The emigrant aid journal of Minnesota. [volume] (Nininger City, Minn. Terr. [i.e. Minn.]) 1856-1858, 1858-04-07

brawny sailor at the leading oar Of the pursuing boat,
bounced from his seat !; his oar aew from the %tholepins,
and was swept away he stood erect a momtnt, and fell
backwards, With a crash, across the gar Of the man next
him.. $3.50 g. -.
Now, Sam, make ready to raise the toresail while
they are getting to rights again. Load my gun with
ball again, James, and cover the lock with your
handkerchief. '
Throw away all fish Z asked Sam beseechingly, rs
the proofs of our good luck were rapidly diminishing
NO, save six they'll about ballast US
The captain was considerate for with a pity more
profound than from the bottom Of my heart, | COM
miserate the man who lever eat a fresh drum steak
done crisp aud brown to u turn.
Foot the mast there spreet the sail highcr;: take
the sheet rope, William aud now good bye to them
But We had to do with salt water veterans. Their
sail was rugged almost as soon as ours, and the distance
did not widen between US, as both boats, under oar and
sail, bounded across the mouth Of the bay, in the direc-
ton Of the sand bank on the bar. One Of the other
boats, cutting US of from the Bay Point shore was APP
preaching ~obiiquely and rapidly on the left, while the
other taking no part in the chase, placed itself so as to
intercept our return up Broad River or towards Hilton
Head. Our case was growing desperate for, as the
boat to the left compelled our round -bottomea canoe to
steer more to the south, we ran TOO much in the eye of
the wind to continue carrying sail, while they, enabled
by their keel to run sharp on the wind, had both sails
filed, and were rushing down upon us like a rocket.
The canoe boat, Immediately behind us, would, to be
sure, be obliged to take in sail too, tut even with the
loss Of one oar, she seemed to have the advantage Of us
in rowing and We had only to depend upon the ne
groes on board Of her being our friends, and doing their
best, and upon our guns.
Take the helm, James, and give nc my gun again "
said the captain, as striking our mast, which We were
at first to do, retarded our progress, and brought the
hostile canoe within range. He fred, and the soldier
who held their sheet rope, after a short convulsioh, was
drawn overheard by the sail, anu dragged in the water
alongside, until the rope, which was twisted round his
wrist, uncoiled, ana he went down. The sail swung
loose their boat gave a violent lurch to the windward,
took in water, and nearly upset. AS she righted and
struck her mast, the soldiers levelled their muskets !;
but the captain sent the buck-shot from his right-hand
barrel, which, if it did no serious execution, at least
spoiled their aim, for they fred at random, and all their
bullets went over us, except one, which gave VIM.
Dalton a smart fesh-wound in the shoulder.
What are you about, William !? said the captain,
resuming the helm, as the other, in a rage, was uncasing
his gun. " have had some revenge already save
your shot for the tug! Here, case up Thunder
quickly look yondcr /. and he pointed the head Of
our boat. The clouds were archiug up into a dark bow
from the horizon, and moving rapidIyin in. The frigate,
now entering the bar, vanished in the white mist be-
meath. A sluall was at hand.
In a moment, With a stunning roar, and sweeping q
sheet Of spray from the short waves, which its violence
would not suffer to swell into pillows, it was upon us.
Everything beyond the end Of our oar-blades was wrap
ped in the dense cloud OF rain and spray with which We
were hulled backward the useless oars were drawn in,
and the boat, which had been whirled round like a
straw, steered right before the gust. We were about
half a mile seward of the bank, when the blast struck
US, and in the FIVE minutes which it lasted, we were
driven to about a quarter Of u mile to the northwest of
it. As it cleared, tie waves began to rear themselves
higher than ever; the frigate, which had passed Us un-
observed in the driving haze, was seen making up the
bay to the north, under reefed top-sails, having lost
some Of her upper spars.. The more distant boat had
vanished ; but the other two occupied almost the same
relative position to US, and the chase.
The wind shifted to southeast, dead ahead and all de.
pended on rowing, as we again made for the outer edge
Of the bank. After a severe struggle, we had regained
our lost ground, had passed the extreme part of the un-
covered bank, and were almost on the long tine of
breakers that extended cut for miles beyond. Both
boats were now opening their fire upon US. at a distance
intentionally short, when the captain again rose.
: Now, boys, for your last chance. The sand can't have
shifted much since last month, when l was here. If
we strike, ship your oars instantly, jump out, and
shoulder over the shoal, before the next wave fills her.
They will scarcely follow her : and he steercd at right
angles to our former course, and directly for the terrific
reef. l have been among breakers before and since,
aud will not forget their sharp, biting, metallic dash,
so different from the full prolonged roar Of the surge
uPon tue level peacu Out never ala l near Snch . De-
wildering din as on that occasion. F@t
Captain Willick's voice, however, rung clear above
the crashing tumult. Bend to her with all your
strength three good strokes again ! again again
now in with your oars We were lifted upon a surge
so steep and high, that, to have come fairly upon the
shoal from the summit would have shivered our frail
bark to- atoms-s and the boldest held his breath for =
time Down we dashed! but ere the rocking PROV
dipped again, it had been swept beyond the shallow,
while the stern grated on the edge Of the hard sand,
with . shock so harsh as to demolish the rudder, and
make the boat crack, shuddering through all her tim
bers. The cool eye of our pilot had hit the only and mar
row strait through the heightened shoal and battered,
and almost ater-logged, We rode heavily on the COM
p~aratively smooth and deep basin that heaved within
the swash.
Our oarsmen were at work again in an instant;
Maurice, William and myself labored strenusly in
balipg out the water the boat had shipped, aud which
had increased rapidly as she had sprung a leak while
Captain Willick required all his skill and coolpess to
steer, with a broken oar in place of the broken rudder
through the still perilous though less desperstesnaviQa-
ton Of the numerous detached shoals, thataJet frothed
and griuned s~avagely across our coursato tie Bay Point
shore.
The British keel boat necessarily abandoned the
chase ; her destruction must have been inevitable, had
she approached the breakers nearer by a single oars
length; but, much to our alarm, and more to our
establishment, the other boat, fuding that We had gagged
the height Of the tide, dashed through the same pre-
carious channeI, and came out, with seemingly less
damage than ourselves 80 @11.
My life on it! there's an Islander in that boat y