 Chapter 8 of the Pirate's Own Book by Charles Elms. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Hans Schnell. The Pirate's Own Book by Charles Elms. Chapter 8. History of the Adventures, Capture and Execution of the Spanish Pirates. In the autumn of 1832 there was anchored in the Man of War grounds of the Havana, a clipper-built vessel of the fairest proportions. She had great length and breadth of beam, furnishing stability to bear a large surface of sail, and great depth to take hold of the water and prevent drifting. Long, low in the waist, with lofty raking masts which tapered away till they were almost too fine to be distinguished, the beautiful, arrowy sharpness of her bow and the fineness of her gradually receding quarters showed a model capable of the greatest speed in sailing. Her low sides were painted black with one small narrow ribbon of white. Her raking masts were clean scraped, her ropes were hauled taut, and in every point she wore the appearance of being under the control of seamanship and strict discipline. Upon going on board one would be struck with surprise at the deception relative to the tonnage of the schooner when viewed at a distance. Instead of a small vessel of about 90 tons, we discovered that she was upwards of 200, that her breadth of beam is enormous, and that those spars which appeared so light and elegant are of unexpected dimensions. In the center of the vessel between the fore and main masts, there is a long brass 32 pounder fixed upon a carriage revolving in a circle and so arranged that in bad weather it can be lowered down and housed while on each side of the deck were mounted guns of smaller caliber. This vessel was fashioned at the will of Everest for the aid of cruelty and injustice. It was an African slave trader, the schooner Panda. She was commanded by Don Pedro Gilbert, a native of Catalonia in Spain and son of a grandee, a man 36 years of age and exceeding handsome, having a round face, pearly teeth, round forehead and full black eyes with beautiful raven hair and a great favorite with the ladies. He united great energy, coolness and decision with superior knowledge in mercantile transactions and the guinea trade, having made several voyages after slaves. The mate and owner of the panda was Don Bernardo de Soto, a native of Coruña, Spain and son of Isidore de Soto, manager of the Royal Revenue in Sad City. He was now 25 years of age and from the time he was 14 had cultivated the art of navigation and at the age of 22 had obtained the degree of captain in the India service. After a regular examination, the correspondent diploma was awarded him. He was married to Donna Petrona Pereira, daughter of Don Benito Pereira, a merchant of Coruña. She was at this time just 15 and ripening into that slight fullness of form and roundness of limb which in that climate marked the early passing from girl into woman. Her complexion was the dark olive tinge of Spain, her eyes jet black, large and lustrous. She had great sweetness of disposition and ingeniousness. To the strictest discipline de Soto united the practical knowledge of a doro seamen. But the master spirit of the whole was Francisco Ruiz, the carpenter of the panda. This individual was of the middle size but muscular with a short neck. His hair was black and abundant and projected from his forehead so that he appeared to look out from under it like a bonnet. His eyes were dark chestnut but always restless. His features were well defined, his eyelashes jet black. He was familiar with all the out-of-the-way places of the Havana and entered into any of the dark abodes without ceremony. From report his had been a wild and lawless career. The crew were chiefly Spaniards with a few Portuguese, South Americans and half-castes. The cook was a young guinea negro with a pleasant countenance and good humored with a sleek glossy skin and tattooed on the face and although entered in the schooner's books as free yet he was a slave. In all they were about forty men. Her cargo was an assorted one consisting in part of barrels of rum and gunpowder, muskets, cloth and numerous articles with which to purchase slaves. The panda sailed from the Havana on the night of the 20th of August and upon passing the morrow castle she was hailed and asked, She replied, The schooner now steered through the Bahama Channel on the usual route towards the coast of Guinea and man was constantly kept at the mast head on the lookout. They spoke a corvette and on the morning of the 20th September before light and during the second mate's watch a brig was discovered heading to the southward. Captain Gilbert was asleep at the time but got up shortly after she was seen and ordered the panda to go about and stand for the brig. A consultation was held between the captain, mate and carpenter when they later proposed to board her and if she had any species to rob her confine the men below and burn her. This proposition was instantly exceeded to and the musket was fired to make her heave too. This vessel was the American brig Mexican Captain Buttman. She had left the pleasant harbor of Salem, Massachusetts on the last Wednesday of August and was quietly pursuing her voyage towards Rio Janeiro. Nothing remarkable had happened on board, says Captain B, until half past two o'clock in the morning of September 20th in latitude 38-0 north, longitude 24-30 west. The attention of the watch on deck was forcibly arrested by the appearance of a vessel which passed across our stern about half a mile from us. At 4am saw her again passing across our bow so near that we could perceive that it was a schooner with a four-top sail and top-gallon sail. As it was somewhat dark she was soon out of sight. At daylight saw her about five miles off the weather quarter standing on the wind on the same tack we were on. The wind was light at south-southwest and we were standing about southeast. At 8am she was about two miles right to windward of us. Could perceive a large number of men upon her deck and one man on the four-top gallant yard looking out was very suspicious of her but knew not how to avoid her. Soon after saw a brig on our weather bow steering to the northeast. By this time the schooner was about three miles from us and four points forward of the beam. Expecting that she would keep on for the brig ahead of us we tacked to the westward keeping a little off from the wind to make good way through the water to get clear of her if possible. She kept on the eastward about 10 or 15 minutes after we had tacked then wore around set square sails steering directly for us. Came down upon us very fast and was soon within gunshot of us. Fired a gun and hoisted patred colors and backed main top sail. She ran along to windward of us, hailed us to know where we were from, where bound etc. Then ordered me to come on board in my boat. Seeing that she was too powerful for us to resist I accordingly went and soon as I got along side of the schooner five ruffians instantly jumped into my boat each of them being armed with a large knife and told me to go on board the brig again. When they got on board they insisted that we had got money and drew their knives threatening us with instant death and demanding to know where it was. As soon as they found out where it was they obliged my crew to get it up out of the run upon deck beating and threatening them at the same time because they did not do it quicker. When they had got it all upon deck and hailed the schooner they got out their launch and came and took it back on board the schooner with ten boxes containing twenty thousand dollars. Then returned to the brig again drove all the crew into the foxhole ransacked the cabin overhauling all the chests, trunks etc. and driveled my pockets taking my watch and three doubloons which I had previously put there for safety robbed the mate of his watch and two hundred dollars in specie still insisting that there was more money in the hold. Being answered in the negative they beat me severely over the back said they knew there was more that they should search for it and if they found any they would cut all our throats. They continued searching about in every part of the vessel for some time longer but not finding any more specie they took two coils of rigging a side of leather and some other articles and went on board the schooner probably to consult what to do with us. For in eight or ten minutes they came back apparently in great haste shut us all below mustn't up the companion way forescuttle and after headway stove our compasses to pieces in the binnacles cut away tiller ropes, hellyards, braces and most of our running rigging cut our sails to pieces badly took a tub of tarred rope yarn and what combustibles they could find about deck put them in the caboose house and set them on fire then left us taking with them our boat and colors when they got alongside the schooner they scuttled our boat on their own and made sail steering to the eastward as soon as they left us we got up out of the cabin scuttle which they had neglected to secure and extinguish the fire which if it had been left a few minutes would have caught the mainsail and set our mast on fire soon after we saw a ship to leeward of us steering to the south east the schooner being in pursuit of her did not overtake her whilst she was inside of us it was doubtless their intention to burn us up all together but seeing the ship and being eager for more plunder they did not stop fully to accomplish their design she was a low straight schooner of about 150 tons painted black with a narrow white streak a large head with a horn of plenty painted white