Sharp County record., 1896-10-23

new name"
"What shall it be?"
"Why, call me what you did when we
drank the grog, Black Beard; and as for
terms, you know I'm not over close; the
terms will be the old ones-three shares
for the captain, five for the schooner,
two for the mate, and equal shares for
the crew."
'uow many men have you aboard
now?"
Twenty, and they are all good men;
half of them have followed the trade
before-the're fighters to a man. l
would ship five more men-Doud, Bat
son, Plunkett, Cobb and yourself. l
don't want too big crew; small num-
Der Of resolute men will accomplish
much, besides, you know, never place
the lives Of my crew in jeopardy by
fighting, if it can be avoided. Now
what do you suppose I've got between
the decks Of the schooner"
"Why, you are liable to have gold
there, San--I mean Black Beard"
mo, I've not gold, but 1 have. what
will bring gold"
"What is it?"
I've 40 good stout niggers, and they
should bring in this market $4,000 in
good, clean gold-that cargo was placed
aboard by my present crew, so you can
see that have good men,"
where did you ship the niggersP"
"San Domingo; at SANTANA bay. Some
were foolish and cajoled aboard some
marched aboard at the muzzle of our
guns; no children, no women, but all
good, strong men. I shall sell them
out tomorrow, and then be ready for
new ventures. If there be haul to
make here, well and good, we'll make it
then open the prison doors and take
our two birds out, and skip to other
fields"
"To San Domingo?'
mo, not thereI after losing 40 men
they will be on the outlook"
"Why not draw the cash from the
bank at Charleston?"
"Well, you understand how that must
be worked; stay ashore and get all the
points, and when I've sold the cargo
we will not lose time; but q place to
rendezvous the men on shore, where
they will be ready foI action, is first to
be thought Of"
Rendezvous, that's big word for
ine, Cap"
"Why, place where the men can
come ashore at night and be unob-
served"
"Oh, have 1t; when your cargos
out, up anchor, and on O rising tide,
drop up the river about half mile, and
you'll be abreast an old deserted plan
ing-milli there you can land the men
and they will not be seen for hours
Good, Bill, good; and now bumper
and goodnight. I'll have my cargo
around at the slave market at nine
o'clock tomorrow. Come round and
you'll see some good stock" and Black
Beard hurried back to the wharf and
placing o small silver whistle to his
lips gave three sharp blasts AS he did
80 he observed something moving on
the wharf q few feet to his right. He
stepped towards the object, Itwas two
negroes seated on the dock fshing--ho
kept his eye on them until the yawl
drew up to the wharf.
"llerel Herel you two black men,
get aboard quick be lively nowl"
What fer massa; what you gwine dc
wild we"
"Do with you? Why, take you to free.
dom; come, be quick"
us you, sho' nuff, NASSAU"
"5ure! yes, certain; what else do ]
want of your Quiclsl be quickl Oh
you'll be too late"
The two darlles descended into the
boat, and ten minutes later they were
safely locked In the hold of the Range,
with the 40 San Domingo negroes, whose
lingo they could not understand, while
, Black Beard, who, il not enjoying the
sleep Of the just, was sleeping soundly
The next morning all was hustle on
board the Ranger; the two yawls were
J lowered into the river and the hatch
was lifted from the deck. Next tho
natives Of San Domingo, who had beer
plentlfully supplied with fruit, food
and rum on their voyage, were one by
one marched on deck, given parting
sWig OF rum and loaded into the yawls
where they were hNudculrcd two and
two together ll0lror the crew had beer
landed to receive them, and three trips
OF the yOwl landed the 10.
Only the two negroes picked up OF
the wharf the night before were now
IN the hold Of the Ranger and to then
the mate gave bottle Of rum and low
cred basket OF the oranges, banana,
and cocoOnuts with which the yossc
was loaded,
AZ the cOpt0m'swill the Ranger coulc
enNly appear merely Il frulter
The negroes ashore were spcedil,
marched to the slave pen, and at Ii
o'clock the last one hud been converted
INTO cash, and something over $4,000
had been realized from The sale.
AS Black Beard presented his checks
TO the Bank of Charleston, he re
marked,
u VIII reduce your ready cnsh some