The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-04-13
ROC THE BRAZILIAN.
4 Typical Pirate Who waged Ferecss>s
War ON the Spanish.


Mr.. Frank X. Stockton, writing "Thsr
Buccaneers of Our Coast" for st. Nicboln<,-
describes the career Of famous charsctez-
ON the Spanish main.
This famous buooaneer was called Roe-
because he had TO have name, and bis
own was unknown or suppressed, and
"tbe Brazilian" because he was born inn
Brazil, though his parents were Dutch.
Unlike most OF his fellow practitioners
be did not gradually become a pirate
From his early youth he never had an i'm
tention of being anything else. As soon
as he grew to be man he became one of
the buccaneers, and Mt the first opportu-
nifty he joined pirate crew and had made
but few voyages when it was perceived
by his companions that he was destined so
become most remarkable sea robber. He,
was put in command of ship, and in a.
very short time after he had set out on his
first independent cruise he fell in with a
Spanish ship loaded with silver bullion
Having captured this, he sailed with his
prize to jamaica which was one of tho
great resorts of the English buccaneers,
There his success delighted the commJf--
nifty, and soon he was generally acknowk-
edged as the head pirate of the West Indies.
AS for Esquemeling, he simply reveIeds
In the deeds of the great Brazilian desper-
ado. If he had been writing the life and
times of Alexander the Great, julius Cesar
or Mr.. Gladstone he could not have beer0
more enthusiastic in his praises. And as
In 1.-The Arabian Nights" the roc is de-
scribed as the greatest of birds, so, i'm tneB
eyes of the buccaneer biographer, this Roc
was the greatest of pirates.
This renowned pirate from Brazil mus5
have been a terrible fellow to look at. He
was strong and brawny, his face was Short
and very wide, with high cheek bones, and
his countenance probably resembled that
of pug dog. 1t was his custom in the
daytime to walk about carrying drawn
cutlass resting easily upon his arm, edge
up, very much as fine gentleman carries
his high silk hat.
He was man who insisted upon being
obeyed instantly. But although he was
so strict and exacting during the business
sessions of his piratical yearly which y
mean when he was cruising around after
prizes-be was very much more disagree
able when he was taking a vacation. orr
his return to Jamaica from one of his ex-
petitions il was his habit to give himself
some relaxation after the hardships and
dangers through which he had passed, and
on such occasions, with his cutlass waving
nlBn III Inc no WOulu Olten rush lnsNA
the street and take whack at every ono-
whom he met. AS far as was possible thes
citizens allowed him to have the street to-
himself, and it was not at all likely that
his visits to Jamaica we're looked forward
to with any eager anticipation,
The hatred of the Spaniards by the buc-
cancers began very early in the settlement
of the West Indies, and, in fact, it is very
likely that if there had been no Spaniardss
there would never have been any bucc0-
neers, but in all the instances of ferociouss
enmity toward the Spaniards there has
been nothing to equal the feelings of Roc
the Brazilian upon that subject His dis
like to everything Spanish arose, he de-
clared, from cruelties which had beenA
practiced upon his parents by people OF
that nation, and his main principle of ac-
ton throughout all his piratical career
seems to have been that there was nothing
too bad for Spaniard. The object of his
life was to wage bitter war against Span
ish ships and Spanish settlements. He was
typical pirate.