Willmar tribune., 1904-08-03

&H 8 HE pirate vessel Re
venge was now bound
= to the coast of the Caro-
linas and Virginia, and perhaps even
farther north, If her wicked fortune
should favor her. The growing com.
merce of the colonies offered great
prizes in those days to the piratica]
cruisers which swarmed up and down
the Atlantic coast To lie over for a
time off the coast of Charlestown was
Capt. Bonnet's immediate object, and
to get there as soon as possible was
almost necessity.
The crew of desperate scoundrels
whom he had gathered together had
discovered that their captain knew
nothing of navigation or the manage
ment of ship, and there were many
of them who believed that II Black
Paul had chosen to turn the vessels
bows to the coast of South America,
Bonnet would not have known that
they were not sailing northward. Thus
they had lost all respect for him, and
their conduct was kept within bounds
only by the cruel punishments which
he inflicted for disobedience or gen.
eral bad conduct, and which were rem
dered possible by the dissensions and
bad feelings among the men them
selves; one clique or faction being al
ways ready to help punish another.
Consequently, the landsman pirate
would speedily have been tossed over.
board and the command given to
another, had it not been that the men
were not at all united in their opin-
Ions as to who that other should be.
There was also another very good
reason for Bonnet's continuance in
authority; he was good divider, and.
so far, had been a good provider. If
he should continue to take prizes, and
to give each man under him his fair
share OF the plunder, the men were
likely to stand by him until some good
reason came for their changing their
minds. So with floggings and irons.
ON deck and below, and with fair
winds filing the sails above, the Re-
venge kept on her way; and, in spite
OF the curses and quarrels and threats
which polluted the air through which
the stout ship sailed, there was al
ways good-natured companionship
wherever the captain, Dickory, and
Ben Greenway found themselves to-
gether There seemed to be no end
to the questions which Bonnet asked
about his daughter, and when he had
asked them all he began over again.
and Dickory made answer, as he had
done before.
The young fellow was growing very
anxious at this northern voyage, and
when he asked questions they always
related to the probability of his get.
ting back to Jamaica with news from
the father Of Mistress Kate Bonnet.
The captain encouraged the hopes of
an early return, and vowed to Dick.
ory that he would send him to Span
tsh Town with letter to his daughter
just as soon as an opportunity should
show itself.
When the Revenge reached the
mouth Of Charles Town harbor she
stationed herself there, and in four
days captured three well-laden mer.
chantmen; two bound outward, and
one going in from England.
Thus all went we'll, and with willing
hands to man her yards and a proudly
strutting captain on her quarterback,
the pirate ship renewed her northward
course, and spread terror and made
prizes even as far as the New England
coast; and II Dickory had had any
doubts that the late reputable planter
Of Bridgetown had now become a
veritable pirate he had many oppor-
tunities of setting himself right. Bon.
net seemed to be growing proud Of his
newly acquired taste for rapacity and
cruelty. Merchantmen were recklessly
robbed and burned, their crews and
passengers, even babes and women,
being set on shore in some desolate
spot, to perish or survive, the pirate
cared not which, and If resistance were
offered, bloody massacres or heartless
drownings were almost sure to fol-
low, and, as his men coveted spoils
and delighted in cruelty, he satisfied
them to their hearts content.
Il tell you, Dickory Charter" said
he, one day, when you see my daugh-
ter want you to make her under
stand that I am real pirate, and not
playing at the business. She's brave
girl, my daughter Kate, and what I
do, she would have me do well and not
half-heartedly, to make her ashamed
Of me. And then, there is my brother
an-law, Dslaplaine. I don't believe
that he had q very high opinion Of me
when I was plain farmer and planter,
and want him to think better Of mo
pow. A bold, fearless pirate cannot
ne looked upon with ddsrsspect. = : #.s. a.s. z.
Dickory groaned IN his heart that