Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1852-01-21


crous appearance.
8 so you are on piratical expedition 2
the British officer, rather taun-
tingly. -
Il doho, returned Jabe; with an offen-
ded air. eel s'pose eff I'd cum across one
o. your crafts Fat I could ave took, 1
should ave done it z but j dono as IL
should been pirating emmy more n yeou
are meow 45,roi
How many men have you?'
sQ4Here's twelve on us, an eff yeou've
got twelve men lat ken lick us, I'd Ike
to see tem.' ;- e .,.'a =, =. -, \
; Never mind about that. Jonathan,
we'll take you into Halifax, and there, IN
all probability, you win find your match
The schooner was searched fore and
aft, but all that could be found was a
dozen old pistols, and about as many
swords, which were in the cabin, while
in the hold they discovered nothing but
an array of empty barrels and boxes
The Englishman left twelve of his own
men to take charge of the prize, and took
sir of the prisoners on board his own yes
sell, leaving the other six under charge of
the officer who had been appointed to the
command of the Rhody, and also left Or
ders that the schooner should be kept
close in his wake during the night, as he
intended to see her safely out of reach of
the Yankee coasters. u-
Until nine o'clock at night the Rhody
stood on after the clipper with all sail set.
while the latter only carried her mainsail
and two ibis. The six Yankees whow were
left on board were secured in the long
boat, while the lieutenant in command
and five of his men had the first watch
When the clipper struck two bells, the
vessels were not more than two cables
length apart, the prize being little to the
westward, as owing to her bad sailing, the
lieutenant wished to keep the weather
gage. The night was quite dark, and
the wind, which had fallen since sun
down, had veered slightly to the north
ward.
While the prize masters were earnestly
engaged in keeping up with the clipper,
very novel scene was being enacted in
the hold. One of the boards, which
seemed to form part of stationary floor
was lifted from its place, and the head of
old Captain Nightingale appeared through
the aperture. In moment more another
board was removed, and ere long. forty
stout fishermen, all we'll armed, had come
up from their place of concealment, 1t
was but moments work to leap on deck,
and ere the thunder-struck lieutenant
could see from whence came the enemy,
he was bound hand and foot, and so were
his men, while the poor prisoners were
set free from the long boat. Obed Night
ingale took the helm, and his father, poin-
English officer, said:
do you think that we are in earnest,
or not p
Il should think you WERE replied the
trembling officer. r..
Then ifyou do not obey me, you will
get bullet through your head in an in
slant. Now hail the clipper
scorpion ahoy = shouted the lieuten-
ant, as if for dear life.
In the meantime the Yankee had been
let off little from the wind, so that she
was now within little more than cables
length of her captor, while the bold fish
ermen were nearly all crouched beneath
the bulwarks.
Some one from the clipper answered
the call.
Tell them that the schooner has sprung
a leak, and the cussed Yankees must have
thrown the pump-brakes overheard
The poor lieutenant looked first at the
stern face of the old man, then at the
of the pistol, and then stretching
his lungs to the utmost. he obeyed the or
der.
Now tell them to heave to and you'll
run alongside
The frightened officer obeyed, and on
the next moment the clippers helm was
put hard down, and her main boom shov-
ed over to windward.
Seven of the Yankee fishermen were
stationed along the lee rail, with stout
graplings in their hands, and in less than
five minutes the Rhody's bowsprit loom
ed up over the clippers weather quarter.
Obed showed the helm down, and letting
go the sheets fore and aft, the Yankee
schooner shot gracefully alongside.
why in - didn't you come under
our lee quarter 2 shouted the,English cap
tain, as the fisherman thumped against
the side of his vessel, but before he could
utter any more of his wrath, with which
he was literally boiling over, he found his
deck swarming with strangers.
The whole thing had come about so
unaccountably, and withal, SO suddenly,
that hardly blow was struck by the as
founded Englishman, and before they
were fully aware that they had been cap
tured by their own Insignificant prize,
they were securely bound and most of
them slowed away below under a strong
guard.
Wal capt'n,' said Jabe Haskins-whol
had been released from durance vile-as
he came aft to where that functionary
stood by the side of old Nightingale
. when dew yeou think of takin' us into
Halifax @