large main top mast but no yards or sail on it mast raked very much mainsail very square at the head sails made with split cloth and all new had two long brass 12 pounders and a large gun on a pivot amid ships and about 70 men who appeared to be chiefly Spaniards and mulattoes the object of the voyage being frustrated by the loss of the species nothing now remained but for the Mexican to make the best of her way back to Salem which she reached in safety the government of the United States struck with the audacity of this piracy dispatched a cruiser in pursuit of them after a fruitless voyage in which every exertion was made and many places visited on the coast of Africa where it was supposed the rascals might be lurking the chase was abandoned as hopeless no clue being found to their whereabouts the panda after robbing the Mexican pursued her course across the Atlantic and made Capmonte from this she coasted south and after passing Cape Palmas entered the Gulf of Guinea and steered for Cape Lopez which she reached in the first part of November Cape Lopez de Goncalves in latitude 0 degrees 36 minutes 2 seconds south longitude 80 degrees 40 minutes and 4 seconds east is so called from its first discoverer it is covered with wood but low and swampy as is also the neighboring country the extensive bay formed by this Cape is 14 miles in depth and has several small creeks and rivers running into it the largest is the River Nazareth on the left point of which is situated King Gula's town the only assemblage of huts in the bay here the cargo of the panda was unloaded the greater part was entrusted to the king and with the rest Captain Gilbert opened a factory and commenced buying various articles of commerce as tortoise shells, gum, ivory, palm oil fine straw carpeting and slaves after remaining here a short time the crew became sickly and Captain Gilbert sailed for parts to recover the health of his crew whilst at Princess Island news arrived of the robbery of the Mexican and the pirate left with the utmost precipitation for Cape Lopez and the better to evade pursuit a pilot was procured and the vessel carried several miles up the River Nazareth soon after the panda left Princess Island the British break of war curlew Captain Trotter arrived and from the description given to the vessel then said to be lying in the Nazareth Captain Trotter knew she must be the one that dropped the Mexican and he instantly sailed in pursuit on nearing the coast she was discovered lying up the river three boats containing 40 men and commanded by Captain Trotter started up the river with a sea breeze and flood tide and colors flying to take the desperados the boats kept in near the shore until rounding a point they were seen from the panda the pirates immediately took to their boats except Francisco Ruiz who seizing a firebrand from the caboose went into the magazine and set some combustibles on fire with the laudable purpose of blowing up the assailants and then paddled ashore in a canoe Captain Trotter chased them with his boats but could not come up with them and then boarded the schooner which he found on fire the first thing he did was to put out the fire which was in the magazine here he found a quantity of cotton and brimstone burning and a slow match ignited and communicating with the magazine which contained 16 casks of powder the panda was now warped out of the river and anchored off the negro town of Cape Lopez negotiations were now entered into for the surrender of the pirates an officer was accordingly sent on shore to have an interview with the king he was met on the beach by an Iboni chief calling himself Duke we followed the Duke through the extensive and straggling place frequently buried up to the ankles in sand from which the vegetation was worn by the constant passing and repassing of the inhabitants we arrived at a large folding door placed in a high bamboo and palm tree fence which enclosed the king's establishment ornamented on our right by two old honeycombed gums which although dismounted were probably according to the practice of the coast occasionally fired to attract the attention of passing vessels and to imply that slaves were to be procured on the left of the enclosure was a shed with a large ships bell suspended beneath serving as an alarm bell in case of danger while the remainder was occupied with neatly built huts inhabited by the numerous wives of the king we sent in to notify him of our arrival he sent word out that we might remain outside until it suited his convenience but as such an arrangement did not suit ours we immediately entered and found sitting at the table the king he was a tall muscular ugly looking negro about 50 years of age we explained the object of our visit which was to demand the surrender of the white men who were now concealed in the town and for permission to pass up the river in pursuit of those who had gone up that way he now expressed the most violent indignation at our presumption and demanding the pirates and the interview was broken off by his refusing to deliver up a single man we will now return to the pirates while at Princess Island Captain Gilbert bought a magnificent dressing case worth nearly a thousand dollars and a patent lever watch and the quantity of tobacco and provisions and two valuable cloth coats some guinea cloth and black and green paint the paint, cloth and coats were intended as presents for the African king at Cape Lopez these articles were all bought with the money taken from the Mexican after arriving at the Nazareth four thousand dollars were taken from the trunk and buried in the yard of a negro prince four of the pirates then went to Cape Lopez for eleven thousand dollars which had been buried there Boyga, Castillo, Guzman and the state's evidence, Ferez were the ones who went Ferez took the bags out and the others the money, great haste was made as the mosquitoes were biting intolerably five thousand dollars were buried for the captain in canvas bags about two feet deep part of the money was carried to Nazareth and from there carried into the mountains and there buried a consultation was held by Captain Gilbert de Soto and Ruiz and the later said if the money was not divided they would be the devil to pay the money was now divided in a dark room and a lantern used Captain Gilbert sat on the floor with the money at his side he gave the mate about three thousand dollars and the other officers one thousand dollars each and the crew from three hundred to five hundred dollars each the third mate having fled the captain sent him one thousand dollars and Ruiz carried it to him when the money was first taken from the Mexican it was spread out on the companion way to see if there was any gold amongst it and then put into bags made of dark coarse linen the boxes were then thrown overboard after the division of the money the pirates secreted themselves in the woods behind Cape Lopez Perez and for others procured a boat and started for Fernando Paul they put their money in the bottom of the boat for ballast but was thrown overboard near a rock and afterwards recovered by divers and was done to prevent detection the captain, mate and carpenter had a conversation respecting the attempt of the later to blow her up who could not account for the circumstance that an explosion had not taken place they told him he ought to have burst a barrel of powder over the deck and down the stairs to the magazine loaded the gun tied a fishline to the lock and pulled it when he came off in the canoe the panda being manned by Captain Trotter and an English crew against firing on the town of Cape Lopez but after firing several shots a spark communicated with the magazine and she blew up several men were killed and Captain Trotter and the others thrown into the water when he was made prisoner with several of his crew by the king and it required considerable negotiations to get them free the pirates having gone up the river an expedition was now equipped to take them if possible the longboat and pinnace were instantly armed and victualed for several weeks a brass gun was mounted on the bows of each and awnings fixed up to protect the crew from the extreme heat of the sun by day and the heavy use at nightfall as the sea breeze and the flood tide set in the boats again started and proceeded up the river it was ascertained the war canoes were beyond where the panda was first taken for fear of an embuscade great caution was observed in proceeding as we approached the point a single native was observed standing near a hut erected near the river who, as we approached beckoned and called for us to land we endeavored to do so but fortunately the water was too shallow to approach near enough we had hardly steered about for the channel when the man suddenly rushed into the bushes and disappeared we got into the channel and continued some time in deep water but this suddenly shoaled and the boats grounded near a mangrove just as we came inside of a village our crew jumped out and commenced tracking the boat over the sand while thus employed I observed by means of my glass a crowd of natives and some of the pirates running down the other side of a low point apparently with the intention of giving us battle as they were all armed with spears and muskets the men had just succeeded in drawing the boats into deep water when a great number of canoes were observed coming round the point and at the same instant another large party running down to launch some more on the beach when they joined those already afloat in all made above 28 canoes and about 150 men having collected all their forces