Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1861-06-29
The Englishnan's Exploit.


On the western shore of the Penobscot
Bay, between Belfast and Cambcn, there
was a small club of fshcrmcn's cots, in
habitcd by hardy set Of men, who had
from infancy been brought up amid the
music of the breaking waves, and who knew
no fear beneath the power of mortal man
Foremost among these hardy children of
the sea, and occupying the station of a sort
of ruler among them, was a middle aged
man named Enoch Nightingale; or as he
was generally called, Capt. Nightingale
and never was man better fttcdi by ma
turc for the post he held by general con-
sent than he was. Powerful and athletic
in his physical mould, bold and fearless as
the forest monarch, and frank and gener-
Gus in his social relations, he was beloved
and respected by all who knew him He
was jolly fellow, too, and often, as his
small gray eyes twinklcd in their merry
mood, close observer might have seen
lscen-love-ofrructical joking lurking in
their cleaning depths.
At the time Of which we write the fish,
crmen dared not venture far out to sea,
for close blockade was kept up along the
coast, ond SO they were forced to forego
the advantages Of their best fishing grounds
but new idea had taken possession Of
their brains, and they had thought of fit.
ting out Il priyatccr against the English.-
For two weeks had this matter been talk
ed over, and all the arms necessary to per-
sonal warfare had been procured, but no
vessel suitable for the enterprise could be
obtained, nor could they raise guns heavy
enough for sea use, even had they possess
the vessel. Ofpiatols and cutlasscs they
had enough, and that was all, unless We
add one old iron six FOUNDER, which scrv-
ed as a kind of signal gun in cases of heavy
fogs and stormy nights.
1t was just at nightrall that Obcd Night
ingale's shallop (Obed was the old mans
SOM came up the bay, and as the young
man came on shore, he reported that there
was an English topsail schooner, a clean
clippcr.built craft, laying of and on be-
tween Moncgan and the Lodges. She was
heavily armed, and seemed to play about
in the water as though her heels were made
for running,
Now Captain Enoch Nightingale had
sail but little about the various projects
that had been set on foot with regard to
the privatccring expedition, but he had
MoVsM great deal, and as soon as his
son communicated the above intelligence
his thoughts came to n focus. A plan of
operations was clearly marked out in his
mind, and he at once set about the work
of putting it into effect. The man who
stood second to Captain Nightingalo's first
mate, was Jabo Haskins, and upon him
the old man first called.
"Jado," said the captain, ,"did you know
there was British clipper just outsidc?"
"Yes."
"WolP spose We 60 out an take her ?"
"Do 1chm ~
"Takc that Englishman.'
"W-h-e-ww
Jade looked at Nightingale in utter as
tonishmcnt.
~ can 90 out in my little Rhody and
take her before she knows where she is
Now, will you help me ?"
"Ill follcr yer, cap'n, if ycou 60 to
thundor," was Jado's hearty response, as
he saw that the old man was in earnest.
Capt Nightingale took his mate by the
arm and led him off The night was dark
but still there was a busy scene on board
the schooner Rhody, which was the heav-
lest fishing vessel in the place. Torches
were cleaning to and fro all night long
hamuacrs aud saws were sending fortl
their music, and when the morning dawn