The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1867-11-15
the cantain xhisnered to me:

the captain whispered to me:
bend on our studding sails. and up with
them. Work with will, for we must
show clean pair of heels even If we are
deep in the water.
By this time we were hundred fathoms
to the ieeward of the Tuscaloosa. (for it
was that pira,ical craft. and the officers of
the barque began to be little suspicious of
our movements, thinking that we did not
huff up quite as quick as We might have
done
At last the captain of the Tuscaloosa be-
gan to smell Yankee trick We were get
ting too far from his lee to suit him.
Suddenly port was opened and gun
run out. There was a fash, a volume of
blue smoke, aud then the roar of a heavy
gun. 1t was blank cartridge, and intend
Ell to warn us that We were playing with a
dangerous customer.
With the discharge of the gun, down
| came the stars and stripes, which the pr,
vateer had shown, and up went the stars
and bars, and the Tuscaloosa revealed her
| true character, to the astouishment OF the
men. who supposed that she was United
| States cruiser and wondered what the old
man meant by not hea ing 20, as ordered.
up with the >tuddng sails, cried cap
tain Dillingham;, who nov saw that luz
aud speed alone could save his vessel
The men recovered from their astonish
ment, and went 70 work with IA rush !; but
/ you will understand that we did NOT feel as
cool "a We should have done, had no enemy
been in sight, for, in the FIRST place, the man
At the wheel was 20 frightened at the re
port of the gun that he came near letting
the ship brosch to, and trembel as if freez
ipg with cold, 80 another man had to be
sent TO relieve him. while |, in attempting
To set -tudiing sail, made n blinder, and
Gent on the lower part instead of the up
per. AMI did nor discover my mistake until
the -al was half way up,
We began 10 make good headvay and
increased the distance between the pirate
and ourselves, AMI then the fellow saw that
1t was useless to throw grass when he could
pitch stones, so up went another port. and
forty pound ball came skipping after Us,
III direct line, but when twenty fathoms
astern. it struck heavy swell and disap-
peared.
Then the officers Of the Tuscaloosa be-
gan to get enraSed, aud they let of gun
after gun, but with such poor aim that the
shots tell wide OF the mark, 40 the .SpOu
S9u1H was not even g,azed, but now lad
|
away and came after rs with every rag set,
and Is the vessel was fving lixht and fa>,
safer, while Our -hip was deep in the water
and with not half wind enough to suit US
the race began 10 grow Interesting.
| need I tell you how we prayed for wind
anal how wc piled on the canvass. every
thing that would dra " below and aloft ana
yet We just held our own ani had nothing
to spare, while, if the wind failed Us, cap
cure was c~rIaIn.
In this dalisma the captain formed the
resolution OF thro wing overheard some o
the cargo and thus putting the >hipln bet
ter trim tor sailing. AT his command of
came tile matches lore AMI at. aud ont came
the cargo with rush, even Mrs. DIllng
haa and The s,eHarde>S lending hel ping
hand. We also started casks of water, an
III IA few hours lighiened the ship some ,iy
inches; AMI then the pirates saw that W.
we're leaving them. and in their rage round
"a! ~ AMI gave Us the whole of their broad
side; bar not slot struck IL. and the
Ttsc,',rsa GUY lost more ground by tn.
operation, 30 was u di>pn-ed 10 repeat it
Once more she Fl ed av ~ a,,l ca.ar aiie,
us, but every hour only >Eoa..i that =,
We're too swift for her, and as night c.n.
o. the orivIseer was nearly hall io~n, #,
| Al! nind> were caiiei az. TO return thapl
to God Tor our wonderful! escape, AMI .hc,
prayers were over We altered tht coarse OF
the ship to northwest. ard me next morn
iug the Tuscnloos1 wa> uu' OF .Sht. and
We saw no more priyatecrs during the pas
| sage.
A. soon as [ had settled up the voyage
received an appointment in the navy, and
In the navy L have been ever since
Pa ,scngers for Woliborou.h," cried
one OF the deck hands, and jn-t then the
steamer bumped against he dock. and with
! sincere thanks Tor the warm, the naval OH
Ger and | parted, aud if thi, should IA, e.
his eye, | hope that he will u iml, that |
have told the story "a hr told 1t TO me-