The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1861-09-25
A SEA sK ETCH.

Ponobscot, but Admiral Griffith and Sir
John G. Seabrooke. the latter being then
the Governor Of Nova Scotia, had been
sent with heavy force to take possession,
and had occupied the town of Castine,
which place commanded the entrance to the
Ponobscot river. Shortly before the arri-
val of the English squadron, Commodore
Samuel Tucker had been sent around to
Ponobscot Bay to protect the American
coasters there, and while the British sailed
up to Castine he lay with his vessel at
Thomastown.
1t was schooner that the Commodore
commanded, but she was heavy one and
well armed and manned; and that she car
ried the true Yankee grit upon her decks
the enemy had received from them rather
too many proofs. On the morning Of the
28th of August, a messenger came down
from Belfast with the information that the
British frigate was coming from Castine to
take him. Tucker knew that the British
feared him, and that Sir John Seabrooke
had offered large amount for him.
When the Commodore received the intel
ligence, his vessel was lying at one of the
low wharves where he would have to wait
.p1sar!y two hours for the tide to Set him off;
pared to get off as IS s6SSF bSsSFa as seysEything pre-.
had no desire to meet the enemy's frigate.
The schooner's keel had just cleared
from the mud, and one Of the men had
been sent upon the wharf to cast off the
bow line, when wagon, drawn by one
horse, came rattling down to the spot The
driver, rough looking countryman, got
out upon the wharf and then assisted a
middle-aged lady from the vehicle. The
lady's first inquiry was for Commoder,
Tucker. He was pointed out to her, and
she stepped upon the schooner's deck and
approached him.
Commodore" she asked, 'whcn do you
sail from here? ?''
fright off, as soon as possible" was the
hasty reply.
"Oh, then, know you will be kind to
me-" the lady urged in persuasive tones.-
''My poor husband died yesterday, and |
wish to carry his corpse to Wiscasset, where
we belong, and where his parents will take
care of it."
but my good woman, l am not going to
Wiscassct.'
"If you will only land me at the mouth
of the Sheepscut, l will ask no more.
can easily find boat there to take me up
"Where is the body ?" asked Tucker.
"In the wagon" returned the lady, al
the same time raising the corner of hel
shawl to wipe the gathering tears away
II have a small sum of money with me
sir, and you shall be paid for your trouble
"Tut, tut, woman; if l accommodate
you, there won't be any pay about it,
The kind hearted old Commodore wa:
not the man to refuse favor, and though
he liked not the bother of taking the wo
man and her strange accompaniment OF
board, yet he could not refuse: and wher
he told her he would do as she had re
uuestcd, she thanked him with tears in he,
eyes
Some of the men We're sent upon tn
wharf to bring the body on board. A lon;
buffalo robe was lifted off by the man wht
drove the wagon, and beneath it appeared ;
neat black coffin. Some words were passet
by the seamen, as they bore the coffin OF
board, which went to show pretty plainl,
that the affair didn't exactly suit them.
may have been but prejudice on their part
but yet seamen should be allowed pref
udice once in a while, when we would con
slider the many stern realities they have t,
encounter.
"Hush, my good men," said the Com
modore, as he heard the murmured remon
strances. "Suppose some of you were t.
die away from home would you not wisl
that your last remains might be carried t
your parents? Come, hurry now"
The men said no more, and ere long tn
coffin was placed in the hold, and the woman
was shown to the cabin. In less than hal
an hour the schooner was cleared from tn
wharf and standing out from the bay. Tn
wind was light from the eastward, bu
Tucker had no fear of the frigate now tha
he was out of the bay.
In the evening the lady passenger cam
upon deck, and the Commodore assured he
that he should be able to land her early ol
the next morning. She expressed her graf
itude and satisfaction, and remarked thG
before she retired she should like to lool
and see that her husbands corpse was safe
This was Of course granted, and one of tn
men lifted off the hatch that she might g
down into the hold.
II declare" muttered Daniel Carter, al
old sailor, who had the wheel, "but she doe
take on dreadfully"
''Yes,-poor thing" responded Tucker
as he heard the woman's sObs and groans
"D'ye notice what an eye she's got :
continued Carter.
''No," said the Commodore, "only that
was swollen with tears"
MY eyes but they shone, though, whel
she stood here looking at the compass"
Tucker smiled at the old mans auain
earnestness, and without further remark h
went into the cabin.
When the woman came up from the hol,
she looked about the deck of the schoone
for few moments, and then went aft
There was something in her countcnanc
that puzzled Carter.
He had tecn one Of those who had OBJ
Ijected to the coHir's being brought or
board, and hence he was not predspose,
to look very favorably upon its owner. Th
woman's eyes ran over the sc.ooner's decl
with strange quickness, and Carter eyct
her sharply. Soon she went to the taff'rai
and looked into the stern boat-and thel
she came and stood by the pinnacle again
"Look out, or you'll gibe the boom," ut
tered the passenger.
| Carter started and found that the main
sail was shivering. He gave the helm
couple Of spokes aport, and then cast hi
eyes again upon the woman, whose features
were lighted by the binnacle lamp.
"Thankee ma'am," said Dan. 'EIa, hol,
on-why bless my soul, there's big spi
der right on your hair. No-not there
Here-I'll-Ughr
This last ejaculation Dan. made as h
seemed to pull something from the woman
hair, which he threw upon the deck with tn
''ugh - above mentioned.
Shortly afterwards the passenger wen
below, and ere long Tucker came on deck
Commodore" said Carter with q N
markable degree Of earnestness in his mar
ner, "is the oman turned in yet?"
II rather think So" said Tucker, look
ing at the compass. "Look out, look ou