344 AUDUBON 



one of our boats, and perhaps ere now have hung all my 

 companions whom they did not kill at the time. I have 

 commanded my beautiful vessel many years, captured 

 many ships, and sent many rascals to the devil. I always 

 hated the Yankees, and only regret that I have not killed 

 more of them. — I sailed from Matanzas. — I have often 

 been in concert with others. I have money without 

 counting, but it is buried where it will never be found, 

 and it would be useless to tell you of it.' His throat 

 filled with blood, his voice failed, the cold hand of death 

 was laid on his brow; feebly and hurriedly he muttered, 

 * I am a dying man. Farewell ! ' 



"Alas! it is painful to see death in any shape; in this 

 it was horrible, for there was no hope. The rattling of 

 his throat announced the moment of dissolution, and 

 already did the body fall on my arms with a weight that 

 was insupportable. I laid him on the ground, A mass 

 of dark blood poured from his mouth; then came a fright- 

 ful groan, the last breathing of that foul spirit; and what 

 now lay at my feet in the wild desert 1 — a mangled mass 

 of clay ! 



"The remainder of that night was passed in no enviable 

 mood ; but my feelings cannot be described. At dawn 

 I dug a hole with the paddle of my canoe, rolled the 

 body into it, and covered it. On reaching the boat I 

 found several buzzards feeding on the bodies, which I in 

 vain attempted to drag to the shore. I therefore covered 

 them with mud and weeds, and launching my canoe, 

 paddled from the cove with a secret joy for my escape, 

 overshadowed with the gloom of mingled dread and 

 abhorrence." 



