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

Some years ago TIE West Indian seas
were infested bypirates, of savage afro.
city and desperate valor They were
composed of men of all nations, run
away sailors from English, Danish,
French, and Dutch vessels, though
probably, the larger portion of them
were men of Spanish race, natives of
Cuba, or of the old Spanish settlements
of the Suthern States of America.
had taken passage on board the
merchant ship Mary, at Belize, and we
were on our voyage to Liverpool, when
the following incident 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 Il strange vessel in sight :"
he answered; "Dut can't quite make
her out"
''She may be one of those Bristol
traders that were nearly ready to sail
when we left port" | observed.
mo; she dOsen't look like one of that
SOFT. She seems of some bastared zig; /;
but we may make her out by-and- by"
- OG do not think we are pur~ ~ued?"
L asked, feeling alarmed, as landsmen
are usually disposed to be at sea, when
they encounter anything that looks mys-
terious.
Really, l cannot tell, +" was his ans
wer; but l suppose it will be time
enough to cry out when we're likely to
be hurt +"
And so saying, he strobe forward with
his gla S.
Night fell; but the air was so hot and
sitting below, that found sleep next
to impossible, If slept for a moment,
was haunted by dreams of pirates.
sharks, and shipwrecks; SO / hurried on
my cloths, and again sought the deck.
The moon was halfway up the heavens,
and not cloud was in sight; countless
stars OF wounderous beauty aid brlli-
ancy gemmed the sky, and the ocean
was Hooded with their light. A long
line of quivering rays lay liashing ON
the bosom of the sea, Ikea vein of quick
silver, right Under the moons eye. All
was quiet, p peaceful, and beautiful; it
was magnificent night, such as is only
to be seen within the tropics, and not
often even there.
+he winds were almost laid. The
gentlest possible breeze filled the sail B.,
just enough to set them to sleep, though
not to prevent them giving an idle Hap
now and then, when the vessel rolled
little heavier than usual ON the long
swell Nothing stirred about the deck.
The watch had disappeared forward;
but | found the captain stil ON the
alert, and again surveying the remote
object he had before observed, through
his night-glass. did not interrupt him
again by my QuestiQnipgs; paced the
deck IN the delicious nigIt air; but my
attention was shortly attracted by the
sOuGd OF the IOatswain's shrill whistle
calling the watch. Orders were given
by the captain, aud every stitch Ol sail
was crowded on the ship Each mast
bore 1t tull load. AS l stood ait, aud
looked up, tile sails seemed in the moon,
light, like towers Of snow set against
the dark blue sky In few minutes
all was still again; the vessel seemed to
make better way through the water,
nom the Increasing nipple of the wave.
lets heard against her sides. DrOWsi-
ness gradually stole upon me, and
went below again to court my pillow.
WAS startled from my slumbers to
wards morning, by the sound of alarmed
voices, and of hurried trampinp on
deck, threw On my clothes, aud hast
ened up tie companion ladder; on NV
way up | met black Sambo, the cook.
Though nature had put it out of hi,
power to look pale, the poor fellow
looked the picture OF terror. The pallor
of freight seemed positively struggling
through his skin, and his eyes had that
expression of alarm, which terrilies
more than even the pallid cheek or the
qulyerlng lip.