Ypsilanti sentinel. [volume] (Ypsilanti, Washtenaw Co., Mich.) 1843-1900, 1848-03-22


CHAPTER LII.
''Deep on her side the Keeling vessel lies;
Brazil up the mZzen. quick the master cries
Man the clue garnets! let the main-sheet fly!
The boist'rous squat still presses from on high,
And swift, and fatal as the light ng's course,
Through the torn mainsail bursts with thund'ring
force
@WELI," said I, .:we are well out of this
scrape." "For the present." was the reply
shut there is the Bpnita in Morant Bay, and
on the return of these fellows, despatch over
land will soon send her after us: and as she is
a clipper, we may be retaken. MY hope Is,
that she will put right straight fer the bahama
channel, and not think of looking for as on the
south side of Cuba, where think we had bet
ter go, and take in cargo of coffee. II we
have good look, we may load, and dodge him
in some way or other" We soon arrived at
Trinidad de Cuba, and finding vessel Of ,bOut
our tonnage, with cargo on board, which had
sprung a leak, and was pronounced unseawor-
thy, we negotiated our bills and purchased the
ladine: and by working double tides, we were
in week ready for sea. There were several ar
rivals during our stay, and one the day before
we left port. Of these we did not fail to in
quire if anything resembling the vessel we so
much dreaded. had been observed. Some such
one had been noticed about the Isle o. Pines:
and We stretched away to the southwark and
eastward, to gain an Offing, and 10 give los Pi-
nos wide berth. 1t was about noon when
sail was discovered standing along the land, the
cut of whose topsailsi Just visible from the mast
head, did not suit the watchfu eye of Talbot.
He was aloft with his glass, and watching her
with great soicitude for fifteen minutes: and
when he descended, he ordered the vessels course
to be shifted, and every thing packed upon her
that could be spread. iHarry,r said he, ''that
is a man-of-war: he has seen us, and has edged
away in chase, and the chance of out-running
him il all that is left u.s. 1t soon became ap-
parent that he had the heels of us: and his sails
were gradually rising above the horizon, and
soon the hull became visible from the deck
The brow of Talbot was contracted with anx-
ETY.: his glass was continually at his eye: and
the captain, who had now come up, had very
satisfied grin on his visage. contrasting broadly
with the uneasy aspect Of Talbot. The Boni-
t,, fer none doubted that it was her, was with
in two miles of us. still watched BY the glass of
Talbot. who suddenly exclaimed, closing the
glass as he spoke, Forward there! stand by
20 take in studding sailsr' "Aye, aye was
>shc word:'' and they were soon secured. ga
loft, all hands, take in royals and top-gallant
s ,ls.' This or cr was obeyed. "Close reef
tup-sailS,; Was the next command. And
while this was performing. the Captain mntter-
eI to me: '.IIe is afraid of some of his Males
TVS cold iron. and going to strike" So thOt
/: and as we still kept on, as the schooner was
within striking distance. | observed to Talbot,
'''rhat she would soon give us broad side."-
IL expect it was the reply: shut there is some
thing beyond him, which [ am more afraid of
than his battery. Do you see that white pet
- I, boo in 81,
At this moment the foresaii of the Bonita was
brailed up; the helm was put down; and the
roar of her guns was heard. very we'll hove,'
said Talbot, as three out of four of her shot pas
sed through our mansail. just above the boom:
"but, my good fellow" said he, as if address,
ing his pursuer. "lf you had kept as good
look out astern as you have upon me, you would
have saved some OF your rags. Let run the
rnainsail! be spry: get everything snugr' was
the order of Talbot. My eye was upon the Be-
nitd; and scarce had the smoke of her guns roll
led away, when her top-saiis and studding-
sails, struck by the squat, were driven before
the blast; her halyards were let run; and she
lay walowing on her side. We had scarcely
got the sail secured on board of us, when the
squall took us dead aft, and sent US, forecastle
under, into the surge.
That poor fellow sadTalbot, sis too much
erisptea to continae pursuit; and we are, there
fore, quit for this bout. But we have an aw-
full night before us; it is going to blow hard,
and God Knows, from what quarter we may eX-
peet the worst of it." We continued to run be-
fore the wind uHtis midnight, when we hauled
to the wind on the starboard tack, to gain
good entrance into the strait. The wind
continued in the northeast, and we were, all
next dar, beating 20 windward, with tolerable
stretched into the Gulf, in order to get within
the influence of the current; and just as We had
lttsse so, the wind suddenly shifted to the south
west, and blew with great violence. The brig
was put before it, under close-reefed topsails
and balance mainsai; and, flattering himself
with the hope of speedy passage home, Tai
bot who had taken little rest since we left port,
having set the vessels course, with strict or
aers not to vary in the least from il, came be-
cow. BY estimation, we were about twelve
leagues from Point Tancra, and in its parallel
of longitude. when we turned in at nine o'crk
The master was on deck when we left it. This
man, who had doae his duty tclerably we'll on
the outward passage, had, like many of his class,
considered his promotion as affording an oppor-
tunity to drink more and work less. And he
was not backward in straining his privilege to
the utmost, while in Jamaica. Phis propensi-
~ """ -" vi ou'out4gt W US III CoDtIiUu-
ting to opr escape: but it being dangerous at
sea, he had been cautioned to forbear il. But
secretly he continued to indulge in deep pota-
tions; and this night he had taken heavy
dose, although its effects were not observable
when Paibot left the deck. Neither ofus seem
ed disposed to sleep, and we continued to con-
verse; but some unaccountabte anxiety seemed
to press upon the mind of Talbot, and he was
restless. AT length he proposed going On deck:
and instantly, as he cast his eye Oh the binnical,
he seized the helm. "Forward, there was
the word; siman sheets and braces! Let go
sheets and braces, and haul to the wind on the
larboard tack! All hands on deck" was the
next order. Then jamming the helm a star
board, ne braced her sharp into the wind
SLOW long have you stood upon this course1"
asked he of the man from whom he had taken
the helm! "Evcr since you went below was
the answer. The Captain swose he could find
the Bahama channel better than anv-Yan-