Evening star., 1898-06-18
SAVED FROM PIRATES.
How United States Warshfp Res
cued Spanish Gunboat

From the Philadelphia Times
In the beginning OF the present century
the Gulf OF Mexico swarmed with pirates.
preyfnG on the commerce of every nation.
One has only to refer to the newspapers
previous to 1876 to recognize how great
were the perils of a seamans calling i'm
those days. Ships disappeared at times
with their officers and crews, and ii may
be years after that some desperate sea
rover, brought to the gibbet, told the story
or capture and destruction. The worst To-
cality in the West Indies was the south
side of the Island of Cuba Here lies the
Isle OF Pines. and succession of low keys
that AFFORDED the pirates excellent oppor-
tuniues for concealment. All merchant
men went armed in those days, but the
pirate schooners, carrying one heavy "a
pounder, could cut a vessels spars to
pieces, and thus make her defenseless
In 1924 an English brig from Jamaica
bound home, was taken off Cape St. An
tome, her crew maSSacred and the vessel
beached on the coast of Cuba. Her cargo
was valued at over 100000 The British
government started an investigation, and
1t was found to be the work of a Spanish
lrishman named Cain, who had a fast top
sail schooner called the Esmeralda, with a
crew OF 100 men of all nationalities among
them two Phladelphians named Brent and
Supplee. 1t was also found that in dis
posing of the plunder Spanish coastguard
vessel had conveyed most of ii to Havana
were interested in the affair, getting a
share of the plunder.
The British government went for the
Spaniards in vigorous manner, demand
ing indemnity for the past and security
for the future. The Spaniards yielded and
agreed to equip force to cruise on the
south coast and search the keys for ma
rauders. A fast-sailing brig of war, El
Iorldor, carrying ten guns, was put in
commission. under Captain Hermann He
was a fine sailor and an honest man, and
soon made it very unpleasant for the pi-
rates about the Isle of Pines and Cayo
Largo. At this time the United States had
fleet OF small vessels doing police duty in
the gulf, one of which, the ENTERPRISE
commanded by Lieutenant White, was very
active and had captured several pirate
craft and cut up their crews. 1t was on
the same station as the Toridor and Lieu
tenant White arranged with Captain Her.
mani to cooperate with him, and if in
want of assistance at night to show light
at the mafnmast head as a signal
Information had come to the Spanish
captain that a consort of the Esmeralda, a
fast-saiing schooner called the Bonita
commanded by negro named Pinto would
try and get into the Largo key at night
She had been on a cruise away south and
was reported full of plunder The negro
captain was a bloodthirsty ruffian about
fifty, and was badly wanted by the Span
ish authorities, as he had murdered a
brother of Captain General Galviz in one
of his raids ashore. So the Toridor day
out about three miles away from the pass
between the Isle of Pines and Cayo Largo
tossing and heaving and keeping her COP
per bright under short sail. 1t was said by
English captains in those days that you
might make Spaniards fairly good seamen
but it took constant hazng to make them
stand decent watch. No sooner was the
watch set than one-half went to sleep and
the other half to play cards and gamble
leaving the ship to itself Such must have
been the case on the Toridor on this night
of August 10, 1922. Even the officers on the
quarterback were DOING while the captain
was below, asleep. The man at the wheel
was the only one on the alert. Suddenly
from the northwest came a bright flash
and then the boom of a gun, and shot
whistled through the rigging and then a
cry from the helmsman, Alloy, there!
Here's two boats alongside,'
In those days muskets were kept in
racks under the break of the poop over
head, and covered with tarpaulin, and the
boarding pixies were lashed to the main
boom. To these the startled crew rushed.
and the sides were alive with men coming
aboard, yelling, xiii, KILL" There is no
want OF courage among Spaniards, and the
crew fought desperately. The captain was
on deck and at once sent a man to the
masthead to light the signal lantern and
with his officers and marines pitched in:
but the shore party had got first blood
and they fought like tigers, while the
heavy shots from the big schooner not over
800 yards away came fast The Toridors re-
treated to the quarterback. and encouraged
by their omcers, made desperate fight
but it was evidently losing game. The
schooner had her sweeps out and in a few
minutes would board the brig with a
crowd of fresh assailants.
Fortunately the Enterprise was not more
than twelve miles away, in the southwest
The watch had been changed and the new
lookout had just gone aloft when he called
out, Deck ahoy! There goes a gun right
noreast off the starboard bowl"
In minute all was in commotion. One
of the officers sprang into the rigging with
night glass and hailed: There it goes
again. / hear the boom"
The commander was on deck. Thank