accomplices buried money and plate in numerous obscure places near the rivers; and sometimes, if the value was great, they killed a prisoner near it, so that his ghost might keep his vigils there and terrify those who might approach. Those immediately connected with pirates might keep their own secrets, but as they might have children and connections about, it might be expected to become the talk of their posterity in future years that their fathers had certain concealed means of extravagant living; they may have heard them talk mysteriously among their accomplices of going to retired places for concealed things, &c. In short, if given men had participation in the piracies, it was but natural that their proper posterity should get some hints, under reserved and mysterious circumstances of hidden treasure, if it existed. Certainly it was once much the expectation and the talk of the times-for instance, the very old two-story house at the north east corner of Second street and Gray's alley, (i. e. Morris' alley) originally built for Stephen Anthony, in digging its cellar they found there a pot of money, supposed to have been buried by the pirates. This story I heard from several very aged persons. I have stated elsewhere the fact of finding another pot of money in Spruce street near Front street.

It may seem strange to us that so much aggregate depravity among English seamen could have been found as to accumulate such numbers of pirates as alleged at Providence and Cape Fear, but they had just come out of a war in which privateering had been much fostered and depended upon by many. It presents an awful proof of the corruption of morals usually produced by the legalized robbery, called privateering. so generally conducted in an irresponsible manner. Indeed the ideas of privateersmen and pirates were so identified in the minds of people generally, that a privateer was often called the pirate.

Other Pirates.

The death of Blackbeard and his immediate companions appears to have had no visible restraint on the spirit of desperate adventure in others. It doubtless broke the connection with us on shore; but as general searovers, there still continued later accounts of several, roaming and ravaging on the high seas, to wit:

In the Gazettes of 1720, there is frequent mention of our vessels encountering "pirates" in the West Indies. They are pillaged, but not murdered; nor otherwise so barbarously maltreated as now.

In 1721, it is observed that "the pirates" act generally under the colours of Spain and France." We have advice that Captain Edwards, the famous pirate, is still in the West Indies, where they have done incredible damage," and at the same time the Gazette says, "A large sloop has been seen from hence (off Cape May) cruising on and off for

ten days together, supposed to be a pirate," and three weeks later she is mentioned as running ten leagues up the bay, and thence taking out a large prize.

In 1722, mention is made of a pirate brigantine which appears off and at Long Island-commanded by one Lowe, a Bostonian. They had captured a vessel with five women in her, and sent them into port in safety in another vessel. His name often afterwards occurs as very successful; at one time he took Honduras, &c. One Evans, another pirate, is also named. While Lowe was off Long Island, several vessels were promptly fitted out against him, but none brought back any renown.

In 1723, the above "Captain Lowe, the pirate, and his consort, Harris, came near the Hook; there they got into action with his Majesty's ship the Greyhound. The two pirates bore the black flag, and were commanded by the celebrated Lowe." The Greyhound captured Harris' vessel, having 37 whites and 6 blacks, prisoners; but Lowe's vessel escaped, having on board, it is said, 150,000. in gold and silver. The names of the prisoners are published, and all appear to be American or English. They were tried and all executed, not long after, at Long Island. What a hanging day for 44 persons at once!

Before this action they had probably been near Amboy, &c. as it was just before announced that " two pirate vessels looked into Perth Amboy, and into New York!”

On the return of Captain Solgard to New York, of the Greyhound, he is presented the freedom of the city, in a gold snuff box. Lowe is afterwards heard of as making prizes of twenty French vessels at Cape Breton. He is stated as peculiarly cruel, since his fight above, to Eng lishmen, cutting and slitting their ears and noses. There is also named one Lowder-another pirate on the banks.

In 1724, Lowe, the pirate, lately came across a Portuguese, and plundered her. His vessel is a ship of 30 guns, called the Merry Christmas; he has another ship in company as his consort. Captain Ellison, of New York, was taken in sight of Barbadoes by Sprigg, the pirate, by whom he was well treated, though plundered some. Soon after, the Gazette announces that it is said that Sprigg the pirate is to come on our coast to the Eastward, to careen. He is in the Old Squirrel man-of-war, which being sold for a merchantman was taken by Lowe, and run away with by Sprigg and others of Lowe's crew. He says when he gets more men he will come and take Captain Solgard, with whom he before fought off the Hook, and who was at this time again out in the Greyhound, cruising along the coast for pirates.

The same year (1724) it is announced that they hear from Honduras by Captain Smith, that "Sprigg, the pirate," is there in the Bachelor's Delight of 24 guns, in company with Skipton in the Royal Fortune of 22 guns the same which had been commanded by Lowe, but his crew mutinying set him ashore. Skipton is a North countryman, and merciful. They promise to visit our coasts in the spring.

In 1725, it is said that Sprigg, the pirate, was put ashore by his men in the West Indies, whereby he was taken prisoner to Jamaica. From Barbadoes it is heard that Line, who was commander of his consort, was taken into Currocoa. There they were paraded to the prison, with their black silk flag! Line had lost his nose and an eye, and the wounds of

his men stank as they walked.

