The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1846-02-28

| most OF them, with the most horrid
blasphemies. fell backinto the sea, snap
ping their pistols at US even after they
were filled with water. At the same
moment their boat, which had been
completely riddied by our shot, filled
and sunk to the bottom. Three only
got upon deck, and were immediately
overpowered and secured. Five more
were with difficulty dragged out of the
water, and disposed ofin the same man
ner. One powerful fellow, however,
was not SO easily quelIed. He had
succeeded IN getting one foot upon
deck, when Young seaman. named
Ralph, flew at him with the ferceness
of tiger. They closed, and after bal
ancing moment between the deck and
the water, the pirate, who was much
the heavier man, fell backwards over
hoard. dragging his antagonist with him.
They both sunk, but soon rose again
about four rods from the ship, clinging
closely together. Then commenced
combat the mos. singular and appalling
! had ever witnessed. Noone on board
seemed to think OF devising means of
assisting our champion. No one dar-
ed to fire upon the pirate; for so close
Iy were they coiled together, so rapid
were their revolutions. and so dim the
light shed by the moon, that it was i'm
possible to hit one without endanger-
ing the life Of the other. At the COM
mencement of the struggle, their efforts
seemed to be aimed solely at drowning
each other. They whirled over on
the top of the water, dashing it about
like wounded sharks. Both then sunk
and for awhile were lost to our sight.
Presently they arose again. and ex-
changed thick and heavy blows, and
closing with redoubled fury sunk again.
Neglecting to use their weapons. which
would have put speedy end TO the
fray. they fought more like savage
BEASTS of prev. bent on throttling each
other, than like human beings.
"ShalI we stand and see our man
murdered?" at length exclaimed voice
from among the crew. 1t operated
like magic TO break the spell that had
fallen uoon US all.
"Clear away the boat there!!" shout
ed the captain. and six men sprung to
execute the order. Just then. after an
effort of unusual fierceness. both of the
combatants sunk. They remained out
of sight so long. that the men who
were letting down the boat suspended
their operations. and we all stood
breathless with uncertainty and ankle
ty awaiting their temperance. At
length. about thirty yards off the waters
parted; hut only one man was seen to
rise.
"ls it you, Ralphw cried the captain,
in suppressed voice.
"Here is some of him. at least on nv
knife blade, "responded the freebooter.
with the accent and laugh of 6end,
and springingnearly to his whole height
out of the water, he thre " the weapon
with great force towards us. Another
hollow laugh rang over the waters. and
on looking round, wide circles of rip.
pies were seen moving on the moonlit
sea. as if some heavy body had Just
sunk into it.
Vengeance was the tardy thought
that now rushed on everv heart.-l
Some. in the blinded fury of the mo-
ment, actually discharged their pieces
into the centre of thnse waving eddies.
without staying to reflect upon its at
ter 'uselessness. Others with their
guns in readiness, and eyes glaring up
On the sea like panthers robbed oftheir
prey, stood prepared to fire the mo-
nent he should show his head above
The water. But he rose no more. -
The winged messengers Of death that
had been aimed at his life sped harm
essly over his head; and had it been
possible to penetrate the secrets ofthe
great deep, he might have been seen
'eposing peacefully on its sandy bot.
ON by the side Of his late antagonist.
4 sullen silence pervaded the shp.-
Phe men looked gloomily al each 9th
#, and with lowering brows on their
helpless prisoners, as # sufficient atone-
nent had not been rendered for the
lfe Of their comrade. To one skilled
n the language of the human counte-
lance it was evident tha, nothing but
he restraint Of discipline held them I
'ack from summary act OF vengeance {
nd ofcrime that would have sunk them
o level with the pirates themselves.
Judging of the feelings of his crew from S
hen heir looks, or more probably from his t
Wn, and anxious to remove the temps b
alton to evil, the captain ordered our c
ight prisoners to be slowed under the $
atches, and they were accordinolv | 9