The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1860-06-14
Highly Interesting from the Gulf.

correspondence OF the New Orleans Delta.
U. S S. CRUSADER May 81, 1860.
AS the U. S. Steamer Crusader was
cruising in the old Bahama Channel,
not far from Neuvitas, on the % of
May, square rugged vessel of moderate
size was reported from aloft. We i'm
mediately stood for her, as no sail is al
lowed to pass us in these SLAYER haunted
waters or even to come in sight, with
out having her character ascertained.
As soon as she found herself an object
ofpursuit, the strange sail began to be-
have in such a manner as strongly ex-
cited our suspicious, and at length fair
ly put her helm up and ran in for the
shore, thus taking the last and most
desperate chance of escape, Unfortu-
nately for her the wind was so light
that she was prevented from effecting
her purpose, and we rapidly overhauled
her, Notwithstanding that she was car
rying all her canvass. J ..ol a5e6
The Crusader now hoisted English
colors and fred gun to windward,
when, after some delay, the bark flor
such she proved to beg finally displayed
the French flag at the peak. BY this
time, however, we were so near that we
were enabled to see that her matches
were all closely covered over, and as we
continued to approach we could even
distinguish at intervals the peculiar
loathsome odor of slave ship. Under
these circumstances it was determined
to board her; and accordingly boat
and the English ensign were lowerd at
the same time, and the American colors
were hoisted. No sooner did the Crus-
ader's boat leave her side than the bark
hauled down her French colors, and as
we subsequently learned, threw them
and her Portuguese papers overheard
together so that when she was board
ed she had neither papers nor eolors,
and was confessedly without name or
nationality.
For little while there was dead ST.
lence on board both ships, though the
increasing strong ammoniacal African
odor placed beyond all doubt that the
bark had under her matches a cargo of
negroes. And now we began to hear
a sort of suppressed moaning, which
soon swelled into the unmistakable
murmur of many human voices. AS
our boat reached the side of the
bark, and the officer in charge
sprang on tie deck, with a tremend-
uous shout the matches were forced open
from below, and out burst hundreds, the
self liberated slaves. AS they caught
sight Of the stars and stripes floating so
near which no doubt seemed to these
poor wretches like bright rainbow of
promise-they became perfectly frantic
with JOY. They climbed up all along
the rail-hung on the shrouds-they
clustered like swarming bees in the
rigging, while rose from sea to sky the
widest acclamations of delight. They
danced, and leaped and waved their
arms in the air, and screamed and yell
ed in discordant but pathetic con-
cert. There was one thing, however,
even more touching than all this outcry
ofbarbaric rejoicing. My attention was
attracted to group of somewhat more
than a hundred women withdrawn
apart from the shouting and noisy men.
Their behaviour was in strong contrast
with that of the others, and was char
acteristic of their sex. Entirly nude,
but innocently unabashed, they sat or
knelt in fearful and silent thankfulness.
Several of them held infants in their
arms, and through their tears, like sun
shine fiom behind cloud, beamed an
expression of the deepest gratitude and
happiness. The men looked as though
they had been raised from despair to
the most exultant gladness.
The scene Of confusion on board the
bark, when the negroes found them
selvs released from the accustomed re-
straint, battles all description. They
had, of course, all been kept on small
allowance of food and water during the
passage. The first use they made of
their liberties was to satisfy their hun
ger and thirst, which they did by break
ing into the bread barrels and water
casks, and then running about, eating,
drinking and screaming-all at once.
1t mattered but little to them what sort.of
vessel they drank from-buckets boxes
and troughs were all brought into requi-
sition. I even saw several fellows hap
ply and delighted with a piece of bread
in one hand and wooden spittoon full
of muddy water in the other.
AS soon as their appetites were salts
fed, the African fondness for fnery be-
gan to show itself, and all the loose ar
ticles in the ship were employed as per-