The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-09-09

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thus and thus; to-day was sure of my
figures. 1t must be SOL have made no
mistake. lat, how, If I cannot manage
at lasti A single error, shadow of sus-
picion, and knife will end all" Thus
l mentally conversed with myself.
Here and there were vessels sailing
upon various courses, but dared not
approach, dared hardly look at them.
As evening approached, ! saw the
land. 1t would be dark ere we should
reach it; and thus far all went hopefully.
Yet never had the blood-stains upon the
briggs teck looked more hideous than
now. Hope had in a measure broken the
nightmare of horror, and more fully than
before l realized the awfulness of the
tragedy which had been perpetrated.
Strongly the north-easter piped-it
would not fail me now-and the clouds
were thick, and the night would be very
dark. Then upon the lee bow CLEANED
a light, and presently away of the
weather bow shone family another. Oh,
the anxiety of that moment /! / was
right. There they We're, the two beauti-
full llights-yes, beautiful indeed to me.
But the hour of greatest peril was at
hand; and, like dramatic author who
fears for his last act, studied again
and again the various contingencies that
might cross my plans, and reveal my in
teutions to the murderous Spaniards.
We passed between the lights, OF o
considerable distance from both, and
many were the inquiries Of the pirates
as to our position. told them that we
had few miles further to run, when we
should have reached the anchorage at
the watering-place, Darkness prevented
them from seeing the land, and they had
not the most distant idea Of their sur
roundings. The lights they imagined to
be upon two islands-at least, they took
my word for it, and had no suspicion Of
our real whereabouts.
On and on flew the Isabel; and if ever.
OF one time more than another, / have
tried to exert my nautical judgment and
forethought, it was then. We saw other
lights; but the pirates supposed them to
be upon the ocean coast, along which
they believed themselves sailing. At
length, l requested them to take in the
light sails and the courses. This com.
pleted, l called out-and it was with O
dreadful thrill at my heart, assure you,
-"Let go the top-sail halyards, and
clew up"
1t was done; and l could see that @
dark bank was rising under the lee
bow.
"Stand by 10 let 60 anchor" I
shouted, "while | bring her up in the
wind !"
clapped the helm hard down. while
the four pirates ran to obey my last di-
rection. Oh, heaven how my blood
seemed to sutfocate mel They were all
away forward. 1t must be now, If ever.
A hundred times that day l had glanced
at the yawl, and the tackles that held
it; and now, quickly, but with q steady
hand, l sprang to the davits-falls. First
the larboard, then the starboard, I Iseized;
but was careful to lower away with both
simultaneously, that the boat might not
be swamped: Then, clapping my hands
on the tatfrail, dropped into her, un-
hooked the takles, and with my hands
against the brig, pushed with force
that sent the yawl shooting from under
the counter. At this moment, I heard
the anchor go overheard. / had just
time to grasp an oar, and commence
sculling with all my might when the
pirates ran aft. Bacalarco's tones rang
fierce and loud. His horrid Spanish
oaths might at another time have eur.
died my blood; but now / had him upon
the hip.
"Ahoy the fort" l shouted; "ahoy
there the fort - For well l knew the
dark bank so close at hand.
The voice that answered was the most
blessed sound I ever heard. 1t was from
one of the United States sentinels, and
I was gliding under the walls at old Point
Comfort Escape for the pirates was i'm.
possible, for the strong easterly wind
must preclude all hope of getting to
sea, while the fort could have disabled
the brig in an instant. A boat, with
armed soldiers, now boarded her. Three
of the pirates were taken into custody,
but Bacalardo was found dead in the
cabin. Dismay, disappointment, and the
certainty of his doom, had impelled him
to draw his Spanish knife across his
throat. The others, when brought to
trial, had the effrontery to profess them
selves innocent. Bacalardo had duped
them--Bacalardo had done all-they
had injured no one; but the United
States Court thought differently, and
they were hung at Norfolk.