Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1869-10-12


"But twas no use; the stranger
follered suit, and came up with us
hand over hand. When he got within
range OF eight hundred yards, he yaw.
ed three p'ints to port, and let 60 a
couple of feelers which made kindlin'
wood of our main topgallant mast, and
brought all above down by the run.
At the same time he h'isted the black
flag with the deaths head and cross
bones. Hehad twelve long 12-pounder
guns and a pivot 32-pounder amid
ships. His decks were crowded with
men; but we agreed to fight it out to
the bitter end. The matches was on,
and the niggers all fastened down, the
guns cast loose and manned, ammuni-
ton served, and the ball set rollin' in
earnest. Twas the fust fight | ever
was in, but not the last by a darned
sight. We fought all we could, but
the pirate picked his distance and let
into US fearful. More'n half the crew
was killed, besides a good many
wounded. Two of our guns had been
knocked kittin', and Capt. Leonard
was bad hurt. There was nothin' else
to do but to haul down the flag and
surrender. You must remember that
all this ere took place seventy-fve
years ago, when slavin' was almost
considered good, lawful business, and
when the Spanish main swarmed with
pirates. You ought to hev seen them
fellers board US after our flag was
down. The fust thing they did was
to iron every man of US, then they
took off the matches and commenced
sendin' the niggers aboard their YES.
sci. Our between decks was a sight
-more'n hundred niggers had been
killed by the pirates shot, and a heap
more hurt; but over three hundred
were found alive, although half dead
with fear and confinement. for the
poor devils didn't know what was up.
All the niggers as was bad hart was
left, aboard; but everybody else alive,
and everything worth havin' was car
ried aboard the pirate brig, which was
named the Shark, The Cruiser was
a-sinkin' fast, and went down starn
fust in less than twenty minutes ar
terwards. | expected every minute
they would make short work with Us !;
but they didn't seem to hurry about
it, just then. When Capt. Leonard
stepped aboard the pirate her captain
stood on the weather quarter and
says:
" Welcome aboard the Shark. l
reckon your niggers is worth nigh a
quarter of a million to u.s.
a. Capt. Leonard spoke up, and
said: I'm bad hurt; hev you got a
doctor aboard 2
ayes, says the pirate; I'll cure
you. Doctor, come here!
The hail was answered by the
cook--a great big nigger, who came
up laughin, and says: What's to be
done, sar?'
az The captain of the Cruiser re-
quires your professional services: see
what you kin do for him
"The darkey went up to our skip
per, and axed him 9 eff there was any
one among US who knowed how to
navigate. Captain Leonard pointed
to me-for Mr.. Black had been killed
and told the pirate cook l was a
good navigator; and he no sooner got
the words out Of his mouth than the
cook lifted him up like a child and
flung him over the weather quarter.
We all had irons upon us, and Cap
tain Leonard soon snnk from sight in
the clear blue water. Then the pi.
rate captain said to me; kin you
navigate ?
"Yes, sir says |.
"'Will you navigate the Shark, and
take chance with US, or will you fol.
Ter your skipper?' says he.
az | amt ready to take more salt
water'n my stomach will bear just
now, says |, and might as well make
the best Of this bargain.
"Spoke like man. he said anG
then turning to the rest OF our crew
as was left alive and sound, the wound
ed ones being hove overheard, he axec
: them eff they'd jine, because, said he
you killed and wounded a lot of my
fellows, and want to keep full crew.
There was no refusal on the part of
the men, and the captain who was
named Simpson, big, double-fsteC
l chap-gave the order to cast 'em loose
and take 'em into the forecastle, Will,
he ordered me to take the forward
port stateroom in the cabin. You set
| his mate had been killed in the action
and as he was the only man aboard al
knowed anything about navigation
my life was spared to fill his place fo,
/ the time bein'. Lay her course fo
i St. Jago de Cuba he said to me mex
day, and I did so. In course of tim
/, we got in safe and sound. Simpson
e took the Cruisers papers ashore, pass
4 ed the Custom House all right, ant
I sold the niggers for an average ol
e S400 apiece. We then up anchor
n and stood for Samana, in San Don
4 niger, where we had a great spre
e which lasted ten days. By this tim
e | managed to get the weather side o.
t Simpson, and he told me how he ha
t murdered the first captain of the SHARK
It and took his place; but as he couldn'
S navigate the vessel, he pitched upo
h me for that sarvice. l ventured to a
t. him what he did with his wounde
e men, as | never seed any of ther
aboard. Pitched 'em all overheard
!. he said. | can't afford to have
'. hospital On the Shark We cruise
for more'n ten months, taking eigl
d prizes in that time; a-burnin' an
scuttlin' the vessels, and maxim a
. aboard them walk the plank" wa
(. afeared to raise any conspiracy, b,
cause Simpson had a lot of spie
+ amongst the crew, and they told hi
# all that was goin' on, and he blowe
out the brains of four or five men fc
4 almost nothin' at all and he told tt
70 rest that there would be just so muc
r. more prize money to divide among
: them. One artenoon about four o'cloc
~ we was in the Caribbean Sea, watchi