Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1871-10-11

Inc tTa4e 10 Wulch my vessel was en-
gagged was a very lucrative one in thos
days. 1t was my custom to obtain 10 some
cue Of the colonial ports, Melbourne 9r
Sidney, generally, heterogeneous cargo
of cheap aud almost useless, but, never
theless, gaudy trinkets, knives, beads, ETC.,
and cruise about among the numerous Is
lands which comprise Australasia, until
had bartered away all my motions " and
received from the uneiviized nations
goodly freight of valuable articles in ex-
change.
On the day in question, we we're on
our passage back to Sidney, having fn.
ished leading at the Friendly Isles about
a week previous. Awe gradually neared
the little boat, | noticed that eight per-
sons were her occupants-seven men and
one female.
When VIC hove-to aud she ran alongside
my astonishmcnt knew no bounds, as |
recognized in her helmsman my familiar
friend, Captain Vines, and in the fair girl
who sat beside him his daughter Ethel.
"Why! where's the Outer? and what
on earth-or rather sea-are you doing
about in that shallep?" | cried, as the
hale old skipper sprung with agility abo' rd.
"She's in one of the bays Of New Gale
donia, if the Internal natives have not
broken her up get. We were lying there all
snug and safe, as we thought, aud | had
done a pretty good stroke of business with
the chief Of tribe ashore there, when
they surprised aud captured the brig be-
fore we had time to make any resistance,
and it was only with much difficulty we
could persuade them to let US take the
long-boat and small stock Of provisions,
and clear out from them. They offered
to make us comfortable ashore; but one
of my crew, who is halt-bred Fijian. and
Of course understands their language, as
sured US that it was all trap-that they
wanted to murder US all except poor lit
tie Ethel, whom the chiefs sou wanted
for a squaw. We were steering for Sid
ney, where hoped to find some mau-o'-
war that woLId 90 aud rescue the Otter,
or punish the natives for their treachery;
but pm pleased to have met you, for its
Just us likely as not that we should never
have fetched so far as Australia"
My men slung a chair from the main
yard.arm and hoisted Miss Vines aboard;
as she sterpeed upon deck, she looked so
ovcly aad greeted me so cordially that |
Immediately resolved to take my vessel,
which was pretty heavily armed for a
trader, to the island where the Otter had
been seized, and endeayor to effect her
recapture. My crew expressed gratfca-
ton by vociferously cheering when | pro-
pounded my scheme, Ethel thanked me
with her eloquent eyes, Vines by nearly
dislocating my fingers with the vice-like
pressure Of his own,
BY noon the Boadacea's sails were
trimmed, and her course shaped for New
Caledonia.
had first met Captain Vines and his
daughter about six months previously,
when both our vessels were lying in Hob
sons Bay, Port Phillip.
Over the taffrals of those vessels float
ed the flag symbolic of freedom-thc star
spauged banner Compatrotism had first
led to our becoming acquainted; affection
that soon terminated in my breast for the
fair Ethel, had fostered and strengthened
our friendship. | was young, and, like
most sailors, susceptible; Miss Vines was
endowed with superb beauty and talents
Of high order.
While the Boadacea was progressing
toward New Caledonia, Captain Vines
and carefully matured the plan of actor
to be pursued on arrival at the island
But this was all rudely upset by mos
unfortunate accident, that occurred JUS
as were nearing land New Caledonia Is
surrounded by coral reefs and ledges
which lie in every direction; and as tht
coast had then been very imperiectly sur
veyed, on the night prior to the day OIL
which we expected to reach the bay where
the Otter had been captured, the I'oadacei
struck heavily on coral patch not marked
upon the chart, swung clear, aud settlet
down in two and half falhoms. AS sh'
was drawing over ten feet Of water whel
, she struck, we we're 10 no very lmlnen
danger, so long as the weather was calm
but we knew that if the wind arose, AM
the long, leavy rollers Of the South Pa
cifc came bursting in, she would inevita
bly, 60 to pieces. Therefore, we made ev
cry preparation for abandoning her.
!. II guess the best thing we can do, Vine
} now we muster so strong-nineteen par
/ of willing hands, and Miss Ethel's clcve