TRAGEDIES OF THE SEA.

NZ Truth, Issue 159, 4 July 1908, Page 7

TRAGEDIES OF THE SEA.

Haflg^d with S_veh^otli

b.. the glad Wters of ' the darl-.iiliie.sea, Oqj^hearts as bounding, and put souls as ■ ' -free ■ ■"■•■ ■■ - '■■- , ',•-'. - Jffar as the billows 'roll, and beei-S foam, Behold bur empire, ard out hoiaev . , , • ;.;■' — Byron's 5

a' desperate ru-__ah' ol tiie bad old days was John Gow, a native of one of the . Orkney Islands . At the time our story opens , Gpw had '- been ' appointed second -. mate pt tlie ship George Galley, bound from Glasgow to Santa' Cniz. Some complaints having been made before: the -vessel •quitted port pr the ' insufficiency of the provisions given, to the crew, ' the captain took libtle notice of themf. In fact, it wks hot till the George Galley had been some days at sea that* the captain learned, too late, the mistake' ox wl_icK" ;Be had • • been' -'''guilty s The f belies of /disconteAt. which had beeii already exhibited were sooh fanned into a . flame, and at length it/ lieoame. 'necessary for tiie captdiri./bhief /mate, /and;] surgeon ■ \i : ff-- i: "'fy-fiir- fr'- ''.■■'* : y'y-' W i^S^^^S^ / Gow; wiibsb . oi second) j mateal_o include! tiiose-;-b£ gunner;: /was ordered tO>/^lean ,^ie small arms nece___ry;J titiW' purpose •;*;'• hut/ -beiiig'a 'party- to .&:■. conspiracy, Avhich . existed among -his shipmates to seize the- 1 .- vessel-, pc communicatetlythe order to his 'fellows, and it .was def tefmihed tof- put , their project into execution forthwith. ;' Between 9 and^ 10' o'clock at night the signal" was giveh;/ and "the cohspirartors, going, to the cahiltis ofi --the -j chief mate, / fiuigeoh, ■ ahid: : silji)ercargb; cut. their throats whijte>thp. Wfi-Q asleep. JThe cap%ain Vran.iipbh^ecte/to ascenTain , the cause off thel boise,- when he was immediately seized, and ./though - her made a desperate ;■ resistfethcei was nuicMy killed.. 'The : bbdies/bf the murdered, meh ,were then v.-i-iflfrow-n:' bverboattl, , and ; Gow- was selected • as the new ;Capt_i_;. TH6 mutitteers'ass^ deck; _, their 'determination ■,, to >/,co_o_nience buccanoeting was, soon formed, ;_hd some of the'seamfea who /had hesitated tb .beCpmb liarties t»% 7 %-\ /TJEM3 DIjA_3(^IQAL MURDER; v ,of their officers, w«re given , the al~ "' tcniiative. of ./ jbiniti«/.;br .Jbeing< murderedlikewise.i A fellow named Williams, ol.a mqS^t brutal; disposition, ' was chosen jas;/ Heutieiiant, 'anriy the •..name'" ; ;Of->%«: : /^hip-'^'w^':oh!apBed. r to several guns, they stwred^tpTviaxds Portupjal, expecting tb'lVmake^ a capture bf . wi r Ep, of : wliib?i t^^,wre Tliev -'soon Made, pvibe- bi . am. English vessel, Jaden^ \Mth fish; bound frepi N wioundlahd/i-to/ ,C4diz> hut; having lib use for the cargo,, tfiev. took wit the captain and $6ur m eri, . powi /sim__ the.v^hip.; 'iytf. f'' ''}'.■'■ ■"y-'if"-'' Qiriißjof the seamen whom they took from the captured vessel was named'

James B^lyin, a naan a«i__iTably ca&- --"••; culated for iiheir pturpos.. f ■' by "'.'.', nature cruel^; asnid . ; „v . practice hardened mi that .jcruplbyv Being will* ins ;; to turn pirate, fbs was deemed;. toHbe am aotfuisi tidi* to, the ;' fcrawC as several of the v others to act from mri-ives* bf fear rather than of inclination. > .- 'fi. ",\r ■'. 's” <J-:if. '.- ■-' -.'" . The next sbijy taken brr ;___ pirates y was a Scotcfe sMp ,bonnd to Italy :*■ with pickled Berraigst but tJiis ; carpo, Kite the • former-, , be_uer pt ,fio use /fco them,, tiey: saaifc tte ; vessel

GOW THE BUCCANEER.-

Mttrders His Captain and Officers.

