The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1938-04-16
Key West Of Brawling Pirates,
Treasure, Wrecks Recalled
Fernando Roberts, 81,
Tells Vivid Tales OF Pic
turesque Exciting Days
When City Was Young


sandy beach, tall. square rugged
ships on their sides wrecked on
the reef, treasure in mangrove
swamp and sandy beach runs
through the mind of a pleasant,
old man at 8O3 Olivia street, Fer
nando Roberts. an 87-year-old in
habitant of Key West.
Mind you, | wasn't living
when pirates came into Key West
My father used to tell me what
they did, and that's how / got my
information, he carefully prem
i$ed his remarks with a view to-
ward historical accuracy.
Spanish galleons, coming from
Mexico and South America, Ell
Their sailed to the ocean side OF
the Virgin Islands if the winds
were favorable for that run or
went up through the Gulf Stream.
There were pirates laying in wait
for their rich cargoes either way.
Bloody Beach
At the foot of Greene street
/ where Navy Yard docks now are
there was wide sand spit. Here
the pirates brought their ships,
ran them up on the sand and
cleaned and painted their bot
toms. With the spars high in the
air and the ship OF its side, the
brethren of the coast" shared
their plumber, gold, bracelets,
gems. silks, rare woods. on the
sandy beach Then when the
days work was through they
would start drinking
1T would stand stout heart to
see what went on in the brawls
on that sandy pitt, Mr.. Roberts
said his parent told him in quot
ints tales from the hardy fisher
men who first inhabited this is
land. There were short knife
lunges and mans CUTS spilled
out on the sand. Sharp cuts were
made on bearded cheeks as a
flashing knife missed a vital spot.
Arms and legs and necks were
broken as they sprawled fighting
on the spit. Propped up with
old clothes under their heads,
many pirate bled out his life on
the white said. That spot has
seen horrors. Mr.. Roberts said.
As far as he knows, there was
only one of the early pirates who
ever became a permanent resi-
dent in the city. The name Of
that person, of course. was not
divulged by Mr. Roberts for pub
LEGATION. but he did say his home
remains beautiful old structure
in this city.
Hundreds of Wrecks
"Ten fathoms deep" along the
reef that stretches from Dry Tor
tuges to Cape Florida hullS of old
gulleons and square rugged sail
ing ships can be seen TO this day,
Mr.. Roberts said Above Cape
Florida they ran up on beaches
and old wrecks are buried deep
in the sand there. '+.
During a hurricane any ship
that is i'm the Gulf StrcaEf .tannbt
fail to run up on the Barrier reef
or on the sandy shore, Mr. Rob
erts continued, because there is
no anchorage in the Stream,
which will allow for driftage from
the flashing wind Many ships
were wrecked on an lnshorc tack
in beating up too close 10 the reef
to escape the main current of the
Gulf Stream.
In 1865. Mr. Roberts. then q boy
Of IA years. was caught IN hur-
ricane but safely anchored IN
Biscayne Bay, near an island
known as the Indian Hunting
Grounds, Sailing up of Key
Largo. Mr. Roberts saw - wrecks
ashore Off TaveTnIcr there were
three large sailing vessels, loaded
to the gunwales with cotton
which had spilled over and gone
far up on shore, on the reef On
q sandy beach above Cape Flor
ida q Spanish bark was up on
shore. One ship was driven So
far Up that az low tide a man
could walk around the stern Mr.
Roberts said.
Among the Key Largo wrecks
was q bark with brand ncw sails