Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-31

When Henry Morgan reached Jamaica
the piracy business had developed to such
an extent that II spread out from the sea
to the land. Some Of the pirate captains
when they or their crews got impatient
waiting for treasure ship, would swoop
down on Spanish city and sack it. This
sacking of cities seems to have appealed
particularly to Morgan as the surest and
most remunerative branch Of piracy.
1t was not until he had taken three trips
out of Jamaica and served apprenticeship
as an ordinary fighting man that Morgan
won the confidence of his fellows. Then
four or five of them Joined him in buying
a ship, of which he became captain, and
he started out. He had a very successful
voyage and brought several prizes In to
Jamaica. His success was so pronounced
that Mansvelt, who at that particular
time had great reputation as a pirate
chief. and who was organizing an expedt-
he would join him. Morgan accepted. and
with fleet Of fifteen vessels and so fight
Ing men Mansvelt swOOped down and
captured st. Catherine, Costa Rica. 1t
base from which he could ravage the
Mexican and Caribbean coast and prey
upon the rich freight that came across the
isthmus. Leaving force to hold st.
Catherine. Mansvelt returned to Jamaica
and proposed to the British governor TO
send recruits TO garrison the fort. The
governor refused, but after Mansvelt left
he secretly sent the troops. When they
got there. however, the Spanish had re-
captured the fort. Mansvelt, meanwhile,
had died suddenly, and the whole expedi-
ton was a failure. The scheme of Mans
welt appealed strongly to Morgan, however
and he laid a plan before the merchants
Of Virginia and New England to go back
to nj ~fv,~ ~, =
hold 1t II the merchants would equip sew
eral ships and supply several hundred
men. The merchants refused.
With no spoils from the Costa RIGA ex-
pedition, the pirates were in a desperate
position. They had to do something, and
Morgan. as the new leader, was eager
that II should be an undertaking that
would bring to him not only profit, blu,
fame. He got together a fleet of twelve
vessels with 700 men. To his captains he
proposed an attack upon Havana, blu,
they protested that 1t was foolhardy.
Havana at that time had 10000 families
and was strongly fortified. 1t was not
only the largest city in the western hemi-
sphere, but the richest.
Morgan was too insecure In his leader
ship 10 overrule his captains. SO he com.
promised by agreeing to attack Puerto
del Principe. This town was some dis
lance from the sea and never had been
bothered by pirates. SO II was reasonable
to expect that II would be surprised with
out trouble. But there was a Spaniard
among the pirate band. and when the
fleet neared the landing place he swan
ashore in the night and alarmed the in
habitants. Instead of surprising the city
Morgan and his men had a fOur-hOur bat
tie before they overpowered the inhabi-
tants Once the victory was won Nor
gan herded all the men. women and chill
dren and also all the negro slaves in the
churches, while his men busted them
selves looting the city. They did not get
as much as they expected, for the resi-
dents had received the warning in time
TO hide most OF their valuables. To make
the people confess where their riches
were .ecreted Morgan subjected them to
all sorts Of torments. Searching parties
too. were sent through theScountry about
for plumber and provisions. No water OIL
food was allowed to the suffering
wretches cooped up in the churches, Nor
gan swearing he would let them all die
OF starvation and thirst unless enough
money was raised to ransom the city
When most Of the people in the churches