Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1852-04-14

Taplu progress tONaruS tnenl, and soon her low
black hull and raking masts stood clearly reveal
ed.
'Darn me, Ben, if she isn't pirate; Jest look
at that black bunting they are running up. It's
my belief that our time has come, and that the
Charity is as good as gone; but Israel Todd is
man, and although he may be killed. he isn't to
be skeered. Benz we have got to walk the
plank We'll do it like men, with prayer to Hea-
ven to have mercy on ourselves and to take care
of old Charity Todd, who will be made wi
dow"
1t was true, as Captain Israel had said, that
the advancing vessel was pirate, and was no
other than the Circe commanded by Alexander
Tardy. Tardy himself had been the first to dis
cover the Charity, and had called the attention
of Pedro and Pope to it. As they neared the
Charity, and her size and character became dis.
tinct and plain, Tardy turned to Pope, and said,
with laugh
''There is no use for us to get ready for action
her, but we can have little fun. Send her shot
| across her bow, Sampson, and let's see what the
Dutch craft will say to it,
| The shot was sent, but the Charity kept on
her way, as if nothing had happened to impede
her course.
| "Well, like the fellows Indifference" said
| Tardy, as he witnessed the futile effect of his
shot, "and there's more fun ahead than thought
for"
Nearer and nearer the vessels approached each
other, and the Gree was now within hail of the
Charity.
".Ahoy, there, shouted Tardy, "who are you,
and where from 90
1.-The Charity, from Boston, Israel Todd, Cap
tain, and nothing Of cargo worth the while of
pirates rumrnaging after" answered Captain Is
| rael leaning the side of his vessel.
| s'Heave to, then, and we will come and see,"
| returned Tardy.
'tSartingly, answered Captain Israel, without
| the slightest culver of his muscles. 'Sartingly,
| seeing as how we can't help it,
| Tardy, Pedro, Pope Courro and Sampson soon
| stood on the deck of the Charity.
"Have you got any money !' asked Tar
| dy of Captain Todd, who stood erect, before
GA leetle bit, seeing that there's no use in Iy-
| ing just before walking the plank, and [ reckon
we've got to walk it, for that's the way, have
always hearn tell, the pirates do. So, Mr.. Pr
rate Captain, take the Charity and all in her, and
bring out your plank; we four, from the port of
| Bostng, are willing to walk it, seeing as how we
can't help it, but we're Christians, Mr.. Pirate,
and not cut-throats, and do not fear to die; amt
we. Ben, and you, my boys, Jim and Joe 90
| The two latter nodded an affirmative and ia
king their cue of courage from their brave-heart-
| ed, but homespun Captain, braced themselves up
to meet their fate, not deignng to ask for the
| quarter, for which, from all the stories they had
heard of pirates, they firmly beev ed it was use
less to supplicate. As for Ben, he gave his trou-
1 SeTS HHCc1, anu answered:
| "Captaln, I'm an honest man and am ready to
| follow you, and I remember a circumstance
when was on board the Warren in the East In
! dia trade"
"Ben,' said Captain Israel, turning a moisten-
ed eye on his faithful mate, II rather guess your
story of the Warren in the East India trade has
| come to an end, and that there's not much time
to tell it over againnow. Come, Mr.. Pirate Cap
tain, and you fellow there with the ugly cash
across your mug, we're ready
| Tardy and his pirate crew were taken some
what aback by the GOODNESS of the three men and
the boy before them. The whole thing was va
rety in the pirate life that struck them strangely,
and turned, as it seemed in the end, by mystic
rious influence, their thirst for blood aside.
| "Search the vessel, commanded Tardy, sand
then we'll decide what's to be done with the
| crew. .g,-@
Hereupon black Sampson gave one of his de-
moniac grins, which Captain Todd was not slow
to perceive and slightly shudder at.
'.Snowball as we call nggers in the State of
Massachusetts, calculate that your laugh on
this occasion is unreasonable; if you want to
stab, why stab, but don't laugh when you do it,
| that's horrd.''
Tardy himself could not help laughing at this
speech of Captain Israeli and all the pirates
laughed but Sampson, who put his hand on his
knife and was in the act of drawing it, when
Tardy commanded him to hold, saying at the
same time with a rather equivocal expression,
that Sampson should have chance at Captain
Israel ''all in good time"
The vessel was searched, and to the surprise of
Tardy and the pirates, some two thousand dol
lars in specie was the fruit of the search.
captain Israel Todd" said Tardy, "the Cha
rity has turned out so much more charitable in
the way of money than we expected, we will
vary from our general rule by way of variety,
and let you and your large crew live. There is,
however, one condition, and thatis that as Samp-
kIo~n hnra kof al .,~ T. Al.
pelation wherewish you were pleased to address
him, you must therefore fight him without wea-
pons-take regular set-to-and if you beat him,
| you and yours free. But you must go on
board of the Gree and let my crew see the fun.
It's dull life we lead, Captain Todd, and we
want little sport now and then"
The specie, Captain Todd and his crew, were
soon transferred on board of the Gree, which by
this time had come up alongside of the Charity,
and grappled with her The ring was formed.
and the negro and the Boston captain, Invested
Of all weapons, stepped forward to the fight
The pirates around yelled and shouted with sat-
isfaction, and amid the din of these demons of
| the sea the battle commenced. The Captain Twas
as brawny and muscular as the negro, and it was
pretty even match of strength. The negro
struck out his blows scientifically and the Cap
| tain lodged them, and returned them in as equal
| ly scientific manner. The claret flow ID from
the nose of the negro, and the features of the
captain soon exhibited somewhat battered APP
| pearance. The pirates, excited bet on each ac-
cording to their fancy, and the deck of the Crce
presented pretty fair specimen Of regular
prize fight at sea. Round after round was fought,
and while Courro played bottle holder to Black
Sampson, Pepe reformed the same Office for Cap
tain Todd.
ri rather guess" exclaimed Captain Israel, as
he came staggering up in the last round, 'that
might as we'll put end to this piratical fight,
so here goes" and with the word, watching his
opportunity, he gave the negro kick on the
shins that laid him fiat.