Show F eeS eEE E ee e S eee Sf E e ee eee eee eEe Eee ee ee Ce C I as HOW COPLEY BANKS SLEW CAPTAIN SHARKEY d I IBY EeE e ee EI E se e ee f e see BY A CON C QAN AN OYLE 99 39 9 99 33 j m i i ii i JF Buccaneers were something omet higher than ft 8 of marauders They were a floating 1 l public blk w S ai I l their own OWL I JI Ia their and aa l with the Spaniards they had bad sOme s s ce of r right upon their tide side Their bloody b of f the Uw cities dUM of the Main were not more barbarous than t tb of Spain upon the it apo po T the in these same Iani 4 f Rut nut thee rame ame a a day when the fleets of the J can n nD Drs U D rs no io longer mustered mu at the Tortugas hd the Ute and outlawed OUtlaw d pirate took their pI even ehn with w ith him the tradition of restraint and Qt of dim dis discipline dimi i still till lingered and among the early pirate the theorys orys the and anel the Rober eS there ro ii IRa int d some gome respect tor tot human n sentiment They We more dangerous da to the tito merchant than to the te e aea But they in turn were by more savage vage d desperate de men who ho frankly rankly recognized recognised that they t would get no Lu quarter in their war with the b brae human race rae and who swore they would give as 9 41 le as RS set got of 01 1 their histories we e know little tint t Is trust trustworthy tr l worthy They wrote no memoirs memoir and Ift no trace ti tit save sa t an occasional blackened and bloodstained bl derelict adrift upon the face fale of the Atlantic deeds dee ouId only be surmised ed from the th long roll roil o c ae ships mius Tho WM w wever lever ever made their port l i Searching the records record of history it is Ia omy o 0 here tad th r in n an trial that the veil that shrouds A them seems for an instant to te be lifted we T a glimpse of some me e am l aM d o grot j behind Such Sub Was trus as the tbt breed of Ned Low erf of wt Scotchman and of th infamous Sharkey t blerk binek barque the Happy Delivery was w wI U ni I w i irom n I th tb N Banks Bank to th tM the mouths of 0 the theIS tra o oa ah a IS the t h dark forerunner of and ami of r vere wr re many man ma ny men both the IuM and andon tD on th main nain who wh had bad a zt blood feud With n but bitt not on fl who vho had ad suffered more inure bitterly than Uan Copley Banks of Kingston Banks had bad been one Of ot o th hd b leading lead Ieti 1 ing ine U lr merchants of the Ute West Indies H E Was was a aman ulan man Ina n of or position a H member r of the COM ell the husband of or a ad the cousin of oC the governor gover r of Vir Virginia ginia His two eons rong had been sent to London L to be educated and their mother had bad gone over o r to bring then them back On their return voyage the ship the U hes of Cornwall fell feU Into the hands of Sh it itt t nd the th whole family met with an infamous death Copley Banks Bank said aid little whom when w he be heard the news UW but he sank into a ii mores more e and an enduring melancholy He neglected his business 8 avoided hie friends and Md I IS S orach of his hil hi time thos in the thelow low taverns tayer of the fisher fishermen men mom said and seamen There amid riot and SOd devilry he heat tsat at silently puffing at his bIM pipe with ith a set Ht face and a smoldering eye It was wa generally supposed that his kI misfortune had bad shoken his hie wits and his hi old eld friends looked at a his askance kaDee a for the company which he kept was Wd enough to bar him bbs from frets honest men From time to time there came rumors of Sharkey k kover over the sea Sometimes It was from some sope schooner s h had seen a great greet flame Same upon the horison d approaching to offer oK help to the burning Durning ship ted aWl fled lied away ai a the sight 81 ht of the black barque barse harking lik like lin a wolf near a mangled ma led sheep Sometimes tt was wasa wa waa a frightened trader tra r which had come tearing hf with her ber canvas amas curved like a ladys bodice because she te had haj ha haja feen a patched pa ail rising slowly above Ui U e vio violet yb let wat wate line Sometimes Sometime it was from a coaster coate which leh had found a waterless Bahama Cay littered with Un lun dried bodies bodie Once Onre there here t came a man who w O had been mate of et 1 it a and aDd B i who had hd a the hands hand He could comM not speak for r Id Shin Shat key ke c could uld b best supply ppl bu be 4 an al dj A write to t the Ut v fry great greaf of 01 Copley t lIy Banks Ba ks For hours they sat together over s pd Ute ties dumb dum b man pointed here bere and er I 1 to o u bt reefs net tied and n l tortuous inlets ts while his him hi companion eat smoking sin kii In silence with his Ilia unvarying face and nd Me his fiery liery eyes ea One some two years yeara yea after miter his h Copley opley Baks Baki 0 strode ito to his ow office with his 1 oW air all of energy and ak The manager mana started start at M him hint himin himin in surprise for it was months since nee he had bad shown n nan any an interest in business Good morning Mr Banks said maid he Good morning Freeman I see se is In the bay Yes Yen Ye sir are clears cleans for the tM Windward on Wednesday I r hae have other plans for her Freeman 1 I have de do determined e term upon uOn a ft slaving venture to h But her cargo