about four hundred men. All eyes were
! upon her, She moved majestic on her
way as in defiance of his inferior force,
and confident on her own strength.
Yet Laftte was not to be intimidatel.
He determined to take her. According
| 1y, he addressed a powerful speech to
his mer-excited their widest mag
| nations, and almost seemed to realize
their most unbounded anticipations.
This speech had the desired effect. Ev-
ery man Waved his hat and hand, cried
aloud for action. The Queen, believing
they were killed or wounded upwarily
came alongside, with intention to grap-
pie and board. At this moment Lafitte
gave whistle. and in an instant the
deck was bristling with armed men.
While yet the smoke prevailed he order.
/ ed his hands into the tops, whence they
poured down an incessant fire Of shells
! bombs, md genades into the fore-cas