The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1874-05-12

wan maue lu uay
'Harda.lee y shouted the captain, who
had now come on deck Its no use, pill
OF, the fates are against US. We must
run under the big fellows quarter
Il say. Bill exclaimed the old man as
he brought the schooner up in the wind,
we shall be put on short allowance soon,
and we must make the most Of it while
we can However. those were old-fash.
ioned times, when glass Of bitters was
rolled as a sweet morse over the tongue.
Schooner ahoy!' shouted grutf voice
from the gaugway Of the larger vessel,
which proved to be the frigate, Your
name and cargo2'
The Fox Of Salem, with -four, was the
reply.
'Ay. ay,' was the response, followed in
few moments by an order to drop along
side of her consort, which was short
distance to leeward. aud discharge part
Of her cargo, reserving the balance for
the frigate.
The feelings of our Yankee skipper
may be better imagined than described
when, on obeying the order, he found
himself fastened to his old captor, the
Prometheus. Curses not few were
showered upon him for the Yankee trick
he had played them. We've got you
now, my fine fellows, safe enough said
one Of the officers experimenting tho
tackle by which the -four was discharged.
You'll have TO take it, my boys, said
another. Despite its cunning and doub.
ling, we have unearthcd the Fox this
time. added third and so the remarks
ran on as they proceeded to transfer the
-four from the schooner to the sloop-of.
war. Before doing this. however. six
hammocks with their bedding were flung
over the schooner's side as feuders to pre-.
vent chafng.
Our Yankees listened to the taunting
remarks Of their captors in silence, and
doggedy assisted in breaking bulk, save
now and then the old pilot grumbled out
his spleen in anything but the choicest
language,as he cast rather wolfy glance
at the mass Of heads that peered down
upon them from the railing of their
enemy.
About thirty barrels had been trans
ferred when the .rigatc, which was new
at the lceward, suddenly threw out q
signal to the Promethcus to follow her in
chase Of a strange sail, apparently a large
vessel which had just appeared in sight
Not stopping to take in the hammocks
and determined not to lose their present
prize second time, they seized the
schooncrs cable around the forcmast, and
taking it on board the sloop. of. war, made
it fast. They then ordered our skipper
to make sail threatening if be attempted
to escape to sink him on the instant. The
Promclheus soon started in chase, with
the Fox in tow. The wind blew prctt,
fresh. and the schooner dashed along at
merry rate in the wake of her captor, hel
speed being such as to cause but littl,
hindrance to the sloop.
1t was past noon when the chase com
mcnced, and for two or three hours tn,
Prometheus and her prize slipped alon,
in fine style, when. thinking that now Of
never was the time to effect an escape
Henssler, after consulting with the cap
tain, crept along on his hands and knee.
with n Ratchet, aud succeeded in severinl
nearly all the strands of the cable which
served as tow line, taking the p.v.au
tion, however. to leave the out ends a.
though the cable had parted. la shor
time afterward the pilot managed, by
yawnlng the schooner, to bring pretty
hard strain upon the cable. and they had
the satisfaction Of seeing it suap like ;
thread. Tho schooner after this contin
ued on her course as though she did no
mean to attempt to give her captor tn,
slip-but somehow or other her helmsmal
steered SO widely that the sloop. of wal
began fast to forge ahead of her. Thu
the captor and her prize stood on til,
same track until the sun began to ge
low, by which time the former, by he
superior sailing, had run herself nearly
hull down
Nearly time to 'bou, ship. skipper
said the pilot, inquiriugly. 1T will TAX
longer legs Than that craft has got t,
-Overtake us now, I'm thinking
Ready about = said the captain, au,
in moment the little Fox was on gu
other tack, once more running from tn
enemy.
As the night fell the wind increased
aud before night heavy gale was raging
The lugitives held on their way as lon
as they could, until it was absolulel
perlIous to run any longer. when tn ?
were obliged to lay to The wind ble'
furiously, and there was bad seu run
ming, but the Fox was noble sea boa
and she rode it out bravely TO preveu
ber making so much lee-drili, drag
was thrown over, which checked her lrol
falling oil considerably. The gale cor
tinued uuabated through the night, bu
so anxious were our Yankee crew to kee
clear Of ;hoir late cuptor, they though
little of the storm
When the morning broke so that oil
jocts could be discerned at any distance
what should greet the sight Of the wearie
watchers but the self.same cruiser st
moving like II phsntom ship around then
The vessel to which she and the frigat
r gave chase proved probably to be one O
their cruisers, aud she had put back, 10
lowing in the track Of the Fox like
hound on the scent. The gale, however
0 brought her to bay, and when she wa
; discovered she was lying to under th
s snuggest sail, abou. two miles to the lie,
$ ward. Fortunately for our Yankee, th
, gale still continued, and the sloop of wa
made 90 much lee-way that by noon,
I the great joy OF those gu board the school
er, she had driiied out Of sight. III
b weather moderatng soon after. the SIX
n per thought it best to cut sticks aud max
o tracks, which he Immediately did
e Making the best OF his way along. |
e sundown he found himself on Montau
Point intending to run into New Londo
e Thinking it best, however, after SO mar