Morgan Henry

Of course! How could one not know this "knight of fortune, the ruler flibusterskogo sea, distinguished not only in the rare appearance of the repulsive and evil temper, but also bad" wet "fame, even among pirates. Morgan to kill a comrade or burn pillaging a town with the residents was as simple as us, are tired after a long shoot and all of a tropical heat, to overturn the throat a glass of good rum ... Speaking of drinking. Our guide in Cartagena something quickly said, smiling Creole, and on the table as if by magic grown sturdy glass cups. "Remember: if you want the same again - Cap-ten Mor-gan Black Label - the syllables uttered our guide. - Ladies advise to drink juice or cocoa ". Jamaican rum hot wave failed in the throat ... "And they say that Morgan died an alcoholic," - said one of us. The portrait of the great pirate passed over a short shadow of the truck drove past the windows.

But it is true, and it. But before that ... The son of a prosperous farmer from Monmouth County from a young age differed unruly and bullying temper. In 20 years, . when the boys are no longer fun to watch through your fingers, . his patience finally snapped, . and May 3, 1655 Henry, . in the company of the same green as he glory seekers and see every sea wolves, . stepped onto the deck of a British vessel, . committed to West Indies,
. However, the fare he paid was nothing, and Jung was for debt sold to Barbados. Seven long years of slavery not only made him a professional collector of sugar cane, but also taught the law of the jungle - eat yourself, or ... This "or" ever since felt in my own skin, not only the victims of his robberies. Wild One small, tasted the needs, went to catch up to "real men's affairs" while in raznoyazykuyu gang marine vagrants. Since 1662, Mr.. He studied at the practice flibusterskomu skill in Jamaica and the coast of Honduras, the Spaniards burned belong to the ownership and pocketed confiscated silver. Very fast and strong fists scandalous fame allowed him to put together around their strong personalities squad of thugs, and already 29 years old Morgan, nicknamed Red commanded his own ship under grin Jolly Roger. Career he made rapid. In addition to the well-deserved prestige by bandits, "the mother poradel little man" uncle - Colonel Edward Morgan, appointed in 1644, Mr.. Vice-Governor of Jamaica, the British colony with a large notorious pirate base, where the scum of all nationalities descended loot on women and drinks, at the same time repairing their ships and replenishing food stocks. Official authorities even did not formally attempted to "chide" weather-beaten wanderers: since the days of Elizabeth the first part of the foreign policy of Britain was to deliver as much trouble the Spanish colonies in the Americas, . but about the seizure of stolen gold, and say nothing,
. Spanish caravels were like clams, stuffed with treasures, and pirates were able to open them professionally, filling their pockets and enriching the royal treasury in London. Henry Morgan was just tireless in this role: becoming the head of an entire fleet predatory, . He conquered the Mexican coast a few barges, . loaded with precious logwood; Spanish settlement Rio Hart ruined directly to market day, . catching all the goods but afterward got to Granada, . placing his army on the Indian cakes,
. After two years of such activity its name began to frighten children, but Morgan suddenly slowed down, ass in Jamaica, and even married. Is reassured? Certainly not. Just uncle's influence was not enough to have to elevate him to the rank of Admiral unrecognized pirates, and his chief rival - Edward Mansfelta - should have been addressed in some other way. In 1668, Mr.. he suddenly died from acute poisoning, and Morgan again went to sea.

Should I list all of his exploits? Perhaps, to put such a task would be presumptuous. But the three most brilliant deeds of the greatest villains era villains "worth mentioning. Morgan was the first of Caribbean pirates realized that the seizure of large, well-protected settlements on the coast promises much larger prey than fish in the sea. "Where are resisting the Spaniards, have something to profit. Most fortified city - very rich, "- he asserted, planning their future landings. And one must admit, proved to be a good commander.

Ransacked the town Marokkaybo, satisfied with the pirates were about to return to the Jamaican base, but the path to the open sea they blocked the Spanish warships. Morgan was offered the opportunity in exchange for the prisoners (ransom was also a profitable article) and the return of looted take a hike. But the corsairs themselves known to the ringleader of the requirement to send the Spaniards to the dogs. By order of the Morgan are the largest of his ship from the hold to deck powder, . picturesquely were placed near the poles stuffed in a three-cornered hats and swords, . instead of guns to fit colored block, . raised the English flag at the grotto and let these things towards the creation of the Spaniards,
. It was at dusk, so they saw a boat approaching boldly desire to go to boarding. When the ships moved closer, the explosion of sulfur and tar lit up the sea as day. Panic has already allowed the pirates to take this warship boarding the second Spaniards, and the third ones so as not to accrue to the sea bandits themselves flooded. Such a strategy could not admirable. And even found a Spanish grandee, to whom respect for the enemy inspired bold idea to bring him to joust. Captain Manuel Pardaev widely known, the entire community of the Caribbean Sea that is ready to mate with Henry Morgan, his lively noble sword. Smiled at it over this treacherous pirate, history is silent, but fate would have it soon to bring opponents in the mouth of the Chagres River, where the pirates liked tasty fortress of San Lorenzo. There is no doubt that the Spaniard, his sword unsheathed. But found him after a meeting with a pirate with a hole in his neck.

