Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1850-01-31
From the Statesman.
THE ESQ APE.


Are the stars and the falling dew.
From the Statesman.
THE ESCAPE.
LEGEND OF THE WAR OF 1912.
The breaking out Of the war Of 1912,
found me on the island Of St Christopher,
or as it is more familiarly called st Kits,
i'll with fever, the effects OF which kept
me confined to my room for many months.
Upon my recovery the difficulty of getting
away from the multitude Of English cruis-
ers, induced me TO enter into business there
which detained me until the war had ceas-
ed. While residing there, the scene re-
lated below, occurred, which if You deem
worthy place, is at your service. 1t has
little to recommend it but the truth. AT
the time of its occurrence it made a deep
impression on my mind, and even now the
whole scene is before me, fresh in all its
particulars as the day it happened, but the
pen of man would fail to do il Justice.
The Island, you will recollect, is one OF
the group to which the general name Of
West Indies is attached, and is owned and
governed by the French. The principal
nar5or defended by strong battery, is in
the form Of huge bowl, with two outlets
to the ocean, the one broad and deep, the
other narrow, intricate and shallow.
1t was during the time that ho!lowtruce
was patched up between France and Eng
land, that an American privateer appear
ed off the harbor, which played the very
deuce with the English merchantmen
which frequented St Kits. She was
long, narrow Baltimore built clipper, and
one Of the fastest sailers ever saw. She
seemed when in pursuit, to fly before the
wind, and for the lucklsss merchantmen in
sight, there seemed no safety, except in
running into the harbor, or getting under
the guns of an occasional man ot-war. So
great an annoyance did this little priva,eer
prove, that on complaint being made to the
English Admiralty, fine frigate, and one
Of the fastest sailers, was despatched to ST
Kits, TO cruise off the harbor, with orders
at all hazards to capture the privateer.
A week or two before The time of which
speak, the inhabitants Of the town were
awakened blythe sound of cannon at sea ,and
as day broke, the privateer with every sail
set, was dashing in towards the harbor, in
sail of fine large English merchant ves-
sci. Just as the latter entered the cham
mel, leading into the harbor, the privateer
was by her side, and the cry Of her cap
tain "boarders -auny!" sent crowd of
gallant spirits into the English vessel, and
after a short, but fierce and desperate
struggle, the vessel was prize, and i'm
mediately left the harbor in company with
her captor.
The vessel was taken within the harbor
within port owned by neutral power,
which should have offered protection, and
the British Consul made formal complaint
to the Governor, Of this breach of the law
Of nations. The Governor excused him
self as best he could. The scene Of the
struggle was beyond the reach of the guns
ofthe fort ,and besides .therewas no French
vessel Of war in the harbor at the time, to
prevent capture. With this explanation
the Consul was forced TO be satisfied.
The British frigate in the meantime ar
rived, apd for several days nought was
seen Of the saucy little privateer, though
every vessel that came into port, spoke Of
being overhauled byher 10 see iftheFrench
flag which they bore, did not cover an Eng
lish vessel. Reports too, reached us of
rich prizes being taken, and the Ameri-
cans at St Kits taunted the English citi.
zens with the abortive efforts to capture
what we called the "Flying American" ;" in
imitation Of the"Fiying Dutchman," whose
powers Of ubiquity the privateer seemed
to possess.
One morning, bright c1oudless Sunday
morning in May, which had brought the
entire population of the city to the hill side
overlooking the town and harbor-another
distant firing was heard at sea, and those
who had glasses saw two vessels, with
crowded canvass, making towards the
mouth Of the harbor. The hindmost YES
sci would occasionally yaw round for the
purpose Of pouring in broadside, while
the other with her stern guns, kept up an
occasional cannonade on the pursuing ves-
sci. Nearer they approached, and soon
were perceptibie to the naked eye, and the
words passed from man to man, cit is the
English lrigate and the American priva-
teer." They entered the harbor, the pri.
vateer near mile in advance Of the frig.
ate, and both anchored side by side unde,
the guns Of the fort.
| The frigate finding every effort to take
the privateer abortive, had, while in port
so disguised her appearance as TO pass fol
q large merchant,nan. The morning o
which l speak, a sail was seen, and soor
the privateer was making hcadwaytoward
her. To carry on the deception the frigat'
attempted 10 escape, but sail which hae
been drawn under her SO impeded hel
progress, that the privateer made twt