The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1854-12-27

This daring bravado appeared to ln-
flame the naughty Englishman beyond all
endurance, for, after the momentary vacil.
lation in his course occasioned by the loss
OF so important sail, he put his helm
down again, and without losing headway
to fire any more unImportant shot. rapidly
approached us. Our fate was now, to all
appearance, sealed. We gave ourselves
up for lost. Dismal recollections Of all
we had heard respecting the prison ships
of our enemy, or Of the more summary
punishment Of death sometimes inflicted
on our countrymen, came crowding on
our minds. We looked into each others
faces in silence, but though no word was
spoken, on every countenance we read
the determination of brave man. to die
sooner than to submit. Such resolution
may seem strange TO others, but we were
like men to whom defeat is worse than
death. We could not submit. To us the
horrors OF prison-ship were more ap
paliing than those of grave. We were
resolved, if we could not effect an escape
to die at bay.
ii would give years pay" at length
calculated the skipper, but in a low tone
so as not, to be heard by the crew. ''if this
breeze would but die away here. We
should then have chance, however slight
But TO be cooped up like rat in hole
it is too bad ~
The sentence had scarcely been con-
cluded, when, as if in answer to the skip
per's aspiration, the breeze blew out in
sudden gust, and then died rapidly away,
until il had almost subsidized
/" All !" said the captain, "my wish has
had magical effect ..I' faith, we're
dropping the Englshman already. On |!
for two hours of calm
"And we shall have it soon, though not
for long," said the old quarter. msster, for
the first time for nearly an hour, taking
a complete survey OF the sky, and shaking
his head knowingly, but with something
OF an ominous gesture. As he conclu.
ded his scrutiny, he said, "there's some
thing brewing off here 10 leeward which
will make US before maay hours reel like
drunken man, or my name isn't Jack
Martingale." =
"What mean you ?'' said the lieuten-
ant.
f You've mayhap never sailed in these
lati,udes, or you would have seen hur-
ricane afore now" said the quar,er-mas-
ter. swell, yonder tiny cloud, down there
on the sea-board in line with that sec.
ond ratlin, holds in itself such capful ol
wind as will drive the stoutest ship like
leather before it-ay or send Noah's ark
itself, which the parson says was bigger
than a feet of ninety-iours, skimming
away swifter than a sea-gull over the
seas"
We all turned in the direction to which
the old fellow pointed US, and sure enough,
about FIVE or six degrees above the hori
zon, might be seen small dark insight
icant looking cloud, hanging like speck
upon the azure surface of the sky. Had
we not known the quarter-master' supe-
rior experience, the younger portion of
our group might have discredited his pro-
phecy. AS it was, we were almost inered-
ulous. Yet as we gazed on the little cloud,
we noticed that it slowly but steadily in
creased in size. Our attention, however,
was at this moment recalled from the signs
to leeward by the renewed demonstra-
tions of an attack on the part of the ninety
four.
The wind, during our short colloquy, !
have said, had blown fiercer than ever.
and then nearly died away. This partial
calm, however, had been of short Gura
ton. In few minutes the breeze was
seen ruffling the sea again, from a QUAR-.
ter ofihe horizon, however, several points
to the leeward of its old position. After
blowing freshly for a few minutes this gust
too ceased. Meantime the enemy had
gained little. if anything, upon US, and
no doubt fancying he perceived the signs
of unsettled weather in the sky, and there.
fore wishing TO bring the chase to speedy
termination, he luffsd up once more, and
opened a fire on US with his bow guns
II now become a struggle of the most ex-
citing character. Our mainsail had by
| lthis.time been repaired, and the time lost
to the foe in luffing nearly counterbalano-
ing his superior sailing, we were enabled
to keep just within long cannon shot OF
the Englishman, and, by maintaining this
distance, to protract our surrender until a
chance bali should happen to disable US,
or night should set lin to favor our escape.
.She gains nothing on us now, | think, y
said the skipper, shut her guns are well
ScfVCus AHot WoS Scus, h0 Sou
denly added, as ball whistled by within
a few feet OF his hoad, and then plunged
into the sea some fathoms off.
| .'And here comes the breeze again.
said the lieutenant. SHOW the Englishman
walks up toward us !'' 80
1 ltwas even as he said. The breeze
which, during the last five minutes, had
been chopping about the horizon, now
blowing in fiiul gusts, and now dying
away into an almost perfect calm, came
out, as the lieutenant spoke, from its old
quarter, and heeling the tall ninety -four
over until his coppers glanced in the sun
light, sent him like an arrow from the
string across the deep. We could see the
breeze ruffling the sea ahead of the enc
my, and keeping provokingly but q ie~
cables length in her advance for many
minutes before il reached ourselves, and
when a, length i. bellied out our canvass
and we began to forge along. the man of
war had lessened by one third the distance
that had intervenad betwixt US, As if re
inspired by his advantage. the Englishmar
began to FIRE on Us with rapid and mur