Sacramento daily record-union., 1890-03-08

fore piratical crafts were in hot pursuit.
Their crews were knows as buccaneers" ,
and their favorite rendezvous was the
Caribbean sea and its shores. They found
plenty of hiding places among the numer-
Gus islands and along the coasts of the
main land; and their numbers increased
so rapidly that they Termed colonies, titled
the soil and in many cases established
something like local government. Many
of them brought their families to the New
World or married Indian women; and
while these remained on shore, hunting
wild game and raising crops for the sus-
tenance of their fellows at sea, the more
adventurous
SAILED IN SEARCH OF PLUMBER,
Returning occasionally to the colony to
deliver their share of spoils to the settlers
on land, from whom provisions were OBJ
tanned for another voyage.
Sometimes prisoners were brought to the
colonies and kept as slaves, some of them
the scions of the proudest houses of old
CASTLE; but as a rule they were released on
payment ola heavy ransom, or put to death
if no ransom were forthcoming Human
life was held of little value in those days,
not only by sea robbers, but by kings and
potentates in all parts of the world.
So far as justice and honor are con-
cerned, there was really not much differ
ence between the pirates themselves and
those against whom their piracies were
directed. Cortez, Balboa, Pizarro and
other leaders in the Spanish conquest were
simply the leaders of marauding expedi-
tions on a larger scale against the inof-
Tending inhabitants of the countries they
robbed and enslaved-bands of cut-throat
adventures, though under the countenance
of the Pope and in the guise of religion;
while the buccaneers, in their turn, en-
deavored to steal what had already been
stolen, directing their thieving against
thieves, adopting the same line Of tortures
and cruelty that had wrung the coveted
gold FROM the aborigines.
Occasionally there was period of war
between Spain and England, and then the
King of the latter country would give
commissions to certain well-known sea-
robbers and exalt them to the dignity of
"privateers." They were allowed to fit
out expeditions at their own expense,
enlist their own men and do pretty much
as they pleased on land or sea outside the
kings domain, the only stipulation being
that they should turn over to the royal
treasury a portion of the stealings.
Morgan's enterprise against Panama
was exactly of this character. He had
previously earned an excellent reputation
as buccaneer
THE STORY OF WHOSE ATROCITIES
Would fiji volume. He had captured
several cities and murdered many people.
often under circumstances Of unparalleled
cruelty, all his prisoners whom he could
not sell into slavery, men, women children
and priests, being slaughtered without
mercy. He was Welshman of low birth
and most of his followers were outlaws
from that country and Others of the British
| Isles At one time he had 1000 men
under his command and feet of thirty
seven ships; but as his piracies were di-
rected against the Spaniards, with whom
the English were at war, Albion looked
upon him with a kindly eye. Therefore,
when he organized the expedition that
ended with the destruction of the proud
old city of Panama, the Governor of ia
maiea ordered an English vessel of thirty
six guns to go along and help him, and
conferred authority upon Morgan to act IN
English interest.
Before proceeding to Panama the feet
of legalized pirates captured Maracaibo,
Saint Catharines and several other places,
committing innumerable atrocities and
numbering many people. After capturing
the city of Chargers at the mouth o + the
river of the same name, Morgan rebuilt
! its fort, garrisoned it with 800 men,
left $50 more to take care of the
ships and with only 1,200 men started
across the Isthmus. They assembled
the Chagres river as far as possible and
then marched through the forest, cutting
path before them. They nearly starved
to death during the terrible journey, but,
apparently by direct aid Of the Evil
One, they lived through it somehow, and
upon the summit of the "Hill
of the Buccaneers" looked down
upon the richest city of New Spain.
An army of 5000 Spaniards came out to
the defense of Panama, but within three
hours after the firing of the first shot the
! handful of halfstarved pirates were in full
possession. They plundered the churches
and converts and houses of the wealthy,
and tortured many of the priests and citi-
zens to make them disclose more hidden
| treasures.
The wise Panamaians, in anticipation OF
such an emergency, had previously loaded
a ship with the gold and silver and jewels
of the churches and converts, the Kings
plate and precious stones and private valua-
bles of every kind, which set off for Spain
the moment the tide of battle turned in
favor of the invaders. Apprehending,
something of this kind, Morgan had sent
out ship on purpose to intercept any
departing vessels; but her officers
and crew, eager to do their share in plum
dering the captured city, disobeyed
orders; and thus the richest treasures were
lost. In fury of rage at finding them
selves thus thwarted of the objects of all
their toll and greed, the disappointed rob-
bers out-did themselves in deeds of barbar-
| ity. and at last reduced the once splendid
city to ashes.
They carried away 900 prisoners and
Us beasts laden with plunder and left
behind a wide swath of rapine and
desolation. These distinguished services
were promptly recognized by the
British Government and the mur-
derer, Morgan, was at ence knighted
by King Charles II. The war with
Spain being over, his occupation as buc-
cancer was gone, and so he was given an
important commission, and to the end of
his days figured as Sir Henry Morgan.
FANNIE B. WARD.
HIS CREDIT WAS GOOD.
Twas winter night and the hour was late,
And the snow lay cold and white
But she saw him as far as the garden gate
To say to him there, God night