The Argosy, Vol. 75, No. 4 — page 160: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

862 when the doors were finally opened and the people were released it was by no means a hundred that staggered “into the sunlit plaza. We weighed anchor early in the morning and headed back on our old course for the Isle of Cows and thence to the Tortugas, where the division of the spoil was made. In cash and jewels, plate and bullion, apart from the many little sums that many of the men had cached for their individual profit, the share of an or- dinary sailor was about two thousand pesos, a larger booty than they had got in any previous raid. No sooner was the division made than many of the men were for going to Jamaica, where in a civilized port they could get value received for their hard-earned money. Several small boats left the settle- ment, but I noticed that the men who manned them were the looser living idlers who weré not the backbone of the crews. “They have some big game afoot, Stephen,” said Oakes, nodding gravely at me. It was broached that. night. Oakes and I were matelots, and lived in our little cabin that we had built of logs and canvas on the beach just above high-water line, where we had free ac- cess to the water. It was here that Captain Hetherington found us. He nodded curtly to me as I rose. ‘Never mind, Upholme; I want to talk to Oakes there. Oakes, my man, have you ever handled a vessel?” 1 laughed: and Oakes explained. “T want a navigator for first mate on the next trip. Will you take the berth? Three shares of prize money go with it.” In those days a captain drew five shares of the plunder, a mate three, and the rest of the crew one share each when the ships cruised alone. Oakes demurred a little. ‘I didn’t like that last affair, captain.” “Hang it, man! Who asked you to like it? This next one will be more to your taste, though.” THE ARGOSY.. “What is it, sir?” asked Oakes shortly. Hetherington leaned forward as he answered quietly : ‘Savona and the plate-fleet.” é Oakes looked at him admiringly. “Now that is something like a job for a man,” he said. “‘ My arm aches when I think of getting a Spanish soldier within sword-sweep, and Up- holme here lacks a considerable sum of what they took from him. We will go, captain.” “Good! Keep your lips sealed till you get your orders. Good night,” and he walked off to his own quarters. Day by day we saw preparations has- tened, and all that we saw convinced us that this was to be no common ex- pedition. The larger vessels only were chosen, batteries were changed for heavier guns, new standing and run- ning rigging was rove, spars were scraped an slushed, sails bleached, and no trifles were overlooked. The crews were full, and the men were the best that even Morgan could get; and, indeed, they had need to be so, for, this new venture, if Hethering- ton spoke truly, was indeed a great one. The plate-fleet from the Havanas never passed without a heavy convoy, and those great galliases, with their tiers of heavy ordnance, were by no means a joke; though, to be sure, we cared but little for their guns if we could once grapple them stern and bow, for the buccaneers always count- ed a ship as won when they once set foot upon her decks. So word went out by runner and by boat that Morgan was about to set out on a new venture, and again the men came crowding to him. Porto Bello, with its rich loot, had set fire to the imagination of every man along the coast, and they longed to again thrust their arms elbow deep in Spanish gold. For that trip he had the pick of the hunters from Hispaniola. ‘There were nine vessels that were to rendezvous at the old place, the Isle of Cows, We left Tortugas in fine spirits and Gomichbooks (E@) 6 : > = a — mal a = Sa aee - EO es Fe