with loud whooping and encouraging shouts to one another they led towards us with great celerity we prepared instantly for battle the awnings were got down to allow room for the cutlasses and to load the muskets the brass guns were loaded with grapeshot they now approached uttering terrific yells and paddling with all speed on board the canoes the pirates were loading the guns and encouraging the natives Bernardo de Soto and Francisco Ruiz were conspicuous in maneuvering the negro boats for battle and commenced a straggling fire upon the English boats in them all was still each man had a cutlass by his side and a loaded musket in his hand on arriving within pistol shot a well directed fire was poured into them seconded by a discharge of the three pounders many of the balls took effect and two of the canoes were sunk a brisk fire was kept up on both sides a great number of the negroes were killed and a few of the pirates the English loss was small the negroes now became panic struck and some paddled towards the shore others jumped overboard and swam the sharks caught several Captain Gilbert and de Soto were now caught together with five of the crew Ruiz and the rest escaped to a village some ways inland and with the aid of a telescope it was perceived the negroes were rapidly gathering to renew the combat urged on by Ruiz and the other pirates after dislodging them from this village negotiations were entered into by the king of Cape Lopez who surrendered Ruiz and several men to Captain Trotter they were carried in the brick curlew to Fernando Poe and after an examination were put in irons and conveyed to England and they are put on board the British gun brick savage and arrived in the harbour of Salem on the 26th of August 1834 her commander, Lieutenant Loney waited upon the authorities of Salem and after the usual formalities surrendered the prisoners into their hands stating that the British government waived their right to try and punish the prisoners in favour of the United States against whom the principal offence had been committed the pirates were landed at crowning shield wharf and taken from thence in carriages to the town hall twelve of them handcuffed in pairs took their places at the bar they were all young and middle aged and the oldest was not over 40 physiognomically they were not uncommonly ill looking in general although they were exceptions and they were all clean and wholesome in their appearance they were now removed to Boston and confined in prison where one of them named Manuel Delgarno cut his throat with a piece of glass thus verifying the old proverb that those born to be hung will never be drowned on the 11th of November Don Pedro Gilbert captain Don Bernardo de Soto made Francisco Ruiz Carpenter Nicola Costa Cabin boy aged 15 Antonio Ferrer Cook Emmanuel Boiga Domingo de Guzmán and Indian Juan Antonio Portana Manuel Castillo Angel Garcia Jose Velasquez and Juan Montenegro alias José Basilio de Castro were arraigned before the circuit court of the United States charged with the crime of piracy Joseph Perez appeared as the state's evidence and two Portuguese sailors who were shipped on board the panda at Princess Island as witnesses was impaneled Mr. Dunlop the district attorney Rosen said this is a solemn and also an unusual scene here are 12 men strangers to our country and to our language indicted for a heinous offence and know before you for life or death they are indicted for a daring crime and a flagrant violation of the laws not only of this but of every other civilized people he then gave an outline of the commission of the robbery of the Mexican numerous witnesses were examined amongst whom were the captain mate and several seamen of the Mexican who recognized several of the pirates as being the individuals who maltreated them and took the species when Thomas Fuller one of the crew of the Mexican was called upon to identify Ruiz he went up to him and struck him with a violent blow on the shoulder Ruiz immediately started up and with violent gesticulations against such conduct and was joined by his companions the court reprimanded the witness severely the trial occupied 14 days the council for the prisoners were David L. Child Esquire and George Hillard Esquire who defended them with great ability Mr. Child brought to the cause his untiring zeal his various and profound learning and exhibited a labor and desperation which showed that he was fully conscious of the weight of the load the deadlift he had undertaken to carry Mr. Hillard concluded his argument by making an eloquent and affecting appeal to the jury in behalf of the boy Costa and Antonio Ferrer the cook and alluded to the circumstance of Bernardo de Soto having rescued the lives of 70 individuals on board the American ship Minerva whilst on a voyage from Philadelphia to Havana when captain of the Brig Leon if gentlemen said he with me that the crew of the panda supposing her to have robbed the Mexican were merely servants of the captain you cannot convict them but if you do not agree with me then all that remains for me to do is to address a few words to you in the way of mercy it does not seem to me that the good of society requires the death of all these men the sacrifice of such a hecatome of human victims or that the sword of the law should fall till it is clogged with massacre Antonio Ferrer is plainly but a servant he is set down as a free black in the ship's papers but that is no proof that he is free where he is slave he would in all probability be represented as free and this for obvious reasons he is an all probability a slave and a native African as the tattooing on his face proves beyond a doubt at any rate he is but a servant now will you make misfortune pay the penalty of guilt do not I entreat you lightly condemn this man to death do not throw him in to make up the dozen the regard for human life is one of the most prominent proofs of a civilized state of society the Sultan of Turkey may place women in sacks and throw them into the Bosporus without exciting more than an hour's additional conversation at Constantinople but in our country it is different you will remember the excitement produced by the abduction and death of a single individual the convulsions which ensued the effect of which will long be felt in our political institutions you will ever find that the more a nation becomes civilized the greater becomes the regard for human life there is in the eye the form and heaven directed countenance of man something holy that forbids he should be rudely touched the instinct of life is great the light of the sun even in chains is pleasant and life though supported the damp exhalations of a dungeon is desirable often too we cling with added tenacity to life in proportion as we are deprived of all that makes existence to be coveted the weariest and most loathed worldly life that age ache, pernury and imprisonment can lay on nature is a paradise to that we fear of death death is a fearful thing the mere mention of it sometimes blanches the cheek and sends the painful blood to the heart it is a solemn thing to break into the bloody house of life do not because this man is but an African imagine that his existence is valueless he is no drift weed on the ocean of life they are in his bosom the same social sympathies that animate our own he has nerves to feel pain and a heart to throb with human affections even as you have his life to establish the law or to further the ends of justice is not required taken it is to us of no value given to him it is above the price of rubies and Costa the cabin boy only 15 years of age when this crime was committed shall he die shall the sword fall upon his neck some of you are advanced in years you may have children suppose the news had reached you that your son was under the trial for his life in a foreign country and every cabin boy who leaves this port may be placed in the situation of this prisoner suppose you were told that he had been executed because his captain and officers had violated the laws of a distant land what would be your feelings I cannot tell but I believe the feelings of all of you would be the same and that you would exclaim with the hebrew my son my son would to God I have died for thee this boy has a father let the form of that father rise up and plead in your hearts for his offspring perhaps he has a mother and a home think of the lengthen shadows that must have been cast over that home by his absence think of his mother during those hours of wretchedness when she has felt hope darkening into disappointment next into anxiety and from anxiety into despair how often may she have stretched forth her hands in supplication and asked even the winds of heaven to bring her tidings of him who was away let the supplications of that mother touch your hearts and shield their object from the law after luminous charge by judge's story the jury retired to agree upon the verdict and at nine o'clock the next morning came in with their verdict clerk gentlemen of the jury have you agreed upon your verdict jury we have clerk who shall speak for you our foreman the prisoners were then directed severally to rise as soon as called and receive the verdict of the jury the captain Peter Gilbert was the first named he arose, raised his hand and regarded the jury with a firm countenance and steady eye clerk jurors look upon the prisoner look upon the jurors how say you gentlemen is the prisoner at the bar Peter Gilbert guilty or not guilty foreman guilty the same verdict was pronounced against the soto the mate Ruiz the carpenter Boyga Castillo Garcia and Montenegro but Costa