Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-05-17
Gales and Sketehfs.
RUNNING A BLOCKADE.
BY sYLvANUs COBB, JR.
A Sketch Of the War Of lSI2.lA.

CONTINUED FROM YESTERDAY.
At one o'clock in the morning the two
schooners again made sail; and at three
the light upon Cape Elizabeth was on the
larboard quarter. At half past three Sc
guin light was in sight ahead. Seguin is
an island at the mouth of the Kennebec.
At four O'Clock the first CLEANS of the
coming day appeared upon tho horizon;
and in very few minutes afterward the
tall spars Of the British brig. g.of-war could
be distinctly made out directly ahead,
just outside of Seguin. and to the south'rd
of it.
"Now's our time" shouted Capt. Wait,
hailing his companion, who was close
under his lee.
Abner jenkins ran his vessel to the
windward Of the ''Pollv Ann" and as he
came abreast, he cried OUT
Would ye set her agoin' now?"
Yes. Are you sure she'll mind her
helm ?''
Yes. l can fix that sure"
Then do it soon as ye can. The Eng.
lishman hasn't seen us yet. Set her head
a little to the north 'rd of east!''
AYE, aye" responded jenkins; and
thereupOn he set at work.
In the meantime Wait had his sail all
taken in, so that the Englishman should
not see him, and as the water was shoal
he let go a light anchor
jenkins first movement was to lower
his boat and secure her by the painter, to
one of the stern davits. Next be put on
all sail, and had the sheets Delayed very
carefully for running with the wind little
forward of the beam. The tillcr was next
set, and as soon as he was satisfied that
the schooner would run in direct limo
with the tiller thus, he lashed it fast. He
knew the ELIZA" well enough to know
that she would be true to the course he
had given her; and having seen that the
sheets were securely Delayed, and that
nothing of any value was lett on board,
he and his crew got into the boat and
pulled for the "Polly Ann"
Away went the schooner in find style,
dasning the foam before her, and leaping
over the light waves as deiantly as could
be. Capt Wait took his glass and went
aloft. He could now see the brig plainly.
She was under easy sail, and appeared to
be lying to.
BY the course upon which the old
schooner was sailing, she would pass only
about three miles from the brig and that
too, before many minutes.
"Hi-yi " cried Wait. There she goes ~
AS he spoke wreath Of smoke curled
up from the Englishman's deck, and in a
moment more the report of heavy gun
came booming over the water.
Hes taken the bait !" shouted jenkins.
| Another and another gun doomed away
from the deck of the brig, but the schoon-
er did not stop. She dashed away over
the water with her flag flying, and showed
no disposition TO obey the Briton's sum-
mons.
eli Look !" cried Wait, as a round
shot ploughed up the water under the stern
of the flying schooner.
But this was not to last much longer.
The brig soon put up her helm and bore
away and cracked on all sail.
Away went the schooner, and away
went the brig. Bang Bang Bang =
went the Englishman's guns and the Yam
kee coaster seemed to fly the faster! But
the brig was gaining rapidly. Ere long
one of her round shot tore the poor
"Eliza's" quarterrail off; and next q shot
struck Nearer and nearer came the
brig and shot after shot riddled the poor
devoted schooner. Presently her main
mast went by the board-then her bow
spirit dropped, and finally she lay,
helpless, sinking. rotten, useless mass up
on the water, which must soon open its
bosom TO give her rest.
Meanwhile the "Polly Ann" had run up
her anchor and made sail and as the brig
overlook her prize, the successful Yankee
was passing behind Seguin. In a short
time the vessel was left upon her star
board quarter, and once more she was in
full view of the Englishman.
Lets heave-to here little while, just
to see the fun," said Wait.
"Polly Ann" was just in the mouth OF the
river. with the wind fair for running her
up at any moment.
So the schooner was hove to. and all
hands gathered ait to watch the opera
tions OF the evening. Beside the heavy
guns which Wal. had slowed away under
the main hatch, for the privateers, he had
lot of muskets. He had eight OF these