e names the benefactions were given. These allowances to
the dead and wounded were considered debts of honor--such as the brokers
of Wall street would note as 'confidential.' Their intercourse with each
other was marked with civility and kindness. They, of course, squandered
their money on coming ashore, in all manner of dissipation, and with the
recklessness which has ever characterized the sailor. To those who were
in want they would contribute freely; and the kind offices of humanity
among each other were readily interchanged. In ordinary cases, their
prisoners were liberated, save those who were needed for their own
assistance; and these were generally discharged after two or three
years. Whenever they were in want of supplies, they landed upon the
islands and levied exactions upon the people--planters and fishermen.
The green turtles, however, among the Florida Keys, supplied a large
portion of their food; and it is presumed that they became as great
adepts in the turtle line as the corporation pirates of modern times.

So extensively was the commerce of Spain in these seas, under her own
flag, cut up, notwithstanding the ships of war repeatedly sent for its
protection, that foreign flags were resorted to, in hopes of deceiving
the rovers. But the _ruse_ was not successful. Two of the buccaneer
chiefs, Michael de Basco and Brouage, receiving intelligence that a
cargo of great value had been shipped under the Dutch flag at
Carthagena, in two ships much larger than their own, boldly entered the
harbor, captured both, and plundered them of their treasure. The Dutch
captains, chagrined at being thus beaten by inferior vessels, said to
one of the pirate chiefs that had he been alone, he would not have dared
thus to attack them. The buccaneer haughtily challenged mynheer to fight
the battle over again--stipulating that his consort should stand aloof
from the engagement, and, that should the Dutchman conquer, both the
pirate vessels should be his. The challenge, however, was not accepted.
At another time, when Basco and two other chiefs, named Jonque and
Laurence Le Graff, were cruising before Carthagena with three
indifferent vessels, two Spanish men-of-war put out to attack them. The
result was the capture of both the latter by the pirates, who kept the
ships, but magnanimously sent the crews on shore--affecting, from the
ease with which they had been vanquished, to look upon them with utter
contempt.

There was yet an