the cabin boy Ferrer the negro Guzman Portana and Velazquez were declared not guilty after having declared the verdict of the jury the foreman read to the court the following recommendation to mercy the sympathies of the jury have been strongly moved on behalf of Bernardo de Soto on account of his generous noble and self-sacrificing conduct in saving the lives of more than 70 human beings constituting the passengers and crew of the ship Minerva and they desire that his case should be presented to the merciful consideration of the government judge story replied that the wish of the jury would certainly be complied with both by the court and the prosecuting officer the appearance and demeanor of captain Gilbert are the same as when we first saw him his eyes undimmed and decision and command yet set upon his features we did not discern the slightest alteration of color or countenance when the verdict of the jury was communicated to him he merely slightly bowed and resumed his seat with de Soto the case was different he was much altered has become thinner and his countenance this morning was expressive of the deepest despondency when informed of the contents of the paper read by the foreman of the jury he appeared much affected and while being removed from the court covered his face with his handkerchief immediately after the delivery of the verdict the acquitted prisoners on motion of Mr. Hillard were directed to be discharged upon which several of the others loudly and angrily expressed the dissatisfaction at the result of the trial Castillo the half-caste with an extremely mild and pleasing countenance pointed towards heaven and called upon the almighty to bear witness that he was innocent uttered some words with great vehemence and Garcia said all were in the same ship and it was strange that some should be permitted to escape when others were punished most of them on leaving the court uttered some invective against the Piccaro who had sworn their lives away on Costa the Kevin Boy aged 16 being declared not guilty some degree of approbation was manifested by the audience but instantly checked by the judge who directed the officers to take into custody discussing either ascent or descent we certainly think the sympathy expressed in favor of Costa very ill-placed for although we have not deemed ourselves at liberty to mention the fact earlier his conduct during the whole trial was characterized by the most reckless effrontery and indecorum even when standing up to receive the verdict of the jury his face bore an impudent smile and he evinced the most total disregard of the mercy which had been extended towards him about this time the vague rumors reached Coruña that the captain belonging to that place engaged in the slave trade had turned pirate being captured and sent to America with his crew for punishment reported first fixed upon a noted slave dealer named Pegaro but the astounding intelligence soon reached Signora de Soto that her husband was the person captured for this startling crime the shock to her feelings was terrible but her love and fortitude surmounted them all and she determined to brave the terrorists of the ocean to intercede for her husband if condemned and at all events behold him once more a small schooner was freighted by her own and husband's father and in it she embarked for New York after a boisterous passage the vessel reached that port when she learned her husband had already been tried and condemned to die the humane people of New York advised her to hasten on to Washington and plead with the president for a pardon on arriving at the capital she solicited an interview with General Jackson which was readily granted from the circumstance of her husband's having saved the lives of 70 Americans a merciful ear was turned to her solicitations and a pardon for disorder was given her with which she hastened to Boston and communicated to him the joyful intelligence Andrew Jackson president of the United States of America to all to whom these presents shall come greeting whereas at the October term 1834 of the circuit court of the United States Bernardo de Soto was convicted of piracy and sentenced to be hung on the 11th day of March last from which sentence a respite was granted to him for 3 months bearing date the 3rd day of March 1835 also subsequent one dated on the 5th day of June 1835 for 60 days and whereas the said Bernardo de Soto has been represented as a fit subject for executive clemency now therefore I Andrew Jackson president of the United States of America in consideration of the premises diverse good and sufficient causes me there to moving have pardoned and hereby do pardoned the said Bernardo de Soto from and after the 11th of August next and direct he be then discharged from confinement in testimony whereof I have hereon to subscribe my name and cause the seal of the United States to be affixed to these presence done at the city of Washington the 6th day of July and a Dominic 1835 and of the independence of the United States and 60th Andrew Jackson on the fatal morning of June 11th 1835 Don Pedro Juan Montenegro Manuel Castillo Angel Garcia and Manuel Boyga were agreeably to sentence summoned to prepare for immediate execution on the night previous a mutual agreement had been entered into to commit suicide Angel Garcia made the first attempt by trying to open the veins of each arm with a piece of glass but was prevented in the morning however while preparations were making for the execution Boyga succeeded in inflicting a deep gash on the left side of his neck with a piece of tin the officers eyes had been withdrawn from him scarcely a minute he was discovered lying on his pellet with a convulsive motion of his knees from loss of blood medical aid was at hand the gash sued up but he did not revive two catholic clergymen attended them on the scaffold one a Spanish priest they were executed in the rear of the jail when the procession arrived at the foot of the ladder leading up to the platform of the gallows the reverend Mr. Vareya looked directly at Captain Gilbert and said Spaniards ascend to heaven Don Pedro mounted with a quick step and was followed by his comrades at a more moderate pace but without the least hesitation Boyga unconscious of his situation and destiny was carried up in a chair and seated beneath the rope prepared for him Gilbert Montenegro Garcia and Castillo all smiled subduedly as they took their stations on the platform soon after Captain Gilbert ascended the scaffold he passed over to where the apparently lifeless Boyga was seated in the chair and kissed him addressing his followers he said boys we are going to die but let us be firm for we are innocent to Mr. Peyton the interpreter he said I die innocent but I'll die like a noble Spaniard goodbye brother the Marshal having read the warrant for the execution and stated that disorder was respited 60 30 days the ropes were adjusted round the necks of the prisoners and a slight hectic flush spread over the countenance of each but not an eye quailed nor a limb trumbled not the muscle quivered the fatal cord was now cut and the platform fell by which the prisoners were launched into eternity after the execution was over Ruiz who was confined in his cell attracted considerable attention by his maniac shouts and singing at one time holding up a piece of blankets stained with Boyga's blood he gave utterance to his ravings in a sort of recitative the burden of which was this is the red flag my companions died under after the exploration of Ruiz's secondary spite the Marshal got two surgeons of the United States Navy who understood the Spanish language to attend him in his cell they after a patient examination pronounced his madness a counterfeit to the hoax accordingly in the morning of September 11th the Marshal in company with a Catholic priest and interpreter entered his cell and made him sensible that longer evasion of the sentence of the law wasn't possible that he must surely die they informed him that he had but half an hour to live and retired when he requested that he might not be disturbed during the brief space that remained to him and turning his back to the open entrance to his cell he unrolled some fragments of printed prayers and commenced reading them to himself during this interval he neither spoke nor he did those who were watching him but undoubtedly suffered extreme mental agony at one minute he would drop his chin on his bosom and stand motionless at another would press his brow on the wall of his cell or wave his body from side to side as if rung with unnoturable anguish suddenly he would throw himself upon his knees on the mattress and prostrate himself as if in prayer then throwing his prayers from him he would clutch his rug in his fingers and like a child try to double it up or pick it to pieces after snatching up his rug and throwing it away again and again he would suddenly resume his prayers and direct posture and stand mute gazing through the aperture that admitted the light of day for upwards of a minute this scene of imbecility and indecision of horrible prostration of mind seizing in some degree when the catholic clergyman re-entered his cell at ten o'clock the prisoner was removed from the prison and during his progress to the scaffold though the hue of death was on his face and he trembled in every joint with fear he chanted with a powerful voice an appropriate service from the catholic ritual several times he turned round to survey the heavens which at that moment were clear and bright above him and when he ascended the scaffold after concluding his prayer he took one long