Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1853-11-10

If some Frenchman or other was not shot or
otherwise slain, the honor and glory of Old
England was gone forever
King and Burbage were ahead together,
walking very fast and conversing earnestly,
no doubt as to the most plausible excuse to be
offered for the absence Of the captain, and the
best mode of insisting that substitute should
be accepted. The moon, cloudless one. was
at full, and very soon the glitter of the impa-
tient Frenchmen's epaulets and sword-hilts in
dicated the exact spot appointed for the meet
ing. We were quickly there, and D'Ermon-
vile, who received US, adroitly availed him
self of Captain Horizons absence to bring about
a rational and conciliatory settlement. u
Captain Horton is the only person who has
a right to demand satisfaction of any one here, ;
he said, in reply to Lieutenant Kings menac-
ing 06ord, and he, very rightly, in my opin-
ion, prefers, | perceive, some better mode of
arbitrement than the senseless one of duell-
ing
repeat to you,' replied Lieutenant King
with reckless equivocation, that Captain Hor-
ton is indisposed, and has devoloved upon me
the duty of chastising the puppy who has as
saulted him. 1t is well to state that both
gentlemen spoke in their own language, but
perfectly comprehending each other.
And it is, of course, for the reasons you
have stated, rejoined NJ. d 'Ermonville, with
slight accent of sarcasm, that Captain Hor-
ton is bringing up yonder bayonets to your as
sistance!' We glanced round, and, sure
enough, there was shore guard advancing in
the distance at a run, and led by the Captain
of the Curlew. The governor had stood his
friend, and not moment was to be lost This
was also Lieutenant Kings impression, and,
with the quickness Of thought, he exclaimed,
You insinuate that lie, do ye e!-then take
that, sir, for the compliment striking ID Err
monville with his open hand on the face as he
spoke. In an instant the swords of both flash
cd In the brilliant moonlight, and quick and
deadly passes were fiercely, yet silently inter
changed the spectators, both English and
French, gathering in circle round the eager
combatants, as if for the purpose Of hiding the
furious struggle from the near and rapidly-ap-
preaching soldiers. D'Ermonville was, fan
cy the best swordsman, and, but for the acci-
dent of his foot slipping, after partly sue
cessful lunge, by which flesh wound only,
slightly grazing his opponents ribs, was in
ficted, the issue might have been different
As it was, Kings impaired counter-thrust
sent his weapon clean through D. 'Ermonville's
shoulder, who fell helplessly to the ground,
at the very moment Captain Horton and the
guard came up.
The dangerously gentleman dan
gerOusly in that climate | mean-was gently
raised, and, at his own faintly-spoken request,
left to the care Of his own people. All of us
English were then silently marched off to the
harbor, where boat was waiting to convey
us to the Curlew, Captain Horton merely
opening his lips, the while, TO give such Or
ders as were necessary. Nobody was placed
under actual arrest, but it was thoroughly un-
derAood, the next day, that Captain Horton
would report the whole affair to the admiral,
at the first opportunity ; and that Lieutenant
Kpg, to neutrality-suspicious. one or two 9TH
ers-wopld have to answer before court
martial for their conduct Just week after
the duel, Captain D'Ermonvile was pro-
nounced, to every body's great joy, out of
danger, and the very next day the Curlew
sailed from Sierra Leone on crew south
ward.
Not precisely cruise either, for after
touching at Cape Coast Castle, we made a
direct stretch, the wind favoring, right across
the Gulf of Guinea, to part Of the coast not
very far northward of San Felipe de Benguela,
and at about IL degrees of south latitude, and
the same Of east longitude. Thereabout, we
lay off and on for more than a fortnight, and
! like Sister Ann, for a time, the more eagerly
we looked the less likelihood there seemed Of
anything coming-except, indeed, an extra al
lOwance of fever and ophthalmia, from so
closely hugging the shore. 1t was rumored
among us that great slave hunt had taken
place in the vicinity, by one of the chiefs OF
Negro banditti, who have the ludicrous impu-
dence to parody the style and titles Of kings,
and that well known Portuguese trader in
black live stock, of the name of Jose Pasco,
had temporary barracoon somewhere there
about, crammed with the wretched victims OF
the said hunt, in readiness for embarkation
and that for ,the purpose Of entrapping some
of his ventures, we should have to watch, and
fill about the mouths of the two rivers, be-
tween which we were generally to be found,
for an indefinite period. Meanwhile, the kind
of moral quarantine that had existed between
Captain Horton and his chief officers since the
evening of the duel-words only Of business
and necessity passing between them-contin-
ued with unabated passive virulence on the
part Of the latter, notwithstanding that the
commander showed many indications that he
would be glad to let bygones be bygones, from
no mean or unworthy motives, was even then
of opinion, of purchasing forbearance towards
defect of character, which, in naval officer,
he must have well known, no other virtues un-
der the sun, however numerous or angelic,
could excuse or cause for one moment to be
tolerated, but simply on the principle Of for
giveness of injuries.
One chance Of avoiding the scandal Of an
a..;.I ;,;-,, It'll remained Tho soruice