Line confessed he had killed 37 masters of vessels !-Possibly it was boasting over-much. Skipton, the pirate, with 80 men, is stated to have been taken by his Majesty's ship the Diamond, in the bay of Honduras, together with Joseph Cooper, another pirate vessel. When one of these vessels saw she must surrender, the Captain with many of his men went into the cabin and blew themselves up!

This year of 1725 appears to have been fatal to the pirates. Their career seemed almost every where run out, and terrible and inglorious their end-"The way of the transgressor is hard !” After this the former frequent mention of pirates, in almost every weekly paper, subsides. The peaceful and honest mariners no longer fear to traverse the ocean. There was still delays of justice to some, when, as late as October, 1731, Captain Macferson and four others were tried for piracy and hanged.

Joe Cooper was before mentioned as a pirate, known and presented by the Grand Jury at Philadelphia in 1718.

THE following few facts concerning the Swedes, the earliest cultivators of our soil, may be worthy of some brief notices, to wit: Penn's letter says the Swedes and Fins came soon after the Dutch; while the latter pursued traffic the others turned to husbandry, settling chiefly about the freshes of the river Delaware. Such as Penn saw them, they were a plain, strong, industrious people, but had made no great improvements. Their houses were full of fine children.

Numbers of Swedes lived about Kensington and on Gunner's creek, before the arrival of Penn. They had grants of land from Alexander Henoyon, the Governor of New York, as early as 1664— that is the date of the deed to old Peter Cock for Shackamaxon. On that creek, three fourths of a mile from its mouth, now so diminished, they once built large sloops, and afterwards a brig at its mouth.

The Swedes dwelt in numbers on Tinicum, calling the place New Gottenburg. At their church there, the first corps ever buried was Catharine, daughter of Andrew Hanson, October 24, 1646.

To the church upon Tinicum Island all the Swedes, settled along the Delaware, used to go in their canoes from long distances. They did the same in visiting the primitive log church at Wiccoco, almost all their conveyances were preferred by water. There was a store upon Darby to which they always went by water, even when the land route was often nearest.

The old Swedish inhabitants were said to be very successful in raising chick turkies; as soon as hatched they plunged them into cold water, and forced them to swallow a whole pepper corn,—they then returned it to the mother, and it became as hardy as a hen's chick. When they found them drooping, their practice was to examine the rump feathers, and such two or three as were found filled with blood were to be drawn, and the chick would revive and thrive.

Kalm, the Swedish traveller, who was here among his countrymen in 1748, has left us such notices as follows concerning them, to wit: The ancient Swedes used the sassafras for tea, and for a dye. From the persimon tree they made beer and brandy. They called the mullein plant the Indian tobacco; they tied it round their arms and feet, as a cure when they had the ague. They made their candles generally from the bayberry bushes; the root they

used to cure tooth ache; from the bush they also made an agreeable smelling soap. The magnolia tree they made use of for various medicinal purposes.

The houses of the first Swedish settlers were very indifferent; it consisted of but one room; the door was so low as to require you to stoop. Instead of window panes of glass they had little holes, before which a sliding board was put, or, on other occasions they had isinglass; the cracks between logs were filled with clay; the chimnies, in a corner, were generally of grey sandstone, or for want of it, sometimes of mere clay; the ovens were in the same room. They had at first separate stables for the cattle; but after the English came and set the example, they left their cattle to suffer in the open winter air. The Swedes wore vests and breeches of skins; hats were not used, but little caps with flaps before them. They made their own leather and shoes, with soles (like moccasins) of the same materials as the tops. The women too, wore jackets and petticoats of skins; their beds, excepting the sheets, were of skins, of bears, wolves, &c. Hemp they had none, but they used flax for ropes and fishing tackle. This rude state of living was, however, in the country places principally, and before the English came, who, rough as they must have also lived for a time, taught a comparative state of luxury.

The Swedes seem, however, to have retained an hereditary attachment to skin garments. for within the memory of the aged Mrs. S. she had seen old Mauntz Stille, down the Passyunk road, in his calfskin vest and jacket, and buckskin breeches.

Many Swedes settled along the western side of the Schuylkill. Matthias Holstein, a primitive settler in Upper Merion, took up 1000 acres there. Mauntz Rambo, an aged Swede, alive about 50 years ago, born near the Swedes Ford, was a celebrated hunter in his day; he killed numerous deer in the neighbourhood in his timeonce he shot a panther which he found attempting to attack his dog. He remembered many Indians still among them, in his younger days.

My friend Major M. Holstein, fond of his Swedish descent, tells me, that when he went to the Swedes' church in Merion as a boy, all the men and women came there on horseback, and all the women wore "safe-guard petticoats," which they took off and hung along the fence.

His grandmother, born at Molothan, four miles from Pottsgrove, remembered the Indians once about them, and that she herself when young, had been carried some distance on a squaw's back. They then did all their travelling by canoes on the Schuylkill. When married, she and her wedding friends came down to the Swedes Ford in their canoes. In the same manner they always made their visits to Philadelphia.