The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1913-01-30
The Pirate Ship
Sea Horse
BY ALBERT KENYON


beth of England the British navy wa
not all a government institution. a
now. The greater part consisted o
merchant vessels, armed and licensed
to prey on Spanish vessels. At tina
time the Spaniards were bringing I'm
mense treasures from Mexico an,
Peru.
Consequently some very rich prize
fell into the hands Of the English PR
vateersmen. To capture a ship con
tanning a million dollars in gold anC
appropriate the plumber, though legiti
matized, was akin to piracy.
When the war ended the business OF
these masters of privateers was ended
alsO-that is, its legitimacy ended
Really It was continued as piracy
Among the British sea captains who
passed through such a transition was
Edward Gregory, in command Of the
Sea Horse. She spOrted a wooden
horses head at her Prov, and a dozen
| guns bristled on either side. But this
was only when she had thrown off the
mask Of merchantmen. When sup
posed TO be peaceful she was the most
innocent looking vessel afloat. Not a
gun was to be seen, and she presented
none Of the rakish appearance of a
corsair.
Captain Gregory for a time after the
war between Spain and England had
ended confined his attention TO his old
enemies, but since lie had turned nj
rate, considering that he might as well
hang for a sheep as a lamb, he proved
upon the ships Of all nations, including
his own. Those Of his crew whose
consciences were too tender for this
kind Of warfare he had got rid of. ex-
cept one young man, his second Off
Ger, whom he had brutally punished.
This person, Jack Causland, resolved
to remain with the captain with q
view to bringing him to the gallows.
One day or the banks Of Newfound-
land the Sea Horse fell In with the
Penguin, a vessel bound for the new
colony OF Virginia, as the coast from
North Carolina to Canada was then
called. 1t contained persons going to
settle on Chesapeake bay. Suddenly
the Sea Horses sides were opened and
the guns were run out. The captain
OF the Penguin hoisted the British flag.
taking the Sea Horse for an English
ship, but 1t did not protect him. He
was captured and he and all his crew
and passengers except gentleman and
his family were made to walk the
plank. The reason for his sparing
these was that Jack Causland told him
that he had known the family, that
they were very rich and could be made
to pay large ransom.
Captain Gregory interviewed Ernest
Wharton, the man reserved for ran
som, and demanded a hundred thou
sand pounds ransom. Wharton replied |
that he was poor country squire 60 |
ing to settle in the wilds Of America. |
He was, however, younger son Of an
earl who would doubtless pay largely |
for his ransom, but he did not believe |
his father could raise nearly half the |
sum. Causland told Gregory that he
knew all about the earrs affairs, and
be was one of the richest men in Eng
land. He advised the captain to dou-
BILE his demand.
The great obstacle In the way Of ne
gotiating for a ransom was a messen-
ger. CORTLAND agreed for half the
plumber to take the risk of going to
the earl and presenting the situation.
II the latter caused his arrest his son
md his sons family would Gle. Con-
he would not likely be in
'ormed upon. The captain had only
me cause for objection to the plan
hat was, Could he trust his emissary?
Jausland had been permitted to leave
he Sea Horse with others of the crew
when she went into piracy regularly,
,ut he had chosen to remain and was,
therefore,, as much subject to the glib
yet as any Of them. After much DELHI
ration Gregory resolved to trust him.
The prov of the Sea Horse was turned
oward England, and after a two
weeks sail came in sight Of land. Be
ng peaceful looking craft she excited
10 suspicion, and, speaking a vessel
'ound in, Jack Causland was put
board of her. He had with him in
ormation as to the Sea Horses exact
'osition each day and night for a
month.
Captain Gregory did not like such
ear proximity to the admiralty courts
( his native land, but he had no suspi-
ion whatever of treachery on the part
( Jack Causland. But so long as he
vas unrecognized he feared nothing,
nd those who might have recognized
i'm had all walked the plank.
But one dark night he was awakened
y sounds on deck and, springing from
Is berth, ran up the companionway
, find his ship in possession of British
ailors, led by naval officers, and,
TRANCE to say, there among them was
ack Causland. He saw at once that
e had been betrayed, fred a shot at
Is emissary, missing him, and sur
endered.
This ended the career of Captain
regory and his ship the Sea Horse.
ausland had kept his resolution to
ang his captain and was present when
Q was swung of. Causland had no (
lmculty in establishing his own inno-
snce. Indeed, his giving up his share {
large ransom to bring the pirate to