Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1844-11-05
BY c. L. SHOLES.

Co' ,o"o ofcoio, commanded oy the Prince
de Joinvllle, and brig of the same nation,
moored IN front Of the river. The bar of
lomPlco is too shallow TO admit vessels of
heavy draught. which are obliged to an
Choir in the oren roads outside, and on the
approach of a gale are forced to get under
way and give the shore wide berth. The
blockadlng crafts were anchored barely out
OF reach OF the guns mounted on Castle
San Marco, IN situation TO intercept any
vessel attempting to enter the harbor.-
Alter we came 10 and furled sails, the usu-
al salutes were interohanged, visits of e,i-
qne;ts paid, and the launch hoisted out,
preparatory 10 watering ship.
Having nothing with which to occupy
myself. and not intending 10 visit the town
before The mex, day, took my sketch book
and pencil, and assembled to the main-,op,
designing TO sketch the entrance of tho
river. | slowed myself away on a spare
stadding-sail, and commenced the outline
of the beautiful landscape but was in
terrupled by old Marline, the captain Of
The top, with
'Them Johnny Crappeaus have got an
eye out to windward, lieutenant Tha,
there Grey OWL as they call her, is talk
.ng bunting, Il. e. signaling) 10 the brig !;
and there go her hands sloft TO loose her
canvass, sir"
east my eyes toward the brig, and at
once perceived that she was heaving up
her anchor. A second look 10 seaward
explained the cause of this manlpuvre.-
On the extreme verge Of the windward no.
rlson small white speck appeared, seem
ing but floating cloudet resting between
the light blue Of the clear sky and the deep
azure Of the ocean.
The brig was soon under way, and pill
ng the canvass on her tall spars, she
hauled taut bowlne in the direction Of
the s'ranga sal. Sending Marine below
rs AID to maze out the stranger. Shs ap-
peared % be Of brigantne sizs, and by the
way she rose in the horizon, | Judged her
to b. INSTALLING clipper. There was a
light sky sail breeze ruflling gently over
the waters from seward, 5u, not blowing
hard enough 10 make the anchored vesse $
tend head to wind against cbb tide there
fore, we lay bows in towards the shore.
The briganllno rnI idly neared The brig,
and while my eye was fixed on her rakish
rig, and the beautiful cut Of her square-
sails, her colors rose TO the gaf. imne-
dately distinguished the flag Of tho " lone
star republic" The Frenchman had got
wt'.in hail oil the stranger, and apparently
satisfied with his appearance, had squared
away, and under a cloud of snow-u hite
canvass the two vessels cams in side by
side.
How beautiful is ship, deckod in her
SNOWY robes and Haunting steamers. bend
ing gracefully over the gently undulating
bosom of the ocean, ns she parts the blue
waves aud throws the foam in silvery sheets
in her w ke The outline Of her iaperiag
splrs. hsr dark thread like rigging, and
broad sails, thrown GU, in bold relief against
tho sky; the variety Of colors, each soft
ened down into the other, sre, in my mind,
beautiful exceedingly"
The two vessels nsared the anchorage
suddenly the French brig clewed up her
fore and main-sals, the Texan banner flut-
tered from her fore-m ,sthead, and her
guns opened a sainte TO the brlgan,lne.-
As the brig ntne swept smoothly on, all
involuntary buzz of admiration rose from
our crew as they gaZed on her sylph-!!ke
beauty.
She was evidently Baltimore built. her
spars very taut and rak'sh, her hull long
and low in the water, with bows that APP
peared to poss through the waves wthou,
a ripple. Apparently she had but small
C ew, some ten or fifteen sesmen only be
ing actively employed in working her, and
few redcoa,ed marines leaning With pro-
fessionRl stiffness against the masts and
bu!wa,ks. Three or four officers appeared
at their usual stations; and as We knew the
: difficulties of shipping men in that nom
payment service, We were not surprised 10
see her SO poorly manned. A long brass
lhlrty-two FOUNDER, working on a pivot
amid ships, and masked portfolios along
her sides, were symptoms of a sharp set o.
teeth, which gave her the cut OF danger,
Gus customer.
, As soon as tho Frenchman had fired the
\ last gun Of his salute, he clewed up every
thing and came to in the berth he had left
2 The brigantinc kept on close under our
lee, without, shortening sail as she passed
+ answering our hail, as the :" Texan brig oil
y war Brazzos, commander Charles Il. Haw
kins." She had also hosted the French
: flag forward and we were expecting 10 see
: her come TO and answer the salute of the
Frenchman, when, suddenly altering her
4 course, she luiied short across the bows oil
the Creole and headed in for the fort, in
tending apparently 10 cross the bar. While
a we were wondering at her temerlty IN thus
venluring under the guns of an enemy
fort, the Texan flag was hauled down. The
star-spanged banner fioa'ed in its place
. and at the foremost head the Mexican flag
r was hoisted above the French.
. This was more than the Frenchman
, could bear To be thus tricked out OF q
salute, their blockade broken under then
. very noses, and their hall-worshPped trI
color hoistcd beneath the Mexican flag
r was too gal!ngly insulting for their fer,
= natures.
y The brgau,ino had hauled up SO as &c
d bring their masts in range, ana as Inc,
9 swung 10 the tide, not gun could be made
> to bear frsm their DECKS upon her, while
i.i,A e! 4 Il tk,sah IA