argo is ready sir sr Then it must come rome out again Freeman My mind Is f made up and the Ruining RU Harry mast ge o to Whydah All A J argument and Del persuasion penna were vain vaa so to o man manager 1 1 ager had dolefully to clear elear the ship once onee mere floie e And then Copley Banks HanM began tt 16 t make k I for his African voyage It appeared tt he be relied upon force rather er than tUn barter baxter for tor the filling of f his hold for tor he carried none JIO of those these showy trinkets which s love ton hut bat the brig brI was fitted with eight nine guns and racks full of muskets and aDd The after next ext the cabin wa was transformed ormed into a powder mazine and she be carried as many round roond shot as a well found privateer Water W ter and aad an pro provisions visions were weVe ere shipped for a long JOng voyage voy But Blut the preparation of nC his tois ships company was most meet surprising It mare Freeman the manger manager maJl realise that there was truth in the rumor that hlo master had taken tak n leave of ot his senses For under one pretext or another he began be n to dismiss the old and aid a tried hand who hal had ha 1 served the firm fl for tor years and aDd n their XI c S Sa S l f fr frS f a i 4 5 S f f I fr 1 f i ij tiT tiTI a t S 5 1 S hI j I I L d 4 r l 4 S t hi he embarked the Ute scum seum of the J iOse rO raf 1 were so vile than the lowest Jot t been ashamed ed fo to furnish them tieni t em I There was wag Birthmark who was WR fn What do you suspect au t r asked the r was as a man broken down with pert wine W UI I 1 suspect said the soldier that it is Eon Bon Bonnet 0 net over again Now Bonnet was a planter JIa r ot Of f high tion and character who 00 from frem some seine tiU Iden and overpowering freshet of wildness e In his had given up everything in hi order to 18 start tart off oft in the Caribbean n sea The example was wao 8 a reemit one Ot ie and it had Ila caused the utmost u st consternation con tion in Ue tIe islands ln s Governors had before b ore now b boon been en Qt being in league gue te with pit pi tes and of receiving com cOns upon pon the plunder so that bat t any want w 9 viI vigilance lance w was a pen open to a sinister si r construction Well VeIl jor Harvey Harve id he I am sip vastly sorry to do an which y offend my friend Copley fo many a JL time U 11 have my knees be been n under un r his mahogany but of what you say aay tb there 1 I no so choice for br me but b bu to order you to hoard board the v vs vel s sol el I and Jura nd tb to satisfy as to her character e ter ai EI S h DIO 1 mt r M of oC bs h a soldiers paid a visit vi lt to the Harry flarry with the result that they picked up nothing lt more solid than a hempen empen cable floating nt the he theme me It bad had been slipped sUpped by the brig whose owner had scented danger She had already passed the Palls Pall Palisades dies and was beating out against the th north northeast northeast east trades trad on a course cou for fer the Windward passage When upon the next n morning orning r the brig had left Morant Merant Point a mere haze Daze upon the southern souti sout rn horl h rl soo sou the men were ere called aft and Copley r re re his plans to them He had ba chosen them he be Ij said as brisk boys and lad lads of grit rn who o ll rather Jt er run nt some risk upon the sea than starve tor for a 3 living uron upon the shore Kings ships were f few fe v and weak and aad they could master er any trader who might come their wy Others had done well at the t busing busIn and with a handy tandy vessel there w was s no DC reason reson why they should not turn tuna ther furry J kals into velvet co oate tp If the they were prepared to tosU sail nil under the black b flag he be ready to command c them but if i any wished Dod to withdraw they might hare bare the Ig g gaRd and aRd row back k tn t Jamaica Jam ea i Four men out of asked alike for f r their t eJr Ie charee went weRt over the ships side Into the th boat and l nd away amid the jeers and Int bowlines of or UJ er erT The T e rest re t e aft and ROO dr d drew wun w un tin the e t articles yf Sf their n fIS soc A square of or black bisek tru had hadI the white skull painted upon it and aid was as hoisted li amid a n Jd I berng At t the main wain I Om rs were e elected and sud the limits of t Nf iy nt thorny fixed Copley Banks Bank was choen bolen c I t the e Art are sr no mates unon on a T r te craf fc rk I quart Isra t ts ln There w WM w III no un In hi fV whet t th rt n om m of the f brother roth r V oo f r ri 1 1 i jit t t est flIt had C upon pirates rates before r v top th name ame for all aU nid rd d JK tv map man d Int r rW with Mith W itO nio t h r r ns The Then T l r n u r Mt It t t hands should be wel me to t ter It when they th y chose S All should share and share alike ate sa only the 1 4 q r captain quartermaster quart b r and master gunner who had f m rn a to d rl a whole hole share extra He who s saw w a i prize fl fi e haVe haVethe the best weapon taken CJ t of ot h He ie who boarded her first should hare BaTe the tic nc est eat suit nuit s lt of ri clotha Clo ab rd of her ber Every avery man might treat eM eat his own ow JneT be beit beit beit it man luau or woman oman a after hi own fashion if f fa a man flinched from his gun the quartermaster q O