True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1857-09-02
q RAGAN, Editor and Proprietor.

ket, you can see daylight peering through
the creel every time she rises. The man
who built her, the man who owns her,
and the fool who commands her ought
all TO be indicted for man slaughter -mur.
der. She must go to Davy Jones the
first gale; she's all gingerbread work,
like Mississippi steamer. If the frigate
were as loose in the joints she wonld sail
twice as fast. see it all, the thing is
pegged together like Yankee shoe, and
works like spring wagon. She's not a
ship she's coffin, confounded coffin.
| wish she would sink-smash, blow up,
go to blazes-go anywhere but ahead of
me !"
The Clipper, a beautiful vessel of fifteen
hundred tons register, with courses, top
sails, top gallant sails, royals, both jlbs,
foretopmast. .stay.sal and spanker set, was
now square with the frigate, full two miles
dead to windward. Up went the stars
and stripes to her mizSen-peak, and from
the main was proudly thrown to the
breeze her broad burgee, emblazoned
with her name-Flying Cloud 1t was
glorious to behold how majeslically she
crossed the rolling sea, clear and clear,
without throwing spray aloft, not rip.
pie appeared to play around her culwater
the proud ocean felt her presence and bow
ed obeisance to her matchless speed
The frigate did not recognise the clip.
per's courtesy by showing her colors in
return, though it was her duty to show
her colors first, whereupon the clipper
lowered and hoisted her ensign three
times, took in her royals and flying jib
hauled the mainsail up, squared the after.
yards, and bore down upon the frigate,
with The intention Of speaking her.
Captain Brag loamed at The mouth,
swearing all the oaths that he could re,
member, and as if driven to desperation
ordered the pennant 10 be hoisted at the
main, and the ensign at the mizzen peak,
hoping the clipper would haul her wind
again and pass without speaking. The
hope was vain; down came the clipper
heeling gently from side to side, her heac
sails becalmed, and her foresail shaking
for the head-yards remained braced W
as much as 10 say, 1t is matter of nj
consequence how my sails are trimmed
| can run you out of sight with half my
canvas furled,"
The frigate in addition to all plain sail
was carrying main royal, top-gallant
middle, main-tCpmdst, and mizzen top
mast staysails. and was going clean pul
at the rate Of eleven knots, throwing thu
spray half way up the mainsail. Sh,
was doing well no ship of her mode
could have been made to do better. bu
yet she was beaten. Gradually bounded
the Flying Cloud before the breeze, he
white sails throwing cloudiFe shadoy
before her, overspreading the frigate a
she crossed the stern.
"What do you want" demande
Captain Brag, "lhat you have run oi
, your course Are you sinking :"
"To give you the news replied Cap
tain c., throwing paper on board tn
frigate.
= "Pass on if you're not in distress.
q don't want your news"
Brace up the after yards" ordere
, Captain c., and went 10 the wheel him
self to bring his ship by the wind I
leeward of the frigate. 1t was accomplish
ed in fine style. Side by side the vel
t sells kept their way, the clippers sal
partly becalmed by those of the frigate
but the clipper, though her mainsai
l royals and Aying,jib were all in, hel
her own, and sometimes ranged ahead
!. "Now," said Captain G., jumping IL
to the quarter-boat, "what does Caplai
i Brag think of clipper sailing!"
"When did you leave New York !
. I" On the first instant, crossed the equi
o tor seventeen days Out, and have beate
you fifteen days already, and will be-
!. you twenty days more before you reac
San Francisco"
r "It's dueced lie, you did not leave G
the first. lis impossible, we have hs
d good winds, and have made good pa
" sage so far. you could not have beaten N
is so much u
u Look at the date of the paper thre
" on board, and look at the date Of thi
z and this also," throwing two more
board. ,,
n- THAT thing Of yours is trap--sl
er works like basket, and leaks like sic
,e -she wont hold together off the Horn
he III report you, SO go along. Idon't wa
d, any more Of your slang" s.
n "Wrong again, old Brag. My ship
Sc as strong as yours, never leaks enough
Id keep her sweet, and will beat you out
IS sight with hallher sails furled. Ill
i, just when | please, and you can't he
Id yourself. I'm going to describe Circ
ke around you before we part company,
il, take the self-eonceitout Of YOU"
he Old Brag swore that he would sink h
all It she did not clear out anu while he
S. pacing the quafisr.deck. foamlng al
" swearing, we will take a look at b
vol Winter, who has just cfawled along h
fOreslAy, and j. now in lhs fOretop.