The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1869-02-12
Misfellauenns.
THE REFER OF rs.
A THRILLING DESCRIPTION OF A NAVAL
ENGAGEMENT.

~----~-
Sail ho!' sung out the lookout, one
sunny afternoon, rs we bowled along pc
fore a pleasant gale. In an instant the
drOwsiest among us was fully awake.
The officers thronged the quarter-deck !
the fOre-top men eagerly scanned the nor
izon: skulkers stole out from beneath
the bulwarks where they had been doz-
ing, and the late quiet decks Of the schoon-
err, which but moment since lay hushed
I'm the drowsy silence OF a sultry AFTER
noon, now swarmed with noisy and curl
Gus gaZers.
.Whereawayy' asked the officer Of the
deck.
.Broad on the weather BEAM
.Can you make her out?'
a heavy square rugged vessel,
DO her royals Imp
AVE, sir; but only this moment
'How does she bearT
'West and by west SOU west
A West Indiaman, perhaps
.Ay, sir, can see her to'-gallants now /;
they belong to heavy craft
Pipe all hands to make sail, boat
swain
Aye, aye, SIR
'rhe strange sail Is hauling up into the
wind,' sung out the lookout. a..,.. ..
'Ay-take the glass, Mr.. Parker, and
spring into the cross trees to see what
You can make of her. All hands aloft--
loose and sheet home fore and maintop-
sail. Merrily, there. How does she look
Nr. Parkery
'She seems heavy merchant-man by
her rig; an! now her tOpsails lit, large
and square. with a cross In them. It's
not the rig Of n man-o'-war.' . s. ..
Ease of the sheet-man the lee-braces
hard down the helm
'Ay. ay, sir said the quarter-master,
as he whirled around the wheel, and the
gallant craft danced lightly up into the
wind, like race horses beneath the spur
while the men stood mt their respective
stations eagerly waiting the command.
Round there, with the fOretOp-sail-
haul In fore and aft-belay all! came i'm
quick succession flom the quarterback,
as we bowed before the breeze, and dash
ing the spray on either side our ci,twater
went Off almost dead In the Winds eye.
The sharp wind, rs II sang through our
cordagc, and the momentary dashing OF
the sea across our bows, rs we thumped
against the surges. afforded pleasant
relief to the occasional crcaking OF the
shrouds, or the dull monotonOus sounds
OF the water washing lazily alongside,
which we had been listening to for the
last hour. The change had an exhllarat-
ing effect upon our spirits, which was
pcreeptible rs well among officers as
among men. Besides, we were all eager
for prize. Every man, therefore, was
mt his station. and hundred eager faces
looked out from the fOrecastle, the tops,
or wherever their owners chanced to be.
The captain, too, was upon deck scanning
the stranger with a scrutiniz'ng eye.
Can you see her hull yet, MIR. Parkcr?'
he asked.
No, sir her cOurces show to the very
foot. But here 1t comes. Six ports on a
side, sir, though they look like painted
ones
She's setting her light sails
Every one Of them, sir; and wctting
down their malnsail.'.
How are her decksT
Crowded, sir. There's the glancing
of n musket, as live. She carries troops,
sir, l fancy
a transport
AYE, sirv
The interest had gone on deepening,
during these rapid questions and answers,
until at my last reply a suppressed buzz
ran around the ship. No one spoke, but
each looked into his messmate's face, and
II was obvious that the question, could we
capture our opponents, or would we our
selves become the preyY was uppermost
In every mind. But the person most in
terested In the event was apparently the
least concerned OF any; and without NOV
fng muscle of his face, the captain leis-
urely closed his glass. and turning with q
smile, to his lieutenant, said
We shall be likely to have sharp
brush, Mr.. LennoN: In fact our men are
getting rusty, and we want something OF
n close. contested battle to burnish them
up. We shall open the magazine, and 90
TO quarters directly
Everything that could be made to draw,
was by this time set, and we were eating
into the wind after the stranger with q
rapdity that promised even to the most
sanguine of speedy realization of Oui
hopes. AS we aimed upon the merchant.
man, the crowded state of his decks be
came more and more apparent, and we
could plainly detect, by means OF Oui
glasses, that every excrtlon, even to wet.
ting down the sails to the royals, wa:
But all was In vain. Few vessels ailoai
could beat us on the track we were now
going, nor was Ii long before we had the
chase within range of our long Tom.
she hasn't shown her bunting as yet !;
said Captain Stuart, "but we'll throw q
shot across her, run up our flag, and SET
what answer she makes
The long gun was cast loose. the foot
of the foresail lifled and the gunner ap.
plying the match the ball went whizzing
on its way; while at the same moment
our flag was run up to the gaff. and blow
ing out to lceward, disclosed the arms OF
our colony For u few minutes the shot
might have been seen rlchochettlng along
the waves, until 1t plunged into the sea
few fathoms on the larbOard of the stran'
ger. Still, however, no ensign was shown
by the chase.
Pitch shot into her this time, Mr.
Matchbox calculated the skipper, al.
dressing the gunner, and see II that will
bring her out
Aye. aye. sir said the old fellow,
squirting along his piece, and aware that
he was one of the best marksmcn afloat
In any service, 'ay. ny, Wen awake them
To n sense of their condition presently
We III uIlNC tUO Solu uou tnbWSu anu
through the reprobates; too high, a little
more Enthusiastically all. aud mark
the mischief cried the old fellow, apply
Ing the match. The rest OF the sentence
was lost In the deaiening report Of the
cannon; sheet ofilrc was seen streaming
out an instant from the mouth of the
piece; and Us the pale white smoke sailed
slowly eddying away to lcewar,l, the old
gunner might have been discerned. bend
ing eagerly forward, and shading his eyes
with his hands, rs he gazed ailcr the patti,
ofthe ball. .s....
'By the Lori Harry how II makes the
splinters ilyr said the old fellow. as the
shot, striking full on the quarter of the
chase, went through and through her
deck.
And there goes her flag at last said
Westhrook. rs the ensign Of England
fioated from the quarter OF the merchant
man, while at the same moment q cloud
or smoke pulled from her stern, and a
shot, skimming along the deep, toward
rs, plunged into the waters n cables
lenth ahead.
II. s.rl n. q,