Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1845-04-04

:
, seem Every part Of her displayed the most beau
: uluI symmetry, and the long raking masts tapered
gradually away almost to a mathematical point
Every thing below the sails was as black as paint
could make it, afording striking contrast to the
two lines of white iolm that wdened off from e-
thcr bow. Her deck was filed with men. in the
centre Of whom, as the great weapon of offensive
and defensive operations, was mounted huge brass
thirty two FOUNDER turning on pivot. This long
tom" was polished to the highest degree, and SEEM
ed to fling back in dsdain the bright sunbeams as
they fell upon it.
A council Of war was Immediately held. in which.
every one having spoken, ii was decided first TO-
make every effort TO escape, and if that did not
succeed, TO fight till not one of us remained No
time was to be lost for though we could hold uood
our distance while the present breeze lasted. vet
should The wipd die away, the pirate, being smaller
lnan ourselves, could easily sweep up to us. Be-
sides, his big gun was talking away every few min
utes, sending its shot all around us, one of which
mad already been soimpoe as to come spllnterinp
through the round house. passing between Captain
N, ana myself IN its way over the lee bulwarks-
The sails were Immediately wet, from the sl,vsails
TO the sparker; logs of wood were painted black.
ana thrust out through the port holes in imitation
OF guns ana all the old pieces of iron which could
De found were tied up in bundles for langrare.-
me muskets and iowlng' piece were loaded. The
IoAyontts beng token from the former and affixed
to long poles, to serve as boarding pixies Such
was our force. Permit me, reader, once more TO
cnuneratc 1t. Fourteen men; one four FOUNDER,
win not ball to fit it, and with only five pounds
OF powder; ten wooden guns two muskets: one
iowling piece; one cutlass and two long poles with
bayonets attached to them
Coos" said /, going forward TO the camboose.
mi all your coppcrs with water, and heat it as
soon as possibe.'
"Lorry, Massa Charles, what for you gwan to do
with so much hot watcr!"
will oil Won co,I. I .-,
and the steward must get up one of the water
casks and saw it into two equal parts, each making
a large tnb. Should the pirates attempt to board
us with their boats, do you fill these tubs with hot
water, and when the devils come alongside. lust
up the water over their heads, and see how they
Will relish their good scalding"
"ky, Massa Charles, guess dey will tin, dat
raider warm recepshum."
Poor fellow these were his last words, for
shot, gl1nclng from the mainnast, struck him on
the head killing him instantly.
Never was more proud Of my Yankee country.
men than during that terrible day Unarmed. de-
ienceless, the shot flying around and across our
Vcssol, win death directly before us and that too
violent one, and one of our number stretched Gfo
less at our feet; it was enough to dash cvprv face
win CONSERVATION. But not vesi & of fear coud
De traced IN single countenance of orr little hand
Every heart and hand was nerved for the contest
"hiIe the lrm and determined step with which each
moved from spot to spot showed that noble reso
luuoh, ana not feelings of despair, was at work in
each mans bosom.
Short as has been 10Y life, have many fines
oeen brought into extreme peril, and more than
once nave been called to look Death in the face
out never did feel as did during that chase,
lis not an easy thing 10 summon IN YOUR roanli
ness ana resolve TO die-to ranple down those hinb
| hopes OF the future, which have hitherto nciloJ
ana sustained us-to behold our brightest dreams
like bubbles, dashed to nought by violent hand
10 tear away the warm and burning THOUGHTS of
home and friends which cluster around the heart
and Isolate ones self upon the EDGE of the grave
to gather up all the past into minute and gaze
upon 1t with our last fearful look and hoN ding
forward the vision into eternity, that we may anti.
cpate our reception there-it is not an easy tbinr
! say to die. We can read and even think Of
Death without emotion, if he be far away but when
we listen to the hollow tread of his stem lurI,int,
around us, and hear the weapon hissinr BY ms i
hurnes to Stay our fellow, and feel that we NAV he
the next victim, there is not a soul but thinks quick
ly and not heart which does not beat as if it would
tear itself from the bosom. And vet. whatever
these undefnable feelings may be, they are not
lear they are something nobler, Lolier which
Whlle they send the llie-b!ood rushing tbrouob ov
cry vein with the ehtning's speed, bid the soul
act, and aid 1t in action. This is the hour when
true courage sits royalty on its throne it is now
that noble deeds are done, to which the FINGER of
history loves TO point.
Throughout the day we kept the interval between
us and the pirate about the same. We had perhaps
gained on hun little; but after The sun went down
The breeze slackened, and soon died away nearly
to calm not however until night had shut in for
our protection Every light on board, including
ihst OF Inc pinnacle, was distinguished, and the
helnsma1 commanded to steer by the stars. The
night wore away slowly, each one in turn catching
short nap upon deck, for no one was permitted 10
go below, as an attack might at any lime be OK
pected from the boats of the schooner
had stretched myself upon one of the seats in
the stern boat with my head resting upon the taft
rail as pillow, not TO Sleep for that was mrossi
Bile, but to think of home, and to throw off for
moment the heavy weight that was crushing my
heart At was so still around that the very silence
seemed oppressive. had laid but a few moments
when thought heard something that resembled
the splash OF an oar and rising from my seat threw
a hasty glance over the bows of the boat What
sight met my eyes! There was a large boat filled
with men, at least thirty in number, all armed with
cuasses and pistols while by the side of each lay
a boarding pike, Fortunately for me, | was not
observed, and clearing with single bound the
sides Of the boat and the tafffail, / sprung upon
deck and shouted with a voice that rung like thun-
der ON the air, "Pimtcs alongside pirates along
side!"
The alarm spread through the ship, and every
one IN a second was ready to repel the enemy. The
pirates percelvng that they were discovered open.
ed the attack with pistols, and upon the first fire
disabled three Of our little band yet we yielded
not an inch, but stood shoulder to shoulder ready
to die in deience-of the vessel The muskets and
towing piece were brought down to u level with
the tailrall, sure death TO the first two heads that
appeared above it.
Board the Yankees, my boys, and cut their
cowardy threats, and then for the plumber" came
from the commander OF the boat, showing by tae
use oil the language that he was either an English
man or an American
" Not so easily done," said green hand to me !;
"bIast the burgers, lll spoil the bread basket OF
some Of them, know
Determined, however, as we were, all our resist.
ance would have been in vain, had not the steward
nteriered. Five OF the pirates had at last gained
a footing in the main chains, and the first two had
almost as soon fallen back dead into the boats. from
the unerrng fire of our muskets. There was no
time TO reload ana IN moment the other three