Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1831-05-10

event. =
tenth day, and having fine easteriy breeze, we
were male happy with the promise Of the pilot OF
reaching Norfolk before the setting Of the sun.
The Gale ..freshened as the day was DONE" and
already the town of Norfolk began 10 appear
amidst the haze Of the evening, as We roanded
Craaev Island light. The pilot wasa lad. and
this WAS his essay in his art. lie became con-
fused as the soundings suddenly shoaicd, and
packed US at HIGH water on the shoal at Craney
Island We lab0rcd har,l until the moon was
hiyh in air, and the tide had considerably fallen.
when, abandoning all hopes of getting OIL until
the vessel was disburthened of her stores, (about
hundred bags Of coffee we thought OF going to
sleep off the fatisues of hard days work. IL
was then thought Of our prisoner, and observed
to =. as he went below, that as our little cockie
shell of a boat was out, we had better secure the
pirate. lie told me to do so. | called Manual
to me, and at the same time told the Us mate To
90 below and get his irons. The pirate under
Stood me. and heard the rafting of the irons as
thew were dragged out b:'ow. He thought that
~ last his time was come, and that these were
the nreparations for his execution lie became
restiye-muttered and mingled his prayers Tor
mercy with horrible imprecations. | told one
near me to bring my pistols. He planted h's me
form, like bronze statue. upon the ueck-thre"
I'D his outstretched arm to heaven, and, as the
mooubeams PLAYED about his dark and rugged
coumtenance. his black eve glowed like the nv
ing coal He struck such terror INTO the souls
of our bastard crew, atthey qualled and blanch-
ed beiure his glance like stricken deer. order
ed them to seize him. Onc, boder than !he rest
raised an axe to strike him down. Manual ca"snt
II as 1t fell, und, wrenching from the seaman's
grasp the axe. poised it moment IN the ar,
smiled in bitter scorn upon the astonished circle
az thew SHRINK before elm, and hurled it into the
sea. The tiger springs not from his lair SO sud
denly as Manual leaped upon me, Selling me by
the throat Another bound, anil he was g ma
nv fathom deep into the sea-" My messmate
Il. had overheard the noise, and. although un-
dressed, rushed on deck to see the cause. lie
was lust in time to throw his arms around my bo-
DIV. as Manual. with me in his giant grasp, leapt
overheard. NV clothes gave way, and The rob-
her went alone! Stirred to fury by the spirit
moving scene, sprang into our little boat close
| " followed by nv messmate, and, without time
| for thought, pushed of in pursuit OF Manual-
We should have shot him from the dcck--it was
now too late. though hailed to give room to do So
| We were close upon him; we shot up with
him, b. struck him stunning blow with the
blade of his oar, seized him by the hair, anti Ma
nual. nothing 10th. half lugged, half leaped into
the boat He saw his advantage. We were now
adrif, in the only boat belonging to the schooner
the tide fast carrying US into the broad waters
of TIE bay-the NUTSHELL of skiH scarce large
enough to hold us all-aud two slight youths to
contest its possession and his liberty. He sprang
| like madman to the assault--in another instant
we were rolling in the bottom of the boat, locked
deai6-TiEe silence Of the first fearful moment e
struggled for the mastery; and, long after the
hand of Time had softencd the outlines of that
night scene, have heard the wild shricks and
stifled groans that issued from that lonely boat
The conflict was long and doubtful-not an in
slant was the close hug in which we were entan-
gled relaxed-there was not room to strike
blow-the pirate had not time to draw Spanish
knife concealed beneath his vest-with hands and
teeth fixed on each others threats. smothered
groans and blackened visage spoke its progress.
He strove at times to everturn the boat-at others
to pitch head'ong with US into the sea. An un.
successful effort to do this, brought my messmate
and myself both upon him for the first time The
boat lurched, and he fell heavily acrsss the stern
with both upon his breast. lie had crushed my
right hand in his teeth--my left aud both of b. S
were upon his throat to strangle him-one of the
pirates arms was under us, and our teeth were
closely fastened on the other. The pirate was
evidently fast giving way-my hand dropped
from his relaxed jaws-his face blackened under
the pressure Of our gripe-he soon ceased to
breathe-
We now. for the first time, gave an ear to cries
at no great distance from us-cries for assistance
screams OF drowning man. We recognized
the voice of one of our crew. lie had doubtless
jumped from the schooner to swim to our aid
and we drifting SO fast with the tide, the poor
fellow was exhsusted, and had lost sight of the
boat. Whajwas to be done? The pirate might
be only partially stransled; il left while we we're
saving the seaman. he might recover and renew
the fight. We were already exhausted to the
last extremity few words passed to this effect
between us-and we resolved to rid US of the
pirate. We launched him headIonginto the sea,
and few bubbles g showed where he was -
Taking the seats which had been overthrown in
the struggle, for we mad lost our oars at once,
and directed by voices becoming feebler every
moment. with great difficulty we padded to our
poor fellows and picked them up. 1t was as we
had swan to our assistance, but
were unable to reach the boat. We were now |
in an IL