The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-29
A PEARL PIRATE.
The French Buccaneer who Made a
Remarkable Bold Capture.

the French Buccaneer Who Made a
Remarkable Bold Capture.
Frank r. Stockton is contributing to St.
Nicholas, under the title Of 1.-THE Bucean-
GERS Of Our Coast" series OF narrative
sketches OF the Spanish Main. In the De-
cember st. Nicholas he tells the following
adventure:
"One of the adventurers who set out
about this time on a cruise after gold-la-
den vessels was a Erenchman who was
known to his countrymen as Pierre Fran
co.'s and to the English as Peter Francis
He was good sailor and. ready for any
sort Of a sea fight. but for a long time re-
cruised about without seeing anything
which It was worth while to attempt to
capture. At last, when his provisions be-
gan to give out and his men to become
somewhat discontinued, Pierre made up
his mind that, rather than return to Tor
tuga empty handed, he would make a bold
and novel stroke for fortune.
al the mouth OF one of the large rivers
of the mainland the Spaniards had esta)-
lished a pearl fshery-for there was no
kind of wealth or treasure, on the land.
under ground, or at the bottom OF the sea,
that the Spaniards did not get r 1t We're
possible.
Every year. at the proper season. a
=. dozen or more vessels came to this pearl
bank, ATTENDED by a man-of-war, 70 pro-
tect them from molestation. Pierre knew
all about this, and. as he could not find
any Spanish merchantmen to rob, he
thought he would go doWn and see what
he could do with the pearl fishers. This
was something the buccaneers had not yet
attempted; but no one knows what ne
can do until ne tries, and II was very nee
essary that this buccaneer captain should
try something Immediately.
"When he reached the coast near the
mouth Of the river he took the masts out
of his little vessel and rowed quietly to-
ward the pearl-fishing feet as II he had
intended to join them on some entirely
peaceable errand; and, in fact, there was
no reason whatever why the Spanafds
should suppose that a boat full Of buc-
cancers should be rowing along that part
of the coast.
the pearl-hshing vessels were all at
anchor, and the people on board We're
ouietlv attending 70 their business. Out
to sea, some distance from the mouth OF
the river, the man-of-war was lying be-
Gained The native divers who went
down to the bottom of the sea to bring up
the shell fish which contained theNpearis.
plunged into the water, and came UP wet
and shining in the sun, with no fear what
| ever Of any sharks which might be swim
ming about In search of a dinner; and
the people on the vessels opened the oy-
STEERS and carefully searched for pearls,
feeling as safe from harm as II they were
picking olives in their native groves.
''But something worse than a shark was
| quietly making his way over those tram
| duH waters, and no ban1itti who ever de-
scended from Spanish mountains upon the
| quiet peasants OF a village equaled in
ferocity the savage fellows who were
| crouching I'm the little boat belonging "a
! Pierre of Tortuga
This innocent looking craft, which the
] pearl fishers probably thought was load
/ ed with fruit or vegetables that somebody
| from the mainland desired to SELL was
permitted, without being challenged or in.
1 torfered with. to row up alongside the
| largest vessel of the feet on which there
| were some armed men and a few cannon
'As soon as Pierre's boat touched the
Spanish vessel, the buccaneers sprang OF
board with their pistols and cutiasses. aps
a savage fight began. The Spaniards wer.
| Surprised but there were a great man,
more Of them than there were pirates
| and they fought hard. However, the maj
who makes the attack. and who Is at IN
same time desperate ana hungry, has
great advantage. and d was not long bo
fore the buccaneers we're masters Of "a
vessel. Those OF the Spaniards who wer
not kiled We're forced into the service q
their captivcs and Pierre found himscl
IN command Of very good vessel