The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1857-10-03


took Of the tea that evening. was fast locked
Is the embrace of the drowsy rod by four
bells in the first watch. by which time ouI
nrenarat;ons were completed. and we were
ready to depart. Having communicated
our design to a Young Vineyarder, named
Sam Holmes. who ioined us in carving il
into execnt;on. va set about freeing my
messmate from his fetters. which task we
quickly accomplished by means of the keys
which were purfoined for that purpose from
the master at. arms,
sThis done we repaired to the main deck,
where we tarried for few moments to as.
sure ourselves that the watch was asleep
Stealing noiselessly from station to station,
we discovered them to be completely over
powered by the narcotic they had swallowed.
and as the briggs boats were towing at the
booms the remainder of our task appeared
easy to be accomplished.
sThe cock now cast the captains gig adrift
from the boom, and stoppered the painter
with q rope yarn, which we could part by q
gentle jerk; while we in the meantime crept
cautiously forward over the bows, and down
the cable into the water, where we made suf-
fcient exertion to keep US aAoat, suffering
the tide to drift us slowly astern. d
sWe reached the boat safely, where we
were soon Joined by the cook, when a slight
pull on the painter, parted the warn which
stoppered it to the boom, and we were free.
| Ishall never forget the horrible apony of
suspense | suffered, during the few Brief
moments spent in drifting past the briggs
quarter. Discovery would be certain death.
vet think would have welcomed it rather
than long continuation Of that horrible
suspence. To add to our agony the officers
of the deck proved to be awake. for the
sound of his foot stems fell upon our ears
at this moment, as he walked leisurely for
ward on the opposite side of the vessel. and
then returning thew again ceased. while we
had reason to bless our lucky stars that the
night was pitch dark, else he must have dis
covered us as we dropped clear of the yes-
sci. --.--' -
sTime moved along with clopped wheels.
each m;nnte seeming an aoe Until we LOST
sight of the brig in deep Gloom. when we
began to board the boat in ranid succession.
The Young Vinevarder. Sam. and I. succeed.
ed in getting on board safe. and sam was
engaged in aiding the cook to nerform the
same feat. when The latter uttered a sbr;ll
cry of mortal agony. and snr;noinc into the
air. was DRAGGED into the boat Rv Sam. mi
nus his lees. which were h;tten ofF q faw
inches below the knee Joints. bv n shark.
SWall awara that npaortbly sb.;nk bo n
reached the ears of the watches on hoa-d The The
most of the SQUADRON. tho Vinavarder and
shipped our oars and gave wav with n will
determined to run the pauntlet Of the Acct
steering such a course. Chat we reached the,
beach unchallenped. Indeed. that shrek
wrunp from the Inns of our unfortunate mess.
mate. proved the means of ensnrinp our es-
cape. since the hustle it created on board the
vessel in our vicinity. gave us m ;dea Of
their exact position. lacking which. We MIGHT
have cot foul of some of them. and SO into
the lions laws again.
Backing the eip. we turned our attention
to our wounded s6ipmate: moor fellow he
was dead; having bled to death. and died
without a struggle. while xe we're strain;nc
eyery nerve for freedom,
sWe laid him gently in the bottom If tho
gig. laid the oars on the thwarts. and knock
Ing hole in her bottom. showed her off with
ali our strength, we'll aware that her ballast
would carry her to soundinys ere she was
far from shore.
.This feat was scarce ACCOMPLISHED. when
the measured dash of oars in the ofing
warned US that we were pursued, and caused
US to hasten from the spot in search of shell
ter.
sThis we obtained from an old negro. who
lived in the suburbs of the town, his hut be-
ing ut some distance from anv other dwell
ing, to which fact he was indebted for the
II L
Of our society. We remained concealed all
the next day, and towards evening our host
who been absent all day-returned and in
formed us that the gig had been discovered
near the spot we landed at, sunk, and that
many entertained the idea that we had all
perished in the attempted escape.
Next day vigilant search was instituted
for US, and liberal reward offered for our
apprehension, yetwe escaped eventually af-
ter numerous delays, and sailed from ia
maica for the Windward islands,, disguised
as negroes; from thence we sailed to Den
mark, on board a Danish trader, and there
we joined coaster bound to Antwerp, from
which place we sailed for home, which We
reached after fourteen months absence,
during which our friends had mourned us
as dead, being aware of the slender chance
for freedom enjoyed by those who were SO
unfortunate as to become the prey of an
English press-gang.
Sam Herrick was married soon after our
return, when he settled down as as farmer,
which occupation he followed until the war
broke out, some two years after, when he
obtained the berth of first lieutenant of a
crack privateer, he had the satisfaction of
exchanging broadsides with the wooden
walls Of Old England, in payment of old
scores.
served during portion of the war un-
der several commanders, but was made a
prisoner about eighteen months before war
declared, which time spent in Dartmoor
prison along with hundreds of my unfortun-
ate countrymen.'
Old Ben brought all up standing at this
point, and as he betrayed no disposition to
proceed further, several of the watch de-
manded sif that was all.'
sWhy bly,, end to it /! exclaimed Ben.
sWhat would We have? Pve told We about
being pressed, giving John Bull the Slip
fighting for Uncle Sam, and being nabbed
and sent to Dartmoor; am sure that's
about enough for one bottle amt it?
sNo, no Ben ? sung out Ned Harris wish
ine to tease the old man, syou amt finished
that warn vet which Won must do or promise