Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1846-12-30
AcHRoNicLE OF A V

schooner Porpoiyc; Captaiu, then LtcuteDsnf
M--commsnding her, Orders came 10
Us suddenly and Unexpectedly from the Navy
Department To fit out Tor ses without delay.
and to make sail for The vicinity Of the Cape de
Verd islands, iD search OF a ~pilaticsl schooner
which had captured an American merchant
brig. the Mexican, robbed. aud then set her on
fire. One OF the crew OF the brig had conceal
ed himself in the hold at the moment hen
the pilates boarded her, aud there remsined
undiscovered while his shipmsies were all
murdered. The pirates stripped the vessel
of every thing valuable and then set her on
fire, returning TO their own vessel aud max
ing sail. The poor fellow who had been hid
den in the hold soon began To feel the incrcss-
ing warmth OF the Citrate below, and csuti-
ously crept from his hiding place.
Whsn he got above the matches. he found
the forward part OF the vessel entirely envel.
oped an flames, which were running up the
spars and rigging, aud rapidly extending alt.
lie cast Que hurried glance upon the bloody
figures OF The crew, then shuddeing as be
passed them, rushed TO the jelly-bost which
hung at the stern davits. IL was the work
OF only a moment for him 10 cast loose the
davpt-fsils and lower her down into the wa
Ter. Another instant, without food or wa
ter, and with but single oar. he was alone
IN her on the broad Atlantic. With his single
car, he sculled his boat clear OF the burning
"
brig. Fortunately he was net discovered by
the pirate who was crowdint sail in an on
pisile direction. As soon sshe was clear of
the brig, poor Jack sat dovn and watched
mast after mast fall Missing mo the water: he
fsncicd that he saw the cTisnd and burning
bodies oil his dead comrades dince around the
flaming deck; he saw the red ire eat the noble
hull oil his vessel down TO tie waters edge,
until IL was nothing but a hack and shapeies
mass, aud then il vSnishdi from his sight.
For three long days ths poor fellow drifted
To and fro upon the wates. Hone had near
ly deserted him; he begin to feel the in,oi-
cradle lever of thirs'. Wien his wandering
glance fell upon a speckl in the horizon. AT
first he thought IL a clous. but soon he knew
IT to be a sail: Her couse happily lay slh-
ward bic track. and his slirt hoistcd mon the
oar attracted the Observation of her crew
lie was taken On board. She proved TO be an
htnericsn, homewsm band. where she mr.
rived safely. Poor Jacfs story was told In
the proper authorities, bud he was sent In
person ON board OF ~ourtraft, To aid in rccog
nising the pirate. siouV we fall in with her
sailed in seven 1urs after our orders ar.
lived, aud u quick bui very rough passage
wherein our craft proud herself as wet Us the
fish which she was nsled after, we arrived Of
Porto Grande in the kland OF Vincennes.-
Here we waieTed sbi aud then stood out 10
- WI W fNuisr ulkftut D1fu
On the third dsy at. when We were not
FAR, from Bravo, ~ es-covered a sail ON our
weather bow. She We a i~ore-and-ar schaon-
CT, very rabirfi and sedneI 10 be- running free
he~siinSfonp towsrJi us. The vessel which
toob'ne AicNlcan waSa i~ope-top- sail schoon
K aud this a-iore -ski.sfier. but ne inv
nov eas! II was 10 srid down square wards
sp" opshge . two-mased rig. and according.
y manird our course bT the stranger. hoist.
ane Portuguese coiors al our peck, shutting in
- Po'ts anu uiSSuiang our schooner until
sic MAS within gnn-saoi.
~ s'mns"r nesnd rs. our suspicious
o.s"e more snd more excited. Our schoon- |
-, ".s e'eofed iorac'itt. Through the glass.
the strange sail showed q long Lnll ua9ni.I
black. wih the muxxlss 81 eight puns on
s''e' run out, her spars wee taunt and vrry
and hrT deck MAS fall OF men. IN |
survivor oi the brig ss sf,on a. he s.,v i,e, a.. J
uns-hcad, "a Turk with q green t~utlsnA No.
hounccd i,eF the same vessel which had Tan. |
iured the Mexican.
She was now within o mile and a half al
US rapidly coming into range, aud We all fell
Lhs' q hSTce aud bloody struggle was at hand.
Our arms were in hand, the detAs ssuded
down. TIE Pou-hres slight. sll was ready. the
&c" burning With impotence, our brave
skipper walking up and down the ouaue,
deck, calm and Thoughtful, bat firm an the
bright swond in his hand.
Suddenly ih~re seemed to BE- a strange CON.
on boaEd the stranger; she fat tened
~ het sheets AMI hauled oa a wind. hcadiog
in TOT the islands. She bad evidently di-coS-
efrd our character. We had been stsudinp ON
under short SSH, more completely to deceive
'i"r, bat now we saw that il was time 10
crowd canvass, for the build OF Ile strsneer
ucn3ied ? speed which even our ia1cy clipper
might TAIL tO exceed.
'Aloi,, ioptsenes shouted Lieat. NJ,
nay ai"it and loose TO gsilapt sails Anoth-
6 fPHll on The Ice. bsaces; baul out the bow-lTs;
Keep her lull s0l by, annef-nas,es. Ran
out The guns Tell Mr.. Meade 10 Try a ssr,t
Win Toe long eighteen fofwerd, aud lIeave IL
ACROSS that rascals fore fowl
ihe gun Was fred and tie kbot fell but n
hiue short. Tie scboOnef fired a weather
gun ln defiance, and then out from each mast
brad hoo'cd ile rcd hsg. She bad cast away
deception aud rvidcDily depended Hpan her
speed TO escape o.. We SOON saw men Of
work ia he's ngging. and in On Uncomfortable
SHORT space OF tilne she had yards crossed and
= toP-sail aud top gsllsni-ssil set. On the
nfs' start we SEEMED To gain upon her, but ~
she made more anil, she evidently but thc
boot on the othef lex.
'Mr. Meade, we must cripple that craft IN
her spars OF shell get away. said The lieulen-
ant 10 our little arst lun. ihsn whom not a no.
bier fellow ever tnd q plsnk.
III tfy her, sYs was the reply. but it's
long range FOG us, s0h We pitch 10 IN this in.
iefnai hesd-sca, that ian be more = matter OF
chance than skiiiF
The young Oiiaer carefully ievelled ihe long
gun sud alters moments STEADY sighting ap-
piled the match, As the smoke cleared up.
q huge rent could be- ssen IN Fhe main-sail Of
We schooner. This proved her still within
Tsti2e, and We felt sure 81 her. Tie wind
Was rtfy fresh, sud we were both on the sstne
lack heading 10 fur some high rocky islands
'ha' lay q iitile 90 windwafl of Bravo. Three
moe shots were fired unsactessfully ~ the
plate.
We'll Try . broadside, said our command.
sE 'Siend by the siafbosh guns Qusner.
master. lua her up in The wind Ready. fore.
snd-oit! With The weather-roil-fref
foFa moment our little craft qniyemd un-