Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1845-12-25


the maIu-yard-arm- Our sails were eonplsfely rid
died, yes fortunately oae vas Injured Preparn-
tioos were again made for boarding, and tao boats
we're this time sent, both 6iied Huh men. On tbey
cane with their pixies and euilssses cleaning IN ihe
nOtnins ssn- Il was nov a dead calm and there
We lay with means Of defence compared with that
Of our enemy, aRable 10 move = single inch, and
bloody set Of mea within quarter of a nlle, mad
deaed By their former NJ success, rozinz % PRE-
pared TO Sreak uPoa Us their venzeaRee By eFery
imaginable tOriure- The fifteen minutes uhich
elapsed after the boats le the schooner we're 70 Us
aPeriod Of the most intense agoay. We knew THAI
We must de. and that too. By inehes. unless that
oserrulnz Poser, 'suiihoui whose notice not even
sparrow fails TO the ground should interfere for
cur resese. The Psrtiag hand vas tzkea By ali,
no Distinction existing bsfEeer the ofeers and
ereS. letter previously prepared By the captain,
stating oar sfaatioa. placed m a batte, which
with lis mouth secareiy sessed. was committed to
the oeean 10 tell cur fate 10 those whom we loved
At hose. Many prayer offered By hearts
thar never prayed before, and eyes which had ner-
e. wrpt we're nov filed with tears Each praved
Tor hiusslf bat wePt for others, uepf that this
iIttle band Of hoaess-hezried men shoaid fall Ike
sheep before the marderous knives Of their DESTROY
ers-
I Woa'd not wish, nv dear shipu,ase.' said Cap
tam n, 10 60 before the bar OF ny God. as e1-
peei ia few minutes 10 Do, wiih ny hands unnee-
essarly stained Nth the blood OF nv fellow beinzx
bat hold seiEPreseVsfsOn 10 be The great first Law
OF our nziGre; and although TO al hanzn appear-
ances VIC must die. even il se should szceeed IN
destroying thrice number Of the enemy. vet ve
wii endeaEOs to rid the world Of so11e Of these
monsters
According to directions then given by him. four
barrels were placed the qaarier deck and covered
With boards. upon which temporary platform the IL
Tie iour-P0aDder vas lIfted By all hands loaded 20
The uzzle with pieces Of roa The object Of thf,
was TO rase the gun shove the rad cor The pirates
being asaern, eoald be directed towards them
through the port holes IN tie sides Of the vessel
CaPiaiu n. aimed the gun himself. not pointing II
directly At the boafs, bot At 4 spot aboai twenty
rods distant from The ship, With The ntenioa Of ds
charging the Peiee when the boats covered that
spot The pruning was Poare5 on. and IN breath
less inXie,y We awaited the eneny's upproaeh
SGddenly CLEAN OF hope flashed across every
eosHtsaance In the eastern beard vas observed
dark ripple skiTtIaZ The hor5zoG, sure esIdenee
that the SEA breeze vas SEATING ia If the wind I
reached Us before the ship was boarded, ne we're /
safe The pirates also Observed the indications OF
the rising breeze, and therefore piled their oars
EFth al Their streagth.
Stand By With yoar mafeb-ruPe said Captain 4
y without moving his eve from the range Of the 1
gun. and the very second in ny hand do you I
Almost Immediately the signal was given and I
the gun discharged Unerringiy did those iron
messengers Of destruction DO their work One 4
boat completely shattered 10 pieces and as far
could Judge al leass twenty sunk into bloody
grave. Those N the other were apparently unin-
Iured b1s were obliged TO stop and rescue their
wounded companions. This delay saved Us for 4
before the enemy we're again prepared for the at
tack the sails beautifully stretched themselves to
he fa under the FIRST blast ofthe sea breeze which
had reached rs, and the noble ship eareering over
wIih the pressure. as IL bo~ing IN de6anee 10 the
bends, Immediately shot away from danger Never
did the air ring with nine mere hearty cheers than
arose from the quarter deck Of The Java The 1
change was electrical and the revolution Of feel
inss in every bOsOn vas lesihlY written on the
couDtenance.
Some danced, and some, amoag whom vas our
captain, even Wept for JOY, and many we're the loag
yarns and iokes tod that day Still We were
not entirely free from danger; for although We
might hope that the pirates thus haaled and weak
sned would abandon the chase. yet be might also
resolve upon beng revenged Cor our resistance and
pursue Us even to our destined haven
Early in the morning We had observed sal on
The weather bow. bot 50 far distant that Der ball
could not be distinguished After the breeze had
taken Us we soou gained uPoa her, and By noon
had cone up sbeam- She proved to be the French
brig l. Amieiiie from HaEre bound 10 Vera Cruz,
with tEo hundred passengers on board
All, Joasleur, sad her captain Ia broken EagIiSh
If you be honest nan vii roo please tel me val
for dat vessel IRE so naay guns at yoa
We replied tina, II vas piratieal schooner
Mon Dieu vOn PiFafe did you sayl Alb. sa-
ere esteem you Won very grand man 70 escape 50
very finely. Monsieur. Oh Monsieur vat shall
do nv vessel s von slow sailor, and de pirate ril
catch Us and kill Us all. Oh Monsieur, will YOU
be so-sueh good man as to keep vid me leelle
WhileF
To this request ne knew not What 10 reply. The
brig as the captain said was dull sailer, and il We
kept company We should be obliged to shorten sail
and thus again be exposed TO our old enemy. On
the other hand ne could not endure the thought Of
deserving 50 many Of our sslIos beings in a moment
Of extreme danger. and yet If We remained with
them We could not defend ourselves. much less
another vessel We however took IN Of our
ghi sails and kept wiih the brig foE Beariy hoar
Finding however that the pirate gained rapidly sp-
on us, only one alternative remained and that was
10 crowd all SAIL aud leave the brig TO the pFotec-
ton OF Providence, unless indeed We we're willing
10 remain Ike men bound hand and foot to be cap
tured- The commander Of the brig was therefore
advised to alter his and steer in a northery
direction, as the pirate, being eager TO secure
as the larger vessel and 10 repay rs for oar iney-
y To his men. might lesre the hsig unmolesied--
The light salls being again set parted aad part
ed too forever. Sadly did We mistake as 10 The
probable movements Of The piEais. ior Immediately
uron oar separation he hauled his wind and stood
for the brig.
Gladly would here close my sketch and II pos
sibe dash the darkest oblivion Aeroao the recollec-
tion Of that hour. But il never csA be efaeed from
my memory IL has haunted mo By day and BY
night, and even now though many years have inter
vened. as recall Il more VHidsy before my mind,
ri