The Columbian fountain., 1846-02-03
Wei TALE OF THE SEA.
THE LAST CRUISE OF THE WASP.
BY J. T.. pow,
The wind that rings along the wave,
The clear unshadowed sun, ...
Are torch and trumpet to the brave,
Whose last green wreath is won.

| sa The clear unshadowed sun, ~
| Are torch and trumpet to the brave,
| Whose last green wreath is won. "
t.a Holmes.
| On lovely eveaiug in midsummer in the year
l8l4a sloop Of war appeared off the chops Of the
Euglish channel, and stood in towards the shores
of Cornwall. The breeze from the ocean sigh
ed through the neatly fitted rigging Of the belli
gerant stranger, and the faint ripple at the bows
gave evidence that she was slowly gliding ahead
The waves seemed to creep in long unbroken
swells before her, and the lingering glow Of sun
set as it glanced through the vallies Of the deeI
aud rested on their dark green submits, seemed
like the smile Of the dying day upon the rolling
prairies Of Illinois. 6;f#
| Her sails ffom sky to water swelled beautiful
| ly to the rising shores Of merry England; her
ports were shut in; silence eldal TO that Of a
forsaken bark, reigned through her halls Of thun-
der while solitary battle lantern cleaned at the
cabin door. Tho tread Of the orderly on duty,
alone gave evidence that the gallant vessel was
not spectre ship---'some galleon freighted with
the dead.o Hodr after hour lazily rolled away
The land now begaf, to grow more distinct while
the haze of morning settled deeper upon the shad
owed water. saa..s
4,At four, a. M, bright flash appeared where
the shade Of the land and the moonlit billuw
mingled together, and then one after another, the
cleaning sails oft ship hove in sight.
'sBeat to quarters" thundered the commander
fthe American vessel, for such was the charac
ter Of the stranger, and then as quick as thought
the silence Of The vessel was broken by the shrl
notes Of the fife, the tread of armed men, the trio
Ing apof ports, the fattling Of cannon shot in the
racks, and the running out Of heavy ordnarce.,- !.
The chase now showed English colprs, turned
swiftly upon her heel, and ran up the private
signal Of the chsnnel feet a.,s.
"Show them. the stars" cried the immortal
Bakely. .Forecastle there"
"Aye, ave." replied the masters mate.
| fare you all ready with the bow gun 2" a
"All ready, cir"
'.Lhff, quarter master" ". NJ
"Luff it is, sir" ,"said the old salt at the helm.
,'.Stand by forward-Fire!" .;
| The sloop yawed gracefully at the command
Of the trumpet, and displayed her ensign, which
had been hidden by the mountain Of canvas, that
lowered before it. A heavy roa followed vol
ume Of FIRE and wooly smoke from the American
vessels bows, and then a sharp and cracking
sound from the chase--as though a heavy body
had fallen, from great height upon thin lattice
oflaths and had passed through il accompanied
by cry Of agony, that echoed fearfully over
the still waters, told but too plainly the work Of
bloody death had commenced. .t.s
"They have felt the sting Of the Wasp" cri-
ed the American captain as he scanned the
chase. through the night glass. ''Steady your
helm, quarter master, this is but the opening of
fhe ball"
"Steady So" answered the attentive Gunner.
And the gallant sloop was as silent as before.
Al fifteen minutes past one, P. NJ, the Wasp
tacked-the stranger also lacked TO preserve the
weather gage: At three, P. NJ, the enemy bore
down on the Wasp's weather quarter, answered
her cannon of defiance, and stood CALAMITY down
| to close. When within sixty yards of the Amer
ican, the chase fired shifting gun from his top
l.gallant forecastle, and repeated the same unwe-
come salute for several minutes. This destruc-
tive. fire, was, however, borne without murmur
| by the Wasp, which vessel could not bring a
gun to bear on her antagonist A favorable mo-
ment had now arrived. T..
"Put your helm DOWN." shouted Blakely
from the quarterback. e,E.a , II,
In moment the broadside of his vessel began
to show its teeth upon the enemy, and soon the
stranger received his former double shotted sa
lutte with interest L.r
q Haul UP the main-saili" |" thundered the
deck trumpet.
The order had scarcely died away, before the
heavy sail hung in festoons upon the mainvyard.
The fire of the Wasp now. became dreadful
every shot told and feeling that any risk was
safer than the one he was then running, the cap
tain of the British cruiser, at forty minutes past
three, ran, the Wasp aboard on the starboard
quarter, his larboard bow coming foul. The
English commander, now uttered the magic com
mand--" Bosrders, awayl'' andsplacing himself
at the head of his crew, endeavored to carry the
deck Of his antagonist Three times in success
sion the attempt was made, and three times the
Americans drove the assailants back with great
slaughter, At the third rush, the gallant cap
tain of the enemy fell from the Wasp's mi1zen
rigging while in the act Of hourishing his sword
two bullets had pierced his brain, and he was
dead ere he touched the deck. ..s ~.
At forty y-four minutes past three, Captain
Blakely gave the order to board in turn. The
American seamen now started en- nnisse, bounded
over the hammock nettings Of the enemy like a
living torrent and in one minute, amid the
cIashing of cutlasses, the sharp reports Of board
ing pistols, the groans Of the dying and the yells
Of the wounded, were masters Of the foe As
the sword Of the dyig Manners was laid upon
the carsstan, the flag Of. Britain dropt suddenly
upon the, bloody deck of the Reindeer !; and ere
the spectator could mark the movement, the ban
ner offreedom noated triumphantly in it's place.
The Reindeer was an l8 gun sloop Of war,
and had compliment Of ilS souls She had
rs killed and AZ wounded; while the Wasp had
but killed and % wounded.
n. - - ~