Daring Deeds of Famous Pirates: True stories of the stirring adventures, bravery and resource of pirates, filibusters & buccaneersChatterton, E. Keble (Edward Keble)
History
Daring Deeds of Famous Pirates: True stories of the stirring adventures, bravery and resource of pirates, filibusters & buccaneers
Chatterton, E. Keble (Edward Keble)
Pirates
language, “shewed themselves men in deed, in working manfully with their
browne bills and halbardes: where the owner, master, boateswaine, and
their company stoode to it lustily, that the Turkes were halfe dismaied.
But chiefly the boateswaine shewed himself valiant above the rest: for
he fared amongst the Turkes like a wood Lion: for there was none of them
that either could or durst stand in his face, till at the last there came
a shot from the Turkes, which brake his whistle asunder, and smote him
on the brest, so that he fell downe, bidding them farewell, and to be of
good comfort, encouraging them likewise to winne praise by death, rather
than to live captives in misery and shame.”
[Illustration: GALLANTRY AGAINST ODDS
The Englishmen showed themselves men indeed against the Moors, especially
the boatswain, who was brought down by a bullet in his chest. But
overcome by numbers the brave crew were overwhelmed, and the survivors
condemned to the oars.]
Such was the fine gallantry of these brave men, but they were fighting
against heavy odds. The Turks pressed them sorely, and not one of the
company but behaved as a man, except the master’s mate “who shrunke from
the skirmish, like a notable coward, esteeming neither the valure of his
name, nor accounting of the present example of his fellowes, nor having
respect to the miseries, whereunto he should be put.” The rest of the
crew covered themselves with glory, but at length it was of no avail,
for the Turks won the day. Then, in accordance with the historic custom
of the sea, the crew of the _Aucher_ were placed in the galleys, set to
row at the oars “and they were no sooner in them, but their garments were
pulled over their eares, and torne from their backes,” for the galley
slave was always condemned to row stark naked.
At length the galleys reached their stronghold at the port of Alexandria,
which was well protected in those days by means of fortifications. The
reader will recollect that it was stated some time back that the sailing
season was confined only to the late spring and summer, and that in
the winter the ships were laid up. The close time now approaching, the
Christian prisoners were brought ashore at Alexandria and cast into
prison until the time came round again for the season of piracy. At this
port, says the Elizabethan chronicler, “the Turkes doe customably bring
their gallies on shoare every yeere, in the winter season, and there doe
trimme them, and lay them up against the spring time. In which road there
is a prison, wherein the captives and such prisoners as serve in the
gallies, are put for all that time, untill the seas be calme and passable
for the gallies, every prisoner being most grievously laden with irons on
their legges, to their great paine.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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