New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1852-06-21
From Ihe Home JOun
A THRILLING ADVENTURE.
By THE SURGEON.


In the month Of August, 1928, when the war
ragged between Buenos Ayres and Brazil, in
South America, found myself, with many
others, from the northern division Of our cont.
nent, engaged on the part of the former
Not only was there the hope of laurels to be
won, our chivalry excited, and our wild oats to
SOW, but we had heard of, or personally wit
messed, the gross conduct of Pedro towards the
American Minister and Consul, carried to such
an extent as obliged the former to demand his
passports and return home. 1t was, therefore,
war of Americanism against despotism. l was
made surgeon of the brig of war Sampson,
mounting eight guns, though a larger vessel
under different commander had been offered
me- We were ordered to run down the coast
and land a spy at Bahia, who was to create an
insurrection of the blacks, and thus oblige the
enemy to callln her fleet from the blockade of the
river OF Plata together with instructions to do as
much mischief as possible going and returning
to any thing under the green flag of Brazil.
We had proceeded thus far upon our errand,
and had so well executed and obeyed our COM
| mands, that thirteen penants from vessels of
War. and a countless number of merchant flags
We're displayed as proofs of our success, beside
tne prizes manned artt sent in. The CONSEQUENCE
OF the latter trophy, however, was annoying.
The manning of so many prize vessels from our
own crew left us so reduced in strength and
numsers, as to compel us to dismiss, with pris-
oners. n valuable vessel, the ST. John, for abso-
Lutte want of an officer to take charge of her
The heutenants had taken command, one after
another, of the captured vessels of war; and the
master-purser, midshipmen and masters mates
had been sent in with the merchant prizes.
Our commander now stood alone, without sim
gle sea- -ofhcer; the crew, too, had necessarily
become much reduced; thirty eight men and
three boys were all that remained of the gallant
hundred who had left port but few months
before.
On board of one of the lately captured vessels
an Engllshman, acting rs supercargo, gave the
Intelligence of an enemy's brig of war lying in
port, ready to sail at moments warning She
was stationed here to protect the commerce.
vessel mounting eighteen guns--twenty -four
pounders-and hundred and thirty two men,
Despite this great disparity of force, our COM
mander concluded that she might be taken by
surprlse-and that very hour-nay, that very
moment, his design was put into execution
The evening before the battle | remember as
yesterday, Our Commodore came on deck with
the gunner, saying to him: You will lie to
until daylight, with your head off shore, when I
will join you with the other brig. Quarter
master, where is the prize''
:" Under the lee bow, sir; she seems to have
filled away
Man the weather-main brace; square away
main-yard; board main back aftsheet;'' were
the quick commands; and in few minutes the
two vessels were again within speaking distance.
Brig ahoy!' No answer. 's Brig ahoy y
Louder: no answer. Brig ahoy p sternly.
Answer, or will sink your A pause. Still
no answer
'Forecastle, there, clear away No. 2, and
send your shot into their cabin to drive them up
from their grog."
sAy, ay, sir"
And in minute the loud report of a gun was
heard, and the grating crash of the shot was
followed by the echo reverberating along the
coast Of Olinda and Pernambuco
There's work for you, Doctor" said our
Captain.
''Oh pray don't kill us p cried weak voice
from the prize; the men are all drunk, and
what can do?''
This came from a boy who had been left
by mistake when the Brazilians were brought
away.
'Put the helm down. and, as if urged by
one impulse, both vessels swung gracefully up
into the wind. The brig g-of-war Kept under
steerage way until the maintopsail of the prize
caught aback. when she hauled up her mainsail
and hove to.
The gunner went on board with his prize
crew, and sent back the fellows who had, as the
boatswains mate said, &c subjected him to extra
duty with his cats
1t appeared that the prize crew temporarily
lelt IN cnarne nad discovered a case OF gin, and
placing it on the cabin table, had taken out one
or more of its square TASKS, and emptied them
with such diligence as to render themselves, in
common parlance, '' drunk as fools p that the
man from the helm had joined them, and the
vessel, left :" at her own sweet will, fell off be-
fore the wind-her main braces having been
carelessly belayed-her maintopsail had filled
away, and she was fairly running into port of
her own accord From the blissful State of
somnolency produced by the too ardent use of
the ardent, one shot awoke the quarto seated
around the gin case; not that an ordinary shot
thrown at random across the bow or stern, or a
dozen broadsides thrown over them, could have
induced single man to stir, but this shot, hay-
ing been we'll directed, went through the side,
struck a bed, which it forced through state
room door upon the table and its snoozing guests,
struck the gin case, which it knocked into
atoms, and went out at the opposite side through
a well-rounded hole, with a little splintering on
the outside.
The men We're all more or less hurt; the bed
and door had bruised all on the weather side of
the table, and broken pieces of glass had severe
ly cut and lacerated those who were so unfortu-
nate, as to have taken leeward seats. 1t seemed
a miracle that no one was killed; but they were
well sobered, and put under my hands instead
of the boatswain' s-mates; their further punish
ment deferred until their wounds were healed
or they had redeemed their character by good
conduct in action. 8 d
Before this little prelude was concluded
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