496 EIDD S MONEY. 
gan to think more of myself. My old enemy, who seemed to 
forget me, once more approached me, but shockingly besmear- 
ed with blood and brains. He had stood by the side of the un- 
fortunate sailor who suffered before the swivel, and supported 
him with the point of his bayonet. He drew a stiletto from 
his side, "placed its point upon my heart, and gave it a heavy 
thrust. I felt its point touch my skin ; but the quilting of my 
bank-bills prevented its further entrance. This savage monster 
then ran it up my breast, as if intending to divide my Jungs, 
and in doing so the bank bills-fell upon the deck. He snatch- 
ed them up greedily, and exclaimed, " Ah ! laissez-moi voir ce 
que reste." My dress in a few moments was ripped to pieces 
at the peril of my life. He frequently came so near as to tear 
my skin and deluge me with blood ; but by the mercy of Provi- 
dence I escaped from every danger. At this moment a heavy 
flaw struck the schooner, and I heard one of the pirates say, 
"Voila unvaisseau!" They all retreated precipitately, and 
gaining their own vessel, was soon out of sight. 
Helpless as I now was, I had the satisfaction of knowing 
that the pirates had been frightened by the appearance of a 
sail, but it was impossible for me to see it. Still tied to the 
foremast, I knew not what was my prospect of release. An 
hour or two had elapsed after they left me, and it was now 
noon. The sun played violently upon my head, and I felt a 
languor and debility that indicated approaching fever. My 
head gradually sunk upon my breast, when I was shocked by 
hearing the water pouring into the cabin windows. The 
wretches had scuttled the vessel, and left me pinioned to go 
down with her. I commended my spirit to my Maker, and 
gave myself up for lost. I felt myself gradually dying away, 
and the last thing I remembered was the foaming noise of the 
waves. This was occasioned by a ship passing by me. I 
was taken in, restored to health, and am now a poor, ruined, 
helpless man. 
KIDD'S MONEY. 
It has long been a prevailing tradition along the Atlantic 
coa^t of the United States, that the pirates who frequented 
these shores and the W. Indies, at the close of the 17th and in 
the beginning of the 18th century, especially Captain Kidd, 
