New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1852-10-13

his firmly compressed yet quiverjng lips; and q
volcano of passionate rage CLEANED in his pas
slonate eyes. He walked sharply aft, and spoke
briehy with Lieutenant Armstrong the subject
was, | could hear, the Fair Rosamond and her
captain. Presently he came forward, and alb
ruptly addressed me: "SutclifFe, you know
something Of this Captain Charles Hubert, as
nc calls himself: so at least your father hints.
1 Is it SO -
81 know very little of him, sir, and that
DO you know where he is likely to be met
with just now" interrogated Captain Penshurst
impatiently.
Very probably at the Royal HOTEL
Show me. know the fellow by sight my
sell, but you had better come with me-
The shore boat was still alongside, and in ten
minutes we were landed. The Royal Hotel was
soon reached, but we passed through several
crowded rooms without meeting the object Of
oar search. At length we found him in a bill
lard room with three OF four companions. He
was playing for a large stake, and did not
tice our entrance. At last his eye caught the
4 fixed, angry stare with which Captain Pens
hurst regarded him. 1t shook him somewhat;
but quickly rallying, he returned it with one
equally fierce and mehaeing. His self-posses-
sion and steadiness of hand were, however, gone;
he missed the easiest of strokes, and finally
threw down his cue with d curse. He had lost
q considerable sum. Captain Penshursts fiery
glance was now, it seemed to me, riyited upon a
Icuriousiy twisted guard chain around Hubert's
neck, to which, / supposed, Watch was at
tached
! "Wl1 you play with mes'' exclaimed the
commander Of the Curlew, with startling alb
lruptness, as he seized cue and approached close
to Hubert; you and l are, | am sure, old,
though, l think, never before such near ac-
quaintances as just now"
A deep flush crimsoned the slave captain s
4
away, when Captain Penshurst, who was fairly
beside himself with passion, suddenly raised his
cue, and by dexterous lateral jerk, struck
opeh Hubetts waistcoat with the butt end,
thereby revealing locket suspended by the Gu
riously twisted gold neck chain. To seize it,,
glare at it with dilated eyes, and cast it wildly
from him; was, with Captain Penshurst, the
work of an instant Rascal he shouted,
ss from whom did you steal that portrait -
Hubert instantly saw his advantage. A mock
ing triumphant light shot athwart his counte-
nance and his lips cured derisively as he slowly
reioned-'' Where did | steal this portrait of
la belle PTginie, you ask: A pleasant ques-
ton, truly 1t strikes me now that you have
: chanced to see mine, similarly chained and
r mounted, in that charming persons possession
eli, most valorous Captain; But here is some
thing you have not seen Look Read! sA
mon 6ien di,ne, Charles Hubert-Virginie I. y
| And, see, the date is June 8, 1s24-an old
f friendship, you perceive; and I believe your
companion there can satisfy you that it is a
Q very intimate, afectionate one.''
a terrific blow on the face Of the tauntipg
rascal was Capt. Penshurst's reply. Hubert
1 reeled lost his balance, and fell heavily on tht
floor, but regained his feet in an instant, and
4 sprang towards his assailant with the leap ard
yell Of tiger 4 bowie knife glttered for a
e moment in his hand the next, an agoniZine
cry, and sudden jet of blood, proclaimed how
t fatally he had avenged himself. The terror
!, and confusion Of such scene may be imagined
| Hubert and his companions rushed out of the
4 room, and / was left alone with the apparently
dying Captain. But a few moments, however
passed, before the landlord and others mad
? their appearance The sufferer, who had faint
D ed, was carried to bed, and medical assistance
was instantly obtained This done, | started OF
s to inform the shore authorities ofwhat had hap
: pened, and next made for the Curlew in al
: haste. Lieutenant Armstrong, after listening
: to the account | gave, with much emotion, in
t stanly determined on boarding the Fair Rosa
: mond, and seizing the captain, if on board, b,
# the sole warranty Of force, and hastily left tn
: cabin for that purpose. lie was too late; th
y Fair Rosamond had given us the slip; and a
r we could discern of her was the faint CLEAN
n her white sails, already far away to the eas
Of ward. The Lieutenant resolved upon lnstal
+, pursuit; the necessary orders were given. an
y in less than no tilne we were cracking on in tt
= wake ofthe brigantine, under n ten knot breeZ
Ii from the north west. But the Atlantic is wild
place; and the morning light revealed to u
e nothing but vast expanse OF air and ocean
d untenanted by a ship or human being, save our
selves Our friend had, for the present, at least
: escaped. We. however, kept on-reached il
due tine the Cape Verde Islands, looked in there
e ard subsequently, ran down the African coast t
i about ten degrees of south latitude, withou
# falling in with either the Fair RosamoDd or an,
= other prizeable craft. We did not, however
n despair of ovcrhauling the brigantine, for W
e heard Of her repeatedly, and at length on
e hopes were realized The sloop had Just round
i ed head'and, at no great distance from tn
|. mouth of the Coanza river, when the look -ou
If aloft sung out Sail ho! and right ahead
Every glass was instantly directed toward tn
5, stranger-distinctly visible, at the distance c
e about half o league, though evening was fas
e closing in.
e There was mistaking her; it was the fai
d Rosamond, plain enough, under crowded can
n vas, und slipping away to the westward at tn
l. rate of six knots at least, light as the wind was
e She was well down in the water, and had it wa
e nothing doubted, closely packed living carg
rs on board. Every possible inch of canvas wa
d instantly spread in pursuit, and as it was evi
II dent we were seen, a gun was cast loose and
)f shot sent across the slaver's bows; and at th
g same moment St. Georges glorious ensi gn fe'
< ilolN, llhuSulttcly Sfccteh-ds HhNc
h of times eNulted to hear-by the incense of tn
y man stealer's maleditions. The impudent IA.
e Gals returned the shot, hoisted Spanish colors
: and, changing her course point or two, ran o
d at Il spanking rate.
e The Curlew's guns would have reached her
e but, sending round shot after a vessel who's
d hold was crowded with human beings, was nc
g to be thought of, except in the last extremity
Is and all our efforts were consequently directe
d to run alongside and capture her by boarding
e This was more easily proposed than brought t
1. pass. A stern chase is proverbiany Ion
s, chase; and our dance across the Atlantic aftt
ID Fair Rosamond proved no exception to the rul
u The nights were, however, fine and clear, so th
t. we fortunately eontrved not to lose sight of he
IS Cuba, or possibly Porto Rico, seemed to be III
Is destination; but the wind and the Curew baffl,
d her efforts to reach either of the desired haven
is and far she driven out of her course, th'
E. the blue mountains of Jamiaca had been ii
in some time visible from the deck, when the fitfu
t. varying breeze fell suddenly to a dead cain
= This occurred in the night and, as thick mis-
re which came on at the same time, rose, like cu1
is tain, in the dawning light, the Fair Rosamon
OF was described, rs motionless as ourselves,
ne about two leagues distance on the starboa1
h, bow. Unless the devil could help his own ;
D. such a pinch, with speedy breeze, We were no
al sure of her. Three of the Curlew's boats te
an quickly from the davits into the water, and wei
off in crack, fally manned and armed. to tai
he possession of the, at last, luckless brigantin