CONTENTS.PAGECHAPTER I.Origin of the Buccaneers.Renown of Captain Kidd.—Wild Legends.—Demands of Spain.—Opposition of the Maritime Powers.—The Rise of the Buccaneers.—The Pirates’ Code.—Remonstrance of Spain.—Reply of France and England.—Confession of a Buccaneer.—Adventures of Peter the Great.9CHAPTER II.William Kidd becomes a Pirate.Ravages of the Pirates.—The King’s Interview with Earl Bellomont.—William Kidd, the New-York Merchant.—His Commission.—Sailing of the Adventure.—Recruiting in New York.—Circuitous Trip to Madagascar.—Perils and Sufferings.—Madagascar the Pirates’ Home.—Murmurings of the Crew.—Kidd reluctantly turns Pirate.—His Repulses, and his Captures.29CHAPTER III.Piratic Adventures.Audacity of Kidd.—Fate of the November.—Kidd kills William Moore.—The Renowned Ballad.—Kidd’s Compunctions.—Kidd at Madagascar.—Piratic Carousals.—The Artificial Hell.—Kidd’s Return to the West Indies.—Exaggerated Reports of Avery.—His wretched Career and wretched End.51CHAPTER IV.Arrest, Trial, and Condemnation of Kidd.Appalling Tidings.—Trip to Curacoa.—Disposal of the Quedagh Merchant.—Purchase of the Antonio.—Trembling Approach toward New York.—Measures for the Arrest of Kidd.—He enters Delaware Bay.—Touches at Oyster Bay and Block Island.—Communications with the Government.—Sails for Boston.—His Arrest.—Long Delays.—Public Rumors.—His Trial and Condemnation.75CHAPTER V.Kidd, and Stede Bonnet.The Guilt of Kidd.—Rumors of Buried Treasure.—Mesmeric Revelation.—Adventures of Bradish.—Strange Character of Major Bonnet.—His Piracies.—Encounters.—Indications of Insanity.—No Temptation to Turn Pirate.—Blackbeard.—Bonnet Deposed.98CHAPTER VI.The Adventures of Edward Teach, or Blackbeard.Seizure of the Protestant Cæsar.—The Piratic Squadron.—Villany of the Buccaneers.—The Atrocities of Blackbeard.—Illustrative Anecdotes.—Carousals on Shore.—Alleged Complicity with the Governor.—Hiding-place near Ocracoke Inlet.—Arrangements for his Capture.—Boats sent from two Men-of-War.—Bloody Battle.—The Death of the Pirate.—His Desperate and Demoniac Character.110CHAPTER VII.The Close of Stede Bonnet’s Career.Bonnet’s Abandonment by Blackbeard.—Avails Himself of the King’s Pardon.—Takes Commission as a Privateer.—Rescues Blackbeard’s Pirates.—Piratic Career.—Enters CapeFear River for Repairs.—Captured by Colonel Rhet.—The Conflict.—Escapes from Prison.—The Pursuit, and Trial and Sentence.125CHAPTER VIII.The Portuguese Barthelemy.Commencement of his Career.—Bold Capture.—Brutality of the Pirates.—Reverses and Captivity.—Barthelemy doomed to Die.—His Escape.—Sufferings in the Forest.—Reaches Gulf Triste.—Hardening Effect of his Misfortunes.—His new Piratic Enterprise.—Wonderful Success.—The Tornado.—Impoverishment and Ruin.139CHAPTER IX.Francis Lolonois.Early Life of Lolonois.—His Desperate Character.—Joins the Buccaneers.—His Fiend-like Cruelty.—The Desperadoes Rally around Him.—Equips a Fleet.—Captures Rich Prizes.—Plans the Sack of Maracaibo.—The Adventurous Voyage.—Description of Venezuela.—Atrocities at Maracaibo and Gibraltar.—Doom of the Victors.151CHAPTER X.The Plunder; the Carousal; and the New Enterprise.Gibraltar in Ashes.—The Return to Maracaibo.—Division of the Plunder.—Peculiar Scene.—Reception of the Pirates at Tortuga.—Fiend-like Carousal.—The Pirates Reduced to Beggary.—Lolonois’s New Enterprise.—The “Furious Calm.”—Days of Disaster.—Ravaging the Coast.—Capture of San Pedro.170CHAPTER XI.The End of Lolonois’s Career.The Pirates’ Perfidy.—Capture of a Spanish Ship.—Misery of the Pirates.—Desertion of Vauclin.—The Shipwreck.—Life uponthe Island.—Expedition to Nicaragua.—Its utter Failure.—Ferocity of the Indians.—Exploring the River.—The Retreat.—Coasting to Darien.—Capture and Death of Lolonois.—Fate of the Remnants.186CHAPTER XII.The Female Pirate, Mary Read.Testimony of Charles Johnson.—Marriage of Mary Read’s Mother.—Singular Adventure.—Reasons for Disguising her Daughter.—Early Training of Mary as a Boy.—She Enlists on board a Man-of-War.—The Character she Developed.—Enters the Army.—Skill and Bravery.—Falls in Love with a Fleming.—Reveals her Sex.—The Marriage.—Happy Days.—Death of her Husband.—Adversity.