The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1923-11-30
gun haa ever boastcd, before or

gan--has ever boastcd. before or
since,
In Tortugn, during the months ho
spent there rcflttlng the three ships
no had captured from tho fleet that
had gone out TO destroy him. no found
himself almost an object OF worahlp
In the eyes OF the wild Brethren OF
tho Coast. all OF whom now clamorcd
for tho honor OF serving under him.
II placed him In tho rare position OF
being able 10 pick and choose tho
crews for his augmented fleet. and
he chose faBtidiously. when next lac
sailed away II was with n fleet Of five
fine ships in which went something
over n thouaand men. Thus you be.
hold him not merely famous, but
really formidable. Tho three cap,
tured Spanish vessels no had re.
named with n certain scholarly
humor the cloiho. Lnchcsls and Afro.
pos. "a grizzly jocuias manner OF con.
yeying to tho world that no made
them tee nrbltors Of the fate OF any
spaniards no should hcnceforth en-.
counter upon tho seas.
In Europe tho news OF this feet,
following upon the news OF the Span,
luh admlrals defeat nj Marachybo.
produced something OF sensation.
Spain and England were variously
and unpichsantly exercised, and "
you care TO turn UP tho diplomatic
correspondence exchanged on the
Eubject. you will find that II Ia con.
adorable and not always amiablc.
And meanwhile In the Caribbean.
tho Spanish Admiral Don Miguel de
Esplnosn might be Haid--to use a
term yet invented In his dny-~to have
run amok. The disgrace into which
he had fallen nr n result OF the dis.
asters suffered NJ the hands OF Cap,
tain Blood had driven tho admiral all
but mad. II Is Impossible. II we dis.
pose our minds impartially. 10 with.
hold n certain sympathy from Don
Miguel IIato was now this unfor.
tunato mans daily bread. andNtho
hope OF vengeance an obsession 20
his mind. AZ u mailman he went
raging up and down tho Caribbean
sklng his enemy. and In the mean
ses. ~ nm hors.d'ocuyre 10 his vim.
time as LbsJie. - fell upon nny
dictlye nppetns - ns, - that loom.
ship OF England or Franz. -.
ed above his horizon. -
need say no moro 10 convey the
fact that this illustrious sea captain
and great gentleman Of CASTLE had
lost his head. and became
pirate In his turn. The supreme
council OF CASTLE might anon con.
denim him for his practices. But how
should that matter 20 one who nj.
ready was condemned beyond 70.
dcmptlon7 on tho contrary. II he
should live 10 lay the audacioua and
lncffsble Blood by the heels. IL was
possible that Spain might view hiu
present irregularities and earlier
losses with moro lenicnt eye.
And so. reckless OF the fact that
Captain Blood was now in vastly Su.
perior strength. the Spanlard sought
him up and down the trnckiess seas.
But for a whole year no sought him
valnly. The circumstances In which
eventually met ARE very curious.
An intelligent observation OF tho
facts Of human existence VIII reveal
10 Shailow.mInded folk who snecr NJ
the use OF coincidence In the arts OF
fiction and drama that lifo itself Ia
little more than series OF coincl.
dcneen. open tho history OF the past
at whatsoever page you will. and
there you shall find coincidence al
work bringing about evcnis that the
mercst chance might have avcrted.
Indeed. coincidence may DO defined
a. tho very tool used by Fate 10
shape tho destinies of men and ma.
tons
Observe II now at work In tho AZ
fairs OF Captain Blood and some
others.
On tho 18th OF September OF the
year isss--s memorable year In the
annals OF EnElaEd-thrco ships were
afoat upon tho Caribbean. which In
their coming eonjunctions were 10
work out tho fortunes Of several per.
soHA
Tho first OF thcso was Captain
Blood'a flagship tho Arnbeiia, which
had been separated from tho buc.
cancer fleet In hurricane off the |
Lesser Antilles, In somewhere about
" degrees n. lat. and ~ degrees
Long. she was beating up for the
Windward Passage. before the inter.
mittent southeastcrly brcezcs OF that |
sitting season. homing for Tortuga,
The natural rendezvous OF the dis.