Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1897-09-22
CHAPTER XIV.
THE ISLAND.

Ten days from the time that Black
Beard babe good-by to the Altemaha, the
Charleston News contained the follow
ing:
BLACK Beard Again.-The eighteen
negroes who have been missing since
the departure of the piratical craft
Ranger are missing no longer, but the
good planters of the Altemaha river sec
ton, Georgia. are missing the sum of
fifteen thousand dollars, which sum
they paid for the aforesaid negroes. and
to the redoubtable Black Beard, for
there he conveyed them.
Holding them in terror of their lives
until he had received his gold, and the
asst negro, as well as the planters, had
disembarked from the Ranger, whittier
the planters had been invited by sign
hung over the schooners side, as she lay
anchored in the stream.
1T 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 a dirty red, and, though no man
with a long black beard was seen on the
decks while the planters were aboard,
they had no sooner descended to their
boats, in which their purchasers were
already seated, than they heard the
captains voice: Up anchor, and away.
"As the anchors were raised, the
vessel rounded to, it's sails filled, and it
glided away. The negroes having their
terror removed told their tale. and the
oows of the planters boats were turned
towards the schooner.
They called Justify, but she was fast
passing out the mouth of the river, and
man with a long black beard was
standing at the vessels stern, waving
them good-by with his haiti was
doubtless Angus Bruce, alias William B.
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 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 location from which she
was neither visible from sea nor main
and, two-mast schooner; the loca tor
"as an estuary that entered the side III
smiths island, about midway of its
ength, and extended some three miles
n half way through the island.
This island is located near the moutl
If the Cape Fear river, and about ter
miles from Smithville.
At tina b date it was Is miles in length
and from one to SIX miles in breadth
rs surface near the coast was low ant
sat, with gradually elevating tend
ency, until near the head of the estuary
where it terminated in a rugged. broker
hIrface of rocky lodges. alternating
from so feet below to 300 feet abov,
the oceans level.
The seams that cut through thi
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 mum
bers of goats. pair of which wer,
placed on the island by Uncle Billie
Smith. for whom both Smithville an6
the island were named many years be
fore.
In this estuary. and at its head, IL
thirty feet of water lay the schooner
half a dozen men were painting he
sides from suspended planks.
The name had already been painted
over.
The men were working and singing
as unconcernedly as though they die
not know that reward of fifty thou
sand dollars had been offered for TIN
apprehension of their captain, and Ger
tainly as if they did not know that thei
own lives were forfeit.
Sam" said one of the men. did yo,
hear the captain say where mex
away?"
mo. Joe, didn't hear him say. bu
no matter what he says or where ii
says it, it's for us to obey. We've mad
some good hauls in the past month"
Great! man, great! But my MOTTO
is they're getting after us might
thick; if l was the captain, I'm blowe
if don't believe I'd quit this her
coast"
Eth amt got ready yet, Sam. E
seq tibet 'eh as an important job her,
before he quits this coast. But there
the dinner horn. Come. lads!"
All dropped their brushes. but. il
stead of proceeding to the cooks ga
: ley, they scrambled ashore and TO
lowed ledge of rock around to til
southwark some three hundred fee
, where they suddenly seemed to col
: front an impossible barrier. in I'll
. shape of an almost perpendicular froI
of a rocky surface before them. One
the men took a whistle from his pockt
and blew two blasts. In front of the
and outward swung slab of rock, son
six feet square. and they entered the a
erture.
The slab closed, too, and left the
in darkness. but in front of them, ar
but few feet away, CLEANED the ligi
of n lantern. They followed it, as
receded some sixty feet. when i
bearer sounded another blast on h
whistle.
Another door swung open, and the
assembled three steps and stood with
cavern fully forty feet in depth al
] ten to twenty feet in breadth. 1t w
} literally lighted by oil lamps. and Il
7. blaze of light wood knots, viii
J. through the seams on one side cou
y be discerned the light of day.
lOpn fohla Sfan6ipor NAM.