The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-03-18
RECENT PUBLICATIONS.


Maurice Thompson once said he felt 4
little ashamed of some of his early liter
AIRY productions because he feared hey
contained too much blood and thunder"
THE King of Honey Island just repub-
lished. is a little sanguinary in places. but
it is one of the most thrilling and inter
esting stories ever written of the days
when pirates ruled the delta of the Missis-
sippi and when those who ruled the buc-
cancers were counted among the best peo-
cutthroats as Rameau. LATTE, MurreIl
and Copeland could not have 1ourishec
ac long as they did but for friends and
protectors in New Orleans, who warned
them of movements of the authorities and
acted as fences for the booty taken
by the pirates. Maurice Thompson's long
residence in the region of which he wrote,
his familiarity with its legends, his knowl-
edge of the country and the creoles who
lived there, enabled him TO write a ro-
nance that probably contains as much
truth as fiction. Some of the characters
may be fictitious or disguised, and the
scenes may be overdrawn, out enough facts
remain TO entitle the story to be called an
historical romance. The description OF the
tattle OF New Orleans-that memorable en-
ia III OIL " allaa AOAcS F-NN
the immortal but profane, jackson
routed the British army-is a graphic bit
of WORD picturing. OF course, everybody
knows the battle should never have been
fought. Tor the treaty of peace had been
signed at Client on Dec. "A, fifteen days
previous to the fight, but there were no
cables III those days, and in consequence
the British lett two thousand OF their
number lying in the swamps and lost Gen.
fackenham and other famous officers,
while the Americans had but seven men
killed and Civ vrntrndAH Mrrph of the credit
OF Jackson'S brilliant achievement was due
To the freebOOters, VINO had been induced
TO take service under him. They 1ought
like devils This point Is made prolnl-
nent III the story. Without the ala OF
OF the daredevil class New Orleans prob
ably would have fallen into the hanus OF
the enemy. The chief characters III the
book are:
Pierre Rameau, the King of Honey
Island (who was also known as Colonel
Loring, but whose real name was Kirk
Mccullough, a noted pirate and murderer
who pulled General Jackson's nose in a
coffee house, who braved the whole city
OF New Orleans by entering a theater and
aSSaultlng Lieutenant Ballanche, and VINO
finally went over to the British and Was
MORALLY wounded in the great battle.
jules Vernon, one OF the richest men of
the times, about whom there was much
mystery and whose word was law among
the ROBBERS and riff-ran. He fed from
Scotland after committing some offense
and settled in New Orleans. His real
name was Mccullough. and he was the
father of Pierre Rameau, but did
not learn the p~iratical king Was
his son until shortly before The
battle. 1t was Vernon who induced
the 'forbans," river rats and
thugs to fight under Jackson. BY his sec
ond wife he had a daughter named Paul
inc, who married Burton Fairfax, an art
list, after peace had been declared. Fair
fax had several encounters with Rameau,
ard was wounded early in the war after
Gischarging a cannon that moved down 4
line of British soldiers.
Alexander Max Burns, a Scotch preacher,
whose daughter had been enticed from
home and murdered by Rameau, and who
The old preacher, when he learned his
daughter had been killed, vowed VEN
geance. His experiences were tragic, but
he did not kill Rameau, though he FASTENED
his death. Burns fell dead just as the life
OF the King of Honey Island ebbed away.
Vasseur, a creole and retired pirate,
who was robbed by Rameau and spent the
remainder of his life trying to Kill the
king" but was kicked to death by tho
pirate leader.
General Jackson, bluff, q-uick-tempered,
with explosives always on tap, but a tightc,
and q leader of men.
Lieutenant Ballanche, Jackson's conf.
dante and most trusted officer, who mar
RED the lovely Mile. De Sezannes after
playing a conspicuous part in the stirring
events of the period.
Enos Peavy, an eccentric scout, whose
trusty Mary Ann" a famous rifle, picked
eff several British officers.
Madame Souvestre, a handsome, rich
young widow who nursed Fairfax wher
the latter was wounded and fell in love
with him, and who donated her wealth &C
the church and entered a convent wher
she learned the artist had given his heart
to Pauline Vernon.
The book is illustrated. CT. w. Dillingham;
Company, New York.