Kenosha tribune & telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1856-1859, 1858-02-18

contest in this quarter, that the cutlass-
es, crossing each other in strife, formed
a bridge over me and the pirate, while
the blades flashed rapidly and ihces-
sanity. The mate, though hurt, had
also maintained his ground.
/ Three times had [ been wounded, one
lof my little party was shot dead, all OF
us were streaming with blood yet still
I'VE maintained the unequal combat.
/ But l felt that our resistance could not
be protected much longer. We had
suffered quite as severely as the savages.
But while, for every man they lost, there
were three to take his place, it had re-
i quired the whole of our little force ,even
at first to defend our barricade. Our
thinned numbers could now scarcely
maintain their footing, and, with the
/ loss of one or two more, would be total
Ily inadequate to it. The canoes, mean
time, were rapidly approaching.
We had just, for the fourth time,
beaten back our assailants. A fifth at
tack, | feared would be successful. AS
| thought this, / cast my eyes hastily
around to Isabel, who sat, or rather
lowered, under the shelter of the com
panion-way. Hereyes werefxedtowind-
ward, as though earnestly contempla-
ting some object. With sudden hope,
| followed the direction of her look.
have said that the wind died away
before the pirates boarded us, and since
then, every faculty had been absorbed
in the conflict for existence, so that /
had not been aware of the gradual revi-
val Of the breeze. Now, however,
when the din of battle momentarily ceas-
ed, my eyes were greeted with the sigh
ing of the wind among the rigging, and
the pleasant murmur of the water as it
parted under our bows and gliding along
the sides-gentle and soothing sounds
always, but especially so after the mad
dening uproar of the mortal strife.
became conscious also, the very in
slant nay eyes turned to windward, that
the fog, which / have described as set
ting around us, was slowly dissipating,
and, although it still lay thick and pal
pable along the surface of the water,
higher up it thinned off, and finally dis
appeared altogether. The object, which
had attracted IsabeFs attention, was a
tall mast rising majestically above the
| fog, not a cables length distant, and,
though the hull was invisible. / saw,
with what delight my readers can I'M
agine, that the union jack of my below
ed country was floating at the mast
head. ssi3 atdH1 ID -8aa
'Huzzah.' /. cried, 'Huzzah! Help is
at hand. Here comes our gallant flag
Had thunderbolt fallen at their feet
and torn up the deck beneath them, the
pirates could not have shown more con-
sternation than at these words. Every
man looked around in search of the new
conner, and when the stranger was dis
covered to wind ward no pen can des-
cribe the expression of amazement and
alright, which gathered on the faces
of the ruffians. They stood a moment,
as if spell-bound, staring at the tall
lnasts that rose Enthusiastically above the
fog, their eyes distending with astonish-
ment. As the vessel bore down on us,
the mist rolled slowly aside; first her
bowsprit showed itself out of the fog,
then the white vapor curled along her
forechains became visible; and finally,
like a magic picture emerging from the
smoke of an enchanter'S- tripod, the
whole symetrical hull rose in sight, with
a row of teeth frowning from the open
ports. s alFs~:f...Jf
At this sight, so unexpected, the ne
groes no longer wavered. a cry of af-
fright broke from them, and hurrying
to their boat, they tumbled into it, pell-
mel, and pushed off, leaving behind, in
their CONSERVATION, most of their white
companions Availing ourselves Of this
happy iuncture, we sailed forth, land cut
down those who resisted, chased the rest
overheard.
The ship was now close upon us, and
in few hurried words, / acquainted
her captain with our situation, and the
character of the fugitives whose boat
was rapidly pulling into the fog. Not
second was lost in the pursuit. The
sloop-of-war glided majestically by, and
just as she passed across our fore-foot,
stream Of fire gushed from one of her
guns. The boat flew in splinters, leay-
ing her crew struggling and shrieking
in the water. We could see, even at
our distance; the wounded wretches
fighting for plank, or struggling a mo-
ment on the water, like wounded ducks,
ere they sank forever. In few min
utes all was still in the vicinity of the
spot where the barge went down As
for the canoes, they disappeared at once,
the negroes in them making the best of
their way ashore.
Il TERRIRLE AsTRnPHE AT Has