Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1861-06-11
A PRIVATEER,S STORY.


in the harbcr OF Grenada, and the narrow
escape from capture If the noted privaieer,
the I" Yankee" OF Bristol, II. l., has never
before, to my knowledge, been recorded,
save in the log.book of that fortunate little
crui-er.
l will. therefore. tell the story in the
words Of her brave ole commander, as |
gathered it frcm lis own lips:
1t was in the last eek Of December. 1919
said Capt. Wilson, and While running up
to the Havana, that we fell in with New
port cruiser, who reported that the Island.
or rather the port of St George Town, was
at that moment in the OCCUPANCY of the
Americans. That he had sailed from the
place only two days before, aud left in the
harbor one of our frigates and two sloop4
of war, while the stars ana stripes were
flying from the flag staff Of the old fort
The same day | boarded d Spanish drrger.
the skipper Of which had seen the vessels of
war sailing into the port at the time stated
by the rrivateersman.
What object our fleet could have had in
taking formal possession of this in.ignifi>
cart place, | could not imagine, unless it
was for the sake OF obtaining fresh supplies
AT all events, was glad to hear of II, as
was myself in need of provisions. con-
Guided 10 make the harbtr, and purchase
such supplies as | might require.
Ii was night before we made the land
but ns was acquainted with the entrance
# the harbOr Of st. George Town, | did not
fire a gun for pilot, but kept boldly OIL in
to the outer Iort.
The night was quite dark, and a hazy
mist hanging over the water rendered the
oh fhak
perceived couple Of cable lengths off. NV
sharpest sighted youngsters were constant.
ly on the lookout, but no vessels were to be
seen, as we glided slowly and silently paet
the shore batteries and tho fort beyond.
into the smooth water of the inner bay.
As we reached this point, the haze lift
ing little, showed us, at a little distance,
the faint outlines Of large ship, which |
doubted not was the American frigate :;
and little beyond several other smaller
vessels could be distinguished.
Scarcely had we made this discovery,
than the people on board this ship were
made aware OF our approach, and haIIed US,
inquiring WIN we were
The American privateer Yankee"
replied. "W hat ship is that ?'
No answer was returned; and supposino
the question was not heard, l waited till
we had run farther down into the harbor
before l repeated it.
We had passed betw cen the fort and the
ship, and were in the net of Glowing up,
when o voice from the ether vessel cried
! out:
Luf luf, there-the privateer
Surprising, naturally enough, that we
we're running irto shoal water, | shouted to
tho man OF tho HAL.
" Hard down your helm ~
AYE! aye! sirl"
Scarcely was the order obeyed, than the
schooner, answering to the helm, showed
her bows deep and fast into a sand bank
| where she remained immovable.
| This, of course, Immediately excited our
| suspicious that all was not right for the
pretended caution to fluff" was doubtless
given to produce exactly the result it had,
Pm afraid, SIR" said my first officer.
stepping to my side, and speaking low,
that we are now really IN for it That
ship, sir, is an Englishman, or am greatly
mistaken"
1--WE no doubt of it myself, sir, now
! The treacherOus knaye has got us into a
scrape by that rascally signal. But she's
/ pro5ablp prize Of the American frigate.
4 abu 20 INV jug uuueE ueT guns.
But it's strange. though, that prison
er should be permitted to mislead vessel
entering port"
AT this moment boat was seen TO leaye
/ the ship, aud pulling good distance around
our stern, made directly for the mole under
! the fort.
| Scarcely ten minutes elapsed after the
| landing of the Loaf, when all was commo-
| ton in the fort. The drums beat to QUAR-
tiers, and men with lanterns were running
in all directions. while we could also per-
ceive that the crew of the ship near US were
silently preparing to drop from the berth.
We could hear the sound of their ca3stan
bars as they shipped and unshipped them,
in the act of heaving home the anchor.
While this was doing, we were by no
means idle !; for now, certain that mischief
was really intended, our little crew, gre atlv
reduced, to man the various prizes we had
sent home during our heretofore successful
cruise, were called to quarters, and oil
were ready to act as the emergency might
require.
In the meantime boat left the ship, and
approaching the schooner, the crew at
tempted to climb up our side. But kept
them at bay while l demanded to know
where the American frigate Law.
She sailed yesterday" was the an
swer.
And the sloops of war ?" enouired.
"They ell left the port together replied
the officer.