The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1897-07-01
NO. 90

could only hasten the result. May
nard therefore ordered all his crew t,
60 below, and in a moment no one wa
left upon the deck but the dead and
dying. Blackboard supposing his en-
envy at his mercy approached The
stranded vessel and prepared to board
The two vessels we're lashed together
and blackboard with twenty despera
does armed to the teeth leaped or
board to take possession. Instantly
Maynard gave a signal and twenty
doughty sailors rushed up the hatch
way and lined themselves on deck
For an instant the two determined par
ties stood cycling each other. Black
beard and his crowd were evidently sur
prised at the artifice OF their opponents
Only for an instant, however, was
there lull in the storm. Each party
rushed upon the other and the deck
speedily became slippery with blood
Each man singled out an opponent and
the battle became an aggregate of duels.
Blackboard made for Maynard, and the
young lieutenant accepted the chal-
lenge. They discharged their pistols
without effect in each others face and
flung them away. Both then drew
their daggers. Each glanced at the
steel of the other and sprang to the
combat like ferocious beasts. There
was a pause among the other combat
ants to see the issue between the COM
manders. The two circled around each
other for brief moment, and then
each pounced upon the other. They
clinched and rolled over upon the deck.
They arose and continued the fight.
Blackboard had never before met a
match. He had one now in the ath-
letic young lieutenant.
Like an angry lion that is defeated
in his object, Blackboard gathered all
his native forces together and made a
final lunge at Maynard. The young
man saw the glare OF his opponents
eyes, and knew that that moment was
the most critical of his life. He did
not cringe, however, but met the pi-
rate In the full career of his onslaught.
The blow of the freebooter was success
fully parried and Blackboard staggered.
Before ile could recover himself, May
nard's knife had found his vitals, and
the great corsatr fell dead upon the
deck.
By this time all the pirates who had
boarded the vessel were dead except
seven. They begged for mercy and
obtained it. Maynard and his gallant
crew then boarded the pirate vessel and
forced the remainder OF the band to
submit just as burly negro was about
to cast frebrand into the magazine of
powder to blow up the ship. The ne
gro was seized and the catastrophe
The living members of the
band, thirteen In all, were bound and
confined as prisoners in the hold.
Maynard ordered Blackbeard's head
to be cut from his shoulders. He had
the CHASTITY object placed upon the
bowsprit OF his vessel, and with it sail
ed up to Bath. While there he receiv-
ed the congratulations of many people
who came to see the head OF the
man who had terrorized North Carroll
ma waters so long. After short stay
he sailed away to report at Williams
burg, where be was received with great
honor by Governor Spotswood and the
council of State. The thirteen priso-
ners were shortly afterwards arraigned
before the court OF the province of Vir-
ginia and given a fair trial. They
were all convicted and hanged. In the
of the trial evidence was TAX
on from one man relative to the finding
of the French ship mentioned in for
mer paragraph of this article. He des-
crlbed how the boat was boarded, her
crew put to death, and the prize Sc
cured. Blackboard, however, was be-
yond human punishment. Thus the
southern colonies we're rid of band of
outlaws that had exacted tribute from
nearly all nations for thirty years.
It has been often said that Black
beard and his gang buried quantities
of gold and silver at different places
along the shores Of Pamlico river and
snnild, Many people have been 80 fool
ish as to dig FOR these hidden treasures
with the hope of attaining sudden
wealth. The traveller along these local.
tiles often sees excavations which are
said to show the continued exertions Of
the money diggers. This is waste Of
time for it is not at all probable that
Teach ever buried any money or If he
did resort to that method OF conceal
ment, 1t is very unlikely that 1t re-
mained buried after his death. He
had adherents upon land who assisted
In the concealment of his stolen gains.
AS soon as Teach's death became known
these land adherents made a division
of the treasure in their hands, and dug
I'M what was hidden. ae was natural for