The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1913-09-26
THE PIRATES
LAST BATTLE
The Black Buccaneer, Victim
of a Terrible Vengeance.

wife, who was coming out to him from
England, it being their intention to
settle in the new country. A ship was
seen making slow headway up the
stream. and Maynard. thinking the
vessel to be the Theds, in which his
wife had sailed from London. took
boat and was pulled down to meet her.
A terrible shock awaited him. The
vessel was not the Thetis but the Eu-
ropa. and she brought the news that
the former vessel had been captured
by Edward Thatch, pirate, common
ly called Blackboard, and all ON board
had perished.
Thatch had for some time infested
the const, running his plunder into
Bathtown, N. c.. where he had gained
the protection of the governor by di-
viding it with him. The governor of
Virginia had been appealed to with a
view TO getting rid of the buccaneer
and when this last outrage was perpe
trated stood ready to act He furnish
ed two slOops. the war vessels fur
nished the crews. and Lieutenant May
nard was placed in command of an ex-
pedition to hunt down Blackboard.
One day in November the sloops
weighed anchor and sailed away down
the river, followed by the prayers of
the sturdy settlers of the town and
tlieir comrades on the warships. No
one doubted that if Lieutenant May
ranpI fnl In with fhA 90 l,A
ocean he would either bring him back
alive or dead or would never come
back himself And they were right
Maynard had been married but
short time before his ship had sailed
from England to girl he worshiped.
and both, being of an adventurous spir-
it, had laid their plans to make a home
in the new world. From the moment
he heard of her death he knew but one
sensation, and that was to be revenged
upon her murderer.
Four days after the expedition sail
ed the pirates were sighted in an inlet
near Bathtown. AS it was nightfall
Maynard anchored to wait for light by
which to get at his enemy. When 1t
came Thatch made an effort to escape,
but in doing so ran aground. May
nard saw that he had his enemy at
disadvantage, since. being in a fixed
position, he could neither maneuver
nor get away. Maynard tried to get
near the pirate, but drew too much
water. Throwing out the ballast from
the sloop In which he was he finally
came within close range.
On the pirates deck stood Thatch.
His bushy black beard. from which he
derived his name, was tied up with
ribbons, the ends of which were
thrown over his ears. On his head
was fur cap with lighted match on
either side. Across his shoulders were
slung three brace of pistols. In
harsh voice he hurled words of def
ance, to which Maynard replied that
he would soon board him. which was
the only offensive method at his dis
posal, since he had no guns. The an.
swer from the pirate was broadside.
which put out of the fight twenty of
Maynard's crew and nine on his sup
porting ship.
Maynard, thirsting to get at the de-
mon, ran close up alongside his ship.
Suddenly shower of hand grenades
fell on the sloop, and before the crew
could recover from the blow Black
beard and fourteen Of his followers
were on the British ships deck
Maynard and Thatch rushed togeth-
err Hand to hand they fought, now
with sword, now with pistol. But,
since the one barrel weapon of that
day was exhausted in single shot
and six of them were but equal to one
revolver of the present, 1t was but
few minutes before nothing remained
to them except their swords. Thatch
fought for his life. Maynard only for
revenge. Time and again he luckily
escaped death from his enemy's cut
lass. His sword broke, and it seemed
that he must fall before Blackbeard's
still perfect steel. But he fought on
with what remained of his blade.
thrusting, cleaving, hacking.
II was terrible sight, those two
men, the one possessed by demon of
cruelty. the other demon of revenge.
struggling In death grip,
AT last the pirate. who had managed
to get hold of loaded pistol, stagger-
ing under dozen wounds. while cock
Ing 1t fell dead. The end had come.
and 1t had come for the pirates. Every
man of them jumped overheard and
cried Tor Gusrter They We're taken in
to be reserved for different ending.
Five or six days later the settlers OF
jamestown and the crews OF the war
ships saw sails down the river recog-
nized the sloops and waited anxiously
the results of the expedition. When
they came nearer, on the end OF the
bowsprit of the foremost vessel was
deaths head, the head of Thatch, the
pirate. with Its CHASTITY, sunken eyes,
its llvid flesh, its black beard tied up
In ribbons. Then they knew that the
lieutenant had wreaked his vengeance.
SO much for Blackboard. What re-
manned was for his crew. When the
lieutenant ana his men had been con,
graduated hangdog looking lot con
sisting OF thirteen pirates were taken
out from the hold In irons. rowed