Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1861-05-11


thunder" was Jabe's hearty response:
as he saw the old msn was in ear.
nest.
Capt. Nightingale took his mate by
the arm and led him off. The Ms ght
was dark, but still there was busy
scene on board the schooner Rhody,
which was the heaviest fshing-vess
in the place. Torches were cleaning
to and fro all night long, hammers and
saws were sending forth their music,
aud when the morning dawned the
Rhody was ready for sea. The old
iron 81 gnal gun had been hoisted on
board and placed upon rude sort of
carriage amidships, the cod-line beck
cts and bait boxes had been cleared
away, and, take her all in all, she bore
some faint resemblance to an embryo
pirate or privateer.
She was manned by twelve men, of
whom Jabe Haskins took the command.
The people wondered where Captain
Nightingale was, but Jabe set their
hearts at rest by telling them that he
would get outside as soon as the
schooner did.
In an hour after daylight the Rhody
hove up her anchor and made sail, and
in less than five hours she poked her
blunt nose into the waters of the blue
Atlantic. Shortly after the schooner
had passed Whitehead Light, the Eng
lishman was made out about two miles
distant, south'rd and west'rd, just off
the Lodges, and hauling his sheets fiat
aft, Jabe brought his vessel up to the
wind, which was fresh the north'rd and
east'rd, and stood off toward the latter
point. This looked amazingly like try
ING to run away-at least SO the Eng
lishman thought-and consequently the
clipper was Immediately put i'll full
chase, and though she was somewhat
to the leeward, still it was evident that
she would not be long in overhauling
the Yankee.
About fonr o'clock in the afternoon
the Englishman came almost within
hailing distance, and fired a gun. AS
the shot came whizzing over the fisher
mans deck, Jabe Haskins at once hove
to and ere long the clipper came up.
"SchOOner ahOy! J!
''Hallo - returned Jabe.
sDo YOU surrender!''
oval, if you want t take lis, s'pose
I can't help myself" ;"
The clipper hove to her fore-topsail
to the mast and lowered a boat, and In
some five minutes afterward her COM
mander, followed by fifteen men, came
over the Yankees side. The first OBJ
iect that met his gaze as he stepped up
on the deck, was the old iron amid
ships, and though the thought of an
American pirate made him feel sore,
yet he could not help laughing at the
almost ridiculous scene thus presented
to his gaze. The twelve green-looking
fishermen, together with that g1n did
present rather ludicrous appearance.
$50 you are on a piratical expedi
ton ?" tauntingly remarked the British
officer.
81 donno, "returned Jabe with an Of
Tended air;sI s'pose if I'd cum across
one O your crafts at | could ave took,
/ should ave done it; but donno as |
should ave been pirating emmy morn
yeou are now"
ssHow many men have you got?''
"Here's twelve on us, an eff yeou've
got twelve men at ken lick us, I'd like
tew see EN-
ssNever mind about that, Johnathan.
Well take you into Halifax, ard there,
perhaps you will find your match.''
The schooner was searched fore and
aft. but all that could be found were a
dozen old pistols and about as many
swords, which we're in the cabin, while
in the hold they discovered nothing
but an array of empty boxes and bar
rels. The Englishman left twelve OF
his men to take charge of the prize,
end took six of the prisoners on board
his own vessel, leaving the other six
under the charge of the officer who had
been appointed to the command of the
Rhody, and also left orders that the
schooner should be kept close in his
wake during the night, as he intended
to see her safe cut of reach of the Y an
kee coasters.
Until nine o'clock at night the Rhody
stood on after the clipper, with all sail
set, while the latter only carried her
mainsail and two :iibs. The six Yam
KEGS who had been left on board were
secured in the long boat, while the
lieutenant in command and five Of his
men had the first watch. When the
clipper struck two bells, the vessels
were not more than two cables length
apart, the prize being little to wind
ward, as owing to her bad sailing, the
r lieutenant wished to keep the weather
gage. The night was quite dafk, and
| the wind, which had fallen some since
, sundown, had yeered slightly to the
northward.