The Book of Pirates and Highwaymen Read Free Page B

he got ashore, when the first object he saw being a poor shepherd, he had the cruelty to beat out his brains with a stone, and then to take his clothes. These malefactors sometimes hang thus, three, four, and sometimes five days alive. The pain generally produces a raging fever, wherein they utter the most horrid imprecations, and implore the relief of water, or some small liquors.

    Adventures of Morgan, The Prince Of Free-booters
    Morgan was the son of an opulent Welch farmer; who, by the ferocity of his character, the strength of his mind, the extent and duration of his achievements, as well as by his success, has perhaps surpassed all the other freebooters.
    He at first embarked as a common sailor; in which capacity he went to Jamaica, and in a short time became connected with the West Indian corsairs. By one of their commanders, an old freebooter named Mansfield (who was likewise an Englishman), he was patronised; and in a little time so distinguished himself by his brilliant actions, that Mansfield appointed him his vice-admiral, and died soon after, in 1688. This was the era of Morgan’s first enterprises. None of his comrades disputed the command with him; and he shortly became possessed of the means of rendering himself, in consequence of his singular genius and intrepidity, one of the most famous chieftains of the free-booters.
    After he had made some successful cruises, he persuaded his men not to squander their money foolishly, but to reserve it for great enterprises. To this suggestion many of them acceded; and, in a few months, he had a fleet of twelve sail, of various sizes, and seven hundred men; with whom he visited the southern parts of the island of Cuba, and determined to attack Puerto del Principe, which was situated in the interior of that island, at some distance from the southern coast.
    It may not be irrelevant here to state a few brief notices concerning the island in question. Cuba, the largest of the Antilles, is two hundred French leagues in length, by fifty in its greatest breadth. It contains several mountains, in which are abundant mines of copper, silver, and gold. The city, which Morgan purposed to attack, was opulent, populous, and at a distance from the shore; and, till the present period, had been preserved from being plundered by the pirates.
    There was on board their fleet a Spaniard, who was an expert swimmer, and who effected his escape by plunging into the sea. By this man the governor was informed of their plan. He therefore hastily took defensive measures, alarmed the inhabitants, and marched with eight hundred men to meet the free-booters. He merited a better fate. After four hours desperate fighting, his forces were completely defeated, and himself lay dead on the field of battle. The city continued to defend itself for some time; the inhabitants barricaded their homes, and fired from the windows. Their efforts were in vain. The free-booters threatened to set their city on fire, and massacre their women and children. They were constrained to surrender.
    Morgan was extremely vexed to find that, during the battle, they had carried off their most valuable effects. The tortures inflicted upon them could not compel them to disclose where they had concealed them. The little that remained in the town was regularly plundered. All the Spaniards of both sexes, including even children at the breast, and also the slaves, were shut up in the church, where most of them perished with hunger. The pirates required a double ransom of them; one for their persons, if they did not wish to be transported to Jamaica; and the other for their city, if they wished to save it from total destruction. Four prisoners went into the woods, there to collect the sums exacted, either from the inhabitants or by other means. They returned soon after, with assurances that the whole should be paid; they requested only a respite of fifteen days, which Morgan granted. But on the following morning a Negro was brought to