The morning times., 1895-10-21
CANADIAN PIRATES.
Infest Straits OF Belle Isle and Little
Piuntler ESCAPES Them.

f1under Escapes luem.
In no other part of the world, perhaps,
is there such daring gang OF pirates as
that which inlest the Straits OF Belle Isle,
the narrow passage north Of Newfoundland,
by which steamships, in the summer months,
reach the Gulf of st. Lawrence from Eu-
rope, writes Quebec correspondent To the
New York sun. Some OF them live good
part of the year on Belle Isle itself, but
others come from Newfoundland, Labrador,
New brunswick and Nova Scotia, osten-
sibiy to engage in the fisheries, but III
reality on the lookout for what they can
loot and steal from the ships in distress.
There are at least three or four wrecks
every year in the vicinity OF Belle Isle, and
sometimes a great iron steamship breaks
up or runs aground there. This is rich
harvest Tor the pirates. They swarm about
the wreck and help themselves to every
thing that they can lay their hands on.
The captains and crews OF such ships In
distress have usually ali they can do To save
their lives from this treacherous coast,
without concerning themselves with the
fate OF their cargocs. Should they venture
to Temonstrate with these highwa yInen
of the sea for the freedom with which they
help themselves TO other peoples property
they would be laughed at for their pains.
as was the captain of the wrecked steam
ship Mexico a few days ago. capt. Daiy
has lust arrived from the scene OF the
wreck of his ship with the most startling
description of his experiences with the
pirates.
Daily endeavored to make terms with the
captains OF the fishing schonners that
swarned about The wreck for the saving
of the cargo, but they laughed in his face,
saying that they intended TO take everything
that they could lay hands on. Asan instance
of the barefaced character of the robbery
carried on by them, Daily reports that ne
went aboard one schnoDer ct time when 1t
was deserted by al save woman. He esus-
pected that some of his effects were CON
ccaIed on board The woman protested that
there was nothing whatever there belonging
TO him. Heinsisted upon q search, and found
nailed to the buikhead the portrait of his
wife which had been taken from his cabin.
Continuing the search, he found suiaH
hatch tteneddown, n,anduponnpenlngltu ltuis-
covered thirteen bags of clothing belong
ing TO his shipwrecked sailors. Shipping
men feel that it is an outrage upon foreign
as wen as Canadian shipping for such gang
ofpirates TO obepermittcdatl largeinCanddiaD
waters to prey upon the commerce OF the
world and wonder that justice was not
meted out to them long ago. Thus far no at
tempt whatever has been made to bring
these marauders to justice. Were a Sunsoat
TO be sent down tn the straits. as many wish,
IL NOusu us uou5eu uuitc thoAs ~ VIZ
sailing. light-draught. fishing, wrecklng,
and smuggling gschooDers nfthegulf, withthe
intimate know " ledge possessed by theircrews
| of the bays q nd coves uf the coast.
Some day the pirates will encounter
weI-armed captain and crew at wreck,
for steamship men know what they have to
expccthere There win be a a!desperate tight,
for the pirates are wei armed, and on some
OF their smuggling expeditions they have
already engaged the crews of the govern
mcnt revenue cutters.