Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1846-07-16
BURLINGTON, IOWA, JULY 16, 1916.

her and me than DEATH And conyul
sive shndder shook his frame as he spoke
Promise me--swear to me thsL'
i PROMISE | added solemnly, sthougl
the Almighty grant we may escape the
terrible necessity,'
Amen sail both Captain Powell and
Frederick, for the former had come I'D a,
this moment and overheard the converse
ton.
The men. whose suspicious had been
long since aroused. now that the females
had left the deck no longer concealed
their opinions, and dark and lowering
faces gathered at the bulwarks, while ca.
ger eyes strained themselves to watch
whether the stranger gained or lost.
The Corsair at this time, may have
been about three miles distant, and her
decks were visible, crowded with men.
She was evidently one Of the fastest Of a
class of vessels celebrated for their speed:
for though we had crowded on our can
vass to an almost perilous extent, she
gained upon Us steadily, and apparently
without effort. For twenty minutes, per
haps, we leaned over the bulwarks.
watching her in,ently; now fancying tina,
we gained upon her, now forced TO ac.
knowledge that she gained upon us. We
could not avoid occasionally hearing the
conversation of some of the men. A
group of wealher-beaen tars had collected
not far from where stood, and while the
captain and Frederick were conversing in
low tones, [ listened 10 The following
conversation:
How the Turk sails, d-n him. said
an old water ra, emphaically. For such
queer looking craft. too. it's wonderful
Why, there's nothing ship-shape about
her-she's jist SIGH craft as they make
at home by the cord, and cut off in lengths
TO order; but the devil, who fits her out
and signs her papers, could make a wash
tub sail, | suppose
'Ay! 90 into the winds eve like fy-
ing fish, replied another. 'Howsomever,
our little beauty doesn't creep either
Lord, how she walks the water! lis my
opinion, comrades he continued energet-
ically tearing off a huge piece of tobacco,
which he held ready TO put into his
| mouth, as soon as he should finish his
sentence, that if the breeze would only
freshen to gale, we'd leave yonder chap
| hull down afore sunset
That we would said another, for
we'd carry sail where he'd sink
Its blowing a pretty good mouthful
now said third. How she tears
through the water! Some of them sticks
will jump out yet
Let them jump and be d. said the
first speaker. Il shouldn't mind. lads.
| being taken by Christians-I wouldn't
care whether they were al war with them
but TO 90 about like niger slave,
with chain tied 10 your leg, as the prs-
oners to these Turks haveto, is more nor
old Jack Grommet bargained for when
he came aboard this craft
'ltl be no use to fight. however, said
one; there's hundred or more devils on
board yonder. We must trust to our
heels
'Ah! lis hard day said the frs.
| speaker with sigh, when the stars and
stripes has to haul down to yonder cres
cent; and. by the Lord, Jim Bowen, III
strike blow if no one else will
If the reader has ever dreamed Of fall.
Ing from precipice, and will bring TO
mind the horrible sensations Of that mo-
ment. he can form conception Of our
feelings as we saw the pirate gradually
but surely lessening the distance between
us. Oh! the torture of tina. hour of sus.
| pense. In vain scanned the horizon.
with the aborlive hope of discerning some
friendly sail; in vain watched The enemy
and prayed tina, some Of his spars might
give way. Steadily, silently, without
apparent effort he approached us. Des.
pair was fast taking hold of my heart
when Captain Powell spoke.
Look yoader.' he said. with almost
boyish delight, "a hurricane is coming.
Hurrah!'
At any other time an intimation that
sudden squall was about to burst upon
us would have occasioned apprehension;
but now the lesser was forgotten in the
greater danger; for our only hope lay, as
the spokesman had said, in the violence
| Of the wind.
looked in the direction whittier the
captain pointed. Right in the wake of the
approaching squall lay the Algerine, his
huge sails already in, and nothing but his
bare poles exposed, as he lay rocking in
waiting for the tempest. | could see the
track Of the tornado by the white mist
which. wrenched from the water. was
coming down towards us with wild i,
rushing sound. ALL at once the gale
reached the Algerine, whose tall masls
ben, over like willow wands: the next
minute we los, sight of our enemy: the
minute after the gale was upon US.
In with the light sais!-stand by To
clew down. the captain had exclaimed,
long before the squal had reached our foe;
and now, when the full fury of the TEN.
pest burst upon us. we were not wholly
unprepared; but taking the hurricane with
only our heavier canvas set, we bowed a
moment before The gale, and then darted
away in It's track like a wild bird oosed
from the string.
Heaven be praised! calculated Captain
Powell. Gentlemen, we are now safe
The Corsair will soon be out OF sight