The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1847-01-07


lucca, that shot from our bow gun brough
her huge lanteen sail to the deck and avail
ing ourselves of our good fortune, we cam
e up hand over hand, poured in broadsde
! amid deafening huzzas, and rounding acros
: her bows, swept her decks with a storm Q
grape, that left scarcely man alive at hi
p, station. Still, however, she kept her en-
sign doggedly flying 1t was only when w
= had riddled her sides with another discharge
I and she was obviously sinking, that her com
mander consented to haul down his flag
How was | astonished when l mounted he
deck as boarding officer, to see in advance o
the pirates, hastily released, to officiate as in
terpreter, the gentlemanly captain of the shiI
in which Beatrice had sailed. The trutl
flashed like lightning upon me. Good God
and was she in the hands of lawless pirates.-
1 shuddered at the thought sickness came
! over me reeled, and would have fallen, but
recovering myself, rapidly Intercepted the
captain, learning to my horror that Beatrice
and her family we're in the other vessel, and
turning my eyes in that direction found that
in our eagerness to overhaul the felucca, we
had totally neglected the captured ship, Sc
that taking advantage of our carelessness, she
had edged up to windward, and was already
at an almost hopeless distance. A despair,
bordering on madness, took possession of me,
giving vigor and energy to my faculties
they never had felt before. saw all depend
ed on haste, and aware that the felucca was
already sinking instantly hurried our prison.
ers out Of her, sprang into my boat, pulled
wildly back to her commodore, and without
pausing to breath, informed him of what
had heard concluding by invoking him for the
love of God, to rescue our countrymen. But
the gray haired veteran needed no incen-
tive. Snatching the trumpet in his hand, he
Numbered out before my appeal had been half
finished.
"' All hands make sail-quarter master,up
with her,"
{" Ay, ay, SIR" growled the old seaman,
as the gallant frigate danced to windward
He paused awhile, and then demanded
"'What does she make p"
"'Twelve knots, SIR "
"'Ay, ay, sirr"
"'We are nearing her now think"
GO Rapidly, sir "
"'Then keep her to it-and now gentle
men make up your minds for warm work
Away up here, where that haze hangs on the
horizon, is the coast of Africa and know
enough of these rascals to predict, that unless
we overtake them before they reach it, they
will take to their boats, carry off their booty |
and prisoners, blow up their prize, and plunge |
our fellow countrymen into lingering slav- |
cry" And as he spoke, turning momenta- !
rily away, he took his station on the weather |
quarter.
"Thc prediction of the aged commodore
doubly infamed our impotence. 1t was still |
whether we should overtake the
chase before she reached the coast for al
though our velocity was almost incredible, it
but little exceeded that of our opponent
She was besides almost dangerously near to
land, and before we could hope to board her
would be ashore. What were my feelings
during these moments of suspense ? Words
cannot describe nor Imagination picture them.
Now | trembled lest our approach should in
flame the captors to desperation, and she l
loved so deeply become the victim of their
now shuddered as | saw how
slowly we Gained upon them, and that in all
it would be in vain to hope for
rescue. We were now approaching within
range of shot, and at once a brisk and well
aimed fire was opened upon the chase, My
own feelings seemed to have taken possession
IF the crew, and not a shot but was sent with
he precision of rife-ball. They burned to
'eeasc their countrymen from bondage
worse than death. They knew that all de-
pended upon disabling the foe, and as they
rev warmer in their work, the balls told
With unerring certainty, splintering a spar or
sail at every discharge. Still,
however, nothing of consequence had been
hot away; but after some fifteen minutes I
lrng, wild huzza rang through the frigate {
IS the main-top mast of the chase went over
he side, bearing with it the royal skysail and
horl IL, Al, 4
igging, dragged wreck beside her, and !
'rought her at once sharp around, with her
tern at right angles to our broadside. !
From the stern to bow, along the whole {
eek Of our noble ship, the fiery torrent burst {
clson, and when the thick smoke curled l
landing but a fragment of her foremost, roll |
innate captors, though their ensign had been l
hot away, hoisted another on temporary ,
taft, defying us to the last S
The commodore fearing that the pirates I
would blow themselves up if the frigate APP '
'roached nearer, ordered her hove to, and t
aid !
"'Now, gentlemen, the time has come for 7
warm work. Much as l wish, if possible, to |
escue our fellow countrymen, a proper re 7
ard to the lives of my crew will not sanction '
nearer approach of this frigate We must
ttack with boats and by volunteers. ,
1t took but moment to obtain our vol G
nteers, our boat were quickly manned, and f
We pushed from the frigates side amid roar g
f cheers, and, while an utter silence was l
our crews bent to their oars, and g
We were urged through the water with the
elocity of falcon. The few moments of i
eep suspense, ensuing before we reached f
he chase, were spent in hasty observation l
f our relative positions S
"The dismantled ship was lying nearly Il
roadside on the shore, and not more than i
nile and a half from the coast. At the S
stance of few hundred yards from the p
and ledge of rocks ran parallel with the S
ointment, serving as wall for the breakers f
Il.