The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-02-22


w sion of hideous things in
which he shared actively. That he
wrote in the third person was un-
doubtedly due TO his desire to es-
cape the odium of being known as
pirate, and also the possible danger
of being punished for his crimes. Yet
more than once in his narrative un-
Willingly he betrayed himself. Indeed,
the zeal of authorship led him actually
to admit it. So, by his own words he
stands accused Of having been not
alone a spectator, but participant in
the sacking of Porto Bello and Pana-
ma. Hypocritically he deplored the
slaughter. the wholesale tOrturing, the
rapine and the debauchery which
marked the captures of those rich
Latin-American cities, yet 1t Is evil
dent that his own hands were as
deeply dyed with innocent blood. his
own pockets as heavily laden with
loot, as any perhaps among that MUIR
dering crew with which he served and
whose villainies he subsequently de-
nOunced.
For instance, in one place, where he
described Captain Morgan's mistreat-
ment of a captured Spanish lady, he
says:
81 myself was an eyewitness to
these things here related"
Right there the moralizing buc-
cancer historian convicted himself out
of his own mouth. For Morgan car
ried with him none who as onlOOkers
might afterwards be in position to
testify regarding his infamies. Those
who went with Morgan obeyed Nor
gan's orders and behaved after the
heartless example which Morgan set
for them. On that point we may be
very sure.
Trapped and Blown to Pieces.
Again, later on, when he reached
the point where Morgan treacherous-
~ sailed away, abandoning most of
his followers, Esquemling was guilty
of this second condemning slip of the
pen:
Captain Morgan left US in such
a lively representation of what re-
ward wickedness at the latter end of
life" aa.t r. sass
So, in reading the following extracts
from his chronicle, we should bear
in mind that we are reading the &C
counts of an actor and not merely
member of the audience.
!, There is scarcely line of this
story but seems literally to drip with
the blood of the victims. Here, near
the beginning of the chapter devoted
to the taking of Porto Bello is char
acteristic bit of bloodcurdling atrocity:
"Being thus posted under the walls
of the castle Ian outpost of the forti-
fications) Captain Morgan commanded
sentry whom he had taken prison
er to speak unto those that were with
in, charging them to surrender and
deliver themselves up to his discre-
tion-Otherwise they should be all cut
to pieces, without giving quarter to
anyone. But they would hearken to
none of these threats, beginning in
stantly to fire; which gave notice
unto the city, and this was suddenly
alarmed.
"Yet, Notwithstanding, although the
governor and soldiers of the said cas-
tie made as great resistance as could
be performed. they were constrained
to surrender unto the pirates. These
no sooner had taken the castle but
they resolved to he as good as their
words, in putting the Spaniards to the
sword. thereby to strike terror into
the rest of the city. Hereupon, having
shut up all the soldiers and officers
as prisoners into one room, they in
stantly set fire to the powder (where-
of they found great quantity and
blew up the whole castle into the air,
with all the Spaniards that were
within.
Ladders of Death.
"This being done, they pursued the
course of their victory, falling upon
the city. =. One party of the
pirates, being assigned to this pur-
pose, ran Immediately to the cloisters
and took as many religious men and
women as they could find"
The purpose Of this rounding-up of
nuns and priests and monks was very
soon made manifest. For, having
failed to take the inner citadel by as
sault and by the nse of wands flung
over the walls. and having suffered