In the early part of June I sailed from Philadelphia in the schooner
Mary, on a voyage to New-Orleans. My principal object in going round by
sea was the restoration of my health, which had been for many months
declining. Having some friends in New-Orleans whose commercial
operations were conducted on an extensive scale, I was charged with the
care of several sums of money in gold and silver, amounting altogether
to nearly eighteen thousand dollars. This I communicated to the captain,
and we concluded to secure it in the best manner our circumstances would
admit. A plank was accordingly taken off the ribs of the schooner in my
own cabin, and the money being deposited in the vacancy, the plank was
nailed down in its original place, and the seams filled and tarred over.
Being thus relieved from any apprehension that the money would be found
upon us in case of an attack from pirates, my mind was somewhat easier.
What other articles of value I could conveniently carry about with me, I
did so. I had also brought a quantity of bank notes to the amount of
fifteen thousand dollars. Part of these I caused to be carefully sewed
in the left lapel of my coat, supposing that in case of my being lost at
sea, my coat, should my body be found, would still contain the most
valuable of my effects. The balance was carefully quilted into my black
silk cravat.
Our crew consisted of the Captain and four men, with a supply of live
stock for the voyage, and a Newfoundland dog, valuable for his fidelity
and sagacity. He had once saved his master from a watery grave, when he
had been stunned and knocked overboard by the sudden shifting of the
boom. I was the only passenger on board. Our voyage at first was
prosperous, and time went on rapidly. I felt my strength increase the
longer I was at sea, and when we arrived off the southern coast of
Florida, my feelings were like those of another man.
It was towards the evening of the fourteenth day, two hours before
sun-set, that we espied a sail astern of us. As twilight came, it neared
us with astonishing rapidity. Night closed, and all around was
impenetrable darkness. Now and then a gentle wave would break against
our bow and sparkle for a moment, and at a distance behind us, we could
see the uneven glow of light, occasioned by the foaming of the strange
vessel. The breeze that filled our canvass was gentle, though it was
fresh.
We coursed our way steadily through the night; though once or twice the
roaring of the waves increased so suddenly, as to make us believe we had
passed a breaker. At the time it was unaccountable to me, but I now
believe it to be occasioned by the bark behind us, coming rather near in
the darkness of the night.—At midnight I went on deck. Nothing but an
occasional sparkle was to be seen, and the ocean was undisturbed. Still
it was a fearful and appalling darkness, and in spite of my endeavours I
could not compose myself. At the windlass, on the forecastle, three of
the sailors, like myself, unable to sleep had collected for
conversation. On joining them, I found our fears were mutual. They all
kept their eyes steadily fixed upon the unknown vessel, as if
anticipating some dreadful event. They informed me that they had put
their arms in order and were determined to stand or die.
At this moment a flash of light, perhaps a musket burning priming,
proceeded from the vessel in pursuit, and we saw distinctly that her
deck was covered with men. My heart almost failed me. I had never been
in battle, and I knew not what it was. Day at length dawned, and setting
all her canvass, our pursuer gained alarmingly upon us. It was evident
that she had followed us the whole night, being unwilling to attack us
in the dark.—In a few minutes, she fired a swivel and came along side.
She was a pirate. Her boat was lowered, and about a dozed hideous
looking objects jumped in, with a commander at their head. The boat
pushed off, and was nearing us fast, as we arranged ourselves for giving
her a broadside. Our whole stock of arms consisted of six muskets and an
old swivel used as a signal gun, belonging to the Mary, and a pair of
pistols of my own, which I carried in my belt. The pirate boat’s crew
were armed with muskets, pistols, swords, cutlasses, and knives; and
when she came within her own length of us, we fired five of our muskets
and the swivel into her. Her fire was scarcely half given, when she
filled and went down with all her crew. At this success we were inclined
to rejoice, but looking over the pirate schooner, we observed her deck
still swarming with the same description of horrid looking wretches. A
second boat’s crew pushed off, with their muskets pointed directly at us
the whole time. When they came within the same distance as the other, we
fired, but with little, if any effect. The pirate immediately returned
the fire, and with horrid cries jumped aboard of us. Two of our brave
crew were lying dead upon the deck, and the rest of us expected nothing
better. French, Spanish, and English, were spoken indiscriminately, and
all at once. The most horrid imprecations were uttered against us, and
threats that fancy cannot imagine.
A wretch whose black, shaggy whiskers covered nearly his whole face,
whose eyes were only seen at intervals from beneath his bushy eye-brows,
and whose whole appearance was more that of a hell-hound than of a human
being, approached me with a drawn cutlass in his hand. I drew one of my
pistols and snapped it in his face; but it flashed in the pan, and
before I could draw the other, the pirate, with a brutality that would
have disgraced a cannibal, struck me over the face with his cutlass, and
knocked me down. I was too much wounded by the blow to resist, and the
blood ran in torrents from my forehead. In this situation the wretch
seized me by the scalp, and thrusting his cutlass in my cravat, cut it
through completely. I felt the cold iron glide along my throat, and even
now the very thought makes me shudder. The worst idea I had ever formed
of human cruelty seemed now realized, and I could see death stare me in
the face. Without stopping to examine the cravat, he put it in his
pocket, and in a voice of thunder exclaimed “_levez vous?_” I
accordingly rose on my feet, and he pinioned my hands behind my back,
led me to the gunwale of the vessel, and asked another of the gang, in
French, whether he should throw me overboard. At the recollection of
that scene I am still staggered. I endeavoured to call the prospects of
eternity before me, but could think of nothing except the cold and
quiver-less apathy of the tomb. His infamous companion replied, “_Il est
trop bonne heure l’envoyer au diable_,” and led me to the foremast,
where he tied me with my face to the stern of the vessel. The cords were
drawn so tight around my arms and legs, that my agony was excruciating.
