Sir Henry Morgan, Buccaneer

g ships that the English frigate was approaching them with the most sinister and malevolent purpose. One glance at the sinking remains of their ruined and battered consort establis

crew had been excited by the ease and success of the first treacherous blow and plucked up courage, believing t

entirely completed those preparations required by the shock of battle. As usual, Morgan was determined to lose no time. If he could have thrown his vessel upon them out of the fire and smoke of the first broadside he wou

is probable advantage in the way in which his batteries would be fought, would enable him to dispose of her without too much difficulty. Then he could with ease place the huge and unwieldy galleon at his mercy. But the two Spanish ships stuck close together, too close indeed, Morgan thought, for their own safety. They were both on the wind with their larboard tacks aboard, the frigate slightly ahead of and to windward of the galleon, on the side, that is, whence the Mary Rose was ap

the cabin under the poop-deck. He charged him to do it as quietly as possible and take only men for the purpose upon whom he could depend. While this was being done young Teach was also summoned from the forecastle, his place being taken by old Velsers, whose division in the battery was placed under the command of Raveneau. There was a whisper

nd indeed the courses upon which the three ships were sailing if persisted in would have brought about the result-that the Mary Rose would pass along his larboard side, and the two vessels would engage in the formal manner of the period, yard-arm to yar

etween them, and then the English captain ran forward on the forecastle. The ships were very near now. In a moment or two they would pass each other in parallel co

to be no passage along his broadside. The other was upon him! The cutwater of the onrushing ship loomed up before him tremendously. Instantly all was confusion on the Spanish ship! The steersman lost his head, and without ord

as too near, and the other ship fell off and was swept to leeward too rapidly. His own ship, cumbersome and unwieldy, as they always were, was slow in answering the helm. The frigate and galleon came together with a te

windward. As her batteries bore she hurled their messengers of death into the crowded masses on the Spanish ships. Although dismay

probably would have had them at his mercy; but his dash at them had been an earnest one, and in order to carry out his plan successfully he had been forced to throw his ship right upon them. Therefore, though the helm was shifted and the braces hauled in an effort to get clear, and though the ship under Morg

were locked in a close embrace. Morgan had anticipated this situation also, although he had hoped to avoid it, and had prepared for it. As the two ships became fast the high poop and rail of the Spaniard were black with iron-capped men. They swarmed over on the lower

eers and the bolder spirits among his crew, whose blood was up sufficiently to enable them to long for the onset, Morgan had run to the waist of the ship when he saw the inevitable collision and had called all hands from the poop and quarter. The Mary Rose was provided with an elevated quarter-deck

anxious to be in at the death, the men of the galleon clinging to the frigate ran across and joined their comrades. Here were trained and veteran sold

uted the captain of the Spanish fri

good quarter?"

ers at this question. Yet the rapscallions among

surrender! We strike

and veterans by fierce blows with pistol butts, hilts of swords, an

o pirates and murdere

e spoke he drew from his pocket a silver whistle like a boa

d remained below in the powder division, came running

?" cried t

r. In a

ptain, dropping from the quarter-deck to the

smoke, in the midst of which could be heard shrieks and groans of the most terrible anguish. Teach had connected the powder with the

happened to fall by the side of the Spanish captain, and the latter, though badly wounded, with determined and heroic valor raised himself on his arm an

e whole stern of the Mary Rose was gone. There wasn't a Spaniard left before them. A few figures shrieking vainly for help, clutching at floating pieces of timber, might

atastrophe. Had Morgan to save himself ruined his own ship? They were appalled by

ip is s

are

n. "The ship is sinking, but our ship is

them forward as quickly as he could. Presently they recovered their courage in some measure, for the fighting force of the enemy had disappeared. They had lost a ship, but there were two other ships before them. They swarmed over the rail with cheers

re the remains of the Mary Rose sank beneath the sea,

set to work furiously to extricate himself. Axes and hatchets were plied and all the skill and seamanship of the conquerors brought into play. Finally they succeeded in getting clear and working away

the buccaneers. They cried for mercy unheeded. Anyway their suspense would soon be over. Indeed, the first ship sank and the second blew up with a fearful explosion a short time after they got away. A brief inspection showed that the galleon had suffered little or no damag