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

~ and infantry alike. The pirates fol-
lowed up this advantage, but il was only
after three hours fighting that the Span
iards retired defeated. leaving 600 dead
and wounded on the field. The pirate
loss was heavy.
Panama at that time had 1000 fine resi-
dences. seven monasteries, two cathe-
drals. one convent, one hospital DO
warehouses and a lot of handsome pub
lie buildings. To terrorize the people
Morgan at once set fire to the larger
buildings. The fire burned for four
weeks. Immediately after setting the
principal buildings afire he sent looting
parties through the city. Had these men
paid strict attention to the duties 20
which they were assigned a rich treasure
would have fallen into their hands, but
they gave themselves up to debaucheries
and before they turned their attention to
looting again the kings plate and the
jewels and wealth of the richest men in
Panama. together with a vast amount OF
gold ingots and the gold and valuable
ornaments of the cathedrals, had been
loaded on a galleon. in which also sailed
the women of the convent.
For three weeks Morgan practiced on
the unfortunate people OF Panama all the
inhumanities. all the terrible crimes he
had visited before upon the people of the
other cities he had sacked: then, when
some OF his men threatened to mutiny
and sail the Pacific in search of the
treasure ship. he gathered up all his
plumber. and. with about 600 prisoners,
mostly women. he left what had been
Panama and started back for Chagres.
The only way to recover the prisoners
was by ransom. Some were ransomed,
but not many.
Near Chagres Morgan halted his pirate
army and divided the spoils OF Panama
The part that each man received was far
below expectations. and there were open
charges that the master pirate had rob-
bed his fellows. According to the pirate
code there is no higher crime. So grave
gan reached Chagres he did not tarry
long. but getting aboard his flagship
sailed away. Only four OF the other ves-
sells followed him. The remainder of the
armada struggled back across the gulf
within the next few months. some of the
vessels hating at unprotected towns
along the seacoast to pillage.
The sacking Of Panama was a serious
blow to Spain. For a time 1t paralyzed
Spanish trade and commerce along the
Pacific coast. Morgan. who went from
Jamaica to London. was received as a
hero and was knighted by King Charles.
He did not remain in England long. but
was back in the gulf soon again. His
wonderful success had filled him with
ambition to climb to q height never be-
fore reached by a pirate. He dreamed of
winning Cuba from the Spaniards and
commanding the whole of the gulf and
of making himself emperor of the West
Indies. But his old men would not trust
him after the division OF the loot OF
Panama. and when. finding that piracy
was waning, owing to peace between
England and Spain. he became Deputy
Governor Of Jamaica, he took a fiendish
delight in hanging. bastinadoing and Wis
iting the most excruciating punishments
upon such pirates as came before him
for trial. Terrible as he was as a pirate,
he was almost as terrible as a governor
Never did he seem SO happy as when
infiicting suffering on others. There are
half dozen stories OF his death, all
apocryphal. One has him hanged in Eng
land. One has him bound to a rock in
the Caribbean sea and his eyes plucked
out by vultures while the tide rose to
ingulf him.
Another and probably better authority
has him dying at a good old age peace
Copyright. 1909. by Richard spillans.)