and steadfast look at the sun and waited in silence his fate his powers mental and physical had been suddenly crushed with the appalling reality that surrounded him his whole soul was absorbed with one master feeling the dread of a speedy and violent death he quailed in the presence of the dreadful paraphernalia of his punishment as much as if he had been a stranger to deeds of blood and never dealt death to his fellow man as he plowed the deep under the black flag of piracy with the motto of rob, kill and burn after adjusting the rope a signal was given the body dropped heavily and the harsh abrupt shock must have instantly deprived him of sensation as there was no voluntary action of the hands afterwards thus terminated his career of crime in a foreign land without one friend to recognize share him or a single being to regret his death the Spanish consul having requested that the bodies might not be given to the faculty they were interred at night under the direction of the marshal in the catholic burial ground at charlestown there being no murder committed with the piracy the laws of the united states do not authorize the court to order the bodies for dissection end of chapter 8 recording by ounce chnell chapter 9 of the piracy's own book this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recording are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Ben Wilford the pirate's own book by Charles Elms chapter 9 the life of Benito DiSoto the pirate of the morning star the following narrative of the career of a desperate pirate executed in Gibraltar in the month of January 1830 is one of two letters from the pen of the author of the military sketchbook the writer says Benito DiSoto had been a prisoner in the garrison for 19 months during which time the British government spared neither the pains nor expense to establish a full train of evidence against him the affair had caused the greatest excitement here as well as at Cadiz the development of the atrocities which marked the character of this man and the diabolical gang of which he was the leader nothing else is talked of and a thousand horrors are added to his guilt which although he was guilty enough he has no right to bear the following is all the authentic information I could collect concerning him I have drawn it from his trial from the confession of his accomplices from the keeper of his prison and not a little from his own lips it will be found more interesting than all the tales and sketches furnished in the annuals, magazines and other vehicles of invention from the simple fact that it is true and not fiction Benito DiSoto was a native of a small village near Korna he was bred a mariner and was in the guiltless exercise of this calling at Buenos Aires in the year 1827 a vessel was there being fitted out for a voyage to the coast of Africa for the smuggling of slaves and as she required a strong crew a great number of sailors were engaged amongst whom was Soto the Portuguese of South America have yet a privilege of dealing in slaves on a certain part of the African coast but it was the intention of the captain of this vessel to exceed the limits of his trade and to run further down his cargo of human beings from a part of the country which was prescribed in the certainty of being there enabled to purchase slaves at a much lower rate than he could in the regular way or perhaps to take away by force as many as he could stow away into his ship he therefore required a considerable number of hands for the enterprise and in such traffic it may be easily conceived that the morals of the crew of this consideration with the employer French, Spanish Portuguese and others were entered on board most of them renegados and they set sail on their evil voyage with every hope of infamous success those who deal in evil carry along with them the sprangs of their own destruction upon which they will tread in spite of every caution and their imagined security is but the brink of the pit into which they are to fall it was so with the captain of this slave ship he arrived in Africa took on a considerable number of slaves and in order to complete his cargo went on shore leaving his mate in charge of the vessel this mate was a bold wicked, reckless and ungovernable spirit and perceiving in Benito de Soto a mind congenial with his own he fixed on him as a fit person to join in the design he had conceived of running away with the vessel and becoming a pirate accordingly the mate proposed his plan to Soto who not only agreed to join in it but declared that he himself had been contemplating a similar enterprise during the voyage they both were at once of a mind and they lost no time in maturing their plot their first step was to break the matter to the other members of the crew and this they proceeded cautiously and succeeded so far as to gain over 22 of the whole leaving 18 who remained faithful to their trust every means was used to corrupt the well disposed both persuasion and threats were resulted to but without effect and the leader of the conspiracy the mate began to despair of attaining the desired object Soto however was not so easily depressed he at once decided on seizing the ship upon the strength of his party and without consulting the mate he collected all the arms of the vessel called the conspirators together putting to each of their possession a cutlass and a brace of pistols and arming himself in like manner advanced at the head of the gang drew his sword and declared the mate to be the commander of the ship and the men who joined him part owners still those who had rejected the evil offer remained unmoved on which Soto ordered out the boats and pointed to the land cried out there is the African coast this is our ship one or the other must be chosen by every man on board within five minutes this declaration although we had had the effect preventing any resistance that might have been offered by the well disposed to the taking of the vessel did not change them from their purpose they still refused to join in the robbery and entered one by one into the boat at the orders of Soto and with but one pair of oars all that was allowed to them put off for the shore from which they were then ten miles distant had the weather continued calm as it was when the boat left the ship she would have made the shore by dusk but unhappily a strong gala wind set in shortly after her departure and she was seen by Soto and his gang struggling with the billows and approaching night at such a distance from the land as she could not possibly accomplish why the gale lasted all on board the ship agreed in opinion that the boat could not live as they flew away from her at the rate of ten knots an hour under close brief top sails leaving their unhappy mess mates to their inevitable fate those of the pirates who were lately executed at Cadiz declare that every soul in the boat perished the drunken uproar since that night rain in the pirate ship was in horrid unison with the raging elements around her contention and quarreling followed the brutal inebriity of the pirates each evil spirit saw the mastery of the others and Soto which was the fiend of all began to grasp and grapple for his proper place the head of such a diabolical community the mate now the chief at once gave the reins to his rough young tyranny and the keen eye Soto saw that he who had fallen with him the day before would next day rule him with an iron rod prompting his actions as he was penetrating in his judgment he had no center conceived a jealousy of the leader then he determined to put him aside and as his rival lay in his drunken sleep Soto put a pistol to his head and deliberately shot him for this act he excused himself to the crew by stating to them that it was in their protection he did the act that their interest was the others death and concluded by declaring himself their leader and promising a golden harvest to their future labors provided they obeyed him Soto succeeded to the height of his wishes and was unanimously hailed by the crew as their captain on board the vessel as I before stated were a number of slaves and these the pirates had well secured under hatches they now turned their attention to those half-starved half-suffocated creatures some were for throwing them overboard while others not less cruel but more desirous of gain proposed to take them to some port in one of those countries that deal in human beings and there sell them the latter recommendation was adopted and Soto steered for the west indies where he received a good price for his slaves and one of those wretched creatures a boy he reserved as a servant for himself and this boy was destined by Providence to be the witness of the punishment of those white men who tore away from their homes himself and his brethren he alone will carry back to his country the truth of heaven's retribution and heal the wounded feelings of broken kindred with the recital of it the pirates now entered freely into the villainous pursuit and plundered many vessels and among others was an American Brigg the treatment of which forms the chef-to-war of their atrocity having taken out of this Brigg all the valuables they could find they hatched down all hands to the hold accepted black man who was allowed to remain on deck for the special purpose of affording in his torture an amusing exhibition to Soto and his gang they set fire to the Brigg then lay to to observe the progress of the flames a beautiful African bounded from rope to rope now climbing to the mast head now clinging to the shrouds now leaping to one part of the vessel and now to another their enjoyment