THE SKETCHER. THE BUCCANEERS OF AMERICA.

Otago Witness, Issue 2086, 15 February 1894, Page 41

THE SKETCHER.

THE BUCCANEERS OF AMERICA.

It is about 200 years since the last of the Buccaneers fought bia last fight and the upholders of law and order finally triumphed in the West Indies— that is to say, it is two centuries since the game ceased to ba worth the candle, for up to the time of their disbandment at the close of the seventeenth century the Buccaneers were almost invariably successful in arms. " Tbe Brethren of the Coast " (which was their favourite name among themselves) are a much misunderstood body, the general impression nowadays being that they were nothing better than common pirates. Black sheep there were among them, but the great majority — at any rate, up to the year 1650 or thereabouts — were not only honourable warriors, but " a most religions godly company of seamen." Their respect tor " the Lord's Day " was a leading characteristic of the Englieh Buccaneers, as was occasionally proved in dramatic faßhion. Thus Captain Sawkins (one of the latest of the race), who was killed while attacking a Spanish stockade on the Isthmus of Darien, had such a regard for the Sabbath that he threw the dice overboard on finding that they were used on that day. Another filibuster— a certain captain named Daniel — shot one of his crew in church for behaving irreverently during the performance of MaBS. Daniel was a Catholic ; but the great bulk of the filibusters were Protestants, and hatred of the religion of Spain, and especially of the Inquisition, was perhaps the chief cause which banded together men of such diverse nationalities as English, French (exiled Huguenots), the " Gueux de la Mer " from the revolted Netherlands, Swedes, Danes, and Courlanders.

To do justice to the memory of these remarkable men has been the task of Messrs Swan Sonnenschein and Co., and they have discharged it by bringing before the public (in a large and handsome volume) records written by adventurers who took part in the deeds they describe, and whose unvarnished narratives are ample testimony to the truth of what they relate. Two years ago Messrs Sonnenschein reprinted from the edition of 1816 Captain James Burner's " History of the Buccaneers of America." The volume now before us is entitled in the first place " The Buccaneers of America," or more fully " A true account of the most remarkable assaults committed of late years upon the coasts of the West Indies by the Buccaneers of Jamaica and Tortuga, wherein are contained more especially the unparalleled exploits of Sir Henry Morgan, our English Jamaican Hero, who sacked Porto Bello, burnt Panama, &c, by John Esqnemeling, one of the Buccaneers who was present at those tragedies. Now faithfully rendered into English, with facsimiles of all the original engravings." Even this lengthy title does not exhaust the contents of the book, for to render the history complete the publishers have added to honest Esquemeling's record (which is a faithful copy of the edition of 1684) a reprint of the very scarce Fourth Part by Basil Eingrose (1685), containing the " Dangerous Voyage and Bold Attempts of Captain Bartholomew Sharp and Others," the whole being edited by Mr Henry Powell, who has also contributed a very scholarly introduction. By this time our readers will have gathered an idea of the curious and entertaining nature of the contents of this book, which, as far as externals are concerned, would be a credit to any publishing house, so well have printers and binders done their share of the work. HEROIC SPANISH GOVERNORS. One of the most vigorous pieces of writing in the book is the address to the reader by the English translator of Esquemeling's narrative, which was written in Dutch. The unknown translator, in setting himself to combat those who sought to belittle the deeds of the Baccaneers, by asserting that the Spaniards were despicable foes, gives more than one admirable summary of the unavailing heroi s m displayed by the subjects of his Most Catholic Majesty. We quote one passage : —

What examples can easily parallel the desperate courage of the Governor of Chagre, who, though the palisades were fired, the terrepleins were sunk inbo the ditch, the breaches were entered, the houses all burnt aboub him, bhe whole casble taken, his men all killed, yet would not admib of any quarter, bub chose rabher to die under his arms, being shot inbo bhe brain, than surrender himself as a prisoner unto the Buccaneers ? What lion ever fought to the last gasp more obstinately than the Governor of Porto Bello, who, seeing the bown entered by surprisal in bhe night, one chief castle blown up into the air, all the other forts and castles taken, his own assaulted several ways, and at last, the walls being scaled, the castle entered and taken, all his own men overcome by fire and sword, who had cast down their arms and begged mercy from the enemy, yet would admit of none for his own life ? Yea, with his own hands killed several of his soldiers, to force them to stand to their arms though all were lost. Yea, though his own wife and daughter begged of him upon their knees that he would save his life by craving quarter, though tbe enemy desired of

