Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1858-05-26
British Cruizers firing into American
Merchantmen.

In our last we briefly noticed the fact
that the schooner Mobile, Capt. Howes,
from Mobile for New York was fred into
and boarded by the British steamer Styx.
on the 29th April, 1858. The particulars
ofthis occurrence, as given by Capt. Howes
to the editor of the New York Herald, |
will be read with lively interest, and with |
strong sentiment of indignation against
the boarding officer. We see that call
has been made on the President BY res
olution in the Senate for information rela-
tive to the boarding of American vessels In
the Gull, DC, and cannot doubt that the
President will promptly cause this case to
be 'enquired ifso. Is @S
At the time | first saw the British yes
sci on the horizon l could not make out
what she was. It was then about 12 o.
clock in the day. l Judge that we were
about twenty five or thirty miles from Sand
Key, on the Florida coast, which we saw
three hours after the English war vessel
parted with US. The wind was blowing to
the westward, and we were running to the
northward under double reefed' mainsail,
foretopsail and three jibs, with breeze
just sufficient to keep our vessel jumping
onward. The day was very clear, andI
took my glass at o'clock to endeavor to
make out what the stranger was, for /
thought there was something unusual in
her appearance. | could not yet, howey-
er, discover so much as that she was a
steamer, so great was the distance that
separated US; but as [ could not discern
much show of sail, and knew that the
stranger must have had very large hui,
l suspected that she was a steamer, bound
from Cuba to Key West or some Southern
port. At this time my watch on deck was
expired, and retired to my bedroom IN
the cabin for the purpose of refreshing my
self with little sleep. Besides my usual
crew | had one passenger from Mobile on
board, and my family, which consists of
my wife and two daughters, one Of whom
is five, and the other eight years old. AT
ter going to my cabin the strange looking
vessel never cost me thought, and was
sound asleep at 8 o'clock, when my eldest
daughter came running to me and shook
me so as to arouse me out Of my sleep in
a moment. When l opened my eyes she
exclaimed "Oh, father, what is that YES
sci doing?" and appeared to be very much
frightened. jumped up and looked out
OF the cabin window, and | saw that the
vessel was steamer, bearing down upon
me, and almost within speaking distance
She was dark rugged side wheel steamer
L thought she was gong to cross US astern
SO | came on deck, thinking that perhaps
she was going to speak to US about some.
thing, SO that l could be ready to answer
anything the stranger might have to say
On reaching the deck, Mr. Hopkins, my
mate, said, az believe that is an English
steamer" We could not see any ensign
flying, so [ took the glass (telescopel tx
take close look at her; but could no
see anything unusual about her, and neve
suspected that she was man of war. Sht
was now within less than a musket shot o
US. AS | had done looking ather l though
l heard something thatsounded like mus
ket or revolver shot, but did not feel Ger
tain whether or not. A minute or two at
terwards | thought heard another crack
but on looking towards her to see if ther
was any smoke | could perceive none,, and
therefore, thought that the noise
thought heard proceeded from the slap
ping of rope against the mast Of m,
vessel, and l thought no more about it fo
the moment. During all this time tn
vessel kept bearing down on US, and NIGH
now have spoken easily. | kept my ey
on her closely, and now saw her turn rounC
and display the British ensign, which, VI
to this time was concealed behind he
sails, to leeward. | now thought that pei
haps she was going to alter her course
little, to get clear of US, when rifle bul
let was fired from the vessel at US, and
passed between two of my men, who wer
working at my main rigging. Before thi
shot was fired had backed my mainsai
and my vessel was lying to when the sho
was fired.
I now took him for pirate, because
thought that no war vessel would fire int
a merchantmen without first firing she
across her bows, or at least firing gum
But there was little time to think mucl
more, for the stranger now lowered boa
into the water, and at the same time fire
two more rifle shots at US. One of thos
passed so near one of the mates and al
other man, who were sitting on bale
cotton that was lying on the deck, ths
they felt the wind that the bullet create
as it passed their faces, and heard its VIII
so loud and plainly that it seemed to
within an inch of their ears. The otht
struck the vessel nearly amidships, ju
abaft the forechannels. The boat no
rapidly approached our vessel, and | sa
that there were six men and an officer
her. In the meantime | had compelle
my family to retire to the cabin, and N
wife, who heard all the shots that we
fred, was almost in state Of Mysteries. al
{ she and my eldest daughter received sue
shock as they will not soon forget, al
from the effects of which they have n
since perfectly recovered. When the bo
: came alongside the vessel the officer jump
| on deck, stood for an instant, and look
( all around him in naughty manner.
} had time before he spoke to- consider VIII
f he looked like. He was tall, thin, bear
less looking fellow, with the most co
S temptible pride marked as much in |
! movements as his looks. He seemed to
t about thirty-ive or forty years old, and W
a dressed in az ugly uniform, with ri
t looking pair of cpaulettes upon his sho1
. ders. He did not deign to notice any o