Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1864-09-16

:. Don't you believe it my boy,n REPLIED
the old sailor. They know when to ,,owse
them and when to light a British skipper to
their nest" ts..t 7aas wv g'' ia5-e 'j'.
The chase had now lasted between two
and three hours, and the FORT Gapa Fear
could not be more than twelve miles to our
lee; we were still two miles from the stran
ger, and the chances were momentarily less
en;ng OF overhauling her in time, unless we
Succeeded in materially disabling her, while
our danger OF becoming crippled from her
1well directed shots was very great. If the
wind had been light the shots in our rigging
would have impaired our speed but slightly |;
but the gale that had us in its teeth, lent us
half our speed, and an unluclxy shot in our
cross trees might be Unbelievable.
I There! there! we have IL now Was
there ever such luck Y'l cried tho Captain
with an oath, Aud our lnainsail came down
with rush as he spoke, every one flying
from the splinters Of the mast, which was
severed like a pipe stem.' q sas8 '' '.t
I Weall looked glum enough at this mishap
and began to consider the prize as might.
haye.beon. But the Captain determined on
a last effort, and ordered a broadsidc vollcy,
though the distance, n mile and n half at
least, made success extremely doubtful. The
ship rounded TO handsomely. The ports
were opened, the barkers already loaded and
manned, and, at given signal, long sheet
OF lame leapcd from the side, and the noble
irgatc roared and auivcred to her keelson as
the twenty Simultaneous DEATH bolts of her
terrific broadsidc rushed upon their prey
Another instant and wild huzza sweled
upward from our crowded deck for our
broadside was success The entire rigging
Of the stranger seemed in ruins; her bow.
spirit was trailing in tho sea; and VIC could
distinguish another ugly smash in her stern,
which must have come very near destroying
her precious flukes. OF course the prospect
was now far better than before, but still by
no means certain, as it was questionable
whether we were not almost disabled in the
rigging, and the rapidity with which the
damaged tops Of the stranger were mended
and cleared away seemed miraculous, though
she inow gave over firing, apparently bent
on safety only by sharp sailing. New spars
were already up on our own mainmast, and
with a cIew or two on the miZzcn shrouts
and the Use of the after. r.braccs, with double
duty on the mizzen top gallant spars, our
mainsal was again aloft, with cheering indi-
cations that we were gaining fast In fifteen
minutes we had so sensibly diminished the
interval between us and oGr prey that we
ceased firing, the Captain modestly desiring
to take her with some clothes on, to use his
own expression. The lanterns of Cape Look.
out were now left far away on our starboard
quarter, and every forward furlong we mado
was 50 much nearer to the formidable fort.
Just then faint flash, like the horizon glim-
mcr Of summer lightning, shonc above the
water far beyond the ship we were pursuing,
and hardly heard but ominous boom told
US that the old sea dragon, Fort Macon, was
not sleeping in the moonlight. We now re-
newcd our pcting Of the stranger, with fur
tlIcr damage to her tops whereupon she
vocred for Shncklciord Shoals, with evident
intention of beaching herself if unable to
get under the fort. Another quarter of an
hour and We were within long range Of the
heavy coast guns of the fortress, who seemed
to understand the state of the case perfectly,
for her shells began to drop around us brisk
ly. And now the great breakers OF the coast
were plainly discernable on the starboard,
. tossing their white plumed, hurrying legions
high above the beach, with here aud there a
bold, blutfy rise from the monotone of sand;
and the Devils skillet dangerous reef
was boiling white little lower down
Shackleford Shoals is a low, narrow sand
bank, about twenty miles in length It's low.
or extremity comes within three miles, at a
rough guess, Of the Borden Banks or Shoals
on the casternmost portion of which the fort
is situated The bank is everywhere tfcach-
crous, but especially at this southern point,
where the dangerous shoals are covered with
n dcccitful appearance OF proiundity., And
now, as we ncared our expected prey, she
made bold push for this inlet but as we
dashed in between her and the fort, regard.
less Of the la,ter's continuous firing, she al.
4 tered her course and steered right head on
for the fatal breakers on her starboard.
Shes bent on suicide ~ said Jerry, who
then ran below for his pistols, as the Captain
ordered the boats to be manned
! "1lias she struck ?" a1 "h."' .HrW1.
1 !" No--yes--thcrc she goes l" n. -. ..s.
Sure enough, she had grounded and slight,
\ ~ heeled over, but in such deep water that
the soft sand OF the shoals would not hold
her long. Il Two of our boats were manned,
I with our beloved Lieutenant as commander
of the expedition, and l in his boat. We
pushed off with some difficulty, on account
Of the heavy sea- As We did so, we saw the
boats Of tho suicide also lowered and pulling
inside for the inlet, Tho rats were leaving
the crib. ,...,.o ,.sat, a,e n..' ,,...., -
! You can get her off if you try, Brace.
taut. Throw over everything to tighten her."
was the parting injunction Of Captain B.,
and as wc-pnlled away, he hauled his ship
out OF range, Of the fort. 1T eas rather IN
comfortable the way the shells dnckel and
plunged around ns, or burst above our heads,
but we pulled away for the prize Our boat
was the last to reach the ship--a first class
iron propeller, Of great tonnage. and clipper
4 built AS tho crew Of the advanced boat
climbed up her. sides, several crashes made
us aware that the fort was turning her guns
against the vessel to deprive us OF, the plum
der. "'' t''''@" '''' '."ft' #'Fi .'''
r"And hot shot at that Listen /" said
Bracetaut, to me, when the fzzing sound of
the plqnging hot shot was plainly aisttn-
guishable.
Our boat was within n rod Of the prize
when we perceived the men who had already
boarded her jumping hastily over the bul,
warks, dropping into their boat, and pushing
off, as if something unusual was to pay One
had been left behind. II was the little mid.
dy, Jerry Bloom, who now appeared uncon-
Ecerncdly leaning over the side, and coolly
awaiting the Licutenants orders. lf'aa 1877 .
| WHATS her cargo ~ beloved Bracctaut
through his trumpet. ,s, t..., ,..,t r4a ,a.,, d.
| POWDER" sang back the shrill tones of
the New World Cassabianca and siz ! siz /!
went the plunsng red shot; and crash
crash! they went against the floating ihaga-
zine with frightful precision. 4. . 1aG,,.J a
4 Jump for your lifel". roared !thc Lieu
tenant to Jerry. "Back water you lubbcrs !
back for your lives!" se27a q 'r
We saw the midshipman join his palms
over his head and leap from the gunwale Of
the fatcd ship. Scarcely had his slender fig.
ure cut the brine before number of sharp
reports were heard--th long, deep. vol
canc rumbling, that swelled into terrific
thunder, deafcncd our ears a dozen blood.
red flames shot up to the stars and we be.
held the deck and Hlajestic spars of the doom.
ed blockade runner spring aloft in fragments.
A huge black mass descended with fearful
splash yard from our bows-the long stern
chaser going to the bottom--thc yards of the
powder ship yawncd wide open in an instant,
filled with fire, and then disappeared tie