Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1842-11-17

men,s, and to bring off prisoner, if he coul,
catch onc---tliat the Commodore mouyht over
haul HIM at his leisure. So the lieutenan
lakes yawi as we had captured some days be
lore, having Sir James's own flag painted upor
her bows, with midshipman Hart, and eigh
OF us men, and pulls leisurely along shore, til
we made the entrance oftte bay.
1t was adelighful summer afternoon, snt
the water was as calm as the Captains hant
oasn--not ripple to be seen. Well, the en-.
trance was narrow, and somewhat obs.ructet
oy small islands, but we soon got through
them, never seeing two heavy English men o
war barges, as was snugly slowed in the bush.
es; but about three miles up, we spies a rar
oil lumber, with two men on it. Wepave way
and before long got up abreas, of it. when
we got close aboard the raft, the lieutenan,
halilng one of the men, calls him to the side
nearest the boat and says-@My man wbat
are you lying here for, doing nothinc-tbe
wind and tide are both in. your favorOtou,t
yeS ka9H xf re s.iS is M dewn at Kingston
what are you idling away your time Tor here |.
The Teller first looks at Sir James's far paint
ed upon the bows of the yawl and than at
the lieutenant, and then again at the flag-and
then ut the tieuterant-and then opens his
eyes, and looks mighty scarey, without say
ing any thing, with his mouth wide open,-"l
say" says the lieutenant again, al say, YOU
teller with the ragged brceches, do you mean
to swallow my boat-why don't you answer
what the devil are you doing HEREOF The
Teller scratches his head, and then stammers.
I'LL know you-you are him as burnt Mr.
Peters schooner last year." "Wcll,n saws
the Lieutenant, "what are you going to do with
this here timber" "I'm carrying il down for
raising" sayshc. sWhatp saws the Lieuten.
ant, "do you use ships knees, and transom
beams, for house raising in this part of the
country? ltwo'nt do my man. Bear hand
my lads, and pile all the boards and light stuff
IN the centre, and we'll make bonfire in hon
or OF his most sacred Majesty" So we sci
IRE TO ltsend took the spokesman on board the
yawi, towing the other man in their skifr as
TERN, intending to release them both when we
had got oil the information that we REQUIRED
out OF them. We returned slowly down the
Day again, the blazing raft making great
smoke; but as we ncared the outlet, what does
we see, but the two heavy barges pulling down
10 cut us Off We had TO run some distance
nearly parallel with them, an island interview
ing, SO we every moment came nearer to them,
ana soon within speaking distance. The men
gave way hearty-in fear of an English pri-
son, but as we came nearer each other, some
OF the officers in the English boats recognizes
Lieu'cnant----; cause why--they had
oeen prisoners with us-and halls him-"G ,,
say they, ""you must submit, it's no use for
You to resist, we are four to your one. Come
ora ieiier, don't make any unnecessary trouble
but give up-you've got to knock under"
b The Lieutenant said nothing-But he was a
particular man, and had his own notions rp-
on the subject. for, bidding the men give way.
ne deilnerately draws sight upon the spokes-
man, with his rifle, and most sartin, as he was
dead shot, there would have been vacau,
commission in His Mgesty's Navy, hadn't the
raitsnlan, who was frightened out of his wits
caught hold of him by the tails of his coat and
dragged him down into the bottom of the boat
The Lieutenant drops his rifle, and catches
the teller by his legs end shoulders and heaves
r nm clear of the boat towards the skiff-wbjle
we men, dropping our oars, gave them vol
icy with our muskeis, and then laid down to
1t again. We had taken them by surprise, but
as we dashed along ahead of them, thew re-
turned our fire, with interest-peppering some
OF our lads and killing Midsbipman Hart out
right, who merely uttered an exclamation rs
ms oar fiew up above his head, and he fell
I dead in the bottom of the boat. Well, we
seed the headmost barge all ready, lying ON
their oars and waiting for us, and as there was
no running the gauntlet past Der fire, we made
Tor another opening from the bay as didn't ap-
pear to be obstructed, but as we nears it and
just begins to breathe free, three boats full OF
Holsters OF red coats, shoots right across, and
closes the entrance efectualIy on that side.
We was IN regular ras-trap. We had been
seen and watched from the moment we had
got inside of the bay, burning the raft and all
"Well, my lsds,". says the Lieutenant, "this
VIII never dove must go about-hug the
shore close, and try to push by the barges. y
30 about we went, but as we neared the shore
there was party Of them ere rihemnn in their
iegglngs and hunting-shirts, all ready for u.s.
waiting just as cool and unconsarned as if we
was parcel of Christmas Tnrkies, put I'D for
them to shootat. "Umph,p SAYS the Lienten-
ant again, twon't do for them felers to be
swapping their coach whips at us neither
we've nothing TO do for it, my BOYS, but &c
Try our luck, such as it is, with the barpes :,
30 as we pulled dead for the entrance of the
pay, they lay on their oars, all ready for us
and as we came up, they poured such dead.
~ hre INTO that ere yawl as iryer seed be-
lore or since. There was nineteen wounds
among eight OF u.s. The Lieutenant was the
only one unfurt, though his hat was riddlcd
through and through, and his clothes hung
about him IN tattcrs. How he was preserved
Is a miracle, for he was standing all the while
III the starn sheets, the most exposed of any
on board. They kept firing away, as if they
intended to finish the business, and gin nc
quarter, the men doing what little they coulc
to pull at the oars; but boat of wounded