Maumee City express. [volume] (Maumee City, Ohio) 1838-184?, 1839-08-10

sword or cutlass, which is often preferred
by those who are deficient in skill in the uss
of arms. My friend, Capt. Bigbee, is equal
ly expert with either. You have only TO
choose. As the challenged party, you
have an undoubted right to select your owrs
arms
'ofthat privilege am well aware, re-
Piled Capt. Lovett, 'and mean TO avail my
self it. shall not fight with swords.'
Il expected as much,' replied E.ieut.
James, and have brought with me beau
tliul pair OF duellIng pistols, with long bar
rels, rifle bores and hair triggers. What
distance shall measure Off
Eight pieces
only eight pacesn cried Lieut.. james.
little surprised. 20. very wellp---and no
measured it of, and placed his man at his
post. Then advancing to Captain Loyett,
he presented him with pistol.
{ do not fight with pistols
mot fight with pistos--aftsr having re-
fused to fight with swordsi What brought
you here, thenp 80.
TO fghtp shouted Lovett, in thumb
erng voice which made the British officers
start. am the challenged party, and
have right to choose my weapons, accord
ing to the laws of the dueilo all the world
overland, you may rely upon it, shall not
select weapons with which | am not famil-
lar, and with which my antagonist has been
practising all his life. Such.a proceeding on
my part is not only not required by the rules
of honor, which, after all, is mere chimeru,
but would be contrary to all the dictates Of
common sense. No--I shall fight with the
weapons of honorable warfare, to which l
have ever been accustomed. Swords and
pistols, ndeed
But, my dear sir, cried the astonished
Lieutenant, we must proceed accordingto
the rule in this business. What weapons
have you fixed upon!' And, in fancy's eye,
he beheld before him u huge bunderbuss,
loaded with buck shot.
Captain Lovett said nothing, but beckon-
ed to Mr.. Starbuck, who approached him
with great alacrity, bearing the two har"
poons. He seized one of the formidable
weapons and thrust it into the hands of Big.
bee, VINO seemed actually paralysed with
astouishment.'
sMy weapon said he, is the jaueIin---
such as the Grecian and Roman knights Of
which no man, who challenges another, can
refuse to fight with at the present day, un-
less he possesses mean and craven spirit
Thus saying, he took the station which
had been assigned him, at eight PAGES dis
tant ttom his startled antagonist, grasped
the harpoon, and placed himself IN an attl~
tude. I'll bet said he, casting triumph
ant hook upon his friend, "a smoked herring
against a sperm whale, that I'll drive the
harpoon through that fellows midrif the
first throw, and finish him without the aid Of
a lance. Mr.. Sturbuck, fercely contn-
ued Captain Lovett, in a loud and rough
voice, such as is seldom heard, except on
board a Nantucket whaler, when u shoal OF
whales is in his sight, Stand by to haulthae
fello,o IN
The mate grasped the end of the line, his
eyes beaming with as much expectation
and delight as if he was steering boats
bow unto an eighty barrel whale. while
, Captain Lovett poised his weapon with both
hands, keenly eyed the British Captain,
shouted in tremendous voice, Now FOR
, ITn aud drew back his arm as in the act OF
. throwing the fatal iron!
# The Engiishman was a brave man--
:, which is not always the case with bullies-~
r and he had often marched. without flnch'
ing, up to the mouth Of the cannon. And
!. ifhe had been met in single combat with an
s adversary armed with sword or pistol, or
,r even dagger, or a Queens arm, he would
q have borne himself manfully. Indeed, he
e had already acquired an unenviable notorle-
v ty as duellist, and had killed his man.
}. But the harpoon was weapon with which
/. he was altogether unacquanted-and tho
O loud and exultlng tones of the Yankee Cap-
d tain's voice sounded like SUMMONS to his
grave. And when he saw the stahart
e Yankee raise the polished iron-and pause
, strength to give the fatal blow, panic ter
;, ror seized him-his limbs trembed--his
n