THE AMERICANS AND THE ABORIGINES. 391 



charge of the gang, and conducted them to the guard- 

 house. 



This scarred and ill-looking crew was Lafitte and 

 the remnant of his band, who had come, according 

 to a private understanding with General Jackson, 

 to serve the American artillery against the British. 

 Their bandages and plasters being found to cover 

 real wounds, they were allowed to quarter themselves 

 at the estammet of the Garde Imperiale, kept by a 

 Spaniard called Benito, once a member of Lafitte's 

 band, but now settled in Louisiana, married, and, 

 comparatively speaking, an honest man. Benito was 

 greatly alarmed at the sight of his former captain 

 and comrades, and still more so when they insisted 

 upon his aiding them that very night to rescue Pom- 

 pey the negro, lest he should betray their real char- 

 acter to the militia officers. Lafitte promised to have 

 the runaway slave conveyed across the Mississippi ; 

 but as this would require the absence, for at least 

 three hours, of several of the pirates, who, although 

 at liberty, were kept under a species of surveillance, 

 the real intention was to make away with the un- 

 fortunate Pompey as soon as the boat was at a 

 certain distance from land. The negro was confined 

 in a large building used as a cotton store, built of 

 boards, and in a dilapidated condition ; the militia 

 on guard left their post to listen to the proceedings 

 of a meeting then holding for the discussion of 

 General Jackson's unconstitutional conduct, and, 



