The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1875-06-05


tense whisper = seemingly afraid to
speak above his breath.
"Is that all?"
camp he instantly said. "Pirates
Sal"
"Where? l asked, my heart sudden
ly bounding against my ribs.
"Seep' said Sambo, pointing aft.
Hooked in the direction indicated, and
my es rested on an object yet at some
distance, but enough to strike fear into
the stouiest heart. 1t was. "the strange
ship" which the captain had been
scanning the proceeding 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 were now recog-
nizel 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 intCrpostion of Provi-
dence, we seemed doomed for capture.
walked up to the captain: "Well,"
said, "the secrets at last out.
eyes, knew her from the first, but
l tried the chance of an escape, not
knowing whether she might have seen
us or not; but YOU, see, we have failed.
She is on,l of the most determined pirates
in these seas s-manned by II crew Of alb
out the biggest rutiians that ever trod a
deck.
"But what is o.be done?' asked.
"Surely, you do not think of Offering
resistance?"
There is no other way for it; at all
events, we must try. We may wing
her, and escape"
"But, if you fail, you will only have
eXasperated them, and provoked their
revenge"
"Resist or not, we have no mercy to
hope Tor from them, and my minds
made up"
but what means of resistance have
you? Your vessel is short-manned; you
are without guns or ammunition.
"You have not yet seen our means;
and such as they are we must use them
against that rutlian?'
His eye glanced again in the direc-
ton of thu pursuing ship. She was
long, low sort oG'a craft, evidently very
swift. Her fGremast ana bowsprIt were
immensely strong, and OF great leLg,h,
both covered with canvas, under press
Of which she came bowling along, the
ireshening breeze filling her sails. The
rapidity with which she gained on us,
showed that we had no chance of escape
by flight. Our every rag of canvas had
been for some time set, and the old
numbering ship, heavily laden as she
was, went snorting and grooming
through the water. The match was as
unequal As between Cart horse and
thorough
Turning my eyes again towards the
deck, | found the men all activity and
hustle. One group l observed 6usily
engaged in breaking and saving old
iron hoops and spikes. These were for
grapeshot!
But where are the guns" asked
of the captain.
"You shall see presently" he replied;
"the men are dragging them from their
concealinent below, for we carry more
than the regulation number. In the
meantime, may ask you to 90 below,
and break the matter to your fellow
passengers. here may be some of the
gentlemen not unwilling to aid in the
defence of the ship. At present | can
not leave the deck. My wlfep'-a shud-
der seemed to pass across his face, and
he added d-"w would to heaven sic had
not been here!"
| pressed his hand and went below.
Need | Say what screaming, sOhbing,
and crying there was, when | informed
my fellow passengers of the danger 80
near at haGd. One tender girl there |
was, fair and graceful, beautiful as |
light, who displayed the most charming |
courage and self possession. She was
on her way home to England, in search /
of the health which she had lost amid |
the hot swamps of the tropics. 1t might |
be that she felt the hand of death al |
ready upon her and the ties that bound |
her tn lits were thus feeble. She tried |
to soothe the shrieSing women, cheered |
those who seemed as if stricken down |
by their terror, and urged upon all to |
reflect, that it was their duty rather to |
aid aud encourage those who were about |
to risk their lives for their protection, !
than to embarrasS and distress them by |
and clamor. The captains |
wife, | found, was more composed thap (
the others ; and she suggested that the |
other females shOuld at once proceed to |
disguise themselves in ordinary spamen's |
clothes, and proceed up0a deck, 50 rs if |
possible to tscapt detection, in event of |
the ship being boarded by the pirates.
left them engaged in these prepara-
tions, and hastend upon deck. found |
that the men had now dragged from
their cOncealment nine eighteen pound |
which We're mounted and /
ready for action. Some were busily |
engaged in loading them, each with
round shot and a bag OF iron cuttings, |
broken nails, and musket. bullets - the
most destructive kind OF grape. They |
worked as il life aud death depended ON .
their efforts, which was indeed the case.
OF the eleven gentleman passengers on
board, OF nearly all nations, the greater
number, with paiseworthy alacrity,
aided the crew ia their prop ,rations for
defence. All the guns, rides, pistols,
swords and cutlasses which the ship
could muster, We're bought on deck, aud 1
4 4 tsfl. N...n 4.