The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1865-09-15

distress !" mothers Iale nnd anxious Tor
their children. fathers arming themselves
and giving orders with unwonted stcrnness
and severity; young men. in s!ouched hats,
with very large topped boots, and rapiers
belted close, rude furiously into the coun-
try; the log.built fort that overlooked the
bay was hastily prepared for defence and
filed with men. Meantime the sun sank
placidly behind the. western forests; the sky
burned with the "blm'dy light" Of The irop-
,cs; the breeze died away and The CLASSY
bny, nlmos, land locked, rejecting the deep
tin's Of the heavens glowed like q vast
bowl of rosv WINE. The dreaded buccaneer
came about, III" crcsking Of her capstan was
distinctly heard. her yards swarmed with
men, the sails were furled. the black flag
came down. and a snowy bit Of bunting
arose in relief agains, the evening sky; si
length she lay. grim, raksh brig, motion.
les. upon the limPid water,
GAS idle as painted ship,
Upon painted ocean,"
Two beats glided away from the shadow
Of her hull and approached the shore; no
noise was b ard, but the oars arose, flashed
and fell with cxaciness and rapidity like
the gray wings Of the sea gull. They land
ed near the fort, and sent messenger with
u white flag TO the comma nder. Meantime
he group was carefully observed by the cx-
cited defenders Of the fort.
They were wild set Of fell0ws, bronzad
by the sun and winds of the ocean, and with
countenances which manifested plainly
enough ih fiercencss Of the assions which
had urged them to deeds alike bloody and
cruel; in tru'h they would have made a
very study for Salvador Rosa, the robbcr.
painter-thns armed To the tceih-as they
were grouped carelessly together, with
crimson SKY far in the background, and the
adjacent forests growing indls,inc'ly in The
fading ,wiligh : The commander Of The
party attracted the greatest attention; he
was a man Of medium size. great breadth OF
shoulders, swar,hy complexion. and dark,
restless eyes; q was Immediately recog-
Dized by his heavy beard. which tell 10 his
waist; this had gained him his suiibriguei,
which was whispered under breath from
mouth to mouth through tho fort.
Il was Black Beard, no Legendary myth,
no creation Of the ronsncer, bu, a man us
notable in the history OF more southern seas
a. Robert Kidd, whose wicked deeds we
were made familiar with in the dolcful old
ballad chan,ed to us in childhood. A par
ley was held under the walls Of the fort
The sea.robber had come-lllough with no
Dir OF condescenslon--to ask pardon for his
deeds agains, human and divine law; Hc-
cording to a recent colonial act, the request
could not be refused; governments hold tn
no such motto as "FSot jvsiiiia, ruai
ccium." Perhaps, as he proiessed, he was
tired OF so desperate q life; perhaps be
feared u crew grown accustomed Ia blood,
or that his vessel had too many holes be.
tween wind and water 10 weather much
longer the heavy storms Of the Atlantic;
whStcver may have been his motives, he
promised TO send away bis men, To retire 10
peaceful life, and that hi, vessel should be
delivered to the proper authorities before
midnight. Having made the requisite ar.
rangemen,s, he retired TO his boat with his
men, and was soon lost in the darkness.
As the nigh, advanced, heavy sounds
were heard in the direction Of the distant
ship, and hoarsely uttered oaths in Spanish
and English, and OF intervals the regular dip
Of oars dying away in distant part of the
bay. Black Beard fulfilled his promise.
Towards midnight the eyes ot the recently
alarmed villagers were beut in,o The gloom
Of the bay. II was an inter lunar period,
and every distant object wac wrapped in OBJ.
security. A ruddy cloud Of snoke began TO
rise above the wall Of trees in the south.
western horizon; gradually the spars ond
eordage Of the buccaneer came into sight
then her port.holes, one by one, CLEANED
with light, which, increasing in intensity,
made the vessel appear vast furnace OF
brilliant light, showed the doomed ship in
relief, and even the 6gure.head and carv-
ings Of her stern, which, according TO the
fashion Of the period, were elaborate, be- |
came visible. At irregular intervals more
dazzling light would fash along her sides,
and the report of cannon boom across the
water. Flames burst from the h,'chways,
and catching TIC inhammable rigging. ran
swiftly mp the shrouds from rope TO rope,
from spar to spar raised by the heated air,
the fsg hoated once more into view II was
no craven emblem Of truce that quivcrcd at
the mas, heed, bu, the Appropriate colors oi
the ship, black as Erebus. Whilst all eyes
were fascinated by this strange spectacle,
There came burst of thunder sound" q
vast fame shot up into the sky, illuminating
the adjacent and distant shores, and, like the
summer lightning, showing the delicate
green foliage Of the trees and tho white
faces Of the spectators; a thousand burning
fragments fell Kissing in,o the water; like q
tableau of the pyrocchnist the vessel had
disappeared. Night dropped her charitable
mantle over the scene. The stars came out
again; through the floating clouds Of smoke
the gentle Babes IN the Wood looked soflly
down from the sou,hctn irmsnent; tho Plei
ades with their 'sweet influences" sparkled
brightly in the east, and the Great Bear
crcpt sullenly down The northwestern sky.
Morning at length broke, June morning
without clouds, dewy and calm. A mock.
ing bird, from his resting place in loafy |
spice.irec-like skilful oresnist who tam
ializes Us by carelessly recalling sweet mel
odles from the old masters, and running
hastily thruugh the compass Of his wonder
ful instrument--began early 10 initiate the
whole orchestra Of birds. Acst.bird. happy |
IN the CO pass Of her voice, an acknowl.
edged prima donna. executed with Q, quislte |
precision her ma,in j,biIate from clump Of
ha.bus''es. The villagers looked fo'th,
scarcely crediting their memory Of the,
events OF the night the air grew haxy the |
sun shot hot shafts Of light ,hroug the trees;
the d'sagrccsblc yet not ungncefal buz.
zards, rising Into cooler atmosphere, sailed
without feather high up in the cloudless
ether: tho ncpsos,s =, r;c 4, A., A., 6.tJ..