Sir Henry Morgan, Buccaneer

ach instance she had been found in the thickest of the fighting. The present vessel was an old ship, having be

lee rovers, in which, after a hard engagement lasting four hours, the Mary Rose triumphed decisively without losing a single sail of he

d two we sank, an

Leghorn Roads, to sh

to Jamaica with Lord Carlingford as Vice-Governor, to take command of the naval station and supersede Morgan. Admiral Sir John Kempthorne was an elderly

assigned by the Commons for the support of the fleet to his own lustful and extravagant purposes, the favoritism and venality which he allowed in the administration of the Admiralty, and the neglect with which he viewed the representations of Pepys and others as to the condition of his fleets, had reduced the navy of

n provided for him, nor could he entirely re-supply the ship, or make good her faulty and deficient equipment, but he did the best he could. Under ordinary circumstances he could have given a good account of himself if engaged with even the perfectly appointed ships of the Dutch Republic, or of the Grand Monarch himself. Indeed, in spite of the horrible degeneracy, the prestig

ould make it the model one of the colonies, of the kingdom itself for that matter, provided he were sustained by

houghts were interrupted by the rattle of oars, indicating the arrival of a boat. The sound of the

Sir John had orders to get away in pursuit of Hornigold's pinnace. With the captain in the cabin, however, was the old master of the ship, a man who had been promoted to that rank

erty (the beginnings of the Royal Marine of England, by the way), he bade him ascertain if the approaching boat was that containing the Governor. It was still early evening, and Lord Carlin

ted visitor. Pausing a moment to say a final word to the master, he was conscious of something striking the ship. Before he could formulate the

ickly, "striking against the side of t

prise and some apprehen

rified cry. A moment after, the sentry on the quarter-deck outside the entrance to the poop cabin fired his piece.

o time! Overboard with him

and the master sprang to the door, but before they could pass the entrance it was flung violently open, and a man richly dressed after the fashion of Jamaica, followed by a tall, savage-looking half-breed, a compound of negro and Indian, cl

d Morgan fiercely, "and yield

e you t

enry M

Kempthorne. "Dare you atte

swered Morgan, waving h

, Admiral and Vice-G

fill my station,

he station of a pirate, a

riously. "The ship is ours! I've a m

yal master by carrying a

ed Morgan, white with rag

e two. There was a roar from Carib's pistol, and the old man fell. As Kempthorne relaxed his guard slightly in the confusion M

upon the body of the old s

Morgan, laughing truculently as he t

racket. They were helpless, however, and could do nothing. The men of the boarding parties were clustered in gr

wn. Lights twinkled on the ramparts of the fort, and the long roll of a drum could be heard coming faintly up the ha

s for the after guard. Teach, to the fore; Raveneau, to the main; and Rock, to the mizzenm

nt.... There was a roar from Car

, although the cabin sentry had killed one of the attacking party and wounded another before he went down. They jumped with alacrity, therefore, to obey their captain's commands. As the ponderous sheets of canvas fell from the yards, the men lay down from aloft, and sheets and halyards were manned, the cable that

u and Velsers, than whom no better seamen ever held a spoke, by Morgan's orders were stationed at the wheel to steer the frigate. Rock and Teach distributed the best of the men among the guns of the spar-deck battery on the port side. As was usual, the guns were already charged. There were no loggerhead

n remained motionless at the place where he had been stationed, and the ship, so far as human noise was concerned, was as still as death. Even the soldiers below, finding no attention paid to their cries, had subsided into comparative quiet. The silence was broken only by the creakin

boat right

" answered Mor

her go off another half-point. Steady!

. It was the boat of the Governor. Instantly wild cries arose

the Mar

le

t are you doing? Where

suddenly resumed their commotion, thus apprising

from the boat, "or you'll be on us.

voice out of the darkness. "

they could move the looming bow of the frigate was upon them. Carlingford had risen in his boat befor

ill triumph

an, "with Hawxherst and Bradley an

verridden boat, and shouts, cries, and appeals for mercy, the Mary Rose swept on. One or two beneath her forefoot le

They were completely possessed by their success

are not yet free. Back to your stat

he battery on the parapet of the fort. He also told off all the men with small arms to line the side, with instructions for them to fire at the port-holes of the fort as they passed, and he charged every one, under pain of death, to keep all fast until he gave the word. Hornigold bent all his mind to getting the ship safely out of the harbor. Two or three reliable men were st

ry Rose! Hello

! What

oing? Where's Lo

ship was fairly abreast the fort now.

this is the ship of Sir Henry Morgan, bound for

, whether it bore or not, was finally discharged by the infuriated soldiery, no serious damage was done to the ship. Here and there a man fell. The starboard main topsail sheet was cut, a few ropes parted, but that was all. Pouring a perfect hail of musketry and pistol

ed Hornigold, coming aft to where M

the guns and muster the crew. We'll divide

e darkness, and amid a tremendous roar of cheers the vessel swept away, leavi

OK

CCANEERS AND WHAT BE