The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1905-07-28

| OF the hard climb before them and th,
haste that was required they wished
to be burdened as lightly as possible.
Their horses were brought along I'm
the train OF the viceroy's party, which
moved out upon the open road to the
pass at the same time These last went
Forward with great ostentation the
rorlorn hope secretly, lest some from
| the buccaneers might be watching.
| Inc nifty volunteers We're to ascend
the mountain with all speed, make thei.
way along the crest as best they could
until they came within striking dis
tance of the camp Of the pirates; then
they were to conceal themselves In the
woods there, and when the viceroy
made a feigned attack with the main
body of his troops from the other side
or the mountain they were to leave
their hiding place and fall furiously
upon the rear Of the party. Fortunate
~ they were not required to ascend
such path as that Alvarado had tray
ersed on the other side, for there were
not fifty men In all Venezuela who
could have performed that tremendous
feat or Volunteering. The way to the
summit OF the range and thence to the
pass was difficult but not impossible.
and they succeeded after an hour or
two of hard climbing In reaching their
appointed station, where they conceal
| ed themselves In the woods unobsery-
| ed by Teach's men.
| The viccroy carried out his part Of
the programme with the promptness of
| soldier. Alvarado'S men had scarce
| ly settled themselves In the thick un-
| dergrOwth beneath the trees, whence
they could overlook the buccaneers in
camp on the road below, before shot
from the pirate sentry who had been
posted toward Caracas called the fierce
marauders to arms. They ran to the
rude barricade they had erected cover
ing the pass and made preparation for
battle. Soon the wood was ringing
with shouts and cries and the sound Of
musketry.
Although Teach was n natural soldier
| ana L'Ollonois an experienced and
| prudent commander, they took no pre-
| caution whatever to cover their rear.
Tor such thing as an assault from
| that direction was not even dreamed
| Of
Alvarado and De Tobar, therefore.
| led their men forward without the
slightest opposition. Even the noise
they made crashing through the under
| growth was lost in the sound of the
Dnttie and attracted no attention from
| the enemy. 1t was not until tbcv
burst out into the open road and charg-
Ell forward, cheering madly, that the
| buccaneers realized their danger. Some
OF them faced about only to he met
by murdcrouS discharge from the Dis
| tolls OF the forlorn hope and the next
| moment the Spaniards were upon them.
The party holding the pass were the
picked men, veterans, among, the ma
raltders. They met the onset. with ire
! mendous courage and crossed blades In
the smoke like men, but at the same
| instant the advance guard of the main
army sprang at the barricade and as-
saulted them vigorously from the other
| size. The odds were too much for the
buccaneers, and after Il wild melee, In
! which they lost heavily, the survivors
| gave ground. --.-.-a--...---. -.,--..-..
The road Immediately below the pass
| opened on little plateau, back Of
which rose Il prccipitous wall Of rock.
Ihlther such of the buccaneers rs were
| left alive hastily retrcated. There were
perhaps dozen mon able to use their
weapons. Among them Teach was the
only officer. L'Ollonois had been cut
down by De Tobar in the first charge.
The Spaniards burst through the pass
| and surrounded the buccaneers. The
| firearms Oh both sides had all been
discharged, and in the excitement no
one thought OF reloading. Indeed, with
the cumbersome and complicated weap-
| ons then in vogue there was no tune,
and the Spaniards, who had paid dear
ly for their victory, so desperate had
been the defense Of the pirates, were
faln to finish this detachment in short
order,
| "iield" cried Alvarado, as usual In
the front ranks Of Ills own men, You
are hopelessly overmatchcd" pointing
with dripping blade to his own and
the viccrOy's soldiers rs he spoke
"Shall we get good quarter?' called
out Teach.
a splendid specimen he looked Of an
| Englishman at bay in spite Of his wick
| ed calling, standing with his back
| against the towering rock, his bare and
bloody sword extended menacingly be-
fore him, the bright sunlight blazing
upon his sunny hair, his blue eyes
| sparkling with battle lust and deter
mined courage. Quite the best of the
pirates, he!
you shall be hung like the dogs you
are" answered Alvarado sternly.
| Wed rather die sword In hand. Eth,
| lads?'
AYE, ayev'
Come on, then, senors," laughed the
Englishman gallantly, saluting with his
| sword "and sec how hraNely we Eng