The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-03-14
A BUCCANEER BOOM.
The Brethren of the Coast Sacked
Towns When Gallons Failed.

Towns When Gallons Failed.
Frank r. Stockton is contributing to
st. Nicholas" a series of narrative
sketches OF The Buccaneers OF ON
Coast In the March number he says:
The buccaneers were afraid of moth
ing. They paid no attention TO the
rules of war. \ little ship would at
tack big one without the slightest
hesitation, and, more than that would
generally take it; and. in every way
Spain was beginning to feel as if she
were acting the part OF provider to the
pirate seamen of every nation
Finding that she could do nothing
to diminish the number of the buccan-
eering vessels. Spain determined that
she would not have so many richly lad
en- ships OF her own upon these danger
Gus seas; consequently. a change was
made in regard 10 the shipping of mer-
chandise and the valuable metals from
America to her home ports The car
goes were concentrated and what had
previously been placed upon three
ships was crowded into the holds and
between the decks of one great vessel.
which was so well armed and defended
as TO make it almost Impossible for any
pirate ship TO capture it. In some re-
spects this plan worked very Well al
though when the buccaneers did hap
pen TO pounce upon one of these rich
~ laden vessels in such numbers and
with such swift ferocity that they were
aole TO capture it, they rejoiced over a
prize lar more valuable than ANYTHING
the pirate soul had ever dreamed of be-
fore But il was not often that one of
these great ships was taken. and for
time the results of Spanish robbery
and cruelty were safely carried to
Spain
But 1t was very hard to get the bet
ter OF the buccaneers: their lives and
their fortunes depended upon this
Doom, and If in one way they could not
get the gold out of the Spaniards. which
the latter got out of the natives. they
would try another. When the miners
IN the gold fields find they can no long
er WASH out with their pans a paving
quantity of the precious metal they go
10 work on the rocks and break them
INTO pieces and crush them into Gust:
So when the buccaneers found il did
not pay TO devote themselves to cap
turing spanish gold on it's transit
across the ocean. many of them chang
cd their methods of operation and bold
~ planned to seize the treasures of
thelr enemy before it was put ,!Don
the ships. Consequently. the buccan-
GERS formed themselves into larger bod
les, commanded by noted leaders and
made attacks upon the Spanish settle
ments and towns. MANY of these
We're found nearly defenseless and even
those which hOq Sfad
Tell before the reckless charges of the
buccaneers. The pillage thu. BURNING
and the cruelty on shore exceeded that
Witch hau hitherto been known on the
sea. There is generally a great deal
more IN town than there is in a ship.
anu the buccaneers proved themselves
u oe among the most outrageous. ex-
actlhS' ana cruel conquerers ever
known IN this world. They were gov
erned by no laws of warfare; whatever
they chose to do they did They re-
spected nobody, and acted like wild
beasts, without the disposition which
Is generally shown by wild beast to
lie down and go to sleep when it has
had enough.
Ihere were times when it seemed as
though it would be safer for a man
VINO mad a regard for his life and COM
Tort TO sail upon pirate ship instead
OF a Spanish galleon or to take up his
residence in one of the uncivilized com
munlties of Tortuga or Jamaica instaAd
OF setting in a welI-ordered Spanish
American town with its Mayor. its of
ficials, and its garrison.
1t was very strange nation of mar
Inc bandits which had thus sprung into
existence on these far-away waters.
IL was nation of grown-up men who
existed only for the purpose of carving
on that which other people were TAX
ing away; it was a nation of second
mana ROBBERS who carried their opera
IionS to such an extent that they
threatened to do away entirely with
that series of primary robberies to
Whlch Spain had devoted herself
90 not know that there We're any com
panles formed in those DAYS for tha
prosecution of buccaneering, but 7 am
quite sure that if there had been their
stocks would have gone to a high flg-
ure.