The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1925-03-18

other spot in the Antilles. For 80 year
after the buccaneers were driven fror
st. Kits 1t was such a stronghold 70
the brethren of the sea-" that eve
the mighty king of Spain, with all hi
ships and men, could not break it uI
Tortuga the Headquarters.
In its prime, when it was the head
quarters Of the buccaneers, this sinl
| Of the West Indies was spoken of a
1.-The common refuge of all sorts o
wickedness and the seminary, as
were, of pirates and thieves" though
1t was admitted that the outlaws them
selves lived together in orderly fash
ion, without bolts or bars on theil
| doors.
The reason for the choice of Tor
tuga as resort lay in the fact that
its harbor was easily defended, an6
that 1t gave an easy access to the
Mona and Windward passages, the
usual routes followed by the ships OF
Spain in their voyages to and from
Cartagena, Porto Bello and Vera Cruz.
Here the freebooter had home; on
the beach he careened his ships and
divided his pieces-of-eight, and in
the town of Cayona he set up such
lares and penates as he had, rested
from his labors, and cursed or swag-
gered over his luck. In the later days
of piracy 1t became the seat of opera
lions of the French corsairs, the Eng
fish repairing to Jamaica.
It was in Tortuga that the men who
thought 1t their right to prey upon
the commerce of Spain acquired the
name Of buccaneers. One of the chief
reasons for the choice of Tortuga as
q pirate colony was its nearness to
Haiti and the bucans, or cattle from
which they could obtain their meat
supply. The meat was cut into strips
and hung from frames over a slow fire
to smoke.
The Indians, who taught the settlers
the process, called both the place
where the curing was done and the
dried meat itself bucan, and as the
usually presented
bloody and forbidding appearance, they
we're termed buccaneers.
In the latter half of the Seventeenth
century Jamaica was the stronghold Of
he English buccaneers. Morgan, the
greatest and most sagacious of the pi-
.ates, planned. most Of his expeditions
n Port Royal, which had the reputa-
ion of being the richest and wicked
.st spot on earth. And proud the city
vas Of its notoriety.
Cartagena and Panama.
The destination of most of the
hips which sailed from Spain to
america was Caftagena. a town on
he northern coast of Colombia. Its
massive stone walls survive to
peak their strength in the early
lays. The wealth of the western
cast of South America was gath
red first at Panama, then hauled by
rules across the isthmus and deposit
d at Porto Bello, near the mouth of
lie Cascajal river, until it could be
lipped to Cartagena; thence it was
lken out, through the Caribbean sea,
cross the Azores and home.
Every year there was gathered In
Id Panama the riches Of the Incas-
liver bullion. silver plate and pre-
Gus stones-god from the mines at
ana, the richest In America at that
me. and pearls from the Pearl river
the Gulf of Panama. just to the
est of the Gulf Of San Miguel. Old
anama, founded in 1918. was the me-
opolis o. the Isthmus then asfNew
anama is today. 1t was probably the
chest place In all America, since it
est coast. as well as for the spices
ID silks of the Orient. and It kept In
UGH with the towns along the east
'ast through the Chagres river.
1t was able to hold its own against /,
enemy expeditions until 1t was de- :
-oyed. In 1911, by Henry Aiargap
mama City was founded few miles
rther west. D
Where desolate ruins are how, Snc- I
ere fiourished city reputed to have
population Of 10000. Its 200 houses
European elegance and 5000 of
: common kind. its mint. its hos b
al, Its hundreds of warehouses. its !,
thedral. its eight converts and the &
lg's stable. made 1t the equal or +,
, superior Of anything to be found O.
the two continents. Portions Of :,
, old Gold road. along which the -
v bells of the heavily laden mules "
ID to tinkle. can still be followed for :"
les toward Porto Bello, though In -
ny places 1t becomes an almost un- IL
ognizable trail through the forest 9