Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1847-11-10
INTERESTING MISCELLANY.
From the Ne,C- York Despatch
A SKETCH FROM THE CAPTAIN.

movements on the coast of Mexico. The
acquaintance was made under circumstan-
ces so singular, that their relation, even at
this late day, can hardly fail to interest the
reader. 1t was in Gbaralter. | was pas
sing coffee house much frequented By En-
glish and American officers, when hearing
my name called, turned and saw standing
In the door, young man in the undress of
our service. He approached me saying
Captain --, of the brig Monmouth,
believed"
"The same, SIR replied.
81 am Mr.. --, passed midshipman
OF the United States SlOop Of war -,
now lying at Port Mahon. am here on
leave, and none Of my brother officers are
at hand TO render me that service, which
man, to perform"
81 shall be glad to know how | can be of
service to Mr.. -" replied with rath-
er formal bow, for our young officers in
the Mediterranean were too much in the
habit of getting into silly scrapes, and
suspected for moment that it was one of
this character for which | was asked to
figure.
/" 1t is little affair which will detain you
only few minutes, Captain - the
young officer remarked with smile. "Thc
fact is that have one duel to fight, and per-
haps more, within five minutes, and in that
coffee house. | was going to hunt up a
cOuntryman to act as my second, when you
passed"
lie hastily explained the origin of the
difficulty, proved to me that he was right,
and 1 resolved to see him through We
entered the house, in the public room of
which | was introduced to seven or eight
English naval officers, one of whom held
in his hands pair of fine pistols. lie was
the second of the other party, and we step
ped aside to make the necessary arrange
meNts- While the preliminarics of the
Eight are arranged, the reader may as well
Dc enlightened as 10 It's cause.
The English nasal officers, for several
years after the conclusion Of the last war,
omitted no opportunity ia insult our officers
aHd Pr0gsske Them into quarres. When
'hey could not get representative of the
flag from the government service, tiey would
seek out one in the merchant Iaarinc, and
captains 0f CG&ses@ were more than once
compelled TO notice insults gratulousiy Of
IerCd.
81 Gibaraier and Port Mahon there had
been several duels, and at the latter place
ihcy were ofsuch frequent occurrence, that
II was usual Ia say, on saluung an acquant-
ance in the morning" Well, who is the
victim to-day-was the Engishman killed,
or did the American take the bullet :"
In the case now referred 10, six or seven
English Lieutenan;s had studied, for the
week that my friend had been III Giharalter,
how to get him into quarrel. They set
tied on the plan at last, and lost no time
putting 1t into execution.
Lieut.. wa, sitting in the public
room of the coffee house, quietly drinking
his wine and reading Il newspaper. One
of the Engligh officers who WAS reckoncd
an excellent shot, commenced walking up
and down the room, passing and re-passing
tie American Lieutenant, upon whose toes
he at length trod. Lieut.. -- looked up
up; the Englishman bowed and beg your
pardon, sir, an accident Lieut.. ------
bowed, and went on with his paper. The
Englishman again passed, again trod on the
Americans toes, and again apoIogzcd,
beg your pardon, sir, an accident. t.
Licut.--b bowed and resumed his pa
per. The Engishman allowed five min
utes to pass, aud then for the third time
committed the offence, repeating with a
knocking smile the apologize words beg
your pardon, SIR an accident"
Lieut.. calmly laid aside his pa
per, arose, and taking the Englishman by
tho ears, deliberately discharged a consid-
cradle quantity of tobacco juice, saying
with jecring laugh, "Ibeg yo~ PARTON,
SIR, an accident"
This settled the business, or rather put it
in the train al settlement. The English
man challenged the American on the spot;
the latter accepted, claiming the right of
the challenged party-choice of weapons,
time and place. This was of course con-
coded, and Lieut.. named pistols,
tho weapons-that room, the place, and the
ume-thc moment he could find a Country
man to act as his second. On this errand,
he encountered me at the door, and returned
after an absence of exactly seven minutes
The Englishman had, however, become ac-
custOmed to Yankee puncmality in little
matters of this kind, and expressed no sur
prise at the suddenness of his re-appear-
ance.
1t was arranged that the parties should
sit at the opposite ends OF table about 20
feet long, which Was III the centre of the
roOru- was to give the signal" are you
ready ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS the
paltes to fire between the count; theirpistols
TO remain on the table until the call--"Are
YOU ready"
Iglanccd at my principal as was about
to give the signal !; and was struck with the
expression Of his couutenauces. His lips
were slightly compressed; his brow was
shut down &c may use the term) over his
eyes, which were fixed like man in fit.
Are YOU ready!" Iexclaimcd.
The parties took up their pistols.
"Fire-one-two"-
There was single explosion. The En-
ghshman sprang from his chair, and feA
heavily on the floor, his pistol going off as
he came to the ground. The ball from the
pistol of my friend had entered his aniago-
nist's eye and lodged in his brain, Instantly
depriving him of life.
u