The pirates own book : $b authentic narratives of the most celebrated sea robbersEllms, Charles
History
The pirates own book : $b authentic narratives of the most celebrated sea robbers
Ellms, Charles
Pirates
Commodore, in this movement, was not to open an indiscriminate or
destructive fire upon the town and inhabitants of Quallah Battoo, but to
show them the irresistible power of thirty-two pound shot, and to reduce
the fort of Tuca de Lama, which could not be reached on account of the
jungle and stream of water, on the morning before, and from which a fire
had been opened and continued during the embarkation of the troops on
their return to the ship. The fort was very soon deserted, while the
shot was cutting it to pieces, and tearing up whole cocoa-trees by the
roots. In the afternoon a boat came off from the shore, bearing a flag
of truce to the Commodore, beseeching him, in all the practised forms of
submission of the east, that he would grant them peace, and cease to
fire his big guns. Hostilities now ceased, and the Commodore informed
them that the objects of his government in sending him to their shores
had now been consummated in the punishment of the guilty, who had
committed their piracies on the Friendship. Thus ended the intercourse
with Quallah Battoo. The Potomac proceeded from this place to China, and
from thence to the Pacific Ocean; after looking to the interests of the
American commerce in those parts she arrived at Boston in 1834, after a
three years' absence.
THE ADVENTURES OF CAPTAIN CONDENT
Captain Condent was a Plymouth man born, but we are as yet ignorant of
the motives and time of his first turning pirate. He was one of those
who thought fit to retire from Providence, on Governor Rogers' arrival
at that island, in a sloop belonging to Mr. Simpson, of New York, a Jew
merchant, of which sloop he was then quarter-master. Soon after they
left the island, an accident happened on board, which put the whole crew
into consternation. They had among them an Indian man, whom some of them
had beaten; in revenge, he got most of the arms forward into the hold,
and designed to blow up the sloop; upon which, some advised scuttling
the deck, and throwing grenade shells down, but Condent said that was
too tedious and dangerous, since the fellow might fire through the deck
and kill several of them. He, therefore, taking a pistol in one hand,
and his cutlass in the other, leaped into the hold. The Indian
discharged a piece at him, which broke his arm; but, however, he ran up
and shot the Indian. When he was dead, the crew hacked him to pieces,
and the gunner, ripping up his belly and tearing out his heart, broiled
and eat it.
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