Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1845-03-28

the latter part Of September, 1880 had
the 'frst-watch on deck, and was pacing
up and down, counting my own footsteps,
and thinking Of Mrs Buntline that was to
be, when the lookout on the starboard
sung ont, 'San no Close aboard
Sir, on the weather bow =
/ raised my night glass, and at once dis
covered the stranger. She was a corvette,
like ourselves, and had apparently hove to,
right in our track, for the purpose Of speak
ing TO u.s. In moment after we had dis
covered her, our main top sail was hove a.
back, and coming up in the wind, we found
ourselves within hail But an instant elaps-
ed, when full clear voice sung out through
a trumpet from the stranger
Sail ahoy What ship is that Where is
she bound to, and where from (!
Our captain, who had hurried on deck,
enveloped in his storm-jacket and SOU west
er, seized the trumpet and answered
The United States soop of war Boston,
Captain Edward B. Babbit from cruise
to windward; bound to leeward Who are
you =! where from and where bound to
This is Her Britannia Majesty's sloop OF
war Nimrod, Lord Paget, commander
Rear-Admiral Douglass passenger; bound
to Vera Cruz. Will you keep company 7
Ours is the fastest sloop in the English ma
Wy; we have never been beaten in sailing
Then by the bloody Turks RI try
youP said our old captain, who knew his
ship better than ! know my little Diego
wife. and wanted to test the truth of the
Englishman's boast
As we squared away before the wind, the
English officer again hailed our captain,
and asked his opinion of the weather, stating
at the same time that his barometer was
falling
Il never trust them bloody things in this
latitude said Rabbit; Il keep good look
out, and leave the rest to luck: but we shall
have a cap-full before We reach the blue part
Of the Gulf
We'll, Sir, crack on we II let the people
at Vera Cruz know that you are coming
Be sure to come and dine with us on fresh
grub when you get in said our English
friend.
Certainly, You should get in first, said
the old man. but friend Johnny, look on,
for 'wicy-,oarcy,' as the land sharks call it
Aloft there, top-men shake out the reef
in the top-sails; loose to'-gallant sails and
royals rig out the studding sail booms, and
pile on the rags! Two quarter-mas,ers al
the helm; all hands on deck 10 Trim ship
tell the master s-mate 10 heave the log =
The old skipper was in earnest; and oul
spars bending aud our hull creaking, as we
leaped through the water, soon told what we
we're doing. The masters mate reported
eleven knots, and then the shippers eye be-
gan to lower.
Run aft the two ior'ard guns start ter
ofthose water-tanks, and set the ring-tal |!
shouted he.
1t was done, and the log was again hove
She ran thirteen-four, and was evidently do
ing herself Justice, The Nimrod, in tn,
first start off, had gained slowly, but now W.
gradually closed up, and finally passed her
while her full band played Brittania ruI,
the Wave, and drum and fife answered will
Yankee-Doodle'
The wind was freshening, and both craft
were dragging fearful press Of sail, which
with the heavy ground-swel, made US pitcl
and jump like dying whales. The nigh
was not entirely clear, the sky being illet
with light 1eecy clouds, some of which a
they passed over the face of the moon woul,
throw dark shades upon the water, hidin,
the English ship completely from view
When the clouds cleared away, she woul,
again appear close in our wake, her tai
spars bending like reeds before the gale, he
dark hull rising and falling on the foam-cov
cred waves, now lifting as if to touch tn,
sky again sinking out Of sight in the trough
between the huge rollers. Thus, during III.
night, we drove madly on, heading out 70
the Gulf-Stream, on our course for Yer
Cruz In the course of three or four hours
sailing we completely lost sight Of the Eng
lishman, he being left far in our wake, il
spite of his premature boast. The Bostol
was one OF the last war models and mucl
faster than she looked to be.
When my watch-hour was out the eX
element of the race caused me TO stay o
deck, instead of seeking my birth, and
carelessly threw my sea-cloak around me al
ter we had lost sight of the corvette, and cas-
myself down on the forecastle. 1t lacke
probably about an hour of day light, and
was half asleep, when my ear caught SCUM
like the distant rushing of a mighty storm
| listened an instant, started to my feet, an
looked around and aloft, but saw nothing
but the noise increased, and then-Grea
Heaven IL saw il all. We were bearn
down under full sail, with speed like the WING
upon boiling breakers
Hard down the helm tack sheets an
braces stand by to shorten sail shouted
with voice that rang like thunder throug
the ship.
The hemsman obeyed the ship came u
in the wind, but the seamen we're not quic
enough at the braces we we're thrown fit
back. The strain upon the lighter spar