Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1859-05-05
THE PIRATE,

THE PIRATE.
Twenty-seven years ago, the ship I com.
tiabded was on a mission of mercy. Laden
BY generous contributions of NewEngIaDd
city, she was bound to the Cape de Verde
! with bread forthe famine stricken and'dying.
II was the fourteenth day out--in the frs,
gray of the morniDg-that the mate aroused
| me with the startling intelligence that's sus.
picious vessel was in sight. With the first
ray Of light the vigifant officer had deserted
her, and she was so near as-to be made out
, with glass. I was on the deck in an in.
slant.
The first glance at the straugeralmost dis.
PEELED the fear that the mates alarm had
occasioued
sWby, Mr.. Larkin, said; laughing as
spoke, there's nothing suspicious in that
lubberly looking craft. Sheis a Portuguese
bfigantine. She can't sail.
She looks like that build, the mate an.
swered, 'but look now at the men on her
deck 80
One glance at the telescope was enough
to satisfy me that the mate was right
Its no honest craft, Mr.. 1Iarkin,' I said
but she may not be pirate, for all that
One need not be surprised to fall in with a
SLAYER hereabout.'
She's no SLAYER, Captain
why do you think so? p
Because there are guns on her deck, in,
stead of water casks
AS if. to put an end to our speculatioDs,
the suspicious vessel began to spread more
canvass, add as she gathered away with the
fresheuing breeze, they ran ur to her FORE
mast flag, which, when it reached the truck,
uushook its fold in the wind. On white
flag we saw the terrible insignia of the free
booter, the deaths head and cross-bones,
paiated in diabolical black.
We made all the sail we could, but es-
cape was impossible. Agun from the pirate,
and ball whistlipg over US, speedily brought
US to. The pirate came quietly along, like
a panther, which sure of its prey Has in no
great hurry to seize it, The moment she
came within speaking distance, he hailed and
ordered me to launch boat and come on
board. Wegot the quarter boat, and I was
about to jump iu;o her, to pay my respects
in person to the Williams, when Mr.. Larkin
asked leaEe,to 60.
'Ifthey want the captain said he 'let
them send for him. I'll see if the mate
won't answer as well.'-
He descended to the boat, which began
to pull back. Almost at the same instant,
launch was swung over the rail into which
twenty savage looking rascals armed to the
teeth, sprung and pulled towards us. Ten
minutes afterwards they were on board of my
vessel, and began clearing away the main
hatch.
The leader, a swarthyfellow, whose square
compact frame, and-whose eyes, black and
hazy, and half concealedby the lids, express
ed cruelty and cunning, approached the
cabin hatch, where stood, and addressed
me iu very fair English
'Are you the captain of this vessel?
'Yes,' Ireplied.
whats your CARGO?
Flour
where from p
Boston
Where TOP
Cape de Verde
sWhy, they're all starving there he said,
opening his eyes and looking full at me.
Yes, and the -four in my vessel was free.
ly given by good Christians to feed those
starving people
The rascal continued his deliberate gaze
a moment, then turned towards his men, who
by this time had broken into the main hatch,
and in rough, commanding tone, spoke
few words in Spanish, which could not
make out. The men looked up in astonish-
ment, and then withdrew to the side, where
they stood gazing cautiously toward their
captain, for such was my interrogation. He
walked tc and fro quickly for five minutes
then he said, sharply, turning to me
You Americans are all heretics-why
should you send -four to feed CatholicsT
Because they are our felowmen, and their
Saviour is our Saviour I answered aston
ished at the conduct of the man.
IF you lie to me- he cried with fierce
ness that startled me-'if you lie to me, I'll
nail you to your deck. Is this cargo the free
gift of your countrymen to the starving?
I'll prove it to you by my papers, I an
swered.
i don't want to see your papers,-swear
it by the Saviour, whose name you have just
pronounced AS he spoke, he crossed him.