The Wadsworth dispatch. [volume] (Wadsworth, Nev.) 1892-1899, 1898-01-26
4 Z 1t PIRATE.
A Ere, ia L. ..'.er Who lad u L:old
apsulr 0n the Pearl Banks.

A Fret IA L Ger Who Made u EOld
I i,t,o' on the Pearl Banks.
Mrs. / ralK IL, Stockton has contrib
nted H. I. fsitnol&s, Under the ti;ie Of
"The'. tfccaAecrS of Cur Coast" a series
Of narl 1--WE sl.etches of the buccaneers
Of the Spanish main. lie tells the iol-
lowing adv ventures:
One OF the adventurous who set out
about tuis time on a cruise after gold
laden vessels was a Frenchman who
was know to his countrymen as Pierre
Francois and to the English as Peter
Francis lie was Il good sailor and ready
for any sort IF IA sea fight, but for u long
time he cruised about without seeing
anything which it was worth while to
attempt to capture. AT last, when his
provisions began to give out and his
men to become somewhat discontinued,
Pierre made up his mind that rather
than return to Tortuga empty handed
he would make q bold and novel stroke
for fortune.
AT the mouth of one Of the large
rivers of the mainland the Spaniards
had established u pearl fishery, for there
was no kind of wealth or treasure on
the land. underground or at the bottom
of the sea that the Spaniards did not get
; if it wers possible.
Every year at the proper season a
dozen or more vessels came to this pearl
bank, attended by a man -of-war to pro-
tect them from molestation. Pierre
knew all about this, and as he could not
s6,,1 nyr IDn,,ioh ,nrko,nn 30 u,L
ne" 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 he can do until he tries, and it
was very necessary that this buccaneer
captain should try something immedi-
Atsly. =
When he reached the coast near the
mouth of the river, he took the masts
out Of his little vessel and rowed quiet
ly toward the pearl fishing fleet, as if
he had intended to Join them on SOME
entirely pesceable GRAND, and, in fact,
there was no reason whatever why the
Spaniards should suppose that a boat
full of. buccaneers should be- rowing
aAohS thoc phht VA hO toubts +
Tho pearl fishing vessels were all at
anchor, and the people OH board were
quietly attending to their business. Out
at sea. some distance from the mouth of
the river, the m%an-of-war was lying he
Gained. The native divers who went
down to. tip, bottom of the sea to bring
up the hhellfish which contained the
pearls plunged into the water and came
ND wet and shining in the sun. with no
fear whatever Ut any sharks which
might he swimming. about in search of
u dinner, and the people on the vessels
opened the oysters and carefully search
ed for pearls, feeling as safe from harm
al if they We're picking olives in their
native groves.
But something worse than a shark
was quietly making its way over those.
tranquil waters. and no banditti who
ever descended from Spanish mountains
upon the quiet peasants Of u village
equaled in ferocity the saYage fellows
who were crouching In the little boat
belonging to Pierre Of Tortuga. -
This innocent looking craft, which,
the pearl fishers probably thought was
loaded with fruit or vegetables that
Seniebpdy from the mainland desired tp
sell. was permitted. without being
challenged Or interfered with, to row
mp alongside the largest vessel Of the
fleet, On which there were some armed
mon und IA few cannon.
AS soon as Pierre,,s boat touched the
Spanish vessel the buccaneers spraag
OF board with their pistols and oat-
lasses, and IL savage fight began. The
Spaniards were surprised, but there
We're II great many more of them than
thera.Were pirates, ard they fought hard.
However, the man who maxes the attack
and who is at the same time desperate
and hungry, has a great advantage, and
it was not long before the buccaneers
were masters of the vessel. Those Of
the Spaniards who were not killed were
forced into the service Of the;c captors,
and Pierre found himself il command
81 Il very good vessel.