The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1832-06-05

n VOICE over uedu sdiu DISTINCTLY IL
French" The sea is gone down,
and the sloop makes signal to us to lay
to-"
A quarter Of an hour elapsed, and the
voice again said, "The sloop chases us!"
Obi what inexpresslbly anxious moments
were those. felt that aid must come
and come speedily or it would arrive too
late. We could discover from the vary
ing cries on deck that the sloop some
times gained on the Demon, while at
others the pirate got fearful head of her
pursuer. At length Glrod descended
to the hold, 1.-The die is cast !" he said
in his native language. "The sloop
gains fast on us. We are about to clear
the deck for action" "Cod be praised, {"
ejaculated.-" Amen !" responded a
faint and gentle voice.-"Do not praise
Him too soon," said Girod, Struggling
his shoulders tour captain is preparing
for victory. The Demon has mastered
her equals, ay. and her superiors, and
this sloop is our inferior in size and num-
bers. The captain does not even care to
come to an accommodation with her.
He has hoisted the Demon flag. and re-
stored her name to the stern" "But
has his motely crew." whispered anx-
iously, sever encountered a British foe,
of equal strength" II cannot tell
have been in her but short time, and
will be out Of her on the first OCCASION, /"
said Girod, as he hastily quilted US.
We now heard all the noise Of pre-
pairing for an engagement. The furni-
ture was removed from the cabin above
US, and the cabin itself partially thrown
open to the deck. Cannon were lashed
and primed ; concealed port holes OPEN
ed, and guns placed at them. Seeing
ultimate escape impossible, the captain
took in sail, and determined to give his
vessel tho advantage Of awaiting the foe
in an imposing state of preparation for
action. He harangued them in terms
calculated to arouse their brute courage
and excite their cupidity. i confess l
now almost began to tremble for the
gallant little vessel, whose crew seemed
thus bravely pressing on to their destruc-
tion l began to fear that they would
be powerless to rescue her in whose life
my own seemed bound up. But what
were my feelings when / heard the cap
:ain retire to that part of the vessel
which had been the countess cabin, and
there taken a solemn and secret oath of
his principle shipmate, that they would
if they were boarded by successful en-
emy. scuttle the Demon, and sink her,
and her crew, and her captors in one
grave. 1t appeared. then,
that either the failure or the success of
the sloop, would alike seal our destruc-
tion.
Not a ray Of light now penetrated
Through the chinks of the trap door. and
from the heavy weights which had fallen
over 1t, was inclined to think that shot
or even cannon balls, had been placed
over the mouth of our prison. We might
therefore, in vain attempt to show our
selves or make our voices heard amid
the din of war, should our allies doom
ed to watery tomb even in the midst of
conquest) prove victorious. Yet con-
demned as we seemed. alike by the fall
or the triumph Of our self supposed mur-
derers, there was something in the oath
imposed by the captain, which as it shew-
ed feeling Of doubt as to the result, in
spired me with hope. Besides, tho noise
Of preparation for action had in il some
thing inspiriting in my ear and as it
effectually drowned every other sound,
l drew Margaret from behind the sack
ing into the most roomy part of our
wooden dungeon endeavored, by fan
ming her with her handkerchief, to create
little freshness of air around her and
spoke to her aloxd, in the voice Of hone
and courage. Ii was a terrible thing in
such an anxious moment, to be unable
to see or hear distinctly aught on which
our fate depended. / listened anxious
ly for a signal of the sloops nearing US.
At length, ship trumpet, at distance,
demanded, safe and unhurt. the persons
of Colonel Francillon, the Countess of
Falcondals, and two female domestics,
1t was then evident that the pirate >
stratagem at Malta had transpirsd.-
The Demons trumpet made brief and
audacious reply :-"Go seek them at the
bottom of the sea-" A broadside from
the sloop answered this impudent in.
juction and was followed by a compli-
ment in kind from the Demon, evidently
discharged from a greater number OF
guns. The volleys continued.-Our ves-
sci reeled to and fro, and sometimes halt
rose out of the water with the violence
of the shocks she received. heard her
masts cracking; and her timbers flying
in every direction. Yet still her men
continued their yell of triumph, and her
guns seemed to be served with as much
spirit as ever. At length the firing on
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