CAPTURED IN CALF SOUND.

iers at Execution Dtick;

after talcing out ' the men, arms, am* munition,' and stores. Cruising about for a considerable; time without any •further success, 'their water ran sliort. 'They sailed,- therefore, to .-a Portuguese settlement,, and on their .arrival 7 ...... '- '■ ;'■ . SENT, SOME PRESENTS? , tb the governor , intimating- their ; ■wants.' The, governor • treating > themessengers with civility, ' went on board^ the Revenge, where • he Was treated with respect . and attention. The boat which "had been sent for supplies, . however,.' hot .returning. Gtfw began to suspect that his men were: not safe, and threatened " to; murder .His visitors unless. 1 ' his de-' raands were complied '■■-. with. The terrified' governor soon assented to/ Grow's wishes* hy... ; ; , ■•'■' 'V' 'iftie. R-Verige af jjerwards made several/prizes, m one* oi, W'hioh they seirt^away the Scotch; captain and Ms crey^,: Shortly/ after,, meeting With fa- French vbssel; of . superior Vpower. (Zom refused. ,to light. Wil-: liams, ttte-ilieutehant, upbraided.- Mm , for. cowardice, v tind' . a -qiuarreV; taking ' pla.ce. hlei/Med to shoot, Gow. the| crew'. agre_^g, vnth'^e- latter., as,,to.the impropriety of^fighting.,, against; a force .so superior ;. to ; .their own,. Wiillfwnis w^as ■ ; soph secured and nlaced airiibiirgst* the other prisoners.:' The r ;Frerich r / ship; ;irot inblested; Soon" afifcerwards,' em .meeting, a;j J ship;, bound for Bristol. //■ . . ; ; * / ; -i^T,|ROBBEIJ f ?HER |< t of her stores -and^aia&uni^ion/ ahd, putting, their prisoners and/;'lrV l illiams\ bh board of her, -tlije* latter of whom tiiev di.reot&d^tK) be /given lip to, the, British authorities; they allowed her to gb. , .■' f.'::f-f' : - : ' : :'-' "'■' -~ ''■-•<.-• . -f. As sooff as; Ohio Bristol ship had disappeared;' 1 G-ovi* and., his crew re-, fleeted on their situation. They tfere apprehensive „that < when l intelligence. of. /their- piraci_s/ reached: Portugal; .some ships-would be sent m phase)* Gow proposed to'- sail to'; the Orkney - Islands, ; where He, ■; said; they . might/ idispd^e of -their;' £oods, and retire to live on the^.pr,oduce> ■-' Obnvinced by: .Crow's; argumtehts;/; ' the . crew;; /urged •him on. %®ndf, the - Revenge entered fchb >of tlie bays -of thplOrkneys, arid Proceeded to refit/, taie' sliip./, / ' TMs .step.was /fatal to ttieiru^terprise, for one Of .tlie hands, r wmy l^v-^-fn'^iH'fiigly; twined m 'the piratical //prboeedin'gs. ■ escape-, and gave^information of all . 'thaft/had occurred., "7V . t- • , itf btwdbhsitiiffiding these alarming oircumstances,- Gow was so careless., of /tyis own. safety .: that; he/ did' apt put to sea, but resolved to , . ; PLT^^;-T^ f of o tiie wealthy 'on the coast, to furnish himself 'with freali .provisions. / : In pursuance of <this»» ? be sent Ms bbatsvyadn^ahd ten armed men fco.theibpuse ;of; Honeyman, bi&h-sherifii (Of the county.- The matter -was ab'sent^hut the servants opehed' the itiotir without sustJi-icjn. ' \ 1 Nine iof tlie «ang went , into V the /house to search, while, the tenth re>mainted 'toh 'guard the door;. Mrs Hone_T__»_i <seo_ag ; the (fellow at the . door/ asked the meaning, when he' replied thai; they were .'pirates, ahd had/come to .ransack . the house. The ,linen^ pNbe,. s__d r other yjaluaiblb articles were tak£n, apd the ;pi;pa/te_ ■ cb__peilin& | one of the servants. to f play before! them on ' the. ''bn^nipes;- ;-

