Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1858-05-26

then said, "What port do you belong to :"
"New York" returned. He now paused
for moment looked very dark, and it i
seemed to me that he began to feel rather
disappointed about something. He now
said, @What is the number Of your crew 2"
| thought for moment, and then | told
him "ten men and one passenger, besides
myself and my family, are all that were on
board my vessel before you came here."-I
Il want to see your papers, said he. I
proceeded to the cabin to fetch them to
him, but he had not common manners
enough to wait, but after telling him that
my fnpily were on board he followed me
straight in where he knew they must be-.
/ got my papers and handed them to him,
He elssssined an sheyspess very s s { Closely
and then he said, "Show me that" alluding
to the clearance paper that | had in my
hand. | said nothing, but reached it to
bin. After he examined it to his satisfac-
tion, he said, "WheFe is your register !"-
| did not expect that he would go so far
as this with the matter, but was disap-
pointed. | said, 4 have no register Amer
lean coasters are not bound to carry any
register; they sail under coasting license"
/ then handed him my manifest, showing
that my vessel sailed from Mobile in regu-
! lar form.
He examined it quietly and then laid it
down on table that was near him. "Have
you got through g said l. He returned
an awful look at me, but he did not give
any reply. Before he embarked in his
boat to sail away the. following conversa-
ton took place =
Captain Howes-Why did you fire into
US Did you take US for SLAYER?
English Lieutenant-Why did you not
heavo to when you saw a man-of-war to
the leeward Of you?
Captain Mowes-How could / know
that it was man-of-war We are accus-
toned to meet Spanish and American war
vessels in these waters, and they never in
terfere with us.
English Lieutenant-Was not the pen
dant enough to show you that we were a
man-of-war2
i Captain Howes-I did not see your pen
dant. | have been in this Gulftwenty years
and upwards, have been frequently passed
by Spanish and American war vessels, but
i have never been treated as you have
treated me until now. 1t is something
new to me to be boarded in the way you
have done. 1t was very strange conduct
English Lieutenant-W have orders to
board every vessel we see in these waters
Here the captain informed us that the
officer did not do his duty impartially, 70,
while the steamer was chasing after the
schooner several foreign vessels passed both
vessels unnoticed The captain concluded
the conversation by asking the officer why
he fired upon his vessel in the way he die
without first firing across his bows to bring
him to, or giving some plain and unmista
}. keable signal. The latter replied that tn
+ schooner had right to heaEe to before sh
r did, and that she was not fired into afte
e she had been stopped on her course.
f With this the captains narrative of thi
+ strange affair ends. The officer had push
ed his boat from the scheoner's side befor
: he had replied to the last question, and tn
: schooner was again under way with he
!: sails spread to catch the breeze. Their
e was no adieu said by either party at sepa
rating, and the two vessels were soon on
| of sight Of each other, dancing away will
: the wind and waves.
Y After the officer and his men left tn
r schooner the youngest daughter OF the cap
.. tain ran to her father and said in the tlu,
t spirit of young America, "Why did yol
not take Mr.. Hopkins gun and kill him
] father? l would have done it." Th,
D captain says that he thinks more of th,
+ fright they gave to his wife than he doe
: Of the insults TO himself. but he would lik,
a to meet the lieutenant on equal terms tt
! settle either account with him. He say
i his bearing while on board his vessel wa
e ungentlemanly and inconsiderate, and hi
conduct unusual and unofficerlike.
|. 1t will perhaps be remembered that tn
+ Styx is the same steamer that boarded tn
n. B. Borden, that arrived at Savanna
7 from Cuba about three weeks previous t
O the occurrence of which we have just re
It lated the particulars.