Evening star., 1933-01-01

cheer the crew sprang to their
guns. With deafening roar the broad
side thundered out, and through the
smoke those on the plate ship saw great
rents torn in the straining sails of the
buccaneer craft; they saw her lateen
miZzen yard break and fall in mass
of tangled rigging. But she still held
her course, and cannon belched from her
sides as she luffed into the wind and
delivered a broadside in return.
Screams, curses, groans, prayers arose
from those on the Spanish ship. Dead,
dying and wounded were sprawled upon
her decks; two guns were dismounted
and her bulwarks were in splinters. But
her spars were intact, her hull was un-
damaged; she had gained several hun
dred yards and the entrance to the
"hoca" was Just ahead. Seizing the great
ti1ler in his own hands, the captain
guided his ship between the treacherous
fangs Of coral With uplifted faces the
priests upon the stern gallery chanted
thanks to God for their deliverance from
the pirates.
Bafied, realizing it hopeless to pursue
the plate ship through the narrow chan
mel with the convoy just beyond, the
buccaneer captain-who was no other
than the Infamous Dutchman Wooden
Leg"|luffed his vessel sharply, cursed
the Dons and to ease his mind and ex-
press his feeling fired parting shot
from his long bow gun.
Perhaps it was mere chance; possibly
it was an exceptionally good shot. But,
whether guided by fate or the gunner's
aim, the screeching round shot moved
down the knot Of friars, tore through
the superStructure of the stern and shat
tered the Spanish ships rudder post
Instantly she yawed. Before an order
could be given she struck the reef with
terrific crash. Her masts went by the
board. Struggling to free themselves
from the wreckage of spars and rigging,
insane with terror, passengers and crew
fought madly to gain the one uninjured
boat. Few ever reached shore. Sharks
accounted for many. Others were
dragged down by their armor or their
weapons, and many were unable to swim
It was terrible catastrophe and could
not have been worse had the Santisima
Conception fallen prize to the Dutch
buccaneer. And it would have been far
better for Capt Ferara had he fallen in
battle. Driven insane by the tragedy, he
was taken in chains to Spain; but,
despite his mental state, he was tried,
convicted and beheaded!
Three centuries have passed since the
loss of the treasure-laden Santisima
Conception. But beneath the waters of
the "boca" the galleon's timbers, her
gaunt ribs, the broken stumps of her
masts may still be seen. And somewhere,
deep in the old coral-covered hulk, is all
that great treasure, all the gold, silver
and precious stones that escaped the
buccaneers only to sink to the bottom
of the sea.
Another treasure ship whose location
is known, and which was lost under
similar conditions, was the Todos Santos,
which fell victim to that romantically
inclined, picturesque, quixotic and deeply
religious buccaneer cavalier, the Sieur
Raveneau de Lussan. Cruising off the
Ecuadorean coast in the hope of picking
up prize, De Lussan sighted a Spanish
ship close inshore. The Dons knew that
the buccaneers were about and were
taking as few chances as possible by
hugging the coast, so that, if necessary,
they could dodge into some port. Bus
the Sieur de Lussan knew the coast as
well as the Dons did. He knew there
was no convenient harbor the Spaniard
could reach without proceeding on his
porthward course, and that the nearest