Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1898-02-19
rHn CH1OA4o HAaLE.
AMATEUR PIRATES.
Sir Francis brakes First AttcmDt In
the Art of Piracy.


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Sir Francis brakes First AttcmDt In
the Art Of Piracy.
Frank X. Stockton contributes to st.
Nicholas a series of articles on 'The
Buccaneers of Our Coast" In his
characteristic vein. Mr.. stockton says:
Spain was not at war with England:
and when Drake sailed with four small
ships into the port of the little town
of Nombre dc Dios in the middle of the
night, the Inhabitants of the town were
as much astOnished as the people OF
Perth AmbOy would he II four armed
vessels were to steam into Raritan Bay
and endcavor to take possession OF the
town. The peaceful Spanish townspeo.
pie were not ut war with any civilized
nation, and they could not understand
why bands of armed men should In
wade their streets, enter the market.
place. fire their calivers. or muskets,
into the air, and then sound n trumpet
loud enough to wake up everybody In
the place. Just outside of the town the
invaders had left a number Of their
men; and when these heard the trum-
pet in the market-place. they also fired
their guns. All this noise and hubbub
so frightened the good people Of the
town that many of them jumped from
their beds. and, without stopping to
dress, fled away to the mountains. But
all the citizens were not such towards;
and fourteen or fifteen Of them armed
themselves aud went out to defend
their town from the unknown invaders.
Beginners In any trade or profession,
whether It be the playing of the piano.
the painting of pictures. or the pursuit
Of piracy, are often timid and distrust.
full Of themselves; so 1t happened on
this occasion with Francis Drake and
his men. who were merely amateur
/ pirates. and showed very plainly that
they did not understand their business
When the fifteen Spanish citizens
came into the markct-place and found
there the little body of armed English.
men. they Immediately fired upon
them, not knowing or caring who they
were. This brave resistance seems to
have frightened Drake and his men
almost Us much as their trumpets and
guns had frightened the citizens, and
the English Immediately retreated
from the town. When they had reach.
ed the place where they had left the
rest Of their party. they found tina,
these had already run away and taken
10 the boats. Consequently Drake and
his brave men were obliged partly "a
undress themselves and to wade out "a
the little ships. The Englishmcn sccur
ell 10 booty whatever, and they Killed
only one Spaniard. and he was u mar
who had been looking out of window
to see what was the matter.
Whether or not brakes conscicnc,
had anything to do with the bunglins
manner IN which he made this first ut
tempt at piracy, we cannot say; but III
soon gave his conscience holiday, ant
undertook some very. successful rob
bling enterprises. lie received infOrma
ton from some natives that a train o
mules was coming across the isthmu,
Of Panama. loaded with gold AMI silvcl
bullion, and guarded only by their ,lriv
ers; for the merchants who owned al
| this treasure had no idea that thcr,
was any one in that part Of the worl,
who would commit u robbery upOi
them. But Drake and his men sool
proved that they could hold up trail
0f mules rs easily as some Of the mask
ed robbers In our Western country holt
up u train Of ears. All the gold wa
taken; hut the silver was too heavy 10
| the amateur pirates 10 carry,