CONFESSION OF A PIRATE. 413 



widow, a senora del Norte from Mobile, was then 

 living in great distress at Silan, the port at which 

 we intended to disembark. 



Besides piratical associations, this island had 

 been the scene of a strange incident within the 

 last two years. A sailor lay on his death-bed in 

 Cadiz, penniless and friendless, and, to requite the 

 kindness of his host for allowing him to die in 

 his house, he told the latter that, some years be- 

 fore, he had belonged to a band of pirates, and 

 upon one occasion, after taking a rich prize and 

 murdering all on board, he had gone ashore with 

 his companions at the island of Mugeres, and bu- 

 ried a large sum of money in gold. When the 

 piratical hordes were broken up he escaped, and 

 dared not return to regions where he might be rec- 

 ognised. He said his companions were all hanged 

 except one Portuguese, who lived in the island of 

 Antigua, and, as the only means of requiting his 

 host's kindness, he advised him to seek out the Por- 

 tuguese and recover the money. The host at first 

 thought the story was told only to secure a contin- 

 uance of good treatment, and paid no attention to 

 it, but the sailor died protesting its truth. The 

 Spaniard made a voyage to the island of Antigua, 

 and found out the Portuguese, who at first denied 

 all knowledge of the transaction, but at length con- 

 fessed it, and said that he was only waiting for an 

 opportunity to go and dig up the gold. Some ar- 

 rangement was made between them, and the Span- 

 iard procured a small vessel, and set sail with the 



