t was soon overcome, and our high-minded
pirate found himself in the position of a conqueror with a community at
his mercy. As his piety now raised itself above all his other
attributes, the first thing that he did was to repair to the principal
church of the town, accompanied by all his men, and here, in accordance
with his commands, a Te Deum was sung and services were conducted by the
priests in charge. Then, after having properly performed his religious
duties, de Lussan sent his men through the town with orders to rob the
inhabitants of everything valuable they possessed.

The ransacking and pillaging of the houses continued for some time, but
when the last of his men had returned with the booty they had collected,
the high-minded chief was dissatisfied. The town appeared to be a good
deal poorer than he had expected, and as the collection seemed to be so
very small, de Lussan concluded that in some way or other he must pass
around the hat again. While he was wondering how he should do this he
happened to hear that on a sugar plantation not very far away from the
town there were some ladies of rank who, having heard of the approach of
the pirates, had taken refuge there, thinking that even if the town
should be captured, their savage enemies would not wander into the
country to look for spoils and victims.

But these ladies were greatly mistaken. When de Lussan heard where they
were, he sent out a body of men to make them prisoners and bring them
back to him. They might not have any money or jewels in their
possession, but as they belonged to good families who were probably
wealthy, a good deal of money could be made out of them by holding them
and demanding a heavy ransom for their release. So the ladies were all
brought to town and shut up securely until their friends and relatives
managed to raise enough money to pay their ransom and set them free, and
then, I have no doubt, de Lussan advised them to go to church and offer
up thanks for their happy deliverance.

As our high-minded pirate pursued his plundering way along the coast of
South America, he met with a good many things which jarred upon his
sensitive nature--things he had not expected when he started out on his
new career. One of his disappointments was occasioned by the manners and
customs of the English buccaneers under his command. These were very
different from the Frenchmen of his company, for they made not the
slightest pretence to piety.

Whe