Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-03-15

ed the blue waves IN the direction OF the
dim spot seen by the brave but youthful
commander.
The wind amounted to a stiff breeze and
it was trial upon the corvette to carry her
loftier sails, but she stood the test and whis-
tied across the waves at rate she had new
er travelled before.
Louis kept his glass almost constantly
directed to that part of the horizon where
he had first seen the suspicious speck, but it
was hours before he could see anything from
the deck. The man on the lookout report
ed every few minutes that he could distin-
guish 1t at times, and at length said he took
1t to be schooner. The captain went aloft
and gave the object of pursuit close inves-
tigation with his glass. He made her out
top sail schooner-but still several miles
distant.
| 1t was a long chase and the day was far
spent when the corvette gained enough up
on the schooner to discover that she was
heavily armed, along, low, black, rakish
clipper built craft, as unlike an honest
thing as it could be.
What seemed a little remarkable the
schooner gave no sign of appreciating the
approach of the gliding corvette; for she
went on at a slow knot in her course with
out changing sail or adding another hem
of canvass to increase the distance between
her and coming vengeance. The corvette
ran up within gun shot and hailed the
schooner. No attention was paid to it
no gun was fred-no colors were run up in
recognition of her approach. Again and
again Louis hailed the strange craft as he
run upon her with the bright metal of his
long guns pointing at herdecks and gleam-
ing IN the beams of a setting sun.
As he drew nearer the mysterious schoon-
er he heard harsh oaths and imprecations
going up from the vessel and all was noise
and confusion on board--a strife deadly
and determined was being played in mortal
earnestness there. He hailed again and
run up alongside and. threw out the grap-
pling irons preparatory for boarding the
schooner. So intent were the pirates up
on some object they had not observed the
approach of the corvette until her crew
were springing upon theird deck with sword,
cutlasses, sabres and pistols in hand, de-
manding an instantaneous surrender.
The cause of the medley on board the
schooner was apparent at once; a mutiny
had sprung up among the crew against their
commander in consequence of the course
he had pursued in the division of the spoils
just taken from the unfortunate Merchant
man. The meeting had been a successful
one; for the officers were wounded and Sc
s@EslX eogaa With cords and the sunburnt
talizing them in their degraded submission
The Captain we must not fail to notice =
he was laying near the gangway tied secure
ly hand foot. He was considerably advan-
ced in years, at least his appearance indi-
Gated age, it may, however, have been the
marks of life of crime and anxiety spent
in the tropics but his long hair, that hung
around his shoulders, was decidedly gray,
in fact matted shred here and there ap-
peared almost swan white. His face and
brow were scanned with deep burrows that
looked to be of browner dye than the rest
of his face which circumstance contributed
In no small degree to the hideousness of
his features. His beard was of dirty iron
gray and hung from his chin in long and
twisted strands down to his breast. His
eyes were of that restless and unsettled kind
that is so often seen in reprobate criminals
when arraigned at the bar of justice. Take
him all in all the commander of that pirate
crew was just such man as my reader sees
not more than once In life time, and it's
no loss if he is not seen at all. He was q
hardened wretch, who had reaped his re
ward of gold by a life of piracy and plum
der, and when Louis stepped on his decl
he was bound with cords and covering IN
: dogged silence beneath the curses of an
: overpowering mutinous crew.
| The blood from their slaughter was not
f yet washed from their hands and their ap
pearance was truly appalling and sickcn
: ing. Louis boldly charged them Will
Y high piracy and murder of the Sarah Jane
: crew and sternly commanded them to SUI
t render to justice. Intimidated by tn
6 numbers Of armed men crowding upon then
e and they having no commander elect, the
n at once threw down their bludgeons an,
e other uncouth weapons and begged fo
G quarter Thus Louis gained a victor
n over notorious pirate crew and made ther
n prisoners without the shedding of blood, /
d seemed by strange freak of fortune.
c The crew were bound in strong manacle
: and sent below on board the corvette. Th
capture VI Cne plTdIe craft was triumph
le rich Golfers of gold and precious valuable
l. were found stored away in her chamber
b and Louis and his brave crew felt that the
es were gaining in an honest way the wealt
he of the world.
Mt Louis tranferred portion of his crew
a the schooner, and after loosing the gra
IN ping irons and shifting sail they all toe
or aback in search of the Sarah Jane. Ear
" next morning they fell in with her, AM
no them the vessels stood out for the Port
ne R-x, whittier Louis was bound with b
=. cargo from HAVANA.
Of Arrived in Port the prisoners were tran
- ferred ashore and escorted to the eel
> where they were confined.
IN The commander of the pirate band b
RS gan to sink under his anxiety of mind an
Ie a disease brought on by life of hardshi
re and exposure in the tropics. He was CO..
NJ scious that his end was nigh, and it is sa
"a by those who was near him at the time, tn
his curses. imprecations and broken pei
ON tions to Heavens Throne for pardon, We
to frightful and terrific to hear Within II
sh first ten days of his imprisonment lie di,
ok in desperate way, struggling and beggiI
It'll for the life that could no longer be Civ,