The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1845-11-15
LIIS0ISLhIhANA@US.
From the Nantucket Inquirer,
BATTLE WITH THE PIRATES,
BY REV. CHARLES RICH.

= was al sea, bound TO Cuba. Nothing
Tanspired worthy Of note for the first 6l
teen days OF our passage, with the exCep
ton Of single event, i,which,as it may serv,
as point Of introduction to the subject 0
: this sketch, shall be mentioned 1t wal
one of those empurpled mornings whicl
the tropical sun so often ushers in with al
its pageaniry, while gliding along our sails
Jail filled with stiff trade, wind, that dis
covered on the weather quarter, blacl
raksh looking craft running down with tht
Intention. apparently, of intercepting our
course. AT the time Of which | write, tht
ISouhern waters were infested with gang.
oi the most desperate and blood thirsty
lprates which history ever yet mentioned
War was also existing between slhe Span
latds and the parties of South America, and
pllvaseers were constantly abroad for des
'ruclion OF The enemy's ships. The new
sail being 10 the windward had every ad
vantage over us, and could therefore bear
down upon us with more flowing sheet
or haul her wind should she wish 10 avoid
lus. In less than three hours after we first
saw her. she beam of two miles distant,
and proved TO be low brig Of nearly two
hundred 10 ms, well armed. All on board
were somewhat alarmed a! the approach of
this new yisier,a and especially when chang
ing suddenly her course, she kept along
directly abeam.
"A piIale-a pirate!' we heard from every
m outh and from the captain 10 the cabin
boy there was no, one who did not wish
himself safely moored al Mantanzas.
This remained thus iill noon, when the
brig altered her course and steered directly
for us.-Withn an hour she sho, beautiful
ly across our bows, and firing lee gun ,her
commander hailed the ship and ordered
Captain N to heave 10, that he might board
US This was done, and The result was,
that after half an hour had elapsed, during
which time Captain N. and myself, were
cabined with the Lieutenant of the brig, we
were politely informed lha! we might pro
ceede on our course, The officer announced
himself, as he departed TO be Lieulanant-
of the Columbia gun brig L'Eperance. He
had at first mistaken US for Spanish yes
sells, and afierward delayed running down,
as we looked not unlike soop Of war.
|! was or the third day after this occur
renee, that we made the west end of Porto
Rico. Captain ~ had just gore below to
breakfast, when taking up the spy glass !
discovered in the Mana passage two tap er
ing mas's, scarcely visible under high
juIIing bluff.
'He is pirate, indeed, cried l.; 'on deck
quick, Captain, for you will find this fellow
10 be no scare.crow OF man-ol~war. Cap
tain n. was Immediately on deck, and up
on second observation, he noticed that
The vessel was hosting her GoIesaiI, and be
fore he could look the third time, she hadI
every thing set coming out from under the
land TO meet US.
This looks suspicious said he. 80 lie
one moment slowed away like spider
with nothing to be seen, and then within
five minutes,IO be in fuil,chasei iarleTia swan
ger, am afraid that we shall no! find il
such easy work o goi rid Of him as we dld
he brig the other day what say you Charles
suppose that 'his craft prove TO be pir
ate, will you fight him! or shall we heavt
land quietly suffer them TO cut our
Ihroals!'
AS to fighting replied, little can be
done in that way for our whole armamoni
consists Of only one four pounder, two
muskeIs, one cusless, and my lowIng piece;
array indeed against the force whic h that
fellow doubtless muslers, But can tell
you ons thing Captain N. its no harder to
die by cannon ball or boarding pike ,thap
being strung up TO the yard arm and choak-
ed to death by degrees. or by having our
~udplqos unskrIlully opened by lhes,
Iquack doctors, For one, then, say, gel