New Orleans daily crescent., 1861-09-02
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MONDAY MORNING. SEPTEMBER 2, /

were alone, and a yard or two beyond our imme-
date vicinity the same mpenetrabIe darkness ex-
isted that had filed the entire hold before the in
PRODUCTION Of the light in the hand Of my jailor.
. g Northerner, i" he began, in low, husky tones,
q hate your race. 4 cursed Yankee Of Boston
started me once In the slaye-trade. / made two
successful trips and he cheated me Of every cent
! should have made by the ventures. had shed a
was poweress. But Iforgave him, invited him to
visit me near a neighboring bayou (Here the
pirate paused for a moment, then in an assumed
tone OF lnethodisticai precision continueD s. es
forgave him. as a brother Christian should, J had
just got religion" fHere an inward chuckling
prevented him for few moments from eo1nu-
lHg0 We took a moonlight excursion on the
bayou to hunt alligators l. told him II was the
unchrfstanlike to Stay the harmless creatures Of
the earth; but these were ravenous wretches,
enemies to man, and the dread of all domestic
cattle. He refused at first as the beasts, he said,
were dangerous to contend with. / gently remon-
strated with him, and carried the day. It was 4
glorious sail we two enjoyed that night on the
waters of the bayou. At length we neared the
opposite bank, black with canebrake and swarm
ing With afiigators. We were soon surrounded by
them. was steering and tending the sheet of our
only sail. AT my request he pointed his rife at
one fellow onthe weather side, within three fathos
Of the boat He fired, but mtrely wounded the
animal who 'snorted, lashed his tail and dsap-
peared. saw the poor soul was nervous ! ad-
vlsed him to be more collected and take better
aim next time. We were again surrounded by' y'the
creatures, my friend rose to his feet, in order the
bet better, as he supposed to ram home his charge.
The dear soul was unused to handling rife; he
was more accustomed to pen cheating accounts.
advised him to take care be might lose his bal
arce." (Again the ferdah chuckling interrupted
hin.) @ And as gave the brotheriy counsel,
stopped down, caught hin. by the heels, and, sud
den as shot, he was swimming for his life among
a Herd Of delighted alligators. / watched his
clumsy struggles and listened to his frantic cries
with Christian fortitude and resignation. He
reached the side Of the boat. pretended to re-
lent at bis entreates and permitted him to seize
the glnnel. With small ak I held concealed
then struck him heavily on both hands. He re-
leased his hold, rolled up his eyes in the moon
/ light, gave . damnable shrek, and sank among
foes tearing him limb from limb" w. .
AS the trighttul recitation of the horrible scene
ended, horror held me breathless. demanded a
weapon and unshackled hands, that l might fight
my way overheard. He laughed, and told me be
had captured me for the sole purpose of compel
ling me to cut the throat of every Yankee prisoner
he took during the cruise. With this beasty boast
| be left me eDd was again alone. 3 y,
,e- .s TIE ESCAPE. IS ., ,.y -
Fer two days and nights longer r suffered thai
I foul Incarceration. We were at sea during the
whole time when, on the third day. the sounds o.
| Glowing up sails and the running of the chain
! { able told me we had come to an anchor. "Ths
| hatehway was opened and | was told to come OF
deck. Il. l clambered thither in my irons, and as
was asone risen from the grave. My manacles
were removed by subordinate officer, and some
! whisky III panniken offered as restorative
| which fswallowed at draught. perceived we
were lying in shore, the mouth of some river
| There Was o gentle breeze from seaward, and di
rectly ahead Of anchorage was q small island
| covered with verdure. This small spot Of land
was distant about two miles. As was gazing to-
ward it discovered brig rounding its further
most point and standing directly for the mouth Of
| the river have mentioned. All was now bustIt
on board the pirate. Her crew, ft-looking follow
ers of their chief, mustered smary at their quar-
tersA The heavy brass piece aIndshps was quickly
got into working order and side.aruls distributed
| whilst the anchor was hove short by part of the
men and the sails ,sheeted home and ready fo
| hoisting. Meantime, ammunition was being passed
| through the companion-waysof the cabin from tht
| magazine to the deck, By this time the brig wa
| within hailing distance. a.. -..--t..
" hen all eyes were directed toward her, lust as
| the Captain was about to speak her taking quict
advantage Of the interest awakened in the crew by
| the approach of their expected victim, rushed
I into the cabin unperceived After a moments
| searcE, found the trap leading to the magazine
| it was unfastened My plan was formed rapidly
| laying q train by a slow match which | manufac
| tured out of some powder | found in flask, ant
| some old newspapers, and which ignited by til.
| aid of some matches happened to have in nj
| pocket for the lighting of cigars, l gently let my
| self drop from the cabin windows into the sea
marking, first, the exact whereabouts of the brig
| AS / swan toward her, / heard the peremptor,
! command of the pirate for her to heave-to, fol
| lowed by threat TO sink her if she refused. Th
| BRIG obeVed. boat was just about to be lowered
from the deck of the schooner as reached the sid
of the merchantman. Raising my voice, I was de
| tected and rope thrown to me. As I olambere
ur the side, deafening report shook the sea AM
the surrounding land. | saw the vessel no more
| Tie var which is now upon was unknown to thu
merchant brig. was the bearer Of the sstound
| ing news. She instantly stood ont to sea, and il
| ti-ree weeks reached Northern harbor. IT,
| still see in my dreams fragments Of blazing
| timbers and several limbs floating on the water
relieved by single change of scene the Arinkle(
and sinister aspect of the Southern pirate.
The name of the vessel that thus escaped thu
| doomed nlarauder, am not at liberty to mention
as she is now trading among the West India Islands
and Gnv such revelation would render her a.
| object marked for certain destruction by the re
| veneefU! rovers of the South. The whole crew o
the brig we're rtengaged by her commander, an
received bribes sufficiently heavy to insure pertec
| silence on the subject -N.
| New York. tu % 1851. U'.t