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

iuqioas snd fs.s, Izh, ysf erusl raes.
Who ll-sh. away al sirtas, ni.glag zirtA
VIA cee1, q naraer C3LEEfDer-
The third day after leaving Amsterdam. was a,
sea bognd FOR Cuba- Nothinr TRANSFERRED uorths
Of note for the srsi City dsys Of oar passage with
the exception Of single event, Whieh, as II nav
serve proper introduction 10 the subject Of this
sketch, shall be nentioned- II uas OF one Of those
enPurpled mornings which the tropical sun 50 often
ushers IN With al his paeeantry while gliding along
with or sails all filed b. std trade wild, thai
] discovered. On the weather quarter black rakish
looking craft, running down with the Intention. sF
Parenty, Of IniercePing cor course Atfhe tine Of
which write, the southern waters were infested
With ganEs Of the desperate and blood thirstE
pirates which history has ever yef mentioned. War
also vas existing betueea the SPaniards and Pat
riots OF Soaih America, and priTzieers were con
sequeuily abroad for the destruction ofthe enemy
shiPs. The new sad, being 10 wiudward, had
every advantage U.s. and could therefore either
bear down with a more Sowing sheet OF haul her
wind shoald she wish 10 avoid us Ia less tAln
thee hours aher FIRST saw her she vas abeam Of
Is about tgo Dtes distant and proved TO be 4 low
brig Of nearly two hundred tc1s well armed All
on board were somewhat alarmed az the approach
OF the new visitor, and especially when changing
suddenly her eourse she kept along directly abezm
"A pirate PIraie," was heard from every
mouth; and from the captain TO the cabin boz
there vas not one board " DO did not wish hisu-
self safely noored in Mafanz1z.
Things remained thas till noon, uheu the brig
.gaIn altered her course and sseered directly FOR
rs Within an hour she shot beautifully across
our bows, and hrIcz lee gun her commander
haIled the ship, and ordered Captzia ~ 10 heave
to, that he might board Us THIS was soon doae.
and the result was that after an an1ious half hour
had elapsed, during which time Captain y. and
myself had been cabined wth the lieuteaan; Of the
brig. We were very politely informed that we mght
proceed on DOR course, the ofieer announcing him-
self. As be departed, to Be Lent of the Co
lumbar gun brig LEsPeranee- He bad at 6rs
mistaken Us for a Spanish vessel, and Afterwards
delaged running down, As We looked not unlike =
slOoP Of war
Il was on the third morning after this occurrence
that We made the west end Of Porto Rico. Captain
\. had Just gone below to breakfazt. shea taking
up the sPy glass. discovered IN the Mona Passage
two ;sPering nasts, scarcely visible, close under
high j1Iiing bluG
Here Is pirate indeed, cried, ''on deck quick
Captain, for yOa vii ind this felioV to be scare
crow Of maa-otwar." Captain n. vas immedi-
zfely on deck. and upon a second observation, be
noticed that the vessel was hosting her foresail
and before be could look the third tine, she had
every thing set, coming out from under the land
to meet Us
This looks suspicious said be, ''to lie at one
moment slowed away ike spider. with nothing to
be seen, and thea within five minutes be IN fall
chase after stranger Curse the fellow ! an
afraid that we shall not find II such easy work to
get nd Of him as We did the brig the other esy.
Whist say you, Charles suppose this eraE should
prove to be aPirute, viii you fight hina or shah
Ne hesEe TO and quietly suier them 10 cut our
throats"
AS to fighting" replied, "li,sIe can Be done
in that Wzv, for oar whole armament consists Of
oaly one four FOUNDER, tWO muskeis, one eutlass
and ny lowing piece; sorry array indeed agains,
the force which that fellow doubtless H,usters- But
can tell you one thing. Captain N II Is no hzr-
der to die By cannon ball OF boarding pike, than
BY being strung up to The yard ARA and choking to
death b. degrees. or BY having our vindPipes IN
skaIfElly opened BY these qusek doctors. For one
then say, get clear II we can. bot # the worst
comes to the worst, why, fght them"
The true character OF the suspicious vessel was
soon ascertaIned, for not being able 10 o1tsah Us
she fell assern into our wake, al the distance Of
less than half mile. and discovering her error in
not having cut Us OF al once, she fred lee gun
and hoissed the Spanish dag. OF this We took no
notice. Anosher lee gun fred. and the Amer
lean flag run up. This was suffered also 20 pass
unnotieed The third gun came from the wind
ward doable-shoued, and as the smoke rolled away,
tAe black fog Eitk DEATHS head aAd Grass bOaes
was seen flying al the mainsail peak.
The vessel vas a suakish looking craft, schooner
rugged. yet one Of the most beautiful had ever
seen. Every part Of her displayed the most perfect
symmetry. and the long raking ulasts taPered grad
ually away almost 10 a mathematical point Every
thing below the sails vas as black as paint could
make il, aEording striking contrast with the two
lines Of white foam that widened OF from either
bow. Her deck vas filed with men, in the centre
Of whom, as the great weapon both Of offensive and
defensive operations, was mounted huge brass
thirty two pounder, turning on pivot Tbs sOng
tom polished to the highest degree, and seemed
to fling back IN dIsdaia the bright sun beams as
they fell upon II.
A council ofWar was Immediately held, in which,
every one having spoken. it vas decided first to
make every effort 10 escape, and # that did not
succeed, TO fight I'LL not one Of US remained No
time to be lost. Cor thOugh we could hold good
our distance while the preSent breeze lasted, yet
should the wind die away the pirate, being smaller
than ourselves, could easily swep up Be
sides. bis Bag gun was talking every few minutes.
sending its shot al around Us, one Of which had
already been 50 imPolhe 20 come spliniering
through the round house, passing between Captain
n. and myself in MS way over the lee bulwarks.
The sails we're Immediately wet, from the SKY sails
TO the spanker logs Of wood we're painted black.
and thrust out through the port holes in imitation Of
guns and all the old pieces Of iron which could be
found we're tied Up IN bundles for language. The
mDskets and lowling piece we're loaded. The bay
Duets being taken from the former and sfhxed TO
the ends Of tWo long poles. 10 serve As boarding
pixies. Such was our force Permt me, reader,
once more 10 enumeraie H. Fourteen men f; one
four FOUNDER with not ball TO 1T il, and with only