Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-06-09
CAPTURE or TaF FRENCH SLAVE BARE-AC-
COUNT OF TIE CHASE BY AN OFFICER OF THE
CkUSAI Err
! RoARn IS. s1EANER CnrsAprR.


O., PoARD L. s. STEAMER CaUsADER,
on Rev West, Nsy %, 1860
The Ss4,5aois and Crusader parted compa-
uy on Key Sal and the asadeg dashed of with flow
ing sheet oSards the uoIh coast Of Cuba. Aer falling
ia with land she proceeded eastward OyeThaulng every.
thing like sails sg lUbOS Key Light You are aware
that the d Bahama Chann, just this point extreme
ly narrow, ouy sGie eleven miles wide and here Capt
Na determined 10 remain the preseat EnCYinF that
nothing could pass to the westward without being detect.
ed In ten DAYS sixty vessels had been chased and
all those showing American colors visited The sound
Judgment OF commander at last verified On the
2Sd of Nay, while cruising the coast of Cuba Lo
bos Light bearing about \. y. W. sail was reported to
the southwark and ard gnd gave chase The sin
guar movement of the vessel in sight aroused suspicion
When she the steamer heading for her her was
altered and she stood in for the land under every avaa
be stich OF canvas Orders passed at on the
Crusader 10 make sail The shrl pipe Of the boatswain
had scarcely ceased when the we're deck
their stations with the aacrity which al indicates the
discipline of q ship Sheet after sheet Of canvas was
quickly spread aud the CRUSADER, dashing the water
from her bows bore down upon the chase The rapidly
with which came up must have shown those in charge
Of the chase that impossible TO escape and she
hauled mp again on her original course As came
down she hoted the French flag, in the Brit
Sh ensign, which ct that time We wore After reaching
the desired position 'red cross" hauled down and
the stars and stripes" substituted. At the tine
one Of our boats lowered The bark (for such she
was likewise hauled down her flag, without substituting
any in its place and she boarded without any coors
flying. This was accounted for afterwards In a mo.
ment after Lieut. Duncan reached the side and 90,
board. lie waved his handkerchief and we were at
once put in POSSESSION Of the desirable knowledge that
the bark wa. SLAYER and Prize If We had required
confrmaou il would have been given in the shape Of
three OF iou, hundred wooly heads, which that
meut were stuck the vessels side. The American
flag soon after hoisted the slayers peak amidst
every demonstration Of joY from the negroes They
yelled capped their hands, and the Engshmen would
say, "treRt like mad
10 short time after the capture the captain, su-
percargo and Of the SLAYER transferred the
Crusader You scarcely imagine more filthy, rag
ged set Of oucastS than these sailors appeared TO be-
Several we're sick with fever. They all seemed
however TO take their capture matter OF course
One came over the side eating box of "sardines."
When Capt Maittt demanded of the captain of the
SLAYER under Nhst nationality be surrendered his reply
was "None, Sir-I sunk my papers and my colors TO
the bottom Of the surrend% myself aud vessel to
the laws affecting che SlaVe-trade. ask for hing"
1.-THE bark French, and is is FrenohmAn by hlrtk
The captain sppears be rather clever fellow, after
all BE takes his misfortune with the best humor pos,
sble, and says, To-day, cloudy-to-morrow the sun
shines again. Clouds come and 60, but the shines
the same. Il was my fate" The bark is vessel Of
about 900 tOus vel built apd, at thia time tOlsrablJ