r pistol him These Theme were we J me of the M he rules the crew of the Ruffling Ruml Harry aU to by b putting forty fort two crosses ero at the foot of le e Upon Which they had been drawn So a M sew W rover was afloat t upon the arid ii id her hr name n before a y year r was ere fl aswell a well ti as that of the Happy Deliver From the Ba as to the L rd and from front t h li t to the th i Wind wards Copley flanks ks the rival l of Sharkey harkey and ind 1 d th tj terror Ferrer tie of ot traders mad ets lF r along aJ O ng tim timo d the e bark b rk nd brig never met wh Wl ch was the mote gular I I as anthe the e Ruffling Harry fla was wair in nAt at tt Shar har I keys resorts re res hat but at t 1 one day diY T hen she ivas s sI I passing down dawn the tM Intel Idlet let at t t lIe t t the e ot I end nd of Cubit CubA with the intention I of oar there was vas the Happy Ha Delivery I 11 ry with her blocks bIOC and tac kI e falls falI already rigged for or lb meu purpose 1 l Co j nt ed J La the tiemen Of C th ara Then he ropp boat Wat nd aboard Captain Sharkey was not a man of a genial g mood nor had he any kindly sympathy for f t those thoss w o were of the same ame trade t as aa himself him lf Copl Copley y B found him seated meted astride upon tipon one otte of t the with his bis New England quartermaster Ned ed ay and ad anda ada a crowd c Yd of roaring ruffians ruMans standing im Yet Iet none of them roared with quite such SU h when hen pale ale face said mid filmy blue eyes were v upon him himlIe I Ilie lIe He was in with his frills breaking b through gh his bI open red satin cd vest rest est The nun BUn seemed to have no n his s frame f for he wore a low tow fur furcap cap as though it had been winter A m nC lored of silk passed across his hia body bOty and aDd supported sUPPort ed a mur murderous murderous derous sword while his him broad bread belt lt was stuffed with pistols u Sink you for a poacher he b cried as Copley Banks p ed over the bulwarks I 1 wIll wili drub druh you w hJ an aninch anInch n inch of your life and that inch also aJO tm mean an you by fishing in my waters J Copley Banks anks ol I d at him and were w e like those of a traveler who ho sees ees his home aast at Jas t tI I am glad tit that we are of one mind said ite e for forI r r rI I am myself of opinion that the alas st sla JS are not hot large enough b for the two of us But if you will ake leke ke sword and pistols and come upon soon a sand bank with me then the world will be rid of a whichever way ay it goes oes Now this is talking cried Jumping off the gun pun and helding out t his b nfl l ave ot m t many who could look John Sharkey In jn speak 8 ak with a full breath bre tb the tb me if I do 10 not SOt choose you as a consort u play me false fAIlle then I will come aboard of you and gut upon OU you own And T I pledge you the same said 4 Couley Cool y Blanks anks nr trl l so o the pirates became sworn comrade c v deS to ouch each other J S y summer they went want north as l far as th the Now New Ne banks ks and harried burIed te N w York traders and the whale Je ships from frem New It was tras Cop Copley Cople Cople ley le Banks Bau who captured the Liverpool Liv ship House of Hanover but it was Sharkey who fastened her master to tile the windlass wind and pelted him hint to death deat with empty claret bottles Together they engaged eng ed the kings ship nO For Fortune Fortune tune tUbe which had been sent in search of them an anti ann beat her off oK u after a night action of five hours the drunken raving crews lighting fighting naked in the light of the battle lanterns lant ms with a bucket of rum und and a pan nikin laid by the tackles of or every gun They ran to Topsail inlet in lii North Carolina to refit rOut anti and an then in inthe Inthe inthe the spring they were at the Grand Caicos ready for fora a tons Ions Ion cruise down the West Indies By Ity this time Sharkey and Capley Banks had be bo become become come very excellent friends for Sharkey loved a wholehearted be villain and he loved a man inan of mettle and it seemed se med to him that tb t the two met in the captain of the Ruffling Harry It was Was long Jong before he h gave ga his hiB confidence to t him for cold suspicion lay IlL deep q ep in his character Never N ver once would he trust himself him 1 outside his 1118 own ship and away from his hl own men But Copley Banks came often ofton on board in Happy D nd Joined Sharkey if I rian of his moro morod d t 8 th latter were we set get s t at t rest reet He knew nothing nothIng of dl this t eU tb had done to his als new boon companion for of at o his many 1 IY victims how bow h w be he remember r the woman and the two boys loys ys whom he had slain with such levity so o long ago When therefore he received a 8 challengE to himself him himself himself self and to his quartermaster for fora a carouse upon the thelast thelast thelast last evening of or their stay at the Caicos bank punk he saW no reason to refuse A passenger ship hid had b cn rifled the week before so their fare was of the best and after at to supper five Ave of them drank deeply together There were the two captains Birthmark S oaks Ned Galloway GalloWa and Israel Martin the old b cou To watt walt upon them was the dumb steward whose head bead Sharkey split with his glass |