The Belmont chronicle, and farmers, mechanics and manufacturers advocate. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1848-1855, 1854-03-31

therefore, get them alongside, ready mann,
n and armed, SO that when the decisive momel
comes, there may be no delay. He then wei
y over the side, was rowed ashore, and thsr
was light enough to see he proceeded ialan,
30 accompanied by his coxswain only accerdin
y ~ to his previous custom. rather fancy IN,
doubt whether he might not have mistake
his man, had already crossed even Lieuter
y y ant Kings bitterly -prejudiced mind.
% Hour after hour passed; the boats lay heay
o ing upon the water; and impatience was fas
changing into anxiety, when the quick, re
gular, man-of-war's jerk of oars was heart
and, in few moments, the gig was along
side without the captain and coxswaih. "a
letter from Captain Horton for the first-lieu
tenant" said the stroke oarsman, "brough
US by muatto chap, with orders to delive
it Immediately" Lieutenant King snatche,
the letter, tore il open, and stepped t. tht
binnacle-lamp to peruse it. But it is neces
sary that should, before giving its contents
relate what had previously occurred to the
writer, as it came subsequently to our knowl
edge: ...
Captain Horton and his coxswain had pro.
ceeded cautiously inland along the margin ol
the river for about mile, when they were
suddenly pounced upon by large party
coarse.y abused, bound, and hurried away in
separate directions. The commanders cap
tors halted with him at last at kind of hut
in which he found the before-named Jose
| Pasco, with number of other ruffians as
desperate and savage as himself, engaged, it
seemed, in council. Near the hut-for no
concealment was affected--hs observed an
immense wooden frame covered with tarred
canvas--a monster tent, in fact, filled with
captured negroes; and in the river, just op-
poste, was an armed clipper-brig, also full as
it could cram of the same living cargo. A
shout Of ferocious delight greeted the cap.
tain's entrance into the hut, and then Pasco
commanded that he should be unbound. What
next occurred, abbrevate from the evidence
afterward given before the mixed commission
by the mulatto who delivered the captains
letter to the men in the gig, and that of Juan
Paloz, an admitted witness for the captors:
"It's lucky we've caught you, Captain Hor-
toni" said Pasco, instead of you us. That
accursed vessel of yours has been brought,
we find, off the mouth of the river. She
must remove further away; for we intend that
the brig you have seen shall sail tonight"
Captain Horton, who was very pale, the
witnesses deposed, but calm and firm, did not
answer, and Pasco continued:
"We intend that you shall Immediately
write an order to the officer left in command
of the Curlew, directing him--a plausible
reason can be easily given-to instantly weigh,
and proceed to point about league north
ward, where you can meet him, you know"
"And what is the penalty,if | refuse!'
"Death!" was the savage response from
half-a-dozen voices. "Death!" echoed Pasco,
"as certainly as that you are now living
man, and--I was at Sierra Leone short time
snce-that you wish to remain one."
Captain Horton was silent for brief space
and then said: "Give me pen and paper,
since it must needs be so." This was done;
the captain took the pen in his hand, sat
down, made one or two strokes, and said
with an expression of pain: "Your cords
have SO hurt my wrists and fingers that can
hardly hold the pen; let some one. Of you
write as | shall dictate. My seal will be
sufficient authenticaton; besides, the officer
will imagine my coxswan wrote it,"
"You must write YOURSELF" said Pasco; ono
one here knows English"
"Ha! well, then, l suppose must try and
manage it myself" The letter was written,
folded, sealed, and directed.
A muttered conference next took place be-
tweAtstae slave-de aling ruffians, at the end
of whiSh Pasco said, "Let us well understand
each other, Captain Horton. You no doubt
have heard that whatever else | may be l
always keep my promise, whether for good
or evil"
"That is, know, your character
Then listen to me. Should the Curle,o
not remove northwsrd, in obedience to this
letter, you shall be shot, as certainly as that
there are niggers worth ten thousand dollars
in yonder brig; and should-yet no, you are
not man to play us such trick as that
still, should we be attacked in consequence
Of this letter, you shall be lashed to the top
of wonder barracoon, and burnt alive in the
very presence of your internal countrymen.
This swear, by all the saints in heaven and
devils in hell"
The mulatto said the English captain look
ed paler than before, but answered quietly,
81 quite understand"
The letter written under the foregoing
circumstances, which left Lieutenant King
reading by the binnacle light, ran thus:--
"Captain Horton directs Lieutenant King to
take the command of the Curlelo's boats im-
mediateIy on receipt of this note, and ascend
the river in his front for, Captain H. calcu-
lates, about six miles, where he will find a
slave brig, which he will carry by boarding.
There are, also, large number of negroes
| in an immense barracoon on the shore, whom
Lieutenant King will prevent being driven
away inland The resistance will be, no
/ doubt, desperate, but Captain H. feels quite
satisfied that, under Lieutenant King, the
attack will be prompt, daring, and, with the
blessing Of God, crowned with sue cess" In
stantly thathe had finished the hasty perusal
of this note, Lieutenant King seized and
beted his pistols, jumped into the pinnace,
md we were off-about hundred men in all
lin a jiffy. The oars were muffled, and the
! rila 20 was apforcad In tho hnna