St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1870-06-24
From the Good Words for the Young.
4 Ni1Hf N an -1TricHH cruiser.

Sail ln. The chceriag cry from the
masthead aroused the slumberng watch
OF Her Maje~jy's bri@ Puhtlooq, and dis
PEELED the waking dreams in winch |. the
officer OF the watch. was inlulgiug.
We were cruis.ng-lookin. out for
slaver>-oil the mouth of the Congo and
aS 4 pleasant changc in the middle of the
rainy seas III, the nj 1T was starlight.
Sending word TO the captain. mad. all
sail on the ship. and in few minutes
our spars were covered with canvass.
and the brig gliding through tie smo .th
water under the influence of Il land wind
which had sprung up.
Our men clustered forward in bows.
eagerly trying to discover the chase.
which was as Yet visible to no ewes cX-
ccpt those Of the krouman at the mast
head who h"d first reported the strange
sail As Il culorcd mans power of Wis
ion in the ni2ht-lime is generally supe-
nor to that OF a white person, the Sus-
pense was endured for nearly quarter
of AN hour, but at length the captain,
fearing lest the anticipated prize should
prove myth, hailed in dialect suited 10
the krooman. king Tom, You sure
you see him.
Yes, captain, him live out de,e,' re
piled the individual bearing the regal
c"gnomen pointing right ahead. In a
few more minutes the good faith of King
Tom was verified, the strange sail being
plainly seen OH the line Of the horizon,
and the distance between the Pantaioou
and her prey rapidly lcSsened.
Clear away the gun forward and give
her blank cartridge. was an order
obeycd rs soon as given. The long thir-
ty-two pounder beloved forth, and the
flash iliumined momentariIy the excited
faces OH deck. As the report died away all
eyes were bent on the chase to discover
it she obeyed that authoritive signal to
'heave to ; but her white sails still
CLEANED in the moonlight, and she pur-
sued her course regardless OF the mandate.
Tins perseverance to escape gave good
assurance that we were in pursuit of a
slave-ship. Many OF the crew began al
ready in imagination to spend their prize
money; the kroomen especially were
chuckllug with delight, for the very day
preceding, at their earnest request-madt
in consequence Of no SLAYER having beer
seen for some months-the figure head Of
the Icmtalo0H Ia capital reproduction Of
the pantomine) had had his spectacle.
repainted, 'to make him see better
The proverbial slip between cup and
/ lip had however, yet 10 be illustrated
The guns having been again loaded
this time with shot, the gunner wa
standing lanyard in hand, waiting til,
order to fire, when the captains atten
ton was attracted by the tapping of th
sails-which hitherto had kept full
against the mast; the land wind haC
suddenly subsided, aud hot stifiin;
calm succeeded. On looking round h
discovered i'll one quarter of the horizon
the small cloud, literally as mans han,
which 10 experienced eyes betokens tn
quick approach OF Il tornado and l.
knew well that if one OF these awfu
storms struck the ship while all the sal
was set, nothing but the loss Of her mast
could save her.
No time now TO think Of aught but til
safety OF the ship. Hands shorten sail
Quick, men, uick,-for your lives
shouted the captain. The crew, awar
Of the danger, worked well sail after sa
was taken in, until, instead of Il cloud {
4
alott but the. clear tracery OF spars an