Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1852-04-06
miscellaneous.
AN ADVENTURE.
The Pirate Attack.

"There they are - exclaimed the captain
whose eye had taken the direction Of mine;
"the rascals have rowed clear of us, and are
coming on from the St Domingo side. Stand
to your arms, boys. the rogues are upon vi"
In an instant every man was at bis post, and
on the alert. ''Stand in the shadow of the
spars and rigging so be out of sight contin-
ued the captain, "and not man OF you FIRE
till | give the word"
"Ay. ay," responded the crew, with nauti-
cal precision.
"And now" says the captain, who really
went to work in business like style, ''let
us get this gun on the other tack, Nh Brae,
to be ready for the gentlemen"
The muzzlc Of the piece was accordingly
thrust through the opposite port, keeping a
dead aim at the boat which was little more
than quarter Of mile distant
Strange, said !, that the fellows should
choose to row against the moon, when, by so
doing, they must know we should see the
glitter Of the oars
81 suspect" replied the captain. Chat they
had no choice about it.. You forget that We
have more or less wind off the land since sun
set, and are at least six miles from where we
were then. The probability is that the rogucs
lost us after night-fall; but it seems they
have found US at last"
The boat was now very near US, still not a
sound came from her The closest and most
painful attention could not hear the dip Of
her oars, which rose and fell like pieces OF
mechanism, glittering N the moonlight like
blades of silver.
BOAT ahcy?" cried the voice Of Captain
Beltrop, in its most startling tones No an
swcr was returned to this summons, and the
oars were piled more lively. keep off OF
III blow you out of the water
This threat, and the 6rebrand which
aourished with great ferceress, seemed to
make the pirates hesitate. The motion Of
the boat was arrested Captain Beltrop
thought the victory already achieved. and he
again raised his voice in tones of authority
Throw your arms overheard and come along
side"
A volley of musketry was the reply to this
summons a dozen bullets whistled by, and
the captains hat flew across the deck 4
deep imprecation burst from bis lips. The
next instant broad stream Of flame issued
from the quarter deck, and the explosion Of
the piece broke upon the dead stiffness of the
elements with voice ike thunder. A dis
tant crash. hcavy splashing in the water,
above which cry Of mortal agony was terri
bly, distinct, bad arisen IN the direction Of the
foe before the smoke had dispersed sufficient
ly TO enable US to see the effect OF our shot
No boat was then to be seen; nor any trace
Of the crew; we had in all probability sent
every soul into eternity.
by George" cried the captain with some
thing like compunction in his tone, and rab-
bing his head with handkerchief, Il would
rather have taken the rascals and bad them
deeently hanged, than sent them to the bot
tom in this off hand manner. Yoa couldn't
have made better shot, Mr.. Brae it,"
a horrid yell, arising apparently from tho
very depths beneath The ship stopped him in
the middle of his speech 4 boat glided out
Of the smoke, and shooting under our bows
dozen dark forms were seen springug from
it 10 the side Of the ship. But our precau-
tions had been wisely taken, and were com.
petely successful No sooner did they touch
the slippery sides of the vessel than most of
them, Wit! the most horrid blasphemies, fell
back into the sea, snapping their pistols at us
even after they were filed with water. At
the same moment their boat which had been
riddled BY our shot, filed and sunk to the
bottom. Three only got upon deck, and
were Immediately oyerpowered and secured
Five moro were with difficulty dragged out of
the water, and disposed of in the same man
nes One powerful fellow. however was not
so easily quelled. He had succeeded in get
ting one foot upon deck, when young sea-
man flew at him with the fcrceness Of IT,
ger.
They closed, and after balancing moment
between the deck and tho water, the pirate,
who was much the heavier man, fell back
wards overheard, dragging his antagonist
with him, They both sunk, but soon rose