Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1863-11-07
MISCELLANEOUS.
HOW a BAOCI&
WAS GAGdsEgE.


We find in an English magazine the fol-
I lowing account of a shrcwd trick by which
! a blockade running steamer was trapped Ill
ncr voyage from Nassau towards Charleston
/ Nassau Is thus described by the writer:
"The harbor was crammcd with craft of
! all sorts and sizes the bay was full of ship
ping; the little streets were crowued, ana
| there was n continual stir and turmoil on
| the quay. all too small for the press of trat-
| fc that daily poured in. All this animation,
! all this activity, had been caused by the led
cral blockade of the southern coast and
! the cheerful faces of the burghcrs attcstcd
the fact that Nassau was the great emporium
for contrahand of war and smugglcd cotton,
and that much money was being spent IN
the island by those employed IN TINS galhiuI
but pcrilous commerce. Wherever went,
in tavern, grocery, store or counting mouse,
there was but one all-engrossing topic, one
common subject of intcrcst--thc blockade
Such and such Il schooner had been taken !;
such Il brig had been burned, cargo and all,
to keep her out of Yankee hands; such
droghcr had come in with cotton such II
steamer had got safe 10 Charleston, with 50
many thousand stand of arms on board.
The Black-cyed Susan had been sunk by the
United States gunbOat Sloper-no she had
only received four round shot III her huh,
aud had escaped among the sand-kcys. Who
had insured the Delight They would lose
smartly, for the vessel had been condemned,
whereas the Fly by Night had got into
Charleston securely, and her freight of
Blakcly guns was worth twenty three thous-
and dollars, net profit.
"All this gambling and ycnturing, this
stalking of fortunes ON the speed of a vessel
or the warincss of captain, was thrillingly
exciting to the brokers, merchants, and other
spectators who swarmcd in the Nassau
boarding houses, and who had only pccu-
mary interest in the game. And perceived
that the risks nearly balanced the favorable
chances .hat if many escaped, many were
taken and the loss Of Il ship was philoso-
phicalIy borne by her owners.
HE ENGAGES PASSAGE.
At last he found a steamer about to sail.
When do YOU start he asked the captain.
"Thc commanders voice sunk 10 Il whis-
per rs he told me that at sunset every lands
man must come on board taking boat at
some secluded jctty, to avoid prying eyes !;
and using all reasonable caution. since Mas
sau tcCmcd with northern spies. Half an
hour after sundown he was to hoist Il signal
which was to be replied to and then the
pilot would come oil, and the steamer would
stand out TO sea.
After dark, muttcrcd pritchard, with
an oath, we may hope to get past that
Yankee thief that hangs about the island.
The Governor babe her keep the distance of
one marine league, but shes always sneaking
in-now for coal, now for bread, now he
cause her engines out of order; and the
United States consul communicates with her
every day. tell you. shipmatc, there isn't
one of Us that isn't doggcd up and down 10y
rascals in federal hire. See there that mu-
lattO hound has been after me these four
days, pointing to dark complcNioncd icl-
low in the dress of Il stcYcdorc, who, on
seeing himself observed, rs he stood under
the gcranium hedge, lay down with we'll
tcigncd nonchalancr, and lit his pipe.
Il found good deal of quiet hustle and
suppressed excitement on board the Bunnv-
bell. The fires were bunkcd up; the sEar-
thy faces and red shirts of the engineer and
his gang were visible at the hatch Of their
Cyclopcan den, getting breath of the cool
breeze before starting. Some brass guns.
that had been hidden under fruit baskets,
hcncoops and tarpaulins, were visible enough
nov ; and beside them lay little heaps of
round shot. The crew BUSTED to and fro,
and the captain was 50 busy that he could
but return a brief word and nod to my
greeting. The sky grew darker, and sur
rounding objects DINNER, every instant.
THE PASSENGERS.
Before long the passengers arrived. Scy-
cral southern gentlemen, Il few ladies and
children, all making their way back from
Europe to their homes in Carolina or Nir-
ginia by this dangerous route, and all in
peril Of harsh imprisonment at least in the
event of capture. BY the uncertain light
could sec that most of them were pale and
nervous; but they talked in an uudcrtonc
among themselves. and did not appear any
iuuS to enter into conversation with stran-
gers.
"'Get up steam =
by the time the hoursc roar Of the csca-
ping vapor grew loud and mcnacing there
was Il fresh hustle on deck, and heard the
captain give orders to stand by for slipping
from the moorings and to hoist the signal,
as we only waited for the pilot.
There they are, slick and right three
red lights and green one " murmurcd
tall Nirginian at my elbow and looking up,
| saw the coorcd lamps gimmcr from the
masthead. Instantly they were answered
by similar signal from some window on
shore.
THE PILOT.
"'We'l soon see the pilot now, said
Pri:chard rubbing his hands in II chcery
manner; the signals made and repeated.
In ten minutes our man will be with Us.
IIilloa boat ahoy what dye want y
'l}onnybell ahoy" was the rcjoindcr in
n shrill, harsh voice, cautiously lowered for
the occasion pilot wants to come on
board
There was stir and a start of surprise
among those ON deck, and as II rope was
thrown to the boatman, Captain Prtchard
bent over the side, eNclaimng:
You're uncommon quiC&, my hearty.
Ii you've come from shore since the lights
were hoistrd you must be own cousin To the
Flying Dutchman, Are YOU sure you're
our pilot :
"l'm the pilot engaged by Colonel Jere-
my Carter of Spottsylyania, If thatli do,
answered a very tall, bony, black haired
man, as lac actively assembled the side
Iack Fosters my name, and know every
inth about Charleston where Was born
While the captain rcassuTcd by The
mention pf Colonel Cartcr's namc--gaye
basty order. 10 cast oil the cable and go
ahead, |, in common with the rcst of the
passengers, aud the unoccupied portion OF
the crew, looked with much Interest at the
new conner. The latter wa5 about forty
y,4rs of age, long and lean ot pguTr, with a
l.fltt .fIn. lfnN ntl lace. lUu Mas uu