However, this episode seems a nice joke on the background of treachery displayed by Morgan at the capture of another item on the Spanish Gold Coast. In May 1668, putting the ships at anchor and transplanted his thugs in a canoe, he was suddenly attacked from the land of Portobelo. Trusting intelligence data and having to lock the city, its defenders, led by the commander resisted with desperation of the doomed. After a bloody but unsuccessful attempts to storm the pirate-fishing in the vicinity of the monastery of nuns and forced them to hold his warrior ladder. When the order not only managed to climb up, but break through the wall of Portobello "human shield" just cut. But after rabid plundering troubles for residents of the city did not end there: two weeks pirates to death drunk in the local pubs, dragging away along the pebble church and fiddling with the survivors of the female sex. They cleared out only after the governor of Panama, scraped up a ransom of $ 100 thousand piastres. However, official, . doing his duty, . not refrain from naive question - as the filibuster were able to take the outpost without a proper siege and guns? Even more stupidity on his part was a request for Morgan to send him a sample of "secret weapon", . provide similar success,
. About a year later.

I do not say, at this time, Morgan kept his word. He knew that Panama is like a big transit warehouse for jewelry and gold from robbing the Spaniards of Peru, and its cathedral has a huge number of unique utensils. However, the local garrison was known almost the most robust. Morgan secretly sent to most places of its cereal recruiters, knowing that his name will serve as the best advertising, but the specific purpose of pirates do not know, so that information about the campaign did not reach the Spanish exploration. All the strong fist to trash the Caribbean Sea, the white settlers and even beaters wild bulls responded to the call. In addition to these hopeless souls, in the possession of Morgan was a powerful fleet of 37 ships, the largest of which carried 8 sails and 32 guns. However, in this enterprise pirates was risky to rely only on his extraordinary luck. And he invented a feint: do not descend from the sea, whence he could wait, but with sushi. Selected about one and a half thousand "normal characters" that can bypass through the jungle, traveling light, without food, but with ammunition, 18 January 1671, Mr.. He moved to the path. Meanwhile, the Spaniards still found out about his daring plan and used a scorched-earth: in the village gardens in the isthmus were torn even unripe fruits, and kept the bandits run against the Indians. But bewitched by a dream of producing corsairs continued their march through the jungle, hungry. Leather belts and bags in the crumbled noodles kneaded with stones and boiled the roots and leaves in the marsh water, and the pangs of hunger and indigestion brightens the unrestrained use of tobacco. No other consolation was not: who knows firsthand taste of his army, Morgan has forbidden the use of alcohol, lied, that all it was deliberately poisoned by the Spaniards. 9 days later they had fallen fortune: on the way came across a herd of cows. However, because of fears that the smoke and fire will be given their location, fires were also banned - beef used the raw. As soon as the strength, ragged and worn out by the pirates came to the edge of the forest and saw what a magnificent meeting of the Spaniards prepared. Against the backdrop of the towers of Panama prancing cavalry, shining polished cuirass, and negros spook a herd of wild bulls, ready to arrange for strangers gay corrida. But in the Red Morgan lived a great commander. Having built their brutalized in the wild forest thugs diamond that did not allow them to attack from the rear and flanks, he gave the command "Fire!". Becoming on one knee, the pirates opened heavy fire, each shooter had in store for ten guns, which are reloaded within the diamond. Spaniards literally decimated, with only 50 riders escaped. Bykov simply scared screaming and flags, and they rushed to trample on their. Even the guns from the walls of Panama has not stopped and then followed a fierce storm. Then everything went as it should be - burglary, fire, the fire which floated pirates gold with a luxurious garments in the ingots. But the promised treasure, residents evacuated ahead of time, could not be found. Morgan tortured prisoners, regardless of age and skin color: put their feet in the fire, clutching his head, while his eyes are not bulge from their sockets, tore in half, hung to the soles of the stones. All of this seemed little. Among corsairs mature plot. Then the great pirate ordered to return, burying all the loot for 175 mules. Already in the harbor, he declared: "Sharing will be honest" - and carried capitation searched for the credibility of turning their pockets and pulled off his boots. It worked. A day before the designated division loaded up the lion's share valued at 500 thousand reais at its flagship and sailed away, dropped his companions to their fate.

. In Jamaica, Morgan was a surprise waiting: because of Panama, he fell exactly one week after the conclusion of a peace treaty with Britain, Spain, from the demand to punish the bandits
. Posted under escort in London, he waited for the worst. However, instead of a court dedicated to Charles II knighted and sent back again to the rank of supreme judge, punishing fight piracy mercilessly. (Morgan and lucky to do this: once during a council of war at sea on his flagship someone palil drunken sailors in white light, and got into the powder compartment. The ship flew into the air, all on board were killed, survived only by the Red and sitting with him at the table captains.)

. But the aged Sir Henry Morgan, dismissed some time for embezzlement from an incurable governorship of Jamaica, apparently, just tired
. He even began to call his former colleagues to take the royal amnesty and retrain in the peaceful plantation. The physician Hans Sloane was diagnosed in this stout man with a bluish complexion tuberculosis and cirrhosis of the liver as a result of excessive alcohol hobbies. Died August 25, 1688, Mr.. Henry Morgan's buried in Jamaica, with all the honors, which relied a high-ranking nobleman. But is it so had to finish his path corsair? Of course, not so ... Four years later, during a huge earthquake voracious wave washed away the cemetery along with his grave. The sea has taken himself what he was owed by law, and carried away the secret treasures of Morgan, who never managed to open the pack sobbing family.

. Where are they now, . pirate treasure? Searchers constantly looking for the very flagship, . that flew into the air after a drunken shooting, . scour the Cocos Island in the equatorial Pacific Ocean and the Cayman Islands to the north-west of Jamaica, . where the pirate often sit in caves, . even raised from the bottom of his Caribbean schooner "Merchant Jamaica",
. So far, all to no avail. Not fifteen - a lot more people vainly licked at Dead Man's Chest. Yo-ho-ho-ho ...

. All the same incessant noise of the surf clothed eerie legends of the ocean, and the red-haired pirate continues to mysteriously grinning with a portrait in the pub Colombian Cartagena, until someone empties into the throat burning rum, named after him.