him the same thing, yet would hearken to no cries nor persuasions, but they were forced to kill him, combating with his arms in his hands, being not otherwise) able to take him prisoner as they were desirous to do. Shall these men be said to be influenced with cowardice, who thus acted to the very last scene of their own tragedies ? THE CRUELTIES OF L'OLLONAIS AND MORGAN. It must be confessed that in the very graphic accounts given by Esquemeling (who was twice sold as a slave), we road mor6 about tbe horrible atrocities committed by the Buccaneers than of their godly behaviour. The most infamous and bloodthirsty of all the tribe was a Frenchman named L'Ollonais, whose cruelties were so great that many killed themselves rather than fall alive into his hands. This is hardly cause for wonder when it is remembered that in a fit of rage this wretch, seizing his cutlass, slashed open the breast of a Spanish prisoner, then with his hands pulled out the heart of his victim, and at once fell " to bite and gnaw at it with his teath like a ravenous wolf." L'Ollonais met with the fate he so richly deserved. Being captured by the Indians, he was torn in pieces alive, his body being thrown limb by limb into the fire and his asbes into tbe air. The cruelties of Morgan, " Our English Jamaican Hero," were only a degree less atrocious than those of his predecessor. All the tortures used by the Inquisition were inflicted on his captives, the object invariably being to make the victims disclose where they had hidden their woalth. Having described how one unhappy Portuguese was put to the rack and otherwise ill-treated, the author proceeds thus to summarise tbe enormities committed by the future Governor of Jamaica (for that dignity Morgan attained) on other prisoners : — Several other tortures besides these were exercised upon others, which this Portuguese endured not. If with this they were minded to show themselves merciful to those wretches, lacerated in the most tender parts of their bodies, their mercy waa to run them through and through with their swords ; and by this means rid them soon of their pains and life. Otherwise, if this were not done, they used to lie four or five days under the agonies of death before dying. Others were crucified by these tyrants, and with kindled matches were burnt between the joints of their fingers and toes. Others had their feet pub into the fire, and thus were left to be roasted alive. At last, having used both these and other cruelties with the white men, they began to practise the same over again with the negroes, their slaves, who were treated with no less inhumanity than their masters. THE TAKING OF CHAGRE. Many instances of the desperate valour of the Buccaneers under Morgan are given. They knew that if captured they were liable to be burned alive, and fought sometimes (as at the Battle of Panama) with the courage of despair. Often they were surprised at their own Buccess. The fortified town of Ohagre fell into the hands of its assailants through a curious mischance : — One of the pirates was wounded with an arrow in his back, which pierced his body to the other side. This instantly he pulled out with great valour at the side of his breast ; then taking a little cotton that he had about him, he wound it about the said arrow, and putting it into his musket, he shot it back into the casble. Bub the cotton being kindled by the powder, occasioned two or three houses that were within the casble, being thatched with palm-leaves, to take fire, which the Spaniards perceived not bo soon as was necessary. For this fire meeting with a parcel of powder blew it up, and thereby caused greab ruin, and no less consternation to the Spaniards, who were nob able to accouufc for this accident, not having seen the beginning thereof. INDIAN MARRIAGE CUSTOMS. Wherever he went Esquemeling carefully studied the manners and customs of tbe Indian?, and as carefully noted them down. These interludes form a pleasing contrast to the tales of bloodshed. The marriage ceremonies among the Yucatan Indians are thus set down : — Whensoever anyone prebends bo marry a young damsel he first applies himself to her father or nearest relation. Having satisfied the questions that were pub to him by the father-in-law, he gives the young man a bow and arrow. With these things he repairs to the young maid, and presents her with a garland of green leaves, interweaved wibh sweet-smelling flowers. This she is obliged to put upon her head, and lay aside that which she wore before that time, ib being the custom of the country that all virgins go perpetually crowned with flowers. Afterwards the relations and friends meet together at the house of the damsel's father, and there they drink of a certain liquor made of maize, or Indian wheat. And here before the whole company the father gives his daughter in marriage to the bridegroom. The next day the newly-married bride comes bo her mother, and in her presence pulls off bhe garland and tears ib in pieces, with greab cries and bibber lamentations. CAPTAIN SHARP'S REWARD FOR A SUCCESSFUL CRUISE. Basil Ringrose, tbe writer of the adventurer of Captain Sharp, with whom he sailed, was captured by the Spaniards in the year 1680, bub escaped with his life, only to fall subsequently in a plundering raid. Ringrose, a humane man and a scholar, made Bhiffc on occasion to talk with the Spaniards in Latin. He and his companions were Buccaneers of the religious sort, and certainly committed no atrocities like those chargeable to Sir Henry Morgan. They met with considerable success in their sallies inland, and captured many cities in South America. On their return from one expedition, it was resolved to make a present to their captain. Under date January 28, 1682, Ringrose writes : — This afternoon we freed the negro who was our shoemaker by trade, giving him his liberty for the good service he had done us in all the course of this voyage. We gave also to our good commander, Captain Sharp, a mulatto boy, as a free gift ot the whole company, to wait upon him, in token of the respect we all were owing bo him, for the safety of our conduct through so many dangerous adventures. This being done we shared some small parcels of money that had not as yet been touched of our former prizes. Space forbids our giving any more extracts from this interesting volume. As a contribution to onr knowledge of one of the byways of history its value is great. The simple quaint stjle of RiDgrose and the more flowing periods of the Dutch Zee Roover (who having given up buccaneering, conceived a hoi 7 horror of such a wicked

calling) will fasoinate many readers. The student of history cannot afford to be without the book, while it will prove equally acceptable to the general reader.— St. James's Budget.