Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-03-15
Original gturr.
Written for the Spirit of the Age.
j ACQUES ST. CLAIR =:
A TALE OF LAND AND SEA.
TcoPY-RIGHT SECURED
BY WILL: WILLoWILL.
CHPTER XXXVI

Captain Grandon's success IN his .fauorite co
cation-an erciting affair on the lcare-
nautiry-a brilliant triunaph-the meeting
Of the taOips IN Re-.
The first cruise of the young commander,
Louis, with his swift and elegant Cornette,
was as happy in its results as he could wish;
an orderly vessel, pleasant weather, and
sober and efficient crew, made it more of a
pleasure trip than cruise in pursuit of
wealth and honor
Immediately he fitted out and reloaded
his vessel for a trip from Havana to Port
on the American coast He had been five
days out and nothing had occurred to mar
the usual routine of sea life up to that time.
A craft was reported in sight by the man
at the top sail. It was in the forenoon,
clear as a whistle, to use nautical phrase,
with good breeze blowing from the nor
west, and the craft was directly ahead of
him. The corvette sped on its way and in
less than half an hour Louis obtained dis
tinct view of the stranger from the forward
deck.
1t was full riggod Merchantmen, with
every stick of canvass set, this was easily
determined long before he came in hailing
distance but her manoeuvres were altogeth-
er unintelligible at one time she would be
scudding across the water on a full. tack,
and the next minute would reel and go all
aback on another A few minutes were
sufficient to solve the mystery for when
he approached it near enoug gh to distinguish
objects, he discovered that her yards were
flying with the breeze-her braces torn
loose and unrove-and that she must be
without soul on her planks.
j, Here was mystery why well rugged,
sound and wave-worthy craft should be thus
, situated in wild weather-deserted by her
! passengers and abandoned by her master
and crew, was perplexing enigma.
: A boat was lowered and Louis resolved
5 to board the stranger in company with some
| Of his crew. As they drew nearer and near
} er they loudly hailed the floating vessel,
, but no answer came except the mournful
thumps of the heavy sails, as they tapped
!. against the masts. As the boat drew near
e er to the ship, Louis and those who were
v with him were appalled, at what they saw
!, dark, crimson streaks like blood were seen
e creeping down from the scuppers, and leav-
down and @ihgga WITH rht baa tRGbGg
0 around her. They urged on their boat with
II fearful apprehensions, and when they clam
bered up the ladder, that dangled at the
/, ganway, most sickening and heart-rend-
is ing spectacle met their view as they gazed
l. down upon the slippery deck Of the deserted
d Merchantmen.
! Blood had left its carmine dye upon ev-
a. erything on the bulwarks, on the deck, on
is the rigging on the cables, on the combings
s. of the matches, and in tortuous, sluggish,
in frothy, oozy and clotted streams it was flow
nt ing lazily along the scuppers whose orifces
le along the sides its coagula had closed
of Blood and Death was there-death in Its
in most terrible phase-unprepa4e for-sud-
ID den-unlooked for-unwelcome death, Civ
e, ing the victim no moment of calm to lisp
Il one prayer for the forgiveness of earth sins
IT, and follies. Gashed and CORY bodies were
strewn from the forecastle to the taferel.-
Near the companion way was the most ap
in palling picture; piled up there was human
Sc frames with heads crushed or severed
ny limbs hewn of-an stark and stif-cemen
nS ,,S ted together by their flowing blood showing
rel that desperate and deadly struggle will
h powerful foe had there taken place. Feel
he ings of true sailor sympathy crowded int
ys the bosoms of Louis and his men as the,
= leaped down on the CORY planks among tn
lef brave fellows who had been slain in coll
,r" 40, blood, evidently by some daring pirates Q
rds the wave.
MS, The i'll fated vessel was an American
as the Sarah Jane, of Charleston. Ever
he corpse on the bloody deck was carefully ez
he amined in hope that in some life might nc
lol- be extinct, but the pirates had made sur
'e' work and left nothing for those who cam
after them but to bury them in the bosol
ind of the sea. The captain descended into th
cabin, and found the desolating mark of th
is spoilers hands there; the vessel had bee
as robbed of all that was valuable porto
ne q: of her cargo had evidently been transferre
o;Ia H. or thrown overheard. Not living creatul
res was to be found on the i'll fated craft
nee. death and desolation reigned triumphant
his Judging from appearances on board Il
nay Sarah Jane, Louis was sure that the spo
rms ers had not long left their work of dea
g. D.. and that they must be within few mil
hin, then. fastening back to his own vessel
] Of took glass of considerable powers and we
With aloft to the fore royal yard where he took
pair keen and scrutinizing gaze of the ocean
BILE; every side, scanning the far off waves
ouls the pirates He could see nothing howe
nO' er but the patches of feecy foam leapi
:, up here and there, and the blue, hazy Ii
sron, So,u where sky and wave seems to meet and m
civ gle in a liquid embrace. Another sweep
out the telescope revealed, far in the north-ea
the a dim speck; it might be sea bird,
rom fragment of a wreck, cloud, or delusi
'ater but after watching it riseand sink dive
'ank times, Louis was sure it was sail. ]
IG ,bIo took its bearings from the compass and bc
down upon it with almost savage deterr
nation to revenge the cold blooded bari
y of rism he had just witnessed.
wing He had sent an officer and a few men
lady board the Sarah Jane with instructions
the take charge of her, bury the dead, wa
out down the decks and keep on the same ia
after him. He piled sail upon sail III