The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1851-01-29

SnOOt nlm.
The men stood silent, and looked
in each others faces, as if to read
what course each should adopt; still
no one spoke.
tTherc--that'll do now; 90 for
ard and make your minds up
4 for one, Captain Carson, will
never
Hush! Hush!' cried Jack, sciz-
ing nc by tho arm, and hauling me
along with the rest.
Go for'ard, SIR added the skip
per, turning away; and the next min
ute we were all in the fok'stlc dis.
cussing the matter. The whole of
the crew decided in favor of the 'old
mans offer.
4 tell you Jack, I'll have moth.
ing to do with it, was my answer to
Jacks cntrcaties mot to be y fool
well, if You won't you WON'T he
continued; at all events, you needn't
say SO, but wait till its dark and get
away; for if you 60 ashore today
you'll be as dead tomorrow as dri-
cd herring
But do come with me, jack
why you see, old fellow, I'm
poor, and can't afford to throw away
couple Of hundred dollars for the
chance of moro kicks than halfpence,
in man,o'-war
so be it, then. Every man for
himself
The Captain was told tie crew
were all willing to accept his offer
much to his satisfaction; and much to
mine, [ saw in the afternoon, the
man.o' o'-war steamer standing in for
tho land, some distance to tic north.
ward, SO | took an opportunity of
making up in q bundle selection of
best things from my sailors Kit.
81 ssssa IT, y II hest !eta eS the fesrSe
ia8 5 sss Z 2
el III: ;ls4 LueJ &nae's' hold now
showed tier OF .sergu water casks,
ready filled, which had hitherto been
hidden by the cargo. A.. portion e!s
the hold was slowed too with farina,
icrkcd beef, and rice; and when q
few planks we're laid upon the casks
and covered with mating, and the
large coppcls for cooking placed, she
was as regularly fitted a SLAYER be-
low as ever was seen upon the coast,
while OH deck, her matches on, and
her colors flying, she dcfcd any
cruzcr's scrutiny, even were ono
signalcd to, unless at the risk Of in.
lrinsing the boasted impunity from
search of the flag she wore.
Directly il was dark, the work
commenced in earnest crowds Of
boats Of all kinds--la,nchcs, canoes,
kabcnda- -boats--all loaded to the wa
ter's with their living cargo, crowded
alongside. Hundreds of the unfor-
tunatc beings, some Of whom we're
still suffering horribly from tie un-
dressed sores that the mornings 3
werks had given them, filed in sue
cession on the deck, and were as
luIkly driven down below. During
the hustle l took my bundle in my
mouth, seized an unobscrvcd moment,
and slipped down the cable into a
kabcnda-boat, passing close by, that
| had beckoncd to. Down IN the
bottom Of the boa: l threw myself,
and VIC showed OH, and pulled away.
rs We did so the Captain just caught
a glimpse of us, and roarcd out, with
an oath, to the boat to stop
Come, back, or I'll fire at YOU
Don't mind him. Pull, pull
give way-do, do pull!',-~cricd I,
trembling with excitement. The
boat sprung ahead into the gloom as
a bullet splashcd into the water, pass.
ing not foot from she sherman S
head. Now then, sails and oars--.lct
her 60. IIark they arc lowering a
boat to chase us. No, they can't
spare time! [ listened, with held
breath, to the noise of shouting, and
oaths; the sounds of hustle and con.
fusion died gradually y away.-.,-I was
safe!
| had to bribc the Kabcnda boat.
men with all the money in my pos.
session to induce them, after an hours
pulling. to continue the search 70,
the man.o(-war, or her boat, as
felt that now my only chance. They
had seen her, rs had, last, at sun
set, standing in-,-,shc must have
fetched in somewhere where we now
were, and had stood of tho lanG
again, perhaps for short tack, per
haps for all night. Praying that tho
former was tho case, at last per
suaded the Kabcnda men to put th,
boats head off shore and stand out il
the hope of meeting her. Anothc,
hour passed and still no signs. Tht
land wind freshencd, the water rip
pied and broke at the boats bows a.