Miguel Jose protested his innocence.—“No he robado, no he matado ninguno, muero inocente.”—(I have robbed no one, I have killed no one, I die innocent. I am an old man, but my family will feel my disgraceful death.)
Francisco Miguel prayed devoutly, but inaudibly. His soul seemed to have quitted the body before he was executed.
Breti Gullimillit called on all to witness his innocence; it was of no use for him to say an untruth for he was going before the face of God.
Augustus Hernandez repeatedly declared his innocence, requested that no one would say he had made a confession; he had none to make.
Juan Hernandez was rather obstinate when the executioner pulled the cap over his eyes. He said, rather passionately—“Quita is de mis ojos.”—(Remove it from my eyes.) He then rubbed it up against one of the posts of the gallows.
Miguel Jose made the same complaint, and drew the covering from his eyes by rubbing his head against a fellow sufferer.
Pedro Nondre was loud in his ejaculations for mercy. He wept bitterly. He was covered with the marks of deep wounds.
The whole of the ten, included in the death warrant, having been placed on the scaffold, and the ropes suspended, the drop was let down. Nondre being an immense heavy man, broke the rope, and fell to the ground alive. Juan Hernandez struggled long. Lima was much convulsed. The old man Gullimillit, and Miguel, were apparently dead before the drop fell. Eucalla (the black man) gave one convulsion, and all was over.
When Nondre recovered from the fall and saw his nine lifeless companions stretched in death, he gave an agonizing shriek; he wrung his hands, screamed “Favor, favor, me matan sin causa. O! buenos Christianos, me amparen, ampara me, ampara me, no hay Christiano en asta, tiara?” (Mercy, mercy, they kill me without cause—Oh, good Christians, protect me, protect me, oh, protect me. Is there no Christian in this land.)
He then lifted his eyes to Heaven, and prayed long and loud. Upon being again suspended, he was for a long period convulsed. He was an immense powerful man, and died hard.
The famous pirate, La Cata, was captured, off the Isle of Pines, about the 1st of March, 1823, by the British cutter Grecian, after a smart action. The cutter had 50 men—the pirate 100, and 8 guns; it was believed that about 30 of the crew of the latter were killed, but only three prisoners were made, the rest making their escape on shore. Considerable quantities of goods were found on board the prize.