Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1924-10-17
Copyrighted. 1922. by Rafao, sabatini

half mile of the Boca Chica and
little more than half a mile from
the remainder of the feet, and
from their TANKS flame and smoke
were belching each time they
swung broadside to the great
round fort that guarded that mar
row entrance. The fort, although
returning the fire vigorously and
Yiciously, was suffering badly. Yet
for all their maneuyering the buc-
cancers were not escaping punish
ment. The starboard gunwale OF
the Atropos had been hammered
into splinters, and a shot had
caught her astern in the coach.
The Elizabeth was badly battered
about the forecastle, and the Ara
bella's maintop had been shot
away, whilst towards the end Of
that engagement the LachesS
came Keeling out Of the fight with
shattered rudder, steering her
self by sweeps. There was a ter
rife explosion; half the fort went
up in fragments. A lucky shot
from the buccaneers had found the
powder magazine.
1t may have been couple OF
hours later when Captain Blood,
as spruce and cool as if he had just
come from a leyee, stepped upon
the quarterback of the Yictorieuse,
to confront NJ. de Rivarol, still In
bedgown and nightcap.
Il have to report, NJ. le Baron,
that we are in possession of the
fort on Boca Chica The standard
OF France is flying from what re-
mains Of its tower, and the way
into the outer harbour is open to
your feet.
you behold there the scene OF
our coming action 1t is spread be-
fore you like map"
Blood pointed out the fort at the
mouth Of the inner harbour and
offered a plan Of certain victory
with Cartagena's gold insured the
invaders.
At noon on the morrow, shorn Of
defences and threatened with bonn
bardment, Cartagena sent offers OF
surrender to NJ de Rivarol. The
plumber was enormous. In the
course Of four days over hundred
mules laden with gold went out Of
the city and down to the boats
waiting at the beach to convey the
treasure aboard the ships.
CHAPTER XIV
THE HONOUR OF NJ. DE
RlVAROL
During the capitulation and for
some time after, Captain Blood and
the greater portion of his bucca-
neers had been at their post on the
heights Of Nuestra Sonora de la
Poupa, utterly in Ignorance Of what
was taking place Resentment
/ smouldered amongst his men for =
while, to flame out violently at the
end of that week in Cartagena It
was only by undertaking to voice
their grievance to the Baron that
their captain was able for the mo-
ment to pacify them. That done,
he went at once in quest of NJ. de
Rivarol.
M. lie Baron, l must speak frank
ly; and you must suffer it, My
men are on the point of mutiny.
They demand to know when this
sharing OF the spoil is to take place,
and when they are to receive the
/ fifth for which their articles pro-
vide. The men know that 1t ex-
| ceeds the enormous total Of forty
millions. They insist that the
treasure itself be produced and
/ weighed in their presence. | warn
you that unless you yield to a de-
mand that l consider just aud
therefore uphold, you may look for
trouble, and it would not surprise
me If you never leave Cartagena at
all, nor convey a single gold piece
home to France"
Gam to understand that you are
threatening me?'
You do not know the ways Of
buccaneers. If you persist, Carta-
gena will be drenched in blood, and
whatever the outcome the King Of
France viii not have been well
served"
The end OF it all was that NJ. de
RiVarol gave a promise at once to
make the necessary preparations,
and if Captain Blood and his Of
icers would wait upon him on
board the Victorieuse tomorrow
morning the treasure should be
produced, weighed in their pres
ence and their fifth share surren-
dered there and then into their
own keeping.
Among the buccaneers that night
there was hilarity over the sudden
abatement of NJ de RiyapoPs mon
strous pride But when the next
dawn broke over Cartagena, they
had the explanation OF it, The only
ships to be seen in the harbour
were the Arabella and the Eliza
beth riding at anchor and the Afro
pos and the Lachesis careened Oh
the beach for repair of the damage
sustained in the bombardment The
French ships were gone.
Blood was reduced to despair. II