The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-08-27
Human Flends Whose Names Inspired
Terror on the Seas.
THEIR ACTS OF BARBARITY AND CRUELTY
For More Than Two Hundred Years
They Tcrroriacd Ocean Travel ANA
shipptng-Thc Horrible Deeds i'm
which John Davis Seemed 10 Tako
Dciight-Thcir Vocation Gone.

their warships, have made il possible for
every class of vessels to plow tho watery
main without danger of beng ovorhaulcd
by band OF barbarous freebooters. The
pirates of old nro no more their cruel yo.
cation is gone. But whilo they existed
their daring excited admiration, while
their barbarity thrilled every human being
with horror. Old sailors spin peculiar
yarns about some OF tho pirates and their
supposed fabulous wealth.
Looking backward upon those old times
when 1t was necessary for every merchant
snip TO carry guns to protect herself against
tho Expectations of tho maraudcrs Of tho
sea, 1t will provo of interest to rccull some
OF their exploits.
Tho froobootcrs, or pirates, commenced
their organized work about tho year 1000
and continued their dcprclations until this
presont century was well advanced. In
fact, In certain parts of the Chinese SON
thcro arc ut 0,rcscnt numerous Chinese nj
ratical craft, and Mt intervals foreign yes-
seis fall prey to the diabolical cruelty and
stink balls. Tho first pirates ransacked
ships in Spanish American waters. They
mado themselves formidable and dreaded
enemies of that nations merchant marine
service
Lewis Scott, an Englishmnn, was ono of
tho first daring. freebooters whose name
sent thrill of terror into the heart of oy-
cry son captain. He not only pillagcd ships
on tho ocean, but also invaded towns. car
rled Oil women and ransaclled the treasury
OF the community. One Of his first notable
acts OF outlawry was his invasion of thu
city OF st. Francis of Campcchy. He sud
denly appeared one night in that city with
brutal band of followers at his command.
lilo pillaged the town. carried off women
ana demanded heavy ransom for the cap
tives. This example of SCOTS was fol-
lowed by John Davis n native of Jamaica.
West Indies, who, with one ship and 90
men, attempted an act tho nudncity of
which excited admiration and astonisb
mcnt
Davis landed near Nicaragua in tho SOW
enteenth century, leaving his ships Mt
anchor, guarded by ten men. Tho remain
der hodistributed into three canoes. Avail
ing himself Of the darkness of tho night.
no sailed up tho river which lends to tho
city of Granada. They wero challenged nv
sentinel, to whom they spoke in Spanish
and were passed as fishermen. After dis
embarking without encountcring any OBJ
stacles Davis and his crow foil upon tho
soldiers who had pcaccabiy witnessed their
landing The attack was so sudden and
unexpected that tho whole of tho soldiers
We're massacrcd before they had timo to
mako any effort To protect themselves
After that bloody deed had been commit
ted they dispersed themselves throughout
tho town and pillaged houses and churches
Cries of terror rosOunded on every side.
But tho Davis gang offered no violence
to tho inhabitants of Nicaragua The
booty secured by tho pirates on this occa-
sion amounted to several thousand dollars
After this adventure Davis returned 10
Jamaica, where Il fleet of eight ships, of
which John Davis was appointed admiral
by his comrades, was fitted out and tho
whole started on n pillaging expedition.
Tho pirates OF old, after ovorhauling n
ship, would push II plank over tho side
All tho crew of tho captured vessel wcrc
forced TO walk the plank. This was hor-
rible custom. At many of tho butchcrous
plank walkinSs tho SEA would be red with
tho blood of tho poor unfortunatcs who
had boon attacked by sharks us soon as
they fell into tho water.
1t was in the carly pnrt of 1902 that the
British merchant ship Albion had sniIcd
from India with n valuable cargo and n
fair sized crew. On board of this shin were
an aged Protestant minister and his dauch-
ter, beautiful and accomplished young
i'tuy VI upOIiC 10 years OIL uRe. In those
days the trip from India to England took
all ships around tho cape of Good Hope.
Everything had gone well from tho time
that they had left the Indian shores until
the good ship had arrived in tho southeast
trado winds. a suspicious looking vessel
was seen ono morning early with n mass
of sail on her and making direct for tho
Albion. The captain of tho British shin
had his fears when tho stranger was first
sighted, and they were realized as tho
bulky form of tho pirate ship doomed high
or and higher on tho horizon
Arms wore handed ont to tho crew. Tho
few small guns on board the Albion wcro
loaded, and everything was placed in read
mess for the carnage that was soon to fol-
low.
1t became tho captains duty to inform
his passengers that the strange looking
ship which was gaining on them RAPIDLY
was Il pirate. Tho minister offered to take
part in the protection Of the vessel. but
was informed that as he was not used TO
that class Of work he would perhaps prove
to bo more harm than good.
At last the battle came. Tho superior
arms and numbers of the pirates oyercame
tho few valiant Englishmen, and tho cut
throat frcebOotcrs boarded the merchant
ship. The captain WAS brutally murdered.
and tho rest of the crew were forced 70
walk tho plank. Several sharks were tcnr-
ing the poor victims apart from limb to
limb. The sea was red with blood. but
there was no cessation of the butchcry.
j frnr all nj tlp crew bu1 bon,, ,li,,,,.,la,i