The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1876-07-27
CHASED BY A PIRATE.
Actual Experience of a Boston Merchant

OF variable winds and cat paws known
as tLo s'doldrums," or 'shorse attitudes, -
where a ship often lies bocalmed for
days, the ocean swell causing the sails
20 flap against the masts, the patience
of the anxious captain is often sorely
Jack himself becomes demoraliZed by
reason of much bracing round Of yards,
much hauling OF the courses, and much
rigging in and rigging out OF boonls. 1t
is then that all hands rejoice at the first
symptoms of the coming trade wind
the cat 's-paws, before uncertain and
variable, now seems to be coming i'll
earnest, and the sails begin to fill and
cease tapping against the masts.
It is about s o'clock'in the morning,
the hands have scarcely finished break
fast, when the Captain, taking a good
look over the port quarter and into the
pinnacle, exclaims,-
''Here it comes ct last as soon Us the
men have finished breakfast turn to and
board fore and main tacks, get out the
port bocms, and prepare to give her all
the muslin.
The hands, tired Of what they call
humbugging, turn to with aiacrity, and
make sail. The gallant little bark begins
to move ahead at the rate Of n couple of
knots, but, before the studding sails are
bent on, she heads off about south south
west. The Captain says
''Hold on the booms, Mr.. Smith, the
wind is far to the east, and she won't lay
her course"
But the wind seems to be a settled
fact, and the rippies under the bow in
,iicate three or four knots. Every sail
is critically trimmed for "a good full
and nothing off, " and the forenoon watch
allowed to turn in. The spunyard muck
is rugged the sailmaker gets to work on
a new sail the carpenter rigs his grind
stone and puts his tools in order the
captain gets a sight for time, and goes
down to work out his position, and once
more look at Maury's chart and try to
make up his m nd as TO ''good full'' OF
"close at it, when he hears the cry of
-"Sail 10 %
The mate responds
"Where-a-way?" ?"
Jack, who is making up the gaslzet on
the maintopgallant yard, Says
ga point before the lee beam, a
schooner, hull down, standing the same
way
She is not visible from the deck.
BY this time we are going along near
ly six knots, the sails are all asleep, and
every man aboard feels exhilarated at
getting the so-called northeast trade, even
though it hangs dead at east. The cap
tain and passenger equally interested
in making good passage. as he is the
charterer of the bark, are walking the
quarter deck and discussing the open
question as to the best longitude to cross
the line. The captain thinks 26 or 2S
the right place at this time of the year
say July while the more experienced
passenger. an old China captain, advo
Gates a good full and let her hit the linC
where she may-let her slide, though
she may cross to leeward Of st. Paul.
rocks.
Jack, on his way down the rigging
keeps the stranger in his eye, and, when
he gets to the futlock staff below the top
he reports.
''Can just see the head of his mainsail
a clipper schooner, sir, and gaining fast
to windward on the same bearing"
The walkers on the quarter deck, one
owning the vessel and the other the car
go. look up ut the weather leeches. an6
see that all the sails draw we'll. Nothing
is said, but it is clear that they do not
like fast sailing schooncrs in that par
ticular latitude
- sN' ii1' W. ttAC SChf-h
The stranger keeping his bearing exact
y, gains straight to windward He is
now hull up, and clearly rakish Balti
more clipper. with a white 'boot-top.
Near fifty years ago such crafts were moi
rare in that region, bound to the coast
of Africa, and many of them were reput
Ell to be pirates when they could make
money out of honest traders.
at noon the stranger is about five
miles under the lee bow, and although
heading nearly with US, is evidently
making straight course to speak to us
The captain does not appear to take il
the gravity of the situation. The Chins
captain goes up to the nlizzen cross
trees, with a glass, and takes g. good
look at the craft. He comes down anf
solieits private interview with the cap
tain. Going below, he opens himsel
thus
'tCaptain D., that's SLAYER; cal
see his long boat and his pivot gun GOV
cred by a tarpaulin. He may be pi
rate he is dogging rs. L recommend
preparing for him. Get your two wealth
er guns upon the poop ; stick ont t,
leeward two logs of wood and black then
eyer; load all the arms hoist your col
ors; and if he does not respond by show
ing the stars and stripes, make mp yon
mind TO fight. When all is ready, an'
some sham men stuck up under the bul
works, run up your weather studdin:
sails, and ease her off a point-lf h'
keeps his lnf, if not, he is a rascal. n
time oIloht to be Lest call all hands auI