Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1897-08-26
CHAPTER XIV.
THE ISLAND.


THE ISLAND.
Ten days from the slime that Black
Beard babe good-by to the Altemaha, the
Charleston News contained the follow
ing:
BLACK Beard oAgain.-The eighteen
negroes who have been missing since
E the departure of the piratical craft
Ranger are missing no longer, but the
good planters of the A1temaha river sec
ton, Georgia, are missing the sum of
fifteen thousand dollars, which sum
they paid for the aforesaid negroes, and
to the redoubtabIe Black Beard, for
there he conveyed them.
Holding them in terror of their lives
until he had received his gold, and the
last negro, as we'll as the planters, had
disembarlzed from the Ranger, whittier
the planters had been invited by sign
hung over the schooner's side, as she lay
anchored in the stream.
ut was this sign that informed them
that IS negroes would be sold from
the decks of the schooner before IL
o'clock.
The schooner had changed her name
to William b. Niles, and her color was
now dirty red, and, though no man
decks while the planters were aboard,
they had no sooner descended to their
boats, in which their purchasers We're
already seated, than they heard the
captains voice: Up anchor, and away
''As the anchors were raised, the
vessel rounded to, it's sails filed, and it
glided away. Tie negroes having their
terror removed told their tale, and the
bows of the planters boats were turned
towards the schooner.
"They called Justify, but she was fast
passing out the mouth of the river, and
a man with long black beard was
standing at the vessels stern, waving
them good-by with his haiti was
doubtless Angus Bruce. alas William 2.
Niles. alias Black Beard.
THE negroes have all been returned
to their masters, and the governor of
Georgia has joined with the governor of
South Carolina in Offering a reward for
the apprehension of this daring buc-
cancer, murderer and pillager; thus the
amount offered for Angus Bruce, dead
or alive, by these two states is $50. 900"
On the morning when the Charleston
News contained this article there lay
anchored in a location from which she
was neither visible from sea nor main
land, two-mast schooner: the locatio
was an estuary that entered the side of
Smiths island, about midway of its
length, and extended some three miles,
or half way through the island.
This island is located near the mouth
of the Cape Fear river, and about ten
miles from Smithville.
At that date it was Is miles in length,
and from one to six miles in breadth.
It's surface near the coast was low and
fiat, with a gradually elevating tend
ency, until near the head of the estuary,
where it terminated in a rugged, broken
surface of rocky lodges, alternating
from so feet below to 500 feet above
the oceans level.
The seams that cut through this
rough formation TO the depths below
were filled with brine, while the rugged
sides of the steep ascent were covered
with stunted cedars and pines, and num-
bers of goats. pair of which were
placed the island by Uncle Billie
Smith. for whom both Snlithville and
the island We're named many years be-
fore.
In this estuary. and at it's head, in
thirty feet of water lay the schooner;
half dozen men were painting her
sides from suspended planks.
The name had already been painted
over.
The men were working and singing
as unconcernedly as though they did
not know that reward of fifty thou
sand dollars had been offered for the
apprehension of their captain. and GER
tainly as if they did not know that their
own lives were forfeit.
SAM said one of the men, did you
hear the captain say where next
away?"
No, Joe, / didn't hear him say, but
no matter what he says or where ne
says it, it's for us to obey. We've made
some good hauls in the past month"
Great! man, great! But my notion
is they're getting after us mighty
thick; if I was the captain, I'm blowed
if 1 don't believe I'd quit this here
coast"
Eh amt got ready yet, Sam. Eth
seq tibet 'eh as an important job here,
before he quits this coast. But there's
the dinner horn- Come. 1adsi"
All dropped their brushes, but. in
stead of proceeding to the cooks gall