Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1906-03-30

Cazeneau and other more or less
prominent men. engaged in various
speculative schemes, some of them he
ing within the law and others outside
of it. The former included ventures
in trading, mining and Underwriting,
whilst among the latter were Snug
Cling and slave-trading. These opera
tons involved the ownership of many
vessels. together with the employment
of many men, and, taken as whole,
they were very successful.
Smuggling and slave-trading had
always been within the line of Laro's
occupations. and they were matters
to which he gave his personal atten-
ton, making many voyages to and
from the French and African coasts.
Then latterly, in addition to his
other nefarious pursuits. and under
cover of letters of marque issued by
one or another of the newly formed
South American republics, he preyed
lawlessly upon whatever commerce
came within his reach.
His own brigantine, the BLACK
Petrol" was Of remarkable speed,
heavily armed (ostensibly for its own
protection), and carried a crew con
tanning outcasts from all nations, but
skilful sailors and brave fighters. II
they captured ship flying the flag of
a hostile country, the prize was, ac-
cording to circumstances, taken into
port for condemnation or destroyed at
once But. whatever might be the
nationality of a richly laden vessel en-
countered by the BLACK Petrel," the
colors it flew had but little effect in
deciding it's fate, or that of its crew
In all these various schemes Lafitte
was an interested party; and, in ear
lier years, he had been an actuaf par
ticipant in prosecuting some OF them
his ability and skill being such that,
while still under twenty, he became
Laro's trusted lieutenant, upon whom
devoIved all duties to which the for
mer was unable or inadequate to give
his personal attention.
The tall, handsome lad of Langue-
doc. Paris and Toulon had developed
into man possessing rare gifts of per
son and mind together with store
of energy and resource which would
have won success in any avenue of
life. Himself a stranger to personal
fear. he was quick to recognize BRAY
cry in another, and his chivalrous ma
ture was never unresponsive to ap-
peals from his less fortunate fellows.
Such was Jean Lafitte at thirty and
such. in brief, had been his life during
this period-one so filled with events
and adventures as to make his earlier
years, and the actors in them, more
or less dim. according as they had
fixed themselves upon the receptive
element of his nature.
Even Laro. the bluff and picturesque
sailor who had exerted so strong an
influence upon the lad when they met
at LIE Chen Heureux, was hardly rec
ognizable in the crafty and unscrupu-
lous adventurer with whom later
years had made him so familiar, and
with whom he was now forced to be
in such close contact.
As for Bonaparte, he had become
Napoleon, the monarch to whom
crowns were baubles. and thrones
we're playthings; who had recast the
continent of Europe and opened a
new chapter in the history of France.
Jean had received no word from him
after the letter delivered by the
hands of Pere HuOt; and grievous
had been the boys disappointment as
the months passed without bringing
any sign of remembrance from the
man who was the one greatest love
of his life.
But his was strong and healthful
nature-buoyant and vibrant; and. as
the time went by, the acute edge of
his grief had been worn away, TO be
succeeded by feeling akin to apathy.
He had been forsaken by him whom
he loved: and accepting this as a
fact. he had relinquuished every hope
of a future reunion.
All this had its natural effect: and,
coupled as it was with a vague but
unchanging determination to follow
the career of adventure which had
been his boyish purpose in life, the
personality of Bonaparte became less
and less real. until all that remained
was a love which was in itself large
ly an abstraction.
Margot was still reality to him be-
cause of her representing so much of
motherly care. and by reason of her
ever manifested love, of which he had
found much to remind him in the I'M
obtrusive loyalty and devotion of
Pierre.
The latter was now the only tangi-
BILE tie connecting Jean LATTE with
bis acknowledgement brave Pierre.
sluggish in thought. but sound OF
Judgment and clear of purpose strong
of arm and mighty in action, who now.