Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1869-10-12
knowed the way he rose from the wa.

knowed the way he rose from the wa.
ter that he was gaining gradually.
"'Ef he don't come too close afore
dark says Simpson, think We can
get clear of him. A starn chase is
long one, and in three hours night
will shet down."
"sBut there will be nearly full
moon tonight
"'Blast you,' says he, you're the
navigator, and eff you don't git me
out of this ere scrape I'll blow your
brains ouss.
"FCapt. Simpson, said l, there
amt but one way as l knows on, and
that is to cripple his spars with our
long thirty two so soon as he gifts
within range
about sundown we could see the
bone he was fetchin' in his teeth, and
then know'd it was all up with the
pirate. In half an hour Simpson
trained the thirty two and fired; but
the shot didn't seem to hit. just then
the sloop yawed two or three p'ints
and sent three messengers, one arter
the other, at US, the third one takin'
our main royal mast clean off; but as
we was runnin' dead afore the wind
it did not make much difference. as
the fore one drawed all the better
We found out, howsomever, that the
sloop had heavier metal and more of
it, which wasn't a pleasant reflection
to Capt. Simpson. About half past
nine o'clock the sloop wus within
quarter OF a mile, and roundin' to
give US a broadside, which sent the
splinters fyin' in all directions and
made our scuppers red. I looked
round for Capt. Simpson, and found
him fat on deck with a bad cut in his
head. He had been knocked sense
less by splinter, but wasn't serious
damaged. That was my chance; so
called for three or four men to come
aft and help carry the captain below.
We laid him on the transom lockers,
and sent the men away to the guns,
as soon as they was gone | clapped a
pair of handouts on Simpson, and
lashed his legs together, and then
made him fast to couple of ringbolts
on the cabin floor so he couldn't help
himself. All this time the sloop was
pourin it into US, and the pirate
crew was answerin' the best they
could. Among the men was one of
my old shipmates | got to go black
bird catchin' in the Cruiser, and when
went on deck again | sung out for
Tom Jackson and another man named
Dick Brown. They came aft, and l
says to them:
lads, you see how things is goin' !;
eff we get catched here we are bound
to swing; but ef you have mind to
save yourselves, just put beaker or
two Of water and bag of biscuit in
that starboard quarter boat, then get
into her, cast off the falls, and lower
away easy. No one will see or hear
YOU in this rumpus, and We can git
away in the dark
In the mean time | kept encoura-
GIN the crew to fight on and never
give up the ship, tellin' 'em eff they
could only cripple the sloop we might
git off with fyin' colors and they did
fight like wild tigers, for every man
knowed there was a halter round his
neck. The two men did as told 'em,
and steadily lowered away the boat,
which was then under shelter, as | had
put the helm to starboard and we was
then goin' with our port broadside to
the sloop. Seem everything all right,
| got hold of the fall and was lower.
in myself away roundly, when l heard
Capt. Simpson roarin and cursin' like
thunder. Cast off, says l, and let
her fall astern.' In few minutes we
was a hundred yards clear of the
Shark, and then we took to our oars
but we heard the roar of guns for sew
eral minutes afterward. Next day
we made Virgin Gorda, where We went
ashore, and told the people that we
had abandoned the brig Cruiser, which
sprung leak and foundered, and tina
the rest had gone on to St. Thomas il
the long boat, which was fitted ou
with a sail and plenty of grub. Two
days afterward we shipped in drog
her for Kingston, Jamaica, and go
there just in time to see Capt. Simp
son and twenty two of his men hang
ed for piracy. The British sloop OF
war Brisk had captured the Shark
| took care, however, to keep a goot
lot of doubloons when we left the pi
rate, and with that ere money bo'
my farm below there, and never wen
to sea afterward."