marched m triumph to, their ship. They. \ also carried oil two women whom \thcy met, and, detaining them on board two days, so^ ill-treated them . that one of them died soon after she was put ashore. This atrocious offence was no sooner committed than they sailed to Calf Sound, intending- to' rob tlwi house of oiie Fea^ an old schoolfellow of Gow's. Gow supposed that Fea could not have heard of the robbery at Honcym&n's but m this he was mistaken, although Fea, having his wife lying ill, did not. oppose him. Fea's house was near the sea shore. Only six' servants were' at homei when the pirates appeared. off tihe coast, and these^ were by no means equal ......-,• . / : yd . SUSTAIN A CONTiEST. But the tide' runs ! . high among these islands, knd beats . /with such force against ; the , rocks, 'that navigation ig'dang'erous. '- Gow, who had no bbats to assist ' him in-/ an emerr gencyv and was unskilled m the hajV-gation of these.. waters, made a blunder m 'turning < into the bay of * Calf Sound. iStanding too nea;r tho point of ttie small island called the Calf, /the vessel was m danger of being 'run ashore. Gbw immediately dropped anchor, but it was so 'near the, shore that the Avind could, not bring them off. He then sent a bloat with a letter to Fea, asking .the j'loan/;of aiibther boat, to assist m heaving off; the ship by carrying out" an' anchor., Gow assured Fea; in' the letter' that ''he; would injure no one. As Gow'St, messenger did, not' see Fea's. boat,' the latter gave him an pyasive answer,' and when- night . fell ordered his servants' -.to sinkliiis own bpat and ' •■; hide ; the sails. It ': was Ayliile, the ; servants : were doing so that five of the pirates, came ashore, '■ and came . tbwsird '} the houise. B'ea advanced;. towards, them with an as- : surance •■: of - f friehdshiD. v and . bee-ced that tfeey would riot enter the house, because./ of his-.-' ; wife'g.,»-Uihep's.'.' The KPatswain replied that they, didn't .wish to ''terrify Mrs. Fea. or' any ptHer person, hut that ; , ;the mos-T regorous treat-^ : :,?■':/ . ■:-•';:•:'; ' : MENT- . :-V ''."'■';..-' ■ ; 'mufet '/be expected if , the use of the. boat was denied them. , Fea represehted. lib w danger pus it would rbb to; ,'issist ; theni,;' on f account " .of the reports/ circujated to thbir >dis6redit. ; hut he offered tb entertaih them -_t an adjacent' alehouse. The* /pirates observing, that/ he; had no'/ r company* . accepted ,;the .invitation. In '^ the miean^hilp, Feai ordered his .servants to call -him' hastHy v out of the comnarty, which; they • When Fea . left, he directed, six men, yrell .armed, tb ) stjjjtiOh themselves behind a bed'ge, and, if they saw, him ," cominig along; alone .'with the boatswain, to .seize the laifctbr ; biit,. if ■ -he came with, all the five ( desperadoes, he vsadd I he would walk for\yard,/i-So as tp gives .theni ah .opportunity of firif.g . at them without ./his Vrunning the risk bf being wounded.^ ( - Fea then returned to ;the:;straaigers. whom he inyitted: to . his house y on y thp promise , of ( behaving peace-; ; a^lv. and • said he .would make them heartily welcome: They expressed a readijiess. to , attend him ; /m the hope ;of. getting a b^at ; but he told them ihe would rather have the .boatswain'scompany firsti-' and afterwards send for, them*. This, bping agref^i: to, tho boatswaiii set forward with : .TWO /BRACE OF PISTOLS, and wadlced with" Fea till they came to the hedge; behind whabh tl>e ser- '[ vants ' were* cbhcealed. "Turning ;quacklv.; Fea ; seized :. the boatswain by the collarj 'while • ; the ' others instantly i Overpowered the fellow. ' The b"oa,frswain/ ikng: rout -lustily, but Fea forced a handkerchief into his mouth r ' bound him haiid /and foot » and then ■ left. One of his J servants to' guard him, while he arid the rest went 'hack to the publicftouse. ':■. There being two doors to the house, they divided into two lots, and rushed m at once upon the', unsuspecting pirates, Tyhami they made rrisonc~3 ere they, could 'realize the • ■■?3»ltion. 'The captured! me__ were sent to an adjacent village,' and confined septarately. In the " interim, • Fea sent -messengers round' the island to acquaint the residents witli what, had been done ; to desire them t° haul, their boats on the beach, that . the pirates should not swim to and steal them ;- and to request that ©o person' would venture to . row: within reach oi . fc "^ Tffl PIRATES' <KJNS- .■ I The Revenge now "got into a position of still greater difficulty^ and m. order to -, get it out to sea some assistance -was, absolutely requisite. Gow's greatest efforts we're, therefore, made to' induce Fea to render Mm some,' aid, and the latter, by (holding oirt promises of, assistance, eventually succeeded m getting/ tbe whole of the piratical crew on shore, and .m securing them. The rascals were subsequently conveyed to London, j where, on 13ieir being examined, five of/ them were admitted as witnesses, whilst the' rest were committed .for trial, along with their old associate, Williams, who had been , conveyed to, by the ma^er of the Briscol shir>. Gow.^Williams, and six othera were' convicted, and received. | SENTENCE OF DEATg, .'while the remainder, who apn«axed 'tb have been the victims, rather, than compa/nions,, of ' the pirates, ; escaped ! The bahavior of Gow from the first. co_Q_nitment was • reserved and morose.,. ; He cbnsideted himself as an assured victim to ; the justice of the laws, nor; did he entertain any hope oFbeing admitted as a witness, as Fea -had vaguely, hinted to bim. When brought to trial he refused to nlead, inconsequence of /which" he was sentenced to be, pressed to death m the usual manner of the tiroiß. However, as the executioner was about to inflict punishment, Gow j begged to be taken back to the bar, and „ having there pleaded guilty. he was convicted on the same evidence ,as his accomplices. -.Gow, Williams, and six other^ were hanged at Execution Dock iv one batch on August U ' 172a - V v