Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1851-01-24
ADVENTURE WITH A PIRATE.

the shore of Mt. Desert, large island
of the coast of Maine, an old fisher
man: by the name Of Jedediah Spinnet,
who owned schooner of some hundred
tones burden, in which he, together with
four sons, was wont to go. about once a
year, to the Grand Banks for the pur-
pose of codfshiEg. The old man had
five things. upon the peculiar merits Of
| which he loved to boast--his schooner,
Betsy Jenkins" and his four sons
! The four sons were all that their father
represented them 10 be, and no one ever
doubted his word when he said that
their like was not to be found for fifty
! miles around. The oldest was thirty
two, while the youngest had just COM
pleted his twenty-sixth year, and they
answered TO the names of Seth, Andrew,
John and Samuel.
One morning stranger called upon
Jedediah to engage him to take to Ha-
vana some iron machinery belonging to
steam engines for sugar plantations. -
The terms were soon agreed upon, and
the old man and his sons Immediately
sci about putting the machinery on board;
that accomplished, they set sail for IIa-
vana, with fair wind, and for several
days proceeded on their course without
an c.aarenturc of any kind. One morn
ing, however, a Yesse, :"as .as deserted oil
their star board quarter. which after
some hesitation, the old man pronounced
to be pirate. There was not much
time allowed them for doubling, for the
vessel soon saluted them with a very
agreeable whizzing of an eighteen pound
shot just under their stern.
"rhat means for US TO have to-" re-
marked the old man. .. .t a.<...
"Of course
Accordingly the Betsy Jenkins was
brought up into the wind, and her main
boom hauled over the windward. ..
"Now boys" said the old man, as
soon as the schooner came to a stand
call we can do is to be as cool as posi-
Bile, and trust to fortune. There is 10
way to escape that | can see now, but
perhaps if they are civil they will take
such stuff as they want, and let us go
At any rate there is no use in crying
about it for j, can't be helped. Now,
get your pistols and see that they are
surely loaded, and have your knives
ready, but be sure and hide them so that
the pirates shall see no show of resis-
tance. In a few moments all the arms
which the schooner afforded, with the
exception of one or two old muskets,
were secured about the persons of our
Down casters, and they quietly awaited
! the coming OF the schooner.
'.One word more, boys" said the old
man just as the pirate come round under
stern. "Now watch every movement
make. aud be ready to jump the mement
speak" .'
As Captain Spinnet ceased speaking,
the pirate lufled under the lisherman's
ee-quarter and in moment more the
lat'er's deck was graced by the presence
of dozen as savage looking mortals as
eyes ever rested upon.
"Are you the capt,in of this vessel!"
asked the leaders of the boardcrs, as he
approached the old man.
Yes, SIR" .s ,.. a-
"What is your cargo!"
"Machinery for steam engines"
"NOihing else!' asked the pirate
with searching look.
At this momant Captain Spinnett's
eye caught what looked like sail off to
the south'rd and east'rd but not sign
betrayed his discovery, and while bril-
liant idea shot through his mind, he hes
itatingly replied: 80 rh
well, there is lce,le something
else" =
"Ha, and what is il!'
"Why. sir, p'raps | hadn't ought to
tell,' raid Captain Spinnet, counterfeit
ing the most extreme per,urbation.-
"iou see, twas given 10 me as sort of
trust. an 'twouldn't be right for me to
give it up. You can take anything else
you please, for | can't help myself
"You are an honest codger, at any
rate," said the pirate; ',but if you would
live ten minutes longer, just tell me what
you've got on board, and exactly the
place where i! lays"
The sight of a cooked pistol brough,
the old man to his senses, and, in dep
recating tone, he mu,,ered-- a.a
"Don't kill me, sir, don't. III tell
you all. We've got forty thousand sill
YER dollars nailed up in boxes. and stow
ed away under some of the boxes, ,.st
for'ard o the cabin bulk-head, but MIR.
before didn't suspect that any BODY
would have thought of looking for il
there"
Perhaps so,' chuckled the pirate,
while his eyes sparkled with delight
And then turning to his own vessel, he
ordered all but three of his men to lump
on board The Yankee.
In few moments the pirate had taken
off the matches, and in their haste 10 ge,
at the ''silver dollars" thev forgot all
else; but no. SO with Spinnett; he had
his wits at work, and no sooner had the
last of the villains disappeared below
the ha.ehway. than he turned to his boys.
! Nov, boys. for your lives. Seth,
you clap your knife across the forethroai
and peak halyards. an Won Jobn en-, tho