Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1861-09-10

earliest moment any vessel Of the enemy
prowling about in the darkness. A day
passed 10 this manner, and Capt. Mandel
entertained sangune hopes Of eludipp the
vigilance of the English cruisers by the
the aid o! the fog, which he was beginning
1 70 look upon as a irierd rather than foe.
But towards night the wind. which lad
been blowing steadily from the eastward.
changed to the west, and the thick fog
which had hung over the sea like dark
cloud, was suddenly lifted and disappeared.
| The blue sky was visable, the horizon was
clearly defined, and the declining sun was
seen IN all its beauty but its rays fell on
the white canvass of an English frigate,
whose sides were bristling with guns aud
which was within musket shot distance.
There was great commotion on board the
Javelin at this unwelcome sight. Every
bit OF canvass was packed upon the brig,
the sails were wet from the truck to the
deck, and every possible effort was made to
/ get beyond the enemy's guns, The Eng
lishman however, had no idea of allowing
the brig to extricate herself from the awk-
ward position in which she had been
! placed, not by Encouragement but by i'll
tortune, and an ,elghteen pound shot soon
came whistling over the masts, and buried
! itself in the water half a mile to leeward.
The brig hoisted at the trysail peak the
national Tag, the gorgeous American en-
sign, the beautiful stars and stripes, so
we'll known in every part of the world. and
everywhere regarded as al emblem of free
dom, intelligence and power. Another
shot was fred from the enemy which struck
| the water in the wake Of the brig, and ris-
ing, passed through the main ,op-sail and
the main-top-gallant sail without doing
further injury.
Fire away, old fellow!" shouted Capt.
Mandel, as he stood on the taffrail, shaking
bis fist at the crusier. "Only spare our
! spars and we shall soon be out of reach of
your guns !" And in a spirit of foolish
bravado be ordered the brig to be rounded
TO, and the few light guns with which she
was armed, to be fired at the enemy.
This was more than the English could
| bear. Before the Javelin could resume her
course, a br0adside was fred from the frig.
ate, several shots of which took effect The
main-top mast was struck Just above tie
cap, and with the -gallant>mast, all
the top hammer, came tumbing down on
the deck. One shot.struck the hull, and
several passed through the bulwarks, scat
terlng the splinters in every direction,
| wounding twp of the seameu, and killing
|
off by piece of the fife rail, which struck
him with terrible force on the back of the
! neck, as he was giving orders to the crew.
The whole aspect Of things was suddenly
changed. Escape was now out Of the ques
ton. The helm was put hard lee, and
! the brig was hove to. MIR. Banners the
supercargO, hauled down the ensign with
| his own hands, and boat from the frigate
was soon alongside
A heutt nant stepped on beard, followed
| b. halt dozen meu, and took possession
ct the vessel. The officer expressed sur
! PRISE and indignation at the conduct of the
Americans IN madly attempting to escape
| when within reach of the shot of IL British
man-0f war but his boisterGus wrath was
| sllenced when MIR. Banners significantly
! pointed to the dead body of Capt Maudel,
which was stretched on the deck
The brig was justly regarded as valua
! bic prize The two mates and all the sea
men were taken on board the frigate. but
the supercargo and the cabin boy, whose
( name was Oliver Waters, were allowed to
remain in the brig. 1t is usual in such
cases for the captain, or supercargo, and
chief mate, and one other person belonging
to the crew, to remain by a vessel which
has been captured, until the arrival of such
vessel il port. A midshipman was added
to the prize crew to assist in navigating the
brig. A new main-tcp-mast was promptly
| rugged, other damaged received in the ac-
ton were repaired, and The officer in charge
was directed to keep under the lee of the
trigate, as the captain of that ship. ewing
10 the fear Of re capture from some Yankee
| prvateer, was determined to convey the
brig into the harbor of Halifax. which was
/ ah0ut two hundred miIaS distant
1t was not until darkness had overshad
owed the heavens that the two vessels got
under way and proceeded on their ronte
! The atmosphere was unclOuded and tie
stars shone unusually bright, as the vessels
moved along on a wind, the Javelln not a
musket shot distant under the lee quarter
! of the tTigate, and under short canvass in
| consequence of her superior sailing
Mr.. Banners was small, quiet looking
man, and the commanding officer of the
brig evidently regarded him, as well as
Oliver, as very harmless, iDoffensive per
son, incapable # devising or executing any
| plan for the re capture Of the brig But
he was deceived in his estimate of the char
acter of the supercargo. His plans were
already laid, and the hour was at hand
when they would be buddy carried into
execution.
AT twelve o'clock, every thing being
quiet on the deck, the lieutenant gave up
the charge of the watch to the midshipman,
and went below. Mr.. Banners was in his
state room, apparently asleep. The boy
was also rep0sing in berth in the steer
age. The lieutenant entered the state
room which had been occupied by the I'm
fortunate Capt. Mandel, and, fatigueG with
the labors of the last twenty-four hours,
soon gave evidence by occasional wild
bursts and hourishes of nasal music, that
he was unconscious of events which were
taking place around him, and revealing IN
the land Of dreams.
Mr.. Banners cautiously left his state
room and entering the steerage, awakened
Oliver, who was Immediately on the alert,
and gave an attentive ear to the instruc-
tions of the supercargo. There was a
communication between the steerage and
the half deck, through which Oliver enter
ed, and cropping his way in the darkness
towards the centre of the vessel, was soon
able to converse in a low voice with the
sailors who were there concealed, and give
them the orders of Mr.. Banners. These
| men, confined in n narrow space, and
| breathing n close and nOisume atmosphere
! were impatient for action. They made
! their way forward, crawling over the cargo
until they reached the bulkhead, or part,
ton which divided the furecastle frcm the
between decks" In this partition
small door had been made, which could be
easily opened by those acquainted with the
secret This door was cautiously thrown
open and they entered the forecastle.
A candle was burning on a small shelf,
and three of the prize crew, who had the
watch below, were sleeping soundly in
their berths. They were seized and pin
/ Toned almost before they were awake, and
assured in the most solemn and emphatic
manner, that if they made any cutlery they
| would he Killed nm tho spot and throun