64 THE SEA. 



But the end of this brute was at hand. One morning 1 , soon after leaving Martinique, 

 while he was at breakfast, he was informed that a man-of-war was at hand. He took 

 little notice, and his men were undetermined whether she was a Portuguese ship or a 

 French vessel. As she came nearer, she, however, hoisted English colours, and proved to 

 be the Swallow, a man-of-war of no inconsiderable size. Roberts knew his danger, but 

 determined to get clear, or die in the attempt. A man on board, who was a deserter from 

 the Swallow, informed him that she sailed best upon the wind, and that the pirate-ship 

 should, therefore, go before it. The resolution was made to pass close to the Swallow 

 under all sail, and to receive her broadside before they returned a shot; if seriously 

 injured, to run on the shore to which they were close; or, should both fail, to blow up 

 tog-ether, and balk the enemy. The greater part of his men were at fchis time drunk, 

 for they had captured a quantity of liquor not long before, and their brandy-courage was 

 likely to prove of the Dutch order. Roberts was determined to die game, and dressed 

 himself in his best uniform a rich crimson damask waistcoat and breeches, and a red 

 feather in his hat, a gold chain and diamond cross, two pairs of pistols in a silk sling hung 

 over his shoulders, and his sword in hand. In short, he was just the typical kind of 

 showy pirate of whom boys delight to read. 



The Swallow approached, and poured in her fire; Roberts hoisted the black flag, 

 and passed her with all sail. But for a fatal mistake he might have got clear away; but 

 either by bad steering, or in not keeping his vessel before the wind, she again came up 

 very near him. He was preparing for action, when a grape-shot struck him directly in 

 the throat, and he fell back dead on the tackles of a gun. The man at the helm, one 

 Stephenson, not at first thinking he was wounded, swore at him, and upbraided him as 

 a coward; but, almost immediately afterwards, when he found that his captain was indeed 

 dead, burst into tears, and wished himself dead. The pirate-ship almost immediately 

 surrendered. His men threw his body overboard, with all his finery and arms on, as he 

 had repeatedly ordered during his lifetime. Thus, at about forty years of age, perished a 

 brave and daring, though utterly reckless and unprincipled, man, who, under better 

 auspices, might have been of the greatest service to his country. 



One of the most remarkable pirates of the century was Captain Misson, who commenced 

 life in the French navy. When on leave at Rome he met one Caraccioli, a priest, who 

 had imbibed some peculiar religious and social views, and who was afterwards, through 

 his influence, admitted on board the man-of-war on which he was then serving. Both 

 on several occasions showed a considerable amount of bravery. Caraccioli was a very 

 ambitious man, and freely aired his peculiar ideas before both his friend Misson and the 

 crew. His social views were of the communistic order; he believed that every man had 

 as much right to that which would properly support him as to the air he breathed, and 

 that wealth and poverty were both wrong, and that the world needed remodelling. It will 

 be understood that he considered himself one of the men to do it, and was by no means 

 strict in his regard for the rightful property of others. In a word, he meant to reform as 

 much of the world as possible by means of piracy ! 



So far, however, both men were serving in the legitimate navy of France, but an 

 opportunity occurred of which they made the most. Off Martinique, their vessel, the J'ictoire, 





