Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-09-04

pose. AS soon as Tue DOatS naQ returned
after landing the men he made sail,
backed the snip off the shoai and left his
comrades to die of starvation on O barren
isle. Black Beard now steered for Pam
lico river in North Carolina, where he
announced his intention to settle down as
peaceable citizen, and took for his
thirtieth wife the rosy daughter of a
planter, who seems to have seen ouiy the
sentimental side of pirates life and
character. But man like Black Beard
could not remain quietly on shore, nor
die quietly in his bed, and in q year or
two he manned apother ship and put TO
sea again. For time he pretended that
the vessels that he ostentatiously towed
into port had been picked up abandoned.
This was hardly likely, especially as
Governor Eden, and the colonial secre-
tary. and the admiralty judge of North
Carolina shared the gains with Black
Beard. There seem to have been public
| officials of easy conscieuces in those days
no less.
At last this noble corsair threw off oil
disguise aud tearlessly secured the coast,
capturing everything that came and run
ming his prizes up to his haunt Oh the
Pamlico river. This was more than the
good people of that state could bear.
Whatever their opinion of piracy, they
had no hunor to have their goods
snatched from them, the stuffs for the
ladies gowns, and the wines and BRAN
dies for the men folks.
Finding that their own governor was
unwilling or unai lie to help them, and
having no stomach to attack this wild
beast in his lair, the colouists appealed
to Governor Spotswood of Virginia to
come TO their aid. He Immediately or
dered Lieut.. Maynard of the royal navy
to proceed against Black Beard IN an
armed ship. Maynard was just the man
TO succeed in so desperate an enterprise.
Black Beard heard of his coming and
| anchored his own vessel in au advan-
tageous position. He had a crew of
twenty five picked men OF true piratical
fibre. They had been IN many fight
and knew we'll that the only thing tor
pirate in battle is TO win or die, but to
surrender never, for that meant inglo-
rious death at the ropes end.
Maynard had much larger crew than
Black Beard. He concealed most of his
men below the deck. But his ship
grounded when approaching the pirate,
who at once opened a terrible fire.
Twenty men were shot down at the first
broadside. Seeing but few men left on
deck, Black Beard concluded that the
man of-war was completely crippled and
boarded her with most of his crew. At
that moment Maynard ordered up the
men hidden below. They sprang on deck
aud flew at the pirates like tigers taking
them completely by surprise. The two
CaptuinS met in hand-to- hand conflict,
and it came near going hard with Nav
uurd when his sword broke; but just as
he was about to fall beneath the cor
sair IS descending blade he fired his pistol
and Black Beard threw up his arms
reeled and dropped to the deck dead.
He cheated the gallows, and his end was
more glorious than his deserts. Every
one of the boarding party of seventeen
were killed or wounded.
Maynard in time now boarded the pi-
rate ship, just in time to seize negro
standing with lighted match by the mag
aZne to blow up the ship. according 10
Black Beard . order, i'll case of defeat.
The eight men remaining on board were
hanged, and the hend of Black Beard
was fixed to the end of the bowsprit of
his own ship, and in this manner May
nard returned with his trophy to Vir-
giuia.
While Black Beard was thus terminal
Steed Bonnet, carried matters with such
high hand on the coast of South Caro-
lima that Governor johnson fitted out an
expedition against that corsair. 1t was
commanded by Captain William Rhett,
member of a family that has since be-
come noted. The ships met near Cape
Fear river, and a desperate conflict en-
sued. The pirates were overpowered.
many were killed and Bonnet, with
twenty-nine of his men, were taken alive
and carried to Charleston. They re-
reived summary trial, and all but
were hanged. 1t must have been pref
ty solemn spectacle.
One would think that this example
would have served rs a warning to all
other sea rovers 10 steer clear of Charles
ton for time, for when people become
fairly aroused they are likely prove to
dangerous. But Captain Worley, who,
you remember, commanded one of Black
Beard 8 ships, reasoned that after such
an effort the people ofCharleston ould be
less likely to resist au attack from him.
In strong ship mounting six guns Cap
tain Morley therefore veutured to enter
the bay and lay his ships before Charles
ton. II was n daring feat and even
mariners skllful rs pirates may repeat
II once 100 often, as THIS brave cOrSAT
found to his cost. For Governor john
son, then ruler of Sonth Carolina, proved
TO be a man of determination and spirit.
A large armed ship lay in port, with
crew of hardy lars. The Governor
called for volunteers to reinforce them,
and being bit of sailor himself, went
on board himself TO command the at
tack.
worley was not the man to dowse his
color nor to fly. Whatever else may he
said of him, he was bold as lion, and
awaited the enemy, although superior to
him in force, without hinchiug. After
exchanging shots the ships grappled.
As the governor and his men swarmed
over the sides of the pirate ship no quar-
ter was given nor asked. Many of the
boarding party fell and all of the pirates
were slain except Woriey and one of his
men, But they were desperately wound
ed and lest they should die before the
Justice of the law could execute the last
penalty on them they were at once
hanged at the yard arm. Thus ended
the remarkable career of the corsaIrs of
the Carolinas.
ADVENTURES WITH A s'DETECTIVE."
How to Handle n Hand Camera with the
Best Resuiis-By Alexander Black.
Author Of Confessions of an Amate Ir Photo
grapher'' in ''Wide-Awake."