In this situation he left me.
[Illustration: The Vessel taken by the Pirates, their Cruelties, &c.
Page 265.]
On looking round, I found them all employed in plundering and ransacking
every thing we had. Over my left shoulder one of our sailors was strung
up to the yard arm, and apparently in the last agonies of death; while
before me our gallant Captain was on his knees and begging for his life.
The wretches were endeavouring to extort from him the secret of our
money; but for a while he was firm and dauntless. Provoked at his
obstinacy, they extended his arms and cut them off at the elbows. At
this, human nature gave way, and the injured man confessed the spot
where we had concealed our specie.—In a few moments it was aboard their
own vessel. To revenge themselves on our unhappy captain, when they had
satisfied themselves that nothing else was hidden, they spread a bed of
oakum on the deck before, and after soaking it through with turpentine,
tied the captain on it, filled his mouth with the same combustibles, and
set the whole on fire. The cries of the unfortunate man were
heart-rending, and his agonies must have been unutterable; but they were
soon over. All this I was compelled to witness. Heart-sick with the
sight, I once shut my eyes, but a musket discharged close to my ear, was
a warning sufficient to keep them open.
On casting my eyes to the stern of the vessel, I discovered that the
boatswain had been nailed to the deck through his feet, and the body
spiked through to the tiller. He was writhing in the last agonies of
crucifixion.—Our fifth comrade was out of sight during all this tragedy;
in a few minutes, however, he was brought upon the deck blindfolded. He
was then conducted to the muzzle of the swivel, and commanded to kneel.
The swivel was then fired off, and his head was dreadfully wounded by
the discharge. In a moment after, it was agonizing to behold his
torments and convulsions—language is too feeble to describe them. I have
seen men hung upon the gibbet, but their death is like sinking in
slumber when compared with his.
Excited with the scene of human butchery, one of those wretches fired
his pistol to the captain’s dog. The ball struck his shoulder and
disabled him; he finished him by shooting him again, and at last by
cutting out his tongue! At this last hell-engendered act, my blood
boiled with indignation at such savage brutality on a helpless,
inoffensive dog! But I was unable to give utterance or action to my
feelings.
Seeing that the crew had been every one despatched, I began to think
more of myself. My old enemy, who seemed to forget me, once more
approached me; but shockingly besmeared with blood and brains. He had
stood by the side of the unfortunate sailor who suffered before the
swivel, and supported him with the point of his bayonet. He drew a
stiletto from his side, placed its point upon my heart and gave it a
heavy thrust. I felt its point touch my skin; but the quilting of my
bank bills prevented its further entrance. This savage monster then ran
it up my breast, as if intending to divide my lungs, and in doing so,
the bank bills fell upon the deck. He snatched them up greedily, and
exclaimed, “Ah! laissez mois voir ce que reste.” My dress in a few
moments, was ripped to pieces at the peril of my life. He frequently
came so near as to tear my skin and deluge me with blood; but by the
mercy of Providence, I escaped from every danger.—At this moment a heavy
flaw struck the schooner, and I heard one of the pirates say, “Voila un
vaisseau!” They all retreated precipitately, and gaining their own
vessel, was soon out of sight.
Helpless as I now was, I had the satisfaction of knowing that the
pirates had been frightened by the appearance of a sail, but it was
impossible for me to see it. Still tied to the foremast, I knew not what
was my prospect of release.—An hour or two had elapsed after they left
me; and it was now noon. The sun played violently upon my head, and I
felt a languor and debility that indicated approaching fever. My head
gradually sunk upon my breast, when I was shocked by hearing the water
pouring into the cabin windows. The wretches had scuttled the vessel,
and left me pinioned to go down with her. I commended my Spirit to my
Maker, and gave myself up for lost. I felt myself gradually dying away,
and the last thing I remembered was the foaming noise of the waves. This
was occasioned by a ship passing by me. I was taken in, restored to
health, and am now a poor, ruined, helpless man.
* * * * *
The ship Liverpool Packet, Ricker, of Portsmouth, N. H. was boarded on
the 16th off Cape St. Antonio, Cuba, by two piratical schooners; two
barges containing thirty or forty men, robbed the vessel of every thing
moveable, even to her _flags_, rigging, one boat which happened to be
afloat, and having a boy in it which belonged to the ship. They held a
consultation whether they should murder the crew, as they had done
before, or not—in the mean time taking the ship into anchoring ground.
On bringing her to anchor, the crew saw a brig close along side, burnt
to the water’s edge, and three dead bodies floating near her.—The
pirates said they had burnt the brig the day before, and _murdered all
the crew_!—and intended doing the same with them. They said “look at the
turtles, (meaning the dead bodies) you will soon be the same.” They said
the vessel was a Baltimore brig, which they had robbed and burnt, and
murdered the crew as before stated, of which they had little
doubt.—Capt. Ricker was most shockingly bruised by them. The mate was
hung till he was supposed to be dead, but came to, and is now alive.
They told the captain that they belonged in Regla, and should kill them
all to prevent discovery.