seemed raised to his highest pitch at length the hatches open to the devouring element the tortured victim of their fengish cruelty fell exhausted into the flames and the horrid and revolting scene closed amidst the shouts of the miscreants who had caused it that which ranks next to turpitude and which led to their overthrow was the piracy of the morning star they fell in with that vessel near the island Asension in the year 1828 as she was on her voyage from Ceylon to England this vessel besides a valuable cargo had on board several passengers consisting of a major and his wife an assistant surgeon two civilians about five and twenty invalids soldiers and three or four of their wives as soon as Benito de Soto perceived the ship which was at daylight on the 21st of February he called up all hands and prepared for attacking her he was at the time staring on an opposite course to that of the morning star on reconneering her he at first suppose she was a French vessel but Barbizon one of his crew who was himself a Frenchman assured him the ship was British so much the better exclaimed Soto in English for he could speak that language we shall find the more booty he then ordered the sails to be squared and ran before the wind in chase of his plunder from which he was about two leagues distant the Defensor de Pedro the name of the pirate ship was a fast sailor but only to the press of canvas which the morning star hoisted soon after the pirate had commenced the chase he did not come up to her so quickly as he had expected the delay calls great uneasiness to Soto which he manifested by muttering cusses and restlessness of manner sounds of savage satisfaction were to be heard from every mouth but he is at the prospect he alone expresses anticipated pleasure by oaths menaces and mental inquietude while Barbizon was employed in superintending the clearing of the decks the arm and resting of the men he walked rapidly up and down revolving in his mind the plan of the approaching attack and when interrupted by any of the crew he would run into a volley of implications in one instant he struck his black boy a violent blow with a telescope because he had asked him if he would like his morning coffee of chocolate as soon however as he set his studying sails and perceived that he was gaining on the morning star he became tranquil began to eat hardly of cold beef drank his chocolate at a drought and coolly sit down on the deck to smoke a cigar in less than a quarter of an hour the pirate had gained considerable on the other vessel Soto now without raising from where he set ordered a gun with blank cartridge to be fired and the British colors to be hosted but finding this measure had not the effect of bringing the morning star to he cried out shot the long gun and give it her point blank the order was obeyed but the shot fell short of the intention on which he jumped up and cursed the fellows for bunglers who had fired the gun he then ordered him to load the canister shot and took the match in his own hand he did not however fire immediately but waited until he was nearly oppressed of his victim then directing the aim himself and ordering a man to stand by the flag to haul it down fired with an air that showed he was sure of his mark he then ran to haul up the Colombian colors and having done so cried out through the speaking trumpet lower your boat down this moment and let your captain come on board with his papers during this fearful chase the people on board the morning star were in their greatest alarm but however their apprehensions might have been excited that courage which is so characteristic of a British sailor never for a moment for shook the captain he boldly carried on sail and although one of the men fell from a wound and the ravages of the shot were everywhere around him he determined not to strike but unhappily he had not a single gun on board and no small arms that could render his courage availing the tears of the women and the prudent advice of the passengers overcoming his resolution he permitted himself to be guided by the general opinion one of the passengers volunteered himself to go on board the pirate and a boat was lowered for the purpose both vessels now laid to within 50 yards of each other and a strong hope arose in those on board the morning star that the gentleman who had volunteered to go to the pirate might through his exertions avert at least the worst of the dreaded calamity here in their quiet security had made no scruple of declaring that the commanding officer of the soldier on board should not have so tamely yielded to the pirate particularly as he had his wife along with him and consequently a misfortune to dread that might be though even worse than death but all who knew the true state of the circumstances and reflect upon it will allow that he adopted the only chance of escaping that which was to be most feared by a husband the long gun which was on a pivot in the center of this pirate ship could in a few shots sink the morning star and even had resistance been made to the pirates as they boarded her had they been killed or made prisoners the result would not be much better it was evident that the defense or the Pedro was the best sailor consequently the morning star could not hope to escape in fact submission or destruction was the only choice the commanding officer therefore acted for the best when he recommended the former there was some slight hope of escaping with life and without personal abuse by surrendering but to contend must be an available death the gentleman who had gone in a boat to the pirate returned in a short time exhibiting every proof of the ill treatment he had received from Soto and his crew it appears that when the villains he was not the captain they fell upon and beat him as well as the sailors along with him in a most brutal manner and with the most hard implications told him that if the captain did not instantly come on his return to the vessel they would blow the ship out of the water this reported at once decided the captain in the way he was to act without hesitation he stepped into the boat taking with him his second mate three soldiers and a sailor boy and proceeded to the pirate on going on board that vessel along with the mate Soto who stood near the main mast with his drawn cutlass in his hand desired him to approach while the mate was ordered by Barbizon to go to the forecast both these unfortunate individuals obeyed and were instantly slaughtered Soto now orders six pic men to descend into the boat amongst whom Barbizon to him the leader addressed his orders the last of which was to take care to put all in the prize to death and then sinker the six pirates who proceeded to execute his savage demand were all armed alike they each carried a brace of pistols a cutlass and a long knife their dress was composed of a sort of course cotton checkered jacket and trousers shirts they were open at the collar red woolen caps and broad canvas waist belts into which were the pistols and the knives they were all athletic men and seams such as might well be trusted with a sand-grinnery iron on which they were dispatched while the boat was conveying them Soto held in his hand a cutlass reddened with the blood of the murdered captain and stood scouting on them with silence while another ruffian with a long gun ready to support the boarding if necessary with a shot that would sweep the deck as the boaters approached the morning star the terror of the females became excessive they clung to their husbands in despair who endeavored to allay their fears by their own vain hopes assuring them that a quiet submission nothing more than the plunder of the vessel was to be apprehended but a few minutes visibly undeceived them the pirates rapidly mounted the side and as they jumped on deck commenced to cut right and left at all within their reach uttering at the same time the most dreadful osse the females screaming hurried to hide themselves below as well as they were able and the men fell or fled before the pirates leaving them entire masters of the decks when the pirates had succeeded in effectively prostrating all the people on the deck they drove most of them below and reserved the remainder to assist in their operations unless the circumstances be closely examined it may be wondered how six men could have so easily overcome a crew of English seamen supported by about 20 soldiers with a major at their head but it will not appear so surprising when it is considered that the sailors were all together unarmed the soldiers were worn out invalids and more particularly that the pirate carried a heavy long gun ready to sink her victim at a shot Major Logie was fully impressed with the folly of opposing so powerful and desperate an enemy and therefore advised submission as the only course for the safety of those under his charge presuming no doubt that something like humanity might be found in the breast even of the worst of men but alas he was woefully deceived in his estimate of the villain's nature and felt when too late that even death would have been preferable to the barbarous treatment he was forced to endure beaten, bleeding, terrified the men lay huddled together in the hold while the pirates proceeded in their work of pillage and brutality every trunk was hauled forth every portable article of value heaped for the plunder money, plate charts, nautical instruments and seven parcels of valuable jewels which formed part of the cargo these were carried from below on the backs of those men whom the pirates selected to assist him and for two hours they were thus employed