Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-05-18

4M conference in the patio with o the viceroy and the others, AL varado and De Tobar marched out with their fifty men. They had dis carded all superhuous clothing; they were unarmored and carried no weap- ons but swords and pistols. In view of the hard climb before them and the haste that was required they wished to be burdened as lightly as possible. Their horses were brought along in 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 forlorn hope secretly, lest some from the buccaneers might be watching.
 The fifty volunteers were to ascend the mountain with all speed, make their way along tie 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 yiceroy made feigned attack with the main body of his troops from the other side of the mountain they were to leave their hiding place and fall furiously upon the rear of the party. Fortunate ly they were not required to ascend such path as that Alvarado had trav- ersed on the other side, for there were not fifty men in all Venezuela who could have performed that tremendous feat of mounteering. 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 unobserv: ed by .Teach's men.
 The viceroy carried out his part of the programme with the promptness of a 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 a natural soldier and L'Oilonois an experienced and prudent commander, they took no pre- caution whatever to cover their rear. for such a 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 battle and attracted no attention from the enemy. IL was not until they burst out into the open road and charg- ed forward, cheering madly, that the buccaneers realized their danger. Some of them faced about only to be met by a murderous discharge from the pis- tols of the forlorn hope. and the next moment the Spaniards were upon them. The party holding the pass were tho picked men. veterans. among the ma. rauders. They met tXe 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 side. The odds were too much for the buccaneers, and after . wild melee, In which they lost heavily, the survivors gave ground.
 The road immediately below the pass opened on a little plateau, back of which rose a precipitous wall of rock. Thither such of the buccaneers as were left alive hastily retreated. There were perhaps a dozen men 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 on 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 DO time, and the Spaniards, who had paid dear. ly for their victory, so desperate had been the defense of the pirates, were fain to finish this detachment In short order.
 "Yieldw cried Alvarado, a usual in the front ranks of his own men. You are hopelessly overmatchedw pointing with dripping blade to his own and the viceroy's soldiers as he spoke.
 Shall we get good quarter7'' called out Teach
 A splendid specimen he looked of an Englishman at bay in spite of his wick cd calling. standing with his back against the towering rock, his bare and bloody sword extended menacinsiy b. 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. be.
 You shah be hung like the dogS you are" answered Alvarado sternly.
 "we'd rather die sword in hand ID. lAds.-
 ~Aye. aye-
 Come on. then. senors." laughed the Engiishman gallautly. saluting with his sword. and see how brsvely we Eng lish can die when the game b played