Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1856-04-17

The Pirate 0utwitted.

couth, numbering village, into beautiful city
there might have been seen one day in Septem-
Der, small fore-and-aft schooner lying at one
of the rude long wharycs, taking in a regurlar-
ly assorted cargo Of pine lumber, potatoes, pouE
try and Goldfish. If you step aft and look over
her stern, You can read her name-Sarah Ford,
Bangor and that afternoon, after her cargo
was all on board, if you could have got peep
at her manifest and bill of ladng, you would
have seen that she was commanded by Captain
Josiah Forbes aud bound for St. Thomas.
Josh Forbes, as he was commonly called in
Bangor, was born on the banks of the Penob-
scot, and brought up at sea and at this par
ticular time was just about twenty-three years
old and master ard owner of the schooner Sarah
Ford. Josh had named the craft, which was
nearly new, after the daughter of COL Ford,
very rich aristocratc merchant of Bangor
There was perfectly good understanding be-
tween Josh and Miss Sarah entirely unknown
to any one but themselves for Col Ford would
as soon have followed his only daughter to the
grave, as consenting to her marrying the skip
per Of down east coaster.
Reader, have You ever been to the island of
st. Thomas in the DAnish West Indies p
Yes" Well, am glad to hear of it for
y cu VIII aEttt WIN MT tuuG IL Is TIC iOtctlcst
Of all those ocean gardens-the Virgin Island
No Well then come with me: 1t will cost
you nothing, and short visit will amply repay
you for Your time and trouble.
The Island Of st. Thomas belongs to Den
mark, and is situated just far enough within
the tropics to enjoy all the advantages of
tropical climate, liberal in its variety of fruit
and flowers, aud just far enough to windward
Of the larger islands, to ensure it against the
ravages of the yellow fever and other prevail
ing Diseases which often rage with such malg-
nancy during the summer months in the West
India Islands
The island is about eleven miles long, and
five in its greatest width. The city stands at
the bottom of beautiful bay, opening in from
the southeast, and presents magnificent APP
pearance as you enter the barber The fresh
trade Winds blowing entirely over the island,
renders its climate cool and delicious during
the greater part Of the year About half
mile to the westward Of the town, there is an
old Catholic burrying ground, which is the IA
vorite resort Of the St. Thomas oilers.
One Sunday afternoon, about four weeks af
ter We had seen the schooner Sarah Ford along
side the wharf i'll Bangor, you might have dis
covered her commander, Captain Josh, lying
his full length ON a black marble slab that COW
cred ii grave, under huge tamarined tree in
the old Catholic hurying-ground
Captain Josh was figuring away, with a big
piece of chalk in his fingers, and the marble
slab for slate, calculating tire expenses of the
voyage and actual profits 20 himself after hay
ing paid for his cargo, which he had bought in
Bangor on credit
After n while he got through with his calcu-
ations. and drawing forth his handkerchief he
carefully wiped the chalk marks from the pol
lishcd marble, and lazy rolled of the slab into
II perfect little thicket of lilies and honey-suck-
les. which grew up in wild luxuriance alongside
of the tomb. His intention was to take COM
Portable afternoon nap; but just as he was
about to close bis eyes the sound of voices near
by. aud approaching still nearer, around him :;
and moment after, two individuals whom he
had often seen since his arrival, seated them
selves on the very slab which he had SO recent
" occupied.
These two persons were--one, his excellency
Governor Van Sholtonberg, of St. Thomas, and
the other the captain of beautiful armed
Schooner under the New Grenadian flag, which
had for n week past been lying In the harbor,
well out towards Prince Rupert's Rocks.
For several years past, the Governor of st
Thomas had been suspected of being connected
with the slave trade, aud twice he had been
called home to Copenhagen to answer charges
preferred against him. But be had each time
been able to prove his innocence, or the
government had not been able to prove his
guilt, which amounted to the same thing, and
the Baron Van Sholtonberg still retained the
Office of Governor Of ST. Thomas.
| Captain Josh was perfectly concealed under
the friendly shade of the honey-suckles aud lii.
lies and lying very queit, he soon learned from,
the conversation OF the two gentlemen seated
on the tomb, that his excellency was not only
engaged in the African slave trade bnt that
he was also connected with still freer trade,
in which the cruisers wore the black flag at the
main peak He also learned that the pretend
cd captain Of the New Grenadian Schooner was
no less parsonage than Charles Mitchell, the
celebrated Pirate efthe Gulf. ss
| SCaptainz Forbes heard great many thugs
that astonished him and when the two worth
les left the old graveyard, he crept out Of his
place of conceslment with much poorer opin
ion of the worlds honesty than he had when he
rolled off the mable slab an hour previously
/ The Greuadian schooner went to sea ON the
following morning, firing salute as she got un.
der way, which was returned from the outer
4 fort ~ p
| Three days afterwards, Capt. Josh, finding
that he could not get homeward cargo in St
Thomas got under way, with the intention oi
running down on the South side of Cuba. intf
some the little Imports, and purchasing his car
go Of sugar and rnolasses shrcwdly calulatine
y Al - - - -.