—Resumes Male Attire.201CHAPTER XIII.Anne Bonny, the Female Pirate.Rackam the Pirate.—Anne Bonny his Wife.—Her Reasons for Assuming a Boy’s Dress.—Infamous Character of Rackam.—Anne falls in Love with Mary.—Curious Complications.—The Duel.—Chivalry of Frank.—The Capture.—The Trial.—Testimony of the Artist.—Death of Mary Read.—Rackam Dies on the Scaffold.214CHAPTER XIV.Sir Henry Morgan.His Origin.—Goes to the West Indies.—Joins the Buccaneers.—Meets Mansvelt the Pirate.—Conquest of St. Catharine.—Piratic Colony there.—Ravaging the Coast of Costa Rica.—Sympathy of the Governor of Jamaica.—Death of Mansvelt.—Expedition of Don John.—The Island Recaptured by the Spaniards.—Plans of Morgan.—His Fleet.—The Sack of Puerto Principe.—Horrible Atrocities.—Retreat of thePirates.—The Duel.—They Sail for Puerto Velo.—Conquest of the City.—Heroism of the Governor.225CHAPTER XV.The Capture of Puerto Velo, and its Results.The Torture.—Sickness and Misery.—Measures of the Governor of Panama.—The Ambuscade.—Awful Defeat of the Spaniards.—Ferocity of the Pirates.—Strange Correspondence.—Exchange of Courtesies.—Return to Cuba, and Division of the Spoil.—Wild Orgies at Jamaica.—Complicity of the British Government with the Pirates.—The New Enterprise.—Arrival of the Oxford.—Destruction of the Cerf Volant.—Rendezvous at Samona.246CHAPTER XVI.The Expedition to Maracaibo.The Delay at Ocoa.—Hunting Excursions.—The Repulse.—Cities of Venezuela.—The Plan of Morgan.—Suggestions of Pierre Picard.—Sailing of the Expedition.—They Touch at Oruba.—Traverse Venezuela.—Enter Lake Maracaibo.—Capture of the Fort.—The City Abandoned.—Atrocities of the Pirates.260CHAPTER XVII.Adventures on the Shores of Lake Maracaibo.Preparations for the Defence of Gibraltar.—The Hidden Ships.—The Hiding-place of the Governor and the Women.—Disaster and Failure.—Capture of the Spanish Ships.—The Retreat Commenced.—Peril of the Pirates.—Singular Correspondence.—Strength of the Spanish Armament.—The Public Conference of the Pirates.—The Naval Battle.—The Fire-Ship.—Wonderful Achievement of the Pirates.273CHAPTER XVIII.A New Expedition Planned.The Threat to Espinosa.—Adroit Stratagem.—Wonderful Escape.—The Storm.—Revelry at Jamaica.—History of Hispaniola.—Plan of a New Expedition.—The Foraging Ships.—Morgan’s Administrative Energies.—Return of the Foragers.—Rendezvous at Cape Tiburon.—Magnitude and Armament of the Fleet.—Preparations to Sail.290CHAPTER XIX.Capture of St. Catherine and Chagres.The Defences at St. Catherine.—Morgan’s Strategy.—The Midnight Storm.—Deplorable Condition of the Pirates.—The Summons to Surrender.—Disgraceful Conduct of the Spanish Commander.—The Advance to Chagres.—Incidents of the Battle.—The Unexpected Victory.—Measures of Morgan.305CHAPTER XX.The March from Chagres to Panama.Preparations to Ascend the River.—Crowding of the Boats.—The Bivouac at Bracos.—Sufferings from Hunger.—The Pathless Route.—The Boats Abandoned.—Light Canoes Employed.—Abandoned Ambuscades.—Painful Marches, Day by Day.—The Feast on Leathern Bags.—Murmurs and Contentions.—The Indians Encountered.—Struggling through the Forest.—The Conflagration at Santa Cruz.—Battle and Skirmishes.—First Sight of Panama.—Descent into the Plain.—Feasting.319CHAPTER XXI.The Capture of Panama.First Sight of the City.—The Spanish Scouts Appear.—Morgan’s Advance.—Character of the Country.—Fears of the Spaniards.—Removalof Treasure.—Capture of the City.—The Poisoned Wine.—Magnificent Scenery of the Bay.—Description of Panama and its Surroundings.—Wealth of the City.—Scenes of Crime and Cruelty.335CHAPTER XXII.The Return from Panama.Return of the Explorers.—The Beautiful Captive.—Sympathy in her behalf.—Embarrassments of Morgan.—Inflexible Virtue of the Captive.—The Conspiracy.—Efficiency of Morgan.—His Obduracy.—The Search of the Pirates.—The Return March.—Morgan Cheats the Pirates.—Runs Away.349CHAPTER XXIII.Montbar the Fanatic.Partial Solution of a Mystery.—Montbar’s Birth.—His Education and Delusions.—Anecdote of the Dramatic Performance.—Montbar Runs Away from Home.—Enters the Navy.—His Ferocious Exploits.—Joins the Buccaneers.—Desperate Battles on the Land and on the Sea.—His Final Disappearance.360