The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1899-04-11

4
thss hold. they set FIRE TO tire ship.
Then followed scene the horror o.
which has surely been seldom surpassed
on earth. The terrified negroes. when
they Saw that the vessel wss on FIRE. ran
shriekins 10 the deck and began 10 jump
overheard. fetteret as they were But On
an instant the water was Ga a turmoil
alive with voraciOus sharks which seized
and tore 10 pieces the wrstched slaves as
fast as they plunged into the sea. Ther,
was nothing Tor the negroes but a ChOic.
between two fearful deaths. and those %
them who dared not face the monsters IN
the bloody waves persisted among the
hsmes. end their charred bodies went
down with the ship
But the avenSer OF blood was now fol-
lowing hard AT the heels Of these sea AIDE
mons.
For many DAYS TWO British men-of-war.
Who hEG heard or the dolncs ~ The bl-
rates on the African coast. had been on
the outlook, and az last. I'm February.
~. Capt Ogle or the WarShip swallow.
received definite Information Or tn
Whereabouts OF the pirates. Immediately
he set OF 10 seek them out
inc three pirate ships were living q
their ease near the mouth Of the Caboon
River. when the swallow came i'm .ieh-
Al that moment the warship had 70 shee
on 10 avoid a sandbank. and the nitrate.
thnking that she was taking to Hichf
sent on the Ranger IN pursuit. There
upon the swallow stood out Ia sea ana
kept up the pretense OF runuine away
u'i the pirates had been dccoynd TO such
q" Instance that the sound of cannon
eou'a not be heard from the shore. The
pirates came on eXultingiy. with al their
canvas set, and their terrible black tag
streaming at the masthead
But. suddenly 20 their inter c,,s,sr,,,
uois me strange ship swung round ana
covered them with her guns. Too laf. tn,,
saw the trap they had fallen no --.,
MADE haste To shake off the Tartar thcr
had caught. While making a gre.t mon,
Oh hSntlhs, plying their cannon ard hiram
dishing their cutlasses defantiv n m
Zoe they did their best 10 SHOW = elsa,
pair of heels to the Swallow. But The t,rj,-
ish sailors we're not thus 70 be- cot ria ~
and the pirates, debating among them
selves. talked of making = sudden r1zb
ana attempting TO board their pursuer
but while they hesi,ated a shot setfio1
the matter for them by bringing low
the msintopmast and disabling heir shin
seeing that all was over with ;pem
they struck their colors and called out for
quarter Some OF the more desppratr cf
the crew attempted to blow up the shin
out only succeeded in frightfuliv btiruirg
themselves. The pirates were immediately
secured and sent on In their own vessel 20
the nearest port
capt Ogle. however had scarcely don.
half his work. There WIS stu the arrl-
pirate Roberts to be dealt with. Two davs
were spent IN making good the i3marc
the Swallow had suffered i'm the dvhl ana
then she was headed back 10 the Gaboou
hlVer. where Roberts lay waiting In tho
Royal Fortune for the return of his eop-
sort.
When the Tan-of-war hove into view
the pirates at first thought II 7as no
Ranger returning but when they saw IN,
British colors tiutter to the masthead ana
the guns being prepared Tor action. thew
kneK that the time had come when thev
mist fight for their lives.
Roberts did not finch lie sliUpod HE "a
bic, set all sail, and ordered his mon 10
arms, determined 70 make a dash TO-
loerty. dis plan was 10 make rush mast
the swallow, bat If disabled by her broad
side. To run his ship ashore and Iet zach
man shift for himself II fooled I'm this ie-
sign then he would close with tho var-
ship, blow up his powder magazine. ana
send pirates and Kings men TO destruc-
ton together
ROBERTS never locked more IN. ideal
pirate chief than IN his last fight. H.
came on deck attired in his rich crimson
damask dress. with feather in can AM
gold chain and diamond cross slung rounc
his neck; ana sword In hand he led Ms
men to the attack. he shot past the man.
of-War, received and returned her broad
side, hoisted the black fisg. and made or
With every rag Of canvas set But the
swallow came up with him again and on
ened fire anew, and IL seemed az n ions.
fierce fight we're about to begin
AT The very outset. however. grape
shot struck Roberts full i'm the throat
lie sank down upon gun carriage: h.
mad received his death blow. One Of the
crew, not noticing the wound. and think
ing that he had collapsed from fear.
shouted to him with an oath 10 rise a-d
hight. But in moment. seeing that Rob
erts was dead, he burst into tears. and
cried out that he wished the next sho;
would send him after his Captain. The
crew, recalling desire that Roberts had
often expressed. Immediately threw the
tfaA bbAJ 0hEa Bbufts uifErNQ rs il WIS
in it's rich clothes and ornaments
The death Of their leader took the spirit
out OF the pirates. For q little they fought
in half-hearted way. TN their ship be
ing disabled they threw down their arms
aud surrendered Here also several o.
the more reckless ruGlans tried 10 blow
up the ship rather than Yield They mad
for the magazine with lighted matches
Il 3 ..-ft
that their comrades over-rowerea them
ana prevented the catastrophe. The pi-
rates were put into chains. transferred 90
the swallow. and carried for trial TO Cape
COIso. There were IN all about 20 o.
them captured In the Two ships. Of thess
- were condemned and executed. "a were
acquitted, q were sentenced 20 ipptisoH-
ment, and the remainder either died o.
we're ether wise accounted for.
one n struck. IN reading over ire names
and ages OF the pirates. by The fact thar
most OF them were very young men. 81
the 81 who were hanged. - we're undeT
thirty years Of age. Twelve ~ thera were
mere youths, nineteen. tWeuty-one. o.
tWenty-three years o. age ana only elgEr
OF them we're more than thirty-hVe year
old
We know something also % the way iH
which these desperadOes n8et their death
Most Of them went 10 the scanOid Eiih
reckless indifference. some OF them Gith
curses and blazphen1y Oh their lips
Heaven. sou foOit' said one Of them
20 a conrade. who Rad shown SOM signs
Of belated repentance did you ever aes~
Of any pirates going th!thcr? Give ne
hell it's q merier place. Iii give Roo
erts a salute OF fourteen guns a. en-
trance
4 few Of the pirates became sincerely
pen.tenf. and spent their last 9sys in
prayer and reading the Scriptures ipces.
sanity. One o. Ihem Gang 4 Psalm a.
the foot Of ihe gall0Bg. Another, a young
man o. twenty-six. gave a snort speech.
ia which he beWaiIcd hls fvii doing and
exhOrted the fpecfst0rs % beware ~ the
tempfs tloHs 20 witch he had sJcruuib@d.
and 70 take warning from hiz uutime.y
and miserable end.
Carlsas Pocket HaadksfehIsf.-
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