Kenosha tribune & telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1856-1859, 1858-03-18
THE PERILs OF
CERTAIN ENGLISH PRISONERS,
AND THEIR TREASURE IN
WOMEN, CHILDREN, SILVER AND JEWELS
BIZ CHARLES DicKEEs
/.
THE IcI Avn or gII vuT, crnpr
lie ISLAND OF SILVER STORE.
lcoNTINuED.l

All this time Mr.. Commissioner Por-
dage had been wanting to make Proc
lamatien to the Pirates, to lay down
their arms and go away; and everybody
had been hustling him about and tunlb-
ling oyer him, while he was calling for
pen and ink to write with. Mrs. Por-
dage, too, had some curious ideas about
the British responsibility of her night
cap (which had as many frills to it, grow
ing in layers one inside another, as if it
was white vegetable of the ar-ichoke
sort, and she wouldn't take the night
cap off, and would be angry when it got
lcrushed by the other ladies who were
handing things about, and, in short, she
gave as much trouble as her husband
did. But, as we were now forming for
the defence of the place, they were both
poked out of the way with no ceremony.
The children and ladies were got into
the little trench which surrounded the
silver-house 1--WE were afraid of leaving
them in any of the light buildings, lest
they should be set ON fire,) and we made
the best disposition we could. There
was very good store, in point of amount
of tolerable swords and cutlasses. Those
were issued. There were, also, perhaps
score or so of spare muskets Those
were brought out. To my establishment,
little Mrs. Fisher that I had taken for a
doh and baby, was not only very active
in that service, but volunteered to load
the spare arms. at7
For, | understand it WE'LL says she
scheerfully, without shake in her
voice.
4 am a soldiers daughter and sail
or's sister, and | understand it too
says Miss Maryon, just in the same
way.
Steady and busy behind where I stood
those two beautiful and delicate young
women fell to handling the guns, ham
mering the fiints, looking to .the locks
and quietly directing others to pass up
powder and bullets from hand to hand
as unfiinching as the best of tried sol
diers, sFAeaaa
SERGEANT Drooce had brought in word
that the pirates were very strong in mum
bers-over hundred, was his estimate
and that they were not, even then, all
landed; for, he had seen them in very
good position ON the further side of Sig
nal Hill, evidently waiting for the rest OF
their men to come up. In the present
pause, the first we had had since the
alarm, he was telling this over again to
Mr.. Macy, when Mr.. Macy suddenly
cried out:
The signal Nobody has thought OF
the signal'
We knew of no signal, so we could
not have thought of it. what signal
may you mean, sir?' says SERGEANT
Drooce looking sharp at him.
There is pile of wood upon the
Signal Hill. If it could be lighted
which never has been done yet-it
would be signal of distress to the main
land
Charker cries directly: SERGEANT
Drooce, dispatch me on that duty. Give
me the two men who were on guard with
me tonight, and I'll light the fire, f it
can be done
And ifit can't, Corporal-'Mr. Ma
cey strikes in.
Look ut these ladies and children,
sir = says Charker. I'D sooner light
myself, than not try any chance to save
them
We gave him Hurrah lit burst
from us, come of it what might-and he
got his two men, and was let out at the
gate, and crept away. had no sooner
come back to my place from being one
of the party to handle the gate, than
Miss Maryon said in low voice behind
me:
Davis, will you look at this powder
| turned my head. Christian George
King again, and treachery again Sea-
water had been conveyed into the maya
zine, and every grain of powder was
spoiled
Stay moment said SERGEANT Drooce
when had told him, without causing a
movement in a muscle of his face: look
to your pouch, my lad. You Tom
Packer, look to your pouch, confound
you! Look to your pouches, all you Ma
rines'
The same artful savage had got at
them, somehow or other, and the catridg-
es were all unserviceable HUM says
the SERGEANT, Look to your loading, men.
You are right so far?'
Yes; we were right so far.
We'll, my lads, and gentlemen all,
says the SERGEANT, this will be hand
to-hand affair, and so much the better.
He treated himself to pinch ofsnuff,
and stood up, square sheuldered and
broad-chested, in the light of the moon
which was now very bright-as cool
as if he was waiting for play to begin
He stood quiet, and we all stood quiet
for matter of something like haitian
hour. | took notice from what whisper.
ed conversation there was, how little we
that the silver did not belong to thought
about it, and how much the people that
it did belong to, thought about it. Al
the end of the half-hour, it was reported
from the gate that Charker and the two
were falling back on us, pursued by a
! bout dozen.
Il Sally! Gate party, under Gill Davis,
says the SERGEANT, and bring 'em in
Like men, now
We were not long about it, and we
brought them in. Don't take me- say,
Charker, holding me round the neck
and stumbling down at my feet wher
the gate was fast, don't take me near
the ladies or the children, Gill;
! They had better not see Death, till i
can't be helped. They'll see it soon e
nough.'
Harry l answered, holding up his
head 'Comrade =
He was cut to pieces. The signal hat
been secured by the first pirate part,
that landed; his hair was all singed of
and his face was blackened with the run