Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1856-02-27

charge of the officer who had been ap
pointed to the command of Rhody, anC
gave orders that the schooner should bt
kept close in his wake during the night
as he intended 10 see her safely out o
reach of the Yankee coasters.
Until nine o'clock at night the Rhody
stood on after the clipper, with all sails
set, while the latter only carried hel
mainseil and two jibs. The six Yankees
who had been left on board were secured
in the long boat while the Lieutenant in
command and five of his men had the
first watch. When the clipper struck
two bells, the vessels were not more thar
two cables length apart, theprize being
lite to the windward, as owing to hel
bad sailing the Lieutenant wished tc
weather gauge. The night was quite
dark, and the wind, which had fallen
scme since sundown, had veered slightly
to the nortwarG.
While the prize master was earnestly
engaged in keeping up with the clipper,
a very novel scene was being enacted in
the hold. One of the boards which
seemed to form part of stationary
floor, was lifted from its place and the
head of old Captain Enocb Nightingale
appeared through the aperture. In a
moment more another board was remov-
ed, and ere long forty stout fisherman,
all well armed, bad come up from their
place of concealement. 1t was but a
moments work to leap on deck, and ere
the thunder str1ck lieutenpnt could see
fiom whence came the enemy, he was
bound hand and foot, and so were his
men, while the poor prisoners were set
free from the long boat. Obed Night
ingale took the helm, and his father point
ing cooked pistol at the head of the
English officer, said -
"Do you think we are in earnest or
not ?'
II should think you were," replied the
trembling officer.
"Then if you do not obey me, you will
get bullet through your head in an in
slant. Now hail the clipper
"Scorpion ahoy,' shouted the lieuten-
ant, as if for dear life.
In the meantime the Yankee had been
let off little mere than cables length
of her captor, while the bold fishermen
were nearly all crouched beneath the
bulwarks.
Some one from the clipper answered
the lieutenant's call.
"Tell them the schooner has sprung
leak and that the cussed Yankees must
have thrown the mp-breaks over
board"
The poor lieutenant looked first at the
stem face of the old man, and then at TIE
muzzle Of the pistol, and then stretching
his lungs TO the utmost, obeyed .the Or
der.
"Now tell them to heave to, and you'll
run alongside"
The frightened officer obeyed, and the
next moment the clippers helm was put
hand down and her main boom hove to
windward.
Seven of the Yankee fishermen were
stationed at the lee rail, with stout crap.
plings in their hands, in less than FIVE
minutes The Rhody's bowsprit loomed
over the clippers weather quarter
Obed showed the helm down, and let
ting go the sheets fore and aft, the
Yankee schooner shot gracefully along
side.
"Why in - didn't you come up un-
der our lee quarter % shouted the Eng
lish captain, as the fisherman thumped
against the side of the vessel but before
he could utter ary more of his wrath,
with which he was literally boiling over,
he found his deck swarming with stran-
gers.
The whole thing had come about so
uraccountably, and, withal, so suddenly, |
that hardly blow was struck by IL e as
Lonished EngEshman, and before they
we're fully aware they had been captured |
by their own Insignificant prize, they were
securely bound and most of them slowed
away by strong guard.
"Well, Cap'n," said Jabe Haskins-i
who had been released from durance
Tile-as he came aft TO where that func
ionary stood By the side of old Nightin-
gale, "when do you think of taking us
nto Halifax ?"
The Englishman looked very hard at
his unccuth tormentor, but he disdained
my reply.
81 say, Cap'n,' continued Jabe, in a
7ery unfeeling manner, 81 rather guess
Is heow't that ere exploit O. yourn won't
amount to great deal. will it ? But look
lere, don't for mercy sake, 60 home an
ell your king 'at you got took by Pc
obscot cod Fisherman, cause it might
lurt his tender feelings"
This time the Englishman's sanswerwas
nore wicked and uufeeling than had
cen Jabe's, for he not only swore terri.
'ly, but he even wished every Yankee