, 1863-12-19

The Pirate.

says correspondent OF the New York
Chronicie, as a little incident showing,
among thousand such, the power of true
religion, and the friends of the Peace So
ciety will find it confirmation of their be-
lief The narrative is given by the cap
tain: ..
Twenty-seven years ago, the ship / come
manded was on mission Of mercy. Laden
by generous contributions Of New Eng
land city, she was bound for the Cape dc
Verdes with bread to the famihc-stricken
and dying. a.l.
II was thu fourtaanth- day -ont, in the iissa
grey of the morning, that the mate aroused
me with the startling intelligence that q
suspicious vessel was in sight. With the
first ray of light the vigilance officer des-
cried her, and she was so near as to be made
out with glass. l was on the deck in an
instant The first glance at the stranger
almost dispelled the fear that the mate =
alarm had occasioned.
"Why, Mr.. Larkin," said, laughing as
l spoke, there's nothing suspicious in that
lubberly looking craft. She is q Portu-
guese brigantine-she can't sail"
"She looks like that build" the mate
answered, "but look at the meu on her
deck"
One glance at the telescope was enough
to satisfy me that the mate was right.
sits no honest craft, Mr.. Larkin,"
said, "but she may not be pirate for all
that One need not be surprised to fall in
with SLAYER hereabouts
"She's no SLAYER, captain"
"Why do you think so 7" :
Because there are guns on her deck, in
stead Of water casks"
As if to put an end to our speculations,
the suspicious vessel began to spread more
canvass, and as she careered away with the
freshening breeze, they ran up to her fore
mast flag, which, when it reached the
truck, unshook its folds in the wind. On
white field we saw the terrible insignia Of
the freebooter, the deaths head and cross
bones painted in diabolical black. d
We made all the sail we could, but cs-
cape was impossible. A gun from the pi-
rate, and a ball whistling over us, speedily
brought us to. The pirate came quietly
along, like panther, which, sure of its
prey, was in no great hurry to seize it. The
moment he came within speaking distance,
he hailed, and ordered me to launch boat
and come on board. We got out the quar-
ter boat; and was ready to jump into her,
to pay my respects in person to the villains,
when Mr.. Larkin asked leave to 60.
:. If they want the captain, let them send
fonbim, "sRid he. (" IN see If the mate
will not answer as we'll"
He descended into the boat, which began
to pull back. Almost at the same instant
launch was swung over the rail, into
which twenty savage looking rascals, armed
to the teeth, sprang, and pulled towards us.
Ten minutes afterwards they were on board
of my vessel, and began clearing away the
main hatch.
The leader, a swarthy fellow, whose
square compact frame, and whose eyes, black
and haSy, and half concealed by the lids,
expressed cruelty and cunning, approached
the cabin hatch, where l stood, and ad-
dressed me in very fair English:
"Arc you the captain Of this vesselg"
Yes" l replied.
"Whats your cargo 7"
"Flour." s
"Where from ?"
"FrOm Boston,"
"Where to"
Cape de Verde" -.
"Why, they are all starving there"
Yes, and the -four in my vessel was
freely given by good Christians, to feed
those starving people"
The rascal continued his deliberate gaze
a moment, then turned towards his men,
who by this time had broken into the main
hatch, and iii rough, commanding tone,
spoke few words Of Spanish. which l
could not make out. The men looked up
in astonishment, and then withdrew 70 the
side; where they stood gazing cautiously to-
wards their captain, Tor such was my inter
rogator;, he thrust his hands behind nm,
and walked rapidly to and fro for flve min
utes he then SAID, turning sharply to me !:
You Americans are all heretlcs-why
should s you send nour to feed Roman oa'no-
licst
Because they are our fellow men, and
their savior Is our SAVIOR answered,
astonished at the conduct OF the man:
IL you lie TO me, ne cried, with herce.
ness that startled me- = | i nail you 70 e the
Deck Is tnis cargo the iree giit oi You.
oountrymen to the starving! Z" i