188 DEATH OF A PIRATE. 



hardly be a drop of blood in ray body ; and that blood will only serve to 

 make the grass grow. My wounds are mortal, and I must and will die 

 without what you call confession." 



The moon rose in the east. The majesty of her placid beauty im- 

 pressed me with reverence. 1 pointed towards her, and asked the Pirate 

 if he could not recognise God's features there. " Friend, I see what you 

 are driving at," was his answer, — " you, like the rest of our enemies, feel 

 the desire of murdering us all. — Well — be it so — to die is after all nothing 

 more than a jest ; and were it not for the pain, no one, in my opinion, 

 need care a jot about it. But, as you really have befriended me, I will 

 tell you all that is proper." 



Hoping his mind might take a useful turn, I again bathed his temples 

 and washed his lips with spirits. His sunk eyes seemed to dart fire at 

 mine — a heavy and deep sigh swelled his chest and struggled through his 

 blood-choked throat, and he asked me to raise him for a little. I did so, 

 when he addressed me somewhat as follows, for, as I have told you, his 

 speech was a mixture of Spanish, French and English, forming a jargon, 

 the like of which I had never heard before, and which I am utterly un- 

 able to imitate. However I shall give you the substance of his declara- 

 tion. 



" First tell me, how many bodies you found in the boat, and what 

 sort of dresses they had on." I mentioned their number, and described 

 their apparel. " That's right,'' said he, " they are the bodies of the 

 scoundrels who followed me in that infernal Yankee barge. Bold ras- 

 cals they were, for when they found the water too shallow for their 

 craft, they took to it and waded after me. All my companions had 

 been shot, and to lighten my own boat I flung them overboard ; but as 

 I lost time in this, the two ruffians caught hold of my gunwale, and struck 

 on my head and body in such a manner, that after I had disabled and 

 killed them both in the boat, I was scarce able to move. The other vil- 

 lains carried off our schooner and 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 Mantanzas. — 

 I have often been in concert with others. I have money without count- 

 ing, 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 