during which time Soto stood upon his own deck directing the operations for the vessels were within a hundred yards of each other the scene which took place in the cabin exhibited a lascivious brutality the sick officer, Mr. Gibson escaped from his birth the clothes of the other passengers stripped from their backs and the whole of the cabin passengers driven on deck except the females whom they locked up in the round house on deck and the steward who was detained to serve the pirates with wine and eatables his treatment no doubt hastened the death of Gibson the unfortunate gentleman did not long survive it as the passengers were forced up the cabin ladder it may be imagined where of the most heart-rendering description in vain did he entreat to be allowed to remain he was hurried away from even the chance of protecting his defenseless wife and batten down with the rest in the hole there to be racked with the fearful apprehensions of their almost certain doom the labors of the robbers being now concluded they set down to regal themselves preparatory to the chef deavor of their diabolical enterprise and a more terrible group of demi-devils the steward declares could not be well imagined then commanded his attention at the cabin table however as he was a Frenchman and naturally polite he acquitted himself of the office of cup-bearer if not as gracefully at least as anxiously as ever did Ganymede herself yet notwithstanding this readiness to serve the visitors in their gastronomic desires the poor steward felt ill-requited he was twice frightened into an icicle and twice stalled back into conscious horror by the rudeness of those he entertained in one instance when he had filled out a sparkling glass for a ruffian and believed he had quite won the heart of the drinker by the act he found himself grasped roughly and tightly by the throat and the point of a knife staring him in the face it seems the fellow who thus seized him had felt between his teeth a sharp bit of broken glass and fastened that something had been put in the wine to poison him he determined to prove his suspicions by making the steward swallow what remained in the bottle from which the liquor had been drawn and thus unceremoniously refaced his command however ready and implicit obedience averted further bad consequences the other instance where the steward's jeopardy was this when the repass was ended one of the gentlemen cruelly requested him to waive all delicacy and point out the place in which the captain's money was concealed he might as well have asked him to produce the philosopher's stone however pleading the truth was of no use he is determined, requisitor second in the demand by stamping a pistol at his breast having misfired he recocked and presented but the fatal weapon was struck aside by Babazon who reproved the rashness with a threat and thus averted the steward's impending fate it was then with feeling of satisfaction he heard himself ordered to go down to the hold and in a moment he was bolted in among his fellow sufferers the roughiness indulged in the pleasure of the bottle for some time longer and then having ordered down the females treated them with even less humanity then characterized their conduct towards the others the screams of the helpless females were heard in the hold by those who were unable to render them assistance and agonizing, indeed must these screams have been in their incarcerated burrows how far the brutality of pirates was carried in this stage of the hard proceedings we can only surmise fortunately their lives were spared although as it afterwards appeared the orders of Soto were to butcher ever being on board and it is thought that those orders were not put into action inconsequent of the villains having wasted so much time and drinking and otherwise indulging themselves for it was not until the loud voice of their chief was heard to recall them that they prepared to leave the ship they therefore continued themselves with fastening the women within the cabin heaping heavy lumber on the hatches of the hold and boring holds in the planks of the vessel below the surface of the water so that in destroying the unhappy people at one swoop they might make up for the lost time they then left the ship sinking faster apparently certain fate it may be reasonably supposed bad as their conduct was towards the females and pitiful as was the suffering it produced that the lives of the hold left to perish were preserved through it the ship must have gone down if the women had been either taken out of her or murdered and those in the hold inevitably have gone with her to the bottom but by good fortune the females succeeded in forcing their way out of the cabin and became the means of liberating the men confined in the hold when they came on deck it was nearly dark yet they could see the pirate ship at a considerable distance with all her sails set and bearing away from them they prudently waited concealed from the possibility of being seen by the enemy and when the night fell they crept to the hatchway and called out to the men below to endeavor to affect their liberation informing them that the pirate was away and out of sight they then united their efforts and the lumber being removed the hatches gave way to the force below so that the released captives breathed of hope again the delightful drought however was checked when the ship was found to contain six feet of water a momentary collapse took possession of all their newly excited expectation cries and groans of despair burst forth but the sailors energy quickly returned and was followed by that of others they set to work at the pumps and by dent of labor succeeded in keeping the vessel afloat yet to direct her course was impossible the pirates having completely disabled her by cutting away her rigging and sawing the mast all the way through the eye of providence however was not averted from the hapless people for they fell in with a vessel next day that relieved them from the distressing situation and brought them to England in safety we will now return to Soto and show how the hand of that providence that secured his intended victims fell upon himself and his wicked associates intoxicated with their infamous success the night had far advanced before Soto learned that the people in the morning star instead of being slaughtered were only left to be dreaded the information excited his utmost rage he reproached Barbizon and those who had accompanied them in the boarding with disobeying his orders and declare that now there could be no security for their lives late as the hour was and long as he had been staring away he determined to put back in the hope of eventually preventing the escape of those in the devoted vessel by seeing them destroyed before his eyes Soto was a follower of the principle inculcated by the old Maxim dead men tell no tales and in pursuit of his doctrine lost not a moment in putting about and running back but it was too late he could find no trace of the vessel and so consoled himself with the belief that she was at the bottom of the sea many fathoms below the keen inculcances of admiralty courts Soto thus satisfied bent his course to Europe on his voyage he fell in with a small brig boarded, plundered, sunk her and that he might not again run the hazard of encountering living witnesses of his guilt murdered the crew with the exception of one individual whom he took along with him on account of his knowledge of the course to Corona whether he intended to proceed but faithful to his principle of self-protection as soon as he had made full use of the unfortunate sailor and found himself in sight of the destined port he came up to him at the helm which he held in his hand my friend said he is that the harbor of Corona yes was the reply then rejoin Soto you have done your duty well and I am obliged to you for your services on the instant he drew a pistol and shot the man then coolly flung his body overboard took to him himself and stared into his native harbor as little concerned if he had returned from an honest voyage at this port he obtained papers and a false name disposed of a great part of his booty and after a short stay set out for Cadice where he expected a market for the remainder he had a fair wind until he came within sight of the coast near that city it was coming on dark and he lay too expecting to go into his anchorage next morning but the wind shifted to the westward and suddenly began to blow a heavy gale it was right on the land he left the ship as close to the wind as possible in order to clear a point to stretch outward and beat off a windward but his leeway carried him towards the land and he was caught when he least expected a trap the gale increased the night grew pitchy dark the roaring breakers were on his lee beam the drifting vessel strikes rebounds and strikes again the cry of horror rings through the flapping cordage and despair is in the eyes of the demon crew helpless they lie amid the rest of the storm and darken face of heaven for the first time strikes terror their guilty hearts death is before them but not with a merciful quickness does he approach hour after hour the frightful vision glares upon them and at length disappears only to come upon them again in a more dreadful form the tempest of bates and the sinners were spared for the time as the daylight broke they took to their boats and abandoned the vessel to preserve their lives but there was no repentance in the pirates along with the night and the winds went the voice of conscience and they thought no more of what had passed they stood up on the beach gazing