Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-07-29

| was going on on deck, heard something sph.
with sudden sharp noise, as if piece OF wooa
| had been snapped short In two. l iooKeo III
stinctively aloff and had the mortlhcatloh oIsee
ing our foretop.mast shot right through, ana
come whirring down with the velocity OF ight
ming; the shrouds and stays cracked and parted
like lighted tow, and our men on the forecasue
were sent capering about to escape the falllng
of the wreck, and the flashing of the flying cord
age. All was smoke, fire. and confusion. Dr'ltS
| Of hot sulphurous vapour gathered In th!cH
wreaths and made my eyes smart and acne, IN
most painful way. The pirate, during all TINS
time looked like nothing but huge grey unde-
! Enable mass, all her rigging and spars waving
and darkening, as the grey drifts OF dense smoke
| faded and shifted about, and her gloomy nun,
| like some unwieldly monster OF the deep, al
short intervals vomiting forth sheets OF red flame
which cleaned with such lurd light as lamp
might be supposed to throw forth, II placed IN
the midst of cloud offog Just at this unfor-
tunate moment, our steersman who, suppose,
was as much blinded and contounded aS was
happened to let go the helm, and in consequence
| of having good way we brooched to and came
alongside of the pirate. During the confusion
| that reigned on board us from the wreck OF the
fore-top mast the rogue pouredin about 3O men
upon our forecaste, and they began cutting and
hacking about at our rigging, like so many de-
wills. In the light emitted by our artillery, they
looked like company Of fends, let loose, red
| them directly and the hoarse cry "We're board
ed on the bow" soon brought all our boarders
| on the forecastle. II was a desperate combat;
! even shudder now when think fit, although
il is nearly three andtwenty years ago that the
| events occurred Steel clnking and glancing
| in all directions like so many lightning flashes,
blood streaming, pistols and muskets popping,
and bayonets and boarding pixies clashing with
an unremtting rapidity-groanS, shreks, and
horrid imprecations, were mingled on every
| side. At last contrved to get them over
board, after killing and woundng about one
! half and losing great many men on our own
side Poor Peter Duff was among the hurt; he
received deep sabre cut over his right should
! Ell and horrd cash along his cheek. 1t was
| fortunate that the vessels separated.
! The litter and wreck about our forward guns
were partially cleared away and we set to work
with them with renewed energy and persever-
ance. As yet the brig was untouched in every
particular, as if she had been protected by some
mighty spell Of saving power. She filled her
topsai, and began lelsurey to fetch away, in or
der to put herself across our bows. thought
the game was up, and thatth proud old British
union would be shortly obliged to sweep the
deck as the carnage Of our men was excessive,
four out OF the six guns, on our larooard side,
were rendered quite useless on account OF the
| falling of the masts, and we had no means OF
eXtricating ourselves from our disagreeable po-
stion. Luckily, however, good shot few
smack through his foremost, little below the
fishes. A shout burst out from our lips as the
tall pine like lank giant, came tumbng down,
and went flashing over into the sea, spaShlng
up the water in silvery jets, and feahering in
| to a cascade.
| We worked away meantime with all our might.
The shot, could see, was telling tearfully.
and drilling great holes in his sides. His fire
slackened a little, a cloud OF smoke began to
rise ominously from his main hatchway; it grew
denser and denSer. -and-by we had the
pleasure Of seeing long streaks of yellow flame
leap up and hearing the splash, splash, spash OF
buckets of water We worked hard still, and
peppered her wthert internsson. Confusion
and dismay seemed to prevail on board, grufi
voices were issuing rapid orders, and the crew
were plainly TO be seen flying about from deck
to deck, as if they were bewitChed A long pill
lar of scarlet 6re now flew brilliantly upwards, /
it spread joyOusy to the right and left and waved
and f1ickered about, licking like fiery serpent,
and crawling up the rigging and sails, which
were soon in a blaze. The roaring and hum
ming of the fire in her hold began to redouble
and red stripes TO look out at the ports. The
guns one after the other became heated and
went banging off. and clouds If lurid smoke pile
above pile, rose majestically far far up into the
Illuminated armament. The sea- the skies, the
trembling pillows. the clouded moon, our shat
tered vessel and its tattered rigging our bloody
decks and even our very faces, were wrapped
in one uniform and brilliant scarlet light The
brig meanwhile glowed like redhot coal in
fiery furnace. Her bristng guns, her chains,
her raised ports her stays, her wales, her an
chors, and all her furniture were etched out so
wildly, that to an excited imagination they
seemed as if all had been bathed deeply in
food Of ruby light while her sable ensign
f1uttered high in the smothering air, like an
angel of death rejoicing over his sinking vic
tins.
Her last hour rapidly approached. Our shot
had sent in some of.her planks and the Kissing
waters were gaining hard upon her. Down.
DOWNTOWN she went, stern foremost the scar
let waves, gurgIing and tumbllng above her, and
the cries ofher Inflated crew ringing through the
still midnight air The flames gave loud hiss,
as theytouched the water, and were extinguished,
her masts still kept burning, flaring and fizzing,
like couple ofbIazing sticks butsunk gradually,
lower and lower. At last she gave sickening
lurch, the flashing water boiled and curled
about like whirlpool, and deep expiring
groan emitted from the very bosom ofthe ocean,