Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1852-10-06

fy nouf-nays Inat very moment, MS de-
sign was put into execution. slEF
The evening before that battle re-
member as yesterday. Our Commodore
came on deck, with the gunner, saying to
him 5if
You will lie to until night. with your
head off shore, when will Join you with
the other brig. Quarter-master where is
the prize 2" 4,
"Under the lee bow, sir she seems to
have fled away
Man the weather main-brace square
away main-yard board main-back aft
sheet" were the quick commands and
in few minutes the two vessels were
again within speaking distance.
Brig. ahoy ~ No answer. Brig
ahoy J" Louder, no answer. Brig,
ahoy T. sternly. Answer, or will sink
you" A pause. Still no answer.
+" Forecastle. there, clear away No 2,
and send your shot into their cabin to
drive them from their grog."
cay, ay, SIR"
And in moment the loud report of a
gun was heard, and the grating crash of
the shot was followed by the echo re-
yerbrating along the coast of olinda and
Pernambuco.
There's work for you, Doctor" said
our Captain.
"oh pray, don't kill u.s." cried a
week voice from the prize {" the men are
all drunk, and what can do ?'
This came from 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 grace
fully up into the wind. The brig -of-war
kept under steerage way until the main
toPsail 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 boatswain' s-mate said, subjected
him to extra duty with his cat"
1t appeared that the prize-crew tempo
rarily left in charge, had discovered a
case of gin, and. placing it on the cabin
table, had taken one or more of its square
TASKS, and emptied them with such dill
gence as to render themselves, in common
parlance, "drunk as fools )" that the man
from the helm had joined them, and the
vessel, left " at her own sweet will" fell
off before the wind-her main braces hay
ing been carelessly belayed-her main
topsail had filled away, and she was fair
ly running into port of her own accord
From the blissful state of somnolency pro-
duced by the too ardent use of the ar
dent, one shot awoke the quarto seated
around the gin-case not that an ordina
! ry shot thrown at random across the bow
or stern, or dozen broadsides thrown
over them, could have induced a single
man to stir, but this shot, having been
well directed, went through the side,
struck abed, which it forced through
state-room door upon the table and its
snoozing guests, struck the gin-case,
which it knocked to atoms, and went out
at the opposite side through a well-round
ed hole, with little splintering on the
outside. The men were all more or less
hurt; the bed and door had bruised all
on the weather side of the table, and bro
keu pieces of glass had severely cut and
lacerated those who were so fortunate as
to have taken leeward seats. It seemed
miracle that no one was killed but
they were all sobered, and put under my
hands instead of the boatswain's mate !;
their further punishment deferred until
their wounds were healed, or they had
redeemed their character by good conduct
in acton.
Before this little prelude was concluded,
symptoms of approaching day had made
their appearance-the heavens for mo-
ment had frightened up-and then dee
per darkness covered the waters.
doctor" said my commodore, hand
ing me the night-glass with which he had
been watching the motions of the enemy's
brig -of-war about ten miles TO leeward of
US" Doctor, pray keep the deck half an
hour for me you are on-combatant,
and may sleep while we are at work.
The brig has been told of our strength,
and will probably come out and give US a
chance to take her in open fight. 1t is too
late to cut her out now, and TO engage
under the guns of the battery might be
called rash by our rulers. After the men
have had breakfast will take her if she
comes outside. Quartermaster, keep the
prize on our lee-quarter, aud shorten sail
If you find we are getting away from her"
And so saying he threw off his hat and
lay down in hammock hung for him be-
tween two of the quarterback guns.
Quartermaster, Hunter" said quar-
ter-gunner, "what do you make Of the
old man? He's gone to sleep like trOo-
per's horse all standing, and means to
wake up and fight that heavy craft the
sailors Of the last prize told us Of. Amt
he mad ?"
"Na. ma" said the big-whiskered Scot.
who, from being the most athletic and
faithful fellow on board, was the Cap
tain's fancy man ma, ma, if We ha to
fight wee bit it will ma hurt us we
ha been playin' and scrimmagin' long
enow."
Serimmsge, is it." said Brown, the
first speaker (; do you call it serimmage to
/ faEa III nsn frrn lii. iniAor a rnarkn h.fh