The Placer herald., 1874-04-25

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"That was a God-send, Mr.. Barlow" l
exclaimed to my mate. 1--WE have tackled
in good time, few minutes more and the
Black John would have been high and dry
on the coral reefs
"Aye, sir" responded the mate, "she
must have flown tonight"
81 think the current has been setting
very strong with u.s."
"No doubt of It, Captain" said Mr..
Barlow: :"it often sets along here two aud a
half to three knots an hour. easterly."
well we will now shorten sail and lay
by till daylight. Sail was then taken in
and we were soon lying-to under a double
reefen foresail. 1t was now midnie ht and
the mate took the watch. 1 was on the
point of leaving the deck when dark OBJ
ject just to wipdward attracted my atten-
tion
"What is that, Mr. Barlow p
81 can hardly make it out" he replied,
"but should call it a SAIL
"Or is it key p l said.
"It is a sail for now we can see the faint
gimmer of light"
| eyes, and on the same track as our
selves, coaster, or Spanish dro, her most
likely, bound westerly and like ourselves
awaiting an end of the norther."
"Or, what is as likely to me, sir a
rover or pirate; for see," he continued,
"they have spied us, and are making more
sail" + 'a''
| Indeed double-reefed mainsail was ad-
ded to the schooner, for such she proved 10
be.
She then tackled to the eastward, and
after a few moments kept off before the
wind and crossed our stern, then hauling her
wind, she passed under our lee, luffiing sharp
across our bows.
| "Well he intends to see what we ore, at
any rate" said the first to The second mate.
''He is one of them, doubt not, said
Willis, for these vessels who hold rowing
commission all have some signal or other by
which they are readily known to each other,
night or day. and ten to one but we shall
soon see one made.
Nor had he ceased speaking when blue
flame seemed to shoot up from amidshps,
which was thrice repeated, when, to my
astonshment, a bright light glared up from
the forecastle of our own vessel.
"What means that light, Mr.. Barlow
Who dares answer signals here p
The quick eye of the mate had also
caught sight of the light at the same mo-
ment, when he rushed forward to ascertain
what caused it. He soon returned and
said, Zone of the hands had nslaid his Goa,
and had brought up light to find it,"
"W no was it p
"One Antonio, who was shipped in Ha-
vana. " -
"Cal all hands, Mr.. Barlow, and let the
men bold themselves in readiness for imme-
date action if required. Have the reefed
main-sa and jib set at once" All this
transpired in a few moments. The men
formed in groups awaiting orders.
"Are we all ready for a brush, Mr.. Bar
low ?" said. ...-.
"Aye, aye, sir; ready and willing"
My passengers were now awake and at
my side. They had no doubt as to the
strange sail, knowing we were now iii the
very nest of pirates. But as it was still
blowing very fresh l supposed, and with
good reason, that no attempt to attack or
board US would be made before daylight;
and so it proved, for after crossing our bows
and getting well to windward, she kept
along on our weather beam until daylight Of
The following morning. .aaa5 c6e
Perceiving the pirates intention Of sus-
pending further operations until morning,
gave permission for portion Of the ships
company TO 20 below, but to be ready at a
moments notice to repair to their respective
stations on deck, should any demonstration
be made by the corsair. Nor did l for. ct
to cause sharp eye kept on the man An
tonic, who had. as l fully believed, inteu-
iioqa'ly answered their signal, not doubling
but he was leagued with them. Nothing
further ranspired to disturb us up to the
dawn of day, at which time the wind had
moderated, the norther having spent its
force We had mads all drawing SAIL as
had the other vessel; we sailed nearly alike,
but towards morning the stranger had
dropped about mile astern, intending, no
doubt, to have fair view of US by day
light. Well, the morning was advancing,
and it was soon light enough to see that the
rover was about the same tonnage Of our
own vessel; indeed description of one was
that of the other, both vessels were Balti-
more clippers, and it was remarked at the
time that they looked enough alike to be
twin sisters, both vessels being faultless in
model, spars, sails and rigging, both clipper
built. and both very fast sailers
ordered the larger portion of my crew
to lie close and not show themselves, re-
serving just men enough to work IL o vessel
Ample time had been given us to make all
necessary preparation to give them warm
reception in case Of an attack. The long
eighteen was carefully loaded and passed on
pivot, could be easily pointed in any M
rection. a spare sail was thrown over it, that
it might not be easily discovered.
1t soon became obvious that they were in
no haste to approach too near, as they still
kept about two miles distant and two points
on our weather quarter. By aid Of our
night glasses we could perceive men in her
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