The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1851-03-01
THE DIsMAsTED F1snERMAN,
AM
THE ENG LIsH nRIG-O OF-W A u.
A SEA SKETCH.
ny sYLvAsVA conn, H.
#saE

During the diiiCultich between England
and America, previous 90 the declaration of
Independence, there were continually being
captured by the private armed vessels of the
colonies nunIorans transports and storcships
of the British, and in many instances, these
captures were kept private by those who had
engaged in them, 40 that our history bears
the record OF hut comparatively few Of them
Some of these exploits were ~ deep in their
conception, and as bold and daring in their
contamination, Rs those brilliant deeds which
illuminc the names of our naval heroes Of
1912; hut many Of them Arc still slowed a.
wav in the brains of those who have immcdi-
ately descended from the principal actors,
and occasionally Won may get NJ ono Of these
hidden gems Of '7G,' through the rccollcc-
tions of some old yarn-spinning fisherman,
who still plies his net and cRsts his lines where
his father and grandfather did before him,
IL was early in the morning oC the cath Of
February, 77G The air was sharp and
piercing. and good fresh breeze was setting
into the harbor of Portsmouth from the south.
ward and eastward. on Gcrislrs Point lay
.NGskmg schooner or about one hundred tons
BURDEN, which bore upon her stern the simple
name, Kate Upon her deck stood two mon
ihAbitcd in the rough garbs Of Yankee Usher
men, one Of whom, powerfully built person
'oC some thirtv-hvo wears was earnestly en-
gagged in looking through long glass, while
tho other seemed to await the result OF his
companions investigation.
u tell you, Frank Hardy said the holder
Of the glass as hc lowered il 10 his side. that
brig will keep her station out there ill she
gets "A peep at Tom SAwYcr's clipper. Them
cussed Britishcrs must ave found ont that
Tom was of on n cruise an they think "a
catch him The tarnal things out there for
samcthin', that's sartain,' replied Hardy, who
was younger than The other, bat vet fun as
i 4 4. 4. l. n
in that fashion. Praps she's lookin' out for
some of our fishermen, You know there was
two Of them went down to Ncddock day be-
fore YESTERDAY, ,.---
Again Captain Sam. Pcttinrill-- that was
his nAmc--took a look az the British hric- of.
war off the harbor and At length when he
lowered his glass, he turned round to his com
panions with n sparkling eve and flushed
'countenNnco, and remarked
That's a heavy brig, Frank
Yes sir.'
'Shc carries twelve guns
And must have seventy or eighty men, nd
'ded Frank.
As many as that said Captain Pcttinrin
ANd then looking at Hardy with peculiar
twinkle no contiuucd
''Twould bc joke il the old Kate shoult
take that fellow wouldn't it2'
Kate = said Hardy looking at his captair
n
why, ndS one 10 he sure Our old schoon
er She's the only floating Kate that l know
Of
'Ah, ycs-hS, ha, hn,--he, hc,' returned
Frank, feeling in duty bound to laugh at wha
he considered witticsm.
But I'm in earnest = said The captain, witt
look that his companion knew meant some
thing.
In earnest Take that brig n exclaimed
Yes quietly responded pettingill, tax
that brig,--and if can get seventy-6vc goo'
mon, I'll take her before tomorrow night, ant
that, too by broad daylight
Why, she'd blow our old schooner 70 thun
der in about ten minutes,' said Frank Hardy
utterly astounded at the reckless idea of lay
ing n clumsy, unarmed fisherman along sid
of a British brig-of-war.
u don't think she would replied the cap
tain, while very meaning smile played a
round his mouth and eyes.
That brig will stay in these waters till sh
gets what she's si(sr, ar till shc gets taken il
herself, you may depend upon it, and now
l tell you, Hardy, she shan't lay there forty
eight hours longer. Just you stay on boar,
here and look out, while pull ashore ant
20 up To- the town, and il there's scvcnty-fv
men to be found who dare to share my lucl
III have 'cm aboard before night
Captain Sam. PettiDgll jumped into hi
boat, and in less than half an hour he was i,
the town of Portsmouth. He looked aroun,
among the hardy tars upon the wharvos, ant
also among the other robust and daring son
of New Hampshire, and he raised his desire,
complement of men much more easily thai
he had expected. There was something ~
novel and exciting in the proposed attcmp,
and at the same time so glorious in it's success
that they joyfully prasped at the privilege o.
being one of the party. Each man procur
ed a brace Of boarding pistols and a heav,
-esilasS, aaa Just a. night began to Obscure ti,
surrounding scenery, seventy five men Rrme,
well and faithfully, pulled alongside the fish
ing schooner. and climbed upon her deck
As soon as it was dark the schooner's an
rhor was hove af,, and after crawling roun,
the point, she hugged the coast Of Maine an,
ran on down beyond Neddock, where sh
hauled TIN -ninh and stnnd tnwnrd
Boon Island. The wind still held from tn
ronth and passing under the lee of tho IL
land, Capt Pettingill brought hiR craft a
near to the wind as possible, and stood on un
lksf k.a h -