Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1875-07-02
THE WEsTINDIAN PIRATES.

i dSS dSAOClG1 dHl desperate NdlOTs-
They were composed of men of all
nations, runaway sailors from Eng
Iish, Danish, French and Dutch yes
sels-thOugh, probably, the larger
portion of them were men of Spanish
race, natives of Cuba or of the old
Spanish settlements of the Southern
States of America.
l had taken passage on board the
merchant ship Mary, at Belize, and
we were on our voyage to Liverpool,
when the following accident befel
me.
had seen the captain standing on
the after-deck, and from time to
time, eagerly surveying with his glass
some object in our wake. l walked
up to him on one of these occasions,
and inquired what he was trying to
make out.
There is strange vessel in sight,
he answered, but l can't quite make
her OUT
"She may be one of those Bristol
traders that were nearly ready to
sail when we left port 1 observed.
No; she doesn't look like one of
that sort. She seems Of some bastard
rig; but we msy mako her out by
and-by.'
"You do not think we are pursu-
ed? / asked, feeling alarmed, as
landsmen are usually disposed to be
at sea, when they encounter anything
that looks mysterious. iri sas.q :
Really, l cannot tell was his an
swer; but | suppose it will be time
enough to cry out when we're likely
to be hurt, '-s
And SO saying, he ssrOde forward
with his glass.
Night fell; but the air was so hot
and sitting below, that found sleep
next to impossible. If / slept for q
moment, l was haunted by dreams of
pirates, sharks and shipwrecks; SO I
hurried on my clothes and again
sought the deck. The moon was half
way up in the heavens, and not a
cloud was in sight; countless stars
of wondrous beauty and brilliancy
gemmed the sky, and the ocean was
flooded with their light. A long line
of quivering rays lay flashing on the
bosom of the sea, like vien Of quick
silver, right under the moons eye.
All was quiet, peaceful, beautiful; it
was a magnificent night, such as is
only to be seen within the tropics
and not oft N even there.
The wir were almost laid. The
gentlest possible breeze filed the
sails, just enough to send them to
sleep, though not to prevent giving
an idle flap now and then, when the
vessel rolled a little heavier than
usual on the long swell. Nothing
stirred about the deck. The watch
had disappeared forward; but I
found the captain still on the alert,
and again surveying the remote OBJ
ject he had observed through his
night-glass. l did not interrupt him
again with my questionings; l paced
the deck in the delicious night-air;
but my attention was shortly at
tracted by the sound of the boat
swain's shrill whistle calling the
watch. Orders were given by the
captain, and every stitch of sail was
crowded on the ship. Each mast
bore Its full load. AS l stood aft
and looked up, the sails seemed in
the moonlight, like towers of snow
set against the dark blue sky. In a
few minutes all was still again; the
vessel seemed to make better way
through the water, by the increasrd
ripple of the wavelets heard against
her sides. Drowsiness gradually stole
upon me, and 1 went below again to
court my pillow.
Twas startled from my slumbers
towards morning, by the sound of
alarmed voices and of hurried tramp
ing on deck. / threw on my clothes
and .hastened up the companion lad
der; on my way up I met black Sam
bo, the cook. Though nature had
put it out of his power to look pale,
the poor fellow looked the picture of
terror. The pallor of fright seemed
positively struggling through his
skin, and his eyes had that express
sion of alarm, which terrifes more
than even the paflid cheek or the
quivering lip.
For heavens sake asked, what
is the matterI
Sharks, SAP he replied, in an in
tense whisper-seemingly afraid to
speak above his breath.
is that alp
tAll! he instantly said. Pirates |!
SAP
eWhereS' / asked, my heart sud
denly bounding againrt my ribs.
See = said Sambo, pointing aft.
looked in the direction indicated,
and my eyes rested on an object yet
at some distance, but enough to
strike fear into the stoutest heart It
was the "strange ship" which the
captain had been scanning the pre-
vious night, and there could now be
little doubt as to her character. A
smart breeze had sprung up and she
was rapidly gaining on US. Her rig
| and hull were now recognized by
some of the older hands on board;
] she was a notorious pirate ship, in
full chase of our vessel, and, but for
some merciful interposition of Prov
idence, we seemed doomed for cap
ture.
walked up to the captain: well,
] said, the secrets at last out?'
yes, l knew her from the first,
but tried the chance of escape, not
knowing whether she might have
seen us or not; but, You see we have
failed. She is one of the most de-
termined pirates in these seas-man-
ned by o crew of about the biggest
rufians that ever trod deck
But what is to be done?' asked.
Surely you do not think of offering
resistance?' #I
There is no other way for it; at
all events, We must try. We may
wing her and escape.'
But if you fail, you viii only
have exasperated them, and prOVok-
ed their revenge
Resist or not, we have no mercy