at the wreck and the first thought of Soto was to sell it and purchase another vessel for the renewal of his atrocious pursuits with a marked decision of his character he proposed his intention to his followers and received their full approbation the plan was instantly arranged they were to present themselves to the honest, shipped wreck mariners to the authorities at Cadice Soto was to take upon himself the office of mate or contra maestra to an imaginary captain and thus obtain their sanction in disposing of the vessel and there assumed character the whole proceeded to Cadice and presented themselves before the proper officers of the marine their story was listened to with sympathy and for a few days everything went on their satisfaction Soto has succeeded so well as to conclude the sale of the wreck with a broker for the sum of $1,750 the contract was signed but fortunately the money was not yet paid when suspicion arose from some inconsistencies in the pirate's account of themselves and six of them were arrested by the authorities Soto and one of his crew instantly disappeared from Cadice and succeeded in arriving at the neutral ground before Gibraltar and six more made their escape to the Caracas none are permitted to enter the fortress of Gibraltar without permission from the governor or a passport Soto and his companion therefore took up their quarters at a facade on the neutral ground and resided there in security for several days the busy and daring mind of the former could not long remain inactive he proposed to his companion to attempt to enter the garrison in disguise and by stealth but could not avail upon him to consent he therefore resolved to go in alone and his object in doing so was to procure a supply of money by a letter of credit which he brought with him from Cadice his companion more wise than he chose the safer course he knew that the neutral ground was not much controllable by the laws either of the Spanish or the English although there was not much probability of being discovered he resolved not to trust to chance in so great a stake as his life and he proved to have been right in his judgment for had he gone to Gibraltar he would have shared the same fate of his chief this man is the only one of the whole gang who had not met with the punishment of his crimes for he succeeded in affecting his escape on board some vessel it is not even suspected to what country he has gone but his description no doubt is registered the story of the morning star informed me that he is a tall stout man with fair hair and fresh complexion of a mild and gentle continence but that he was one of the worst villains of the whole paratical crew I believe he has stated to be a Frenchman Soto secured his admission into the garrison by a false pass and took up his residence near Tavern in a narrow lane which runs off the main street of Gibraltar and is kept by a man by the name of Basso the appearance of his house soothed well with the associations of the worthy Benito's life I have occasion to pass the door frequently at night where our barrack, the casement is but a few yards from it I never look at the place without feeling an involuntary sensation of horror the smoky and dirty nooks the distant groups of dark Spaniards Moors and Jews their shallow cottons made yellow by the fight of dim oil lamps the unsealed raptors of the room above seen through unshuttered windows and the consciousness of their having covered the atrocious Soto combined this effect upon me in this den the villain remained for a few weeks and during this time seemed to enjoy himself as if he had never committed a murder the story he told Basso of his circumstances was that he had come to Gibraltar on his way to Cadiz from Malaga and were merely awaiting the arrival of a friend he dressed explicitly generally wore a white hat of the best English quality silk stockings, white trousers and blue frock coat his whiskers were large and bushy and his hair which was very black profuse, long and naturally curled was much in the style of a London preacher of prophetic and anti poetic notoriety he was deeply brown with the sun and had an air and gate expressive of his bold enterprising and desperate mind indeed when I saw him in his cell and at his trial although his frame was attenuated almost to a skeleton the color of his face a pale yellow his eyes sunken and hair closely shorn but exhibited strong traces of what he had been still retained his erect and fearless carriage his quick, fiery, male violent eyes his hurried and concise speech and his close and pertinent style of remark he appeared to me such a man as would have made a hero in the ranks of his country had circumstances placed him in the proper road to fame but ignorance and poverty turned into the most ferocious robber and been an honor to his sunken country I should like to hear what the phrenologist say of his head it appears to me to be the most peculiar I had ever seen and certainly as far as the bump of destruction this went bore the theory fully out it is rumored here that the skull has been sent to the savants of Edinburgh if this is the case we shall no doubt be made acquainted with their sage opinions upon the subject and great conquerors will receive a further assurance of how much they resemble in their physical nature the greatest murderers when I visited the pirate in the Moorish castle where he was confined he was sitting in his cold, narrow miserable cell upon a pallet of straw eating his coarse meal from a tin plate I thought him more an object of pity than vengeance he looked so worn with disease so crushed with suffering frank and kind in his address for he had happened to be in a communicated mood a thing that was by no means common with him he spoke of his long confinement till I thought the tears were about to start from his eyes and alluded to his approaching trial with satisfaction but his predominant characteristic ferocity appeared in his small piercing black eyes before I left him as he alluded to his keeper the provost in such a way that made me suspect his desire for blood was not yet extinguished when he appeared in court on his trial his demeanor was quite altered he seemed to me to have suddenly risen out of the wretch he was in his cell to all the qualities I had heard of him he stood erect and unembarrassed he spoke with a strong voice attending closely to the proceedings occasionally examining the witnesses and at the conclusion he tested against the justice of his trial he sometimes spoke to the guards around him and sometimes affected an error of carelessness of his awful situation which however did not set easy upon him even here the leading trait of his mind wrote forth for when the interpreter commenced his office the language which he made use of being pedantic and affected Soto interrupted him thus while a scowl set upon his brow that terrified the man of words I don't understand you man speak Spanish like others and I'll listen to you when the dirk that belonged to Mr. Roberson the trunk and clothes taken from Mr. Gibson and the pocketbook containing the ill-fated captain's handwriting were placed before him and proved to have been found in his room and when the maid servant of the tavern proved that she found the dirk under his pillow every morning on arranging his bed he was confronted with his own black slave between two waxed lights the kindness of the villain appeared in his true nature not depressed nor sorrowful but vivid and ferocious and when the patient and dignified governor Sir George Don passed the judge's sentence of the law upon him he looked daggers at his heart and assumed a harsh silence more eloquent than words the criminal persisted up to the day before his execution and asserting his innocence and invading against the injustice of his trial but the certainty of his fate and the awful voice of religion at length seduced him he made an unreserved confession of his guilt and became truly penitent gave up to the keeper the blade of a razor which he had secreted between the soles of his shoes for the acknowledged purpose of adding suicide to his crimes and seemed to wish for the moment that was to send him before his creator I witnessed his execution and I believe there never was a more contrite man than he prepared to be yet there was no dribbling fears upon him he walked firmly at the tail of the fatal cart gazing sometimes at his coffin sometimes at the crucifix which he held in his hand the symbol of divinity he frequently pressed to his lips repeated the prayers spoken in his ear by the attendant clergyman of everything but the world to come the gallows were erected beside the water in front of the neutral ground he mounted the cart as firmly as he had walked behind it and held up his face to heaven in the beating rain calm, resigned, but unshaken and finding the halter too high for his neck he boldly stepped upon his coffin and placed his head in the noose then washing the first turns of the wheels he murmured farewell all and leaned forward to facilitate his fall the black slave of the pirate stood up on the battery trembling before his dying master to behold the awful termination of a series of events the recital of which to his African countrymen when he shall return to his home will give them no doubt a dreadful picture of European civilization the black boy was a quitted ecadese but the men who had fled to the caracas as well as those arrested after the wreck were convicted, executed their limbs severed and hung on tenor hooks as a warning to all pirate End of Chapter 9 Recording by Ben Wilford of Jackson, Tennessee