The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1890-04-30
STORIES OF PIRATES.
Expectations Perpetrated by These
Highwaymen of the Seas
Along the American Coast Early This
Century-Wreck of the Whido-Capt-
ure and Execution of Crew That
Attacked Brig Mexican.

'Were you ever acquainted with any
one that had been captured by pirates?"
was asked a bluff old sea captain of
the North shore few days ago.
"0h, yes, a good many in my day"
was the reply, land some of the stories
they told were enough to make the blood
run cold in your veins. Once in awhile
there was an amusing incident, how
ever.
81 remember one old fellow named
Swan, who was about when 1 was boy,
who was said to have been captured five
times in as many ships by the same
pirate. He was probably one of the
homeliest men that ever lived, so was
easily recognized. Finally, the last
time he was caught the pirate rushed
up to him and yelled
"You ugly, cross-eyed son of sea-
cook, are you here? Well, I'll let you
go just this once, but if l ever catch
you again I'll cut you up into inch
pieces
Swan was so frightened that he never
went to sea again"
1t seems almost Incredible that less
than sixty years ago the capture of mer-
chant vessels at sea by pirates was of
frequent occurrence. Nor is it possible
to conceive the dread and terror inspired
in the minds of seamen by the mere
mention of the name.
For more than a century and half
r1n ND choy f ca1c h oI
plundered from time to time and their
crews maltreated and murdered. The
coast itself had given unwilling shelter
to many of the most noted desperadoes,
and many suspicious-looking craft had
sailed into the harbors under cover of
darkness, and then before morning broke
as mysteriously disappeared.
Captain Kidd, although dead, was an
awe-inspiring tradition. Quelch and his
piratical crew had been pursued the en-
tire length of the shore, from Marble
head to the Isle of Shoals, and when
captured confined in the Jail at Salem
and taken to Boston for trial and execu-
ton.
These were Revolutionary events.
But what OF that? Was not the house
still standing in Marblehead in which
one OF the pirates found refuge, and did
not the ever-shifting sands of Cape Cod
furnish indisputable evidence of the
wreck of the Whido. commanded by the
noted Sam Bellamy, one of the most
desperate pirates of his day? The story
OF that shipwreck is worth relating
even now.
The Whido, carrying 90 guns and 1870
men, had captured several vcssel Is off
tho coast of Massachusetts,. Bellamy
placed seven of his men on board one of
the'prizes, intending to turn her into
pirate craft The men Immediately be-
gan carousal, which ended in all
hands becoming stupidity drunk, and
failing into sound sleep While in
THIS condition they were discovered by
the master of a passing vessel, AMI when
they awoke they found themselves I'M
expectedly in Cape Cod harbor
rive OF the pirates succeeded in af-
iecung an escape, and Captain Cyprian
eoathWick was sent in search of them.
Inc Whldo soon after was overtaken by
violent storm, and was dashed to
pieces on the table land of Wellfeet,
every person on board the Inflated ship,
Win TWO exceptions, perishing in the
waves. The sea was so violent that it
.0t.ea It's way across the cape, and
MADE channel so wide that Captain
oousnwick, who arrived soon after, was
snaoied to row through it in whale
GOAT The bodies of 1902 pirates, thrown
ai0hs the shore by the storm, were
PICKED up and buried. OF those capt
uteu' SIX were tried by special court
=, anmlralty, convicted and executed in
From the clearness of the water and
Ae Whiteness Of the sandy bottom OBJ
.eoss are seen at a great depth in the
Tssioh where Bellamy's crew persisted.
~ more than a century after the ship
.e0A ehe great caboose of the Whido
vas sometimes discovered, as the loose
. .s. IN which it was embedded was
nspped from place to place by the
agitation of the sea.
,,. nus .he seafaring men of New En-
ea "a. mad little need, at the beginning
a;s .ue present century, to recur to ira
Tha As u remote events of the past.
tv S S,: were an ever-present reali-
I y, shlps sailing to the West or East
a, the coast OF Africa or South
s aasa' wherever and whenever
Inc I've. were In constant danger of be-
~ 'HS''sspssa and captured. Reports