ut 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 other's 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. 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 their villainous pursuit, and
plundered many vessels; amongst others was an American brig, the
treatment of which forms the _chef d'oeuvre_ of their atrocity. Having
taken out of this brig all the valuables they could find, they hatched
down all hands to the hold, except a 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 brig, then
lay to, to observe the progress of the flames; and as the miserable
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 its heighest pitch. At
length the hatches opened to the devouring element, the tortured victim
of their fiendish cruelty fell exhausted into the flames, and the horrid
and revolting scene closed amidst the shouts of the miscreants who had
caused it.

Of their other exploits, that which ranks next in turpitude, and which
led to their overthrow, was the piracy of the M