Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-01-08
A Cruise on the African Coast

10 81
Paul de LoandO. since when. We have us.
the coast up, giving Congo river an OVERLAP
ing. capturing SLAYER off MayumIa %
counting smart gale without damage. ~.
visioning at Porto Praya, running to thn
naries. (where the crew were given liLrrr
then to Porto Grande for the Squadron. maj
and finally here, where We had the piea,pr
of reporting ourselves to His Maje,ty D.
tenn, (Com'r. y preparatory to ano;h,
run down the African Coast, consuming
( all less than three months. Turn out son.
of those hard won, Congress ordained, >crrv
propellers to "do the like" and We will d.
! furi another reef for the benefit Of the N
/ rion, who, from her last cruise on this Stati.,
was about being condemned; and on her d..
parture this time from the GOsport Var.
| pronounced the "slowcSt old tub that e,.
washed her keel in salt water lndepc
dent of her being efficiently Differed an
manned. the old salts swear her Ia be IT,
Quickest bloody ship that ever toated pen
nant." But, for myself. though willing
admit both reasons may influence her g,"i
behaviour, am disposed to draft upon d
privilege of salt water superstition, and az.
tribute her dOings to the name she bear,
Be that as it may, she has made spcnl
time beating all we have crossed, and among
! the rest, the crack ship of the POrtuguc,.
Navy, rs well rs receiving the most comp.
mentary encomiums upon her appearance am
condition. All hands have enjoyed exccllor.
health, and peace and harmony reign -.
premc Our passage from st. Paul was a..
tended with delightful weather. divcr>ii,,
bv some few rcliefs to the usual mOnOtony
coast cruising. On reaching the mouth
the Congo, boat from the British steam"
Antelope hailed us its officer coming aboa,
and giving information to our Command-.
of Il suspicious looking vessel, bearing d.
American flag, lying up the river, aud rrfG.
sing to permit search from the English On.
cials. Down goes our anchor, down goes DUP
gig, down does our Captain into the gig ami
off goes the gig, Captain, and mystery, Ia.
that time, to the Antelope. Speculation,
were rife, ripening into marvellous reprc>rn.
tations, among the crew; some stating, upon
unqucstioned authority, that ii fifteen hun.
drcd ton SLAYER, with twenty-five Thousand
dollars, and plenty of fight was ying all d
our hand for capture; others had her namr
Skipper, and all details, as pat as if they had
Just Overhaulcd her register, and aStounlr
the gaping cagerness Of groups, by inform
ing them that it was clipper ship chartcrri
by the Allies to carry Il cargo Of "blark
'un's" to China, 10 assist in bringing Ill,
Celestial Majesty to proper appreciation Il
John Bulls demands! Delay there viii
your bloody yarn - sings out an incredulon,
| tar; but he was soon appeaSed when inform.
ed that the English, having discovered John
Chinaman's peculiar method of doing BATH
viz: by firing one pop from aIl sides, an
then acting upon the old motto, of "hc who
runs" &c, had determined to import a carg
of these curios, to act rs the vanguard, or
life preservers, for their soldiers: thus cmuh.
ting Frances example by importing woody
heads for the benefit of the human race. !,
is impossible to conjecture to what cxtu.
rumor would have travelled. had not our
Commander returned with intelligence tina,
boat and boats crew should be made
ready for the next day, as he had conculci
to accept the polite offer Of the English cap
tain to convey himself, n few officers, boat
and boats crew. up the Congo. Us sailing
our ship up, against wind ana such a eur
rent, was out of the question. The reSul,
proved unsuccessful. there not being suf
cient grounds for the seizure Of the vessel
So we weighed anchor, the men, rs uSual
damning any delay that does not tally with
their anticipations, and each suggesting
reason for the failure of the expedition. a.
well a. their volumin0us views regardins
SLAYER catching; which, haze no douh'
would have enlightened Capt. Brent. if uo
edited him. Notwithstanding their prog
nostications. on the third day on, from Congo
about I 4. M. rs we We're cruising of May
umba, sail 10" from the mast head, brougl
all eyes upon a suspicious looking craft, hug
ging the lee land. We bore down upon her
when it became evident that she had haulr,
her anchor up and was using her utmo'
capacity 10 weather Us. After n morning
manTyering and test of sailing qualities. y"
got within range: the brig refusing To show
her colors, and did not until the whizzingo.
a shot across her bows warned her skipper %.
his temerity, when she brought Ia. and T.
our surprise ran up the American flag. u"
had taken us for British >IOop. a. letter,
were found concealed ON the brig, warning
the captain against the vigilance of th" En-.
lish cruisers, and our colors and identify hal
been carefully withheld Twas amused viii
little bullct-hcadcd Frcnchman', dc>rrip.
ton of the effect our shot and color. ucra.
sioned:-Bv gar, You yon's dams ship.
Frenshman'S. he shoot Won time. no ball: Two
time, no dam ball vrce time ships no show
de Colour, den re ball, by gar, H. dam yon
'Merican shoot yonee,-yip. whiz, BIN, j.
ball come. BY gar, | runsh. quick like dam
nation, hoist de colcur-iSh look -acrc dam
YOU hoist Won same colour. Diable. 'sh ~
no like dat" She (the brig turned ont
pretty good prize. supplying our cxhaustea
bread locker, and. | trust. will orr pocket.
~ nine thousand in specie was taken from
her. Hurry up, Uncle Sam, to Il speedy ,"t
Element. and, entries nous. You may suggest 10
his slow coach the incentive it will he to our
future excrtions. With our rigging mauuci
three times three given, and Il hearty benz
son on their passage home, we parted con
pany with Lieut.. Stone and Mdshipmar
Green, who commanded her Shortly bctor"
reaching Porto Praya, we encountered Il
we're squall, giving shake down" not at 81.
similar to the good old custom Of virginia.
The squat struck Us on our starboard quarter
during the mid-watch. carecning the ship
MEETINGS under, in which position she da,h1
through the sea for more than minute.
threatening to bury all hands. In cun>r-
ullpucc of the ri ppiup ppttiu,, fnul hrr ...,.