The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1903-02-19


Of others were sailing 800 years ago the
very seas now patrolled by England
and Germany, and they were fearless
ly pillaging and plundering right and
left.
This piracy lasted from 1000 to 1850,
during which time England and France
wore at almost continuous war with
Spain.
The richest of all the towns and
cities of the Spanish Main in those
days were La Guayra. place called
Gibraltar, which to-day is nothing
more than a miserable village of huts;
Maracaibo and Merida. in Venezuela,
and Peurto Bello and Panama, on
either side of the isthmus. Here, since
the days of Cortez and Pizarro, the
merchandise coming from Spain and
destined for the colonies of Ecuador,
Peru and Chile on the south. and
Mexico on the north. and the gold, sill
yer, emeralds and other products from
the colonies intended for shipment to
Spain were handled. the entire six
cities forming a cluster of distributing
and collecting points for the products
of some of the richest countries ON
earth. These towns were full of mer-
chants. Maricaibo being n settlement
of Christianized Jews, and all of them
were fabulously rich.
1t was in 1854 that Francis L'Olon-
nois, the most intrepid Of the bucca-
neers. gathered a fleet and set sail for
Peurto Cabello. then a mere pirates
resort, from which point he fitted out
and proceeded toward Maracaibo.
A short time before he started on the
Venezuelan expedition the Governor
of Cuba sent a man.of-war against
him, with instructions to show L'Olon-
nois and his crew no quarter. The
latter was lying off Haiti, and ascer-
tanning the location of the Spanish
ship, armed himself with meat cleav-
er, and telling his men that he would
give them lesson in bravery, left with
one companion for the hostile vessel.
Climbing on board he surprised and
killed the sentinels on guard, and. go-
ing below among the sleeping officers
and crew, he, single handed. beheaded
them one by one. placing the cleaver
to his lips and tasting the blood as he
despatched them one at time.
This feat stands unparalleled for
daring and courage.
Henry Morgan, a Welshman. the
greatest of the English buccaneers.
was n different sort of man from
L'Olonnois, but as great n rogue.
1t was in the year 1867 that Morgan
undertook what turned out to be one
of the most remarkable naval engage
ments ever fought, and which is of in
terest to Americans owing to the fact
that the conditions were almost exactly
the same as those which prevailed in
the Santiago fight, of the late Spanish
American war. Maracaibo had been
sacked in 1854 by L'Olonnois. but had
recovered from the shock, and in 166S
was again very rich town. Like San
tiago, in Cuba, it is situated on the
shores of n long bay or lake. having
a very narrow mouth-so narrow. in
fact, that one ship could almost block
it.
Morgan entered this peculiar bay
with three ships. stormed the town and
took the fort. His entire command en-
tered the building and We're making |
merry with some wine which the gar
rison had left. when Morgan stepped |
outside to take view of the place.
The city was deserted, but Morgan |
sent 100 men into the woods TO hunt |
up the fugitives, who with their wealth |
were secreted in the forests round
about.
They returned with thirty men and
women. This was kept up for days,
and the most inhuman tortures were
employed to force these unfortunates
TO confess where they had hidden their
wealth. Some were broken on the
rack, while others were tied and burn
ing torches placed between their fin
gers.
Weary of scenes of bloodshed and
but, to the dismay of his crew, found
the entrance to the harbor blocked by
three Spanish warships in the same
manner that the fleet of Cervera was
Dlockaded in Santiago harbor. They
had also rebuilt the fort at the mouth
]f the harbor.
Undismayed Morgan coolly removed
he plunder and prisoners from his
argest vessel to the smaller ships OF
mis- feet, and filled it with all the gun
powder, pitch, tar, rosin and other COM
;ustibles that he could find in Mara.
,aibo. Then he mounted wooden can
lon about over the vessel and covered
he decks with posts dressed to resem-
Die men. Having finished all this he
sent word to the Spanish commander,
stating that unless he paid heavy
'ansom for Maracaibo he would burn
he place TO the ground.
The Spanish Admiral replied that
lnless he surrendered In three days he
would enter the harbor and pay the
'ansom in lead.
This brought matters to a head. and
iext morning Morgan sailed down the
iarbor, single file. after the manner of
ccrvera, leaving Santiago harbor, the
iummy ship leading, In charge of
'ew resolute men. who, at a signal
rom Morgan, were to apply the match
o the fuses and escape in a small boat
o the other ships.
When the Spanish Admiral saw the
irst vessel of Morgan's squadron COM |
ng out OF the harbor and heading d.
ectly toward him he sailed In to meet /
I'm. graphing and making fast to the !