ore ladies of more humble
social standing.

Already Misson has received more space than he is entitled to in a work of
reference of this kind, but his career is so full of charming incidents
that one is tempted to continue to unseemly length. Let it suffice to say
that for some years Misson made speeches, robbed ships, and now and again,
when unavoidably driven to it, would reluctantly slaughter his enemies.

Finally, Misson took his followers to a sheltered bay in Madagascar, and
on landing there made a little speech, telling them that here they could
settle down, build a town, that here, in fact, "they might have some Place
to call their own; and a Receptacle, when Age or Wounds had render'd them
incapable of Hardship, where they might enjoy the Fruits of their Labour,
and go to their Graves in Peace."

This ideal colony was called Libertatia, and was run on strictly
Socialistic lines, for no one owned any individual property; all money was
kept in a common treasury, and no hedges bounded any man's particular plot
of land. Docks were made and fortifications set up. Soon Misson had two
ships built, called the _Childhood_ and the _Liberty_, and these were sent
for a voyage round the island, to map and chart the coast, and to train
the released slaves to be efficient sailors. A Session House was built,
and a form of Government arranged. At the first meeting Misson was elected
Lord Conservator, as they called the President, for a term of three years,
and during that period he was to have "all the Ensigns of Royalty to
attend him." Captain Tew, the English pirate, was elected Admiral of the
Fleet of Libertatia, Caraccioli became Secretary of State, while the
Council was formed of the ablest amongst the pirates, without distinction
of nation or colour. The difficulty of language, as French, English,
Portuguese, and Dutch were equally spoken, was overcome by the invention
of a new language, a kind of Esperanto, which was built up of words from
all four. For many years this ideally successful and happy pirate Utopia
flourished; but at length misfortunes came, one on top of the other, and a
sudden and unexpected attack by the hitherto friendly natives finally
drove Misson and a few other survivors to seek safety at sea, but,
overtaken by a hurricane, their vessel foundered, and Misson and all his
crew were drowned; and thus ended the era of what may be called "piracy
without tears."

He was the mildest-manner'd man