The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1880-03-26
tenant of Her Maiesty's Second West
India regiment.
Looking round / saw the the priyateer

tenant of Her Majesty's Second West
India regiment.
Looking round saw the the privateer
was rapidly overhauling us, and that the
captain was preparing for action. He
had eight humping carronade on board,
and II long eighteen on swivel fixed III
the the heel of the bowsprit, and which
was the the apple of the shippers eye.
The crew-thirty stout fellows--fort the
Mary Anne was double manned
stripped to the waist and barefooted,
were getting ont the guns Oh the star
board side: the larboard caIronades were
obliged Ia he made fast to ringbolts to
prevent their diving overheard, while
the starhoard or windward carronades had
their noses cooked up to the zenith. Two
meuat every gun were equipped with big
ship-pistols and cutlasses, while board
ing tomahawks and pixies were placed
handy. Long Tom had a special crew,
and every gun was loaded with double
charge of grape.
For" says the skipper, 81 stand no
nonsense; the French like long shots,
but l like muZzle to muzzle. That's
my way"
The prIvateer was now within about
five miles to leeward. She was certainly
beautiful craft; long, low, and sneak
ing. with the characteristic hoist of her
topsail, and the masts, particularly the
miZzen, raking tremendously. She car
ricd only topsail and top-gallant sails,
mizzen-sail and forestav-sail, as if i'll
scorn of our packed canvas; and rose
and fell on the deep sea with a grace
which WAS all her own. Our poor Mary
Anne, good ship i'll her way she was,
half buried herself every time she
plunged Mt n curling swell. The Jean
Bart also held closer wind; and it was
evident there WAS nothing for it but the
old formula of command:-"Now, men,
You see the enemy, lay your guns and
point them well. Fire fast and fire
true, and hurrah for Old England!''
Meantime my fellow passengers were
in the cabin busily engaged in writing.
Mr. Dargle's face WAS very pale. Mos
cas- black eyes glittered, and he WAS so
nervous that he could hardly hold his
pen. He was armed to the teeth, and
evidently determined, as he had often
said, Int tn he taken alive. / was be-
ginmin" u contrast my position, with
only driblet of half-pay to depend up
on. with Mr.. Dargle's, the rich proprietor
of half dozen plantations, the husband
of fond, beautiful wife, and the father
of family Of sprightly little Creoles. l
wus watching his face, rs from time to
time II spasm-ike culver went across it,
and bis hand stole to his eyes, when the
faintly-heard boom of Il heavy gun came
up from the priyateer: and mt the same
moment our masthead lookout sang
sharp and quick" sail to wind
ward :"
what like shouted the skipper.
"She looks like big fIigate," was the
reply. shes got stunsails on both
sides, and she coming down before the
wind lik" Il race horse.
AGAIN the captains telescope WAS i'll
rcquisition, and every eye WAS directed
to the windward ship, the topsails of
which could he seen from the deck, when
she rose upon sea. Presently the old
skipper shouted" She's frigate and
if know anything Of IL frigate she's one
of the right sort. / know it by her top
s"ils-and in less than half an hour, my
boys, you'll see ST. Georges ensign"
And the old fellow ratified down the
shrouds with singular velocity.
Have up the two bottles of sham
pagne," she shouted, "and, steward,
serve all the crew round with double
stiff ration Of grog.
But the first mate did not seem so
confident. He also had narrowly exam
ined the coming ship so far rs it could
vet he seen, and was likewise an old and
experienced seaman. He shook his
head. "There's lot of French frigates
wonderfully like English ones, he said,
"und some Of them, as l heard tell,
have top-sails cut English fashion, to
cheat the merchant ships"
~ don't know, captain, but think il
would be most prudent not to take sal
off the schooner"
For Mathews had seen the shippers
fingers tidgeting with the maintOp-gal
lant-sail halyards.
"Well, Mathews" he said, "we1
compromise. oven make short boards
instead of long"
"Well lose ground by that, Captain
Macleod"
well, but so will the Johnny Crap
aud. Every time We tack, he'll tack, ant
i don't want to get ont of the way of m.
friend to windward."
So presently up went the head Of tn,
Mary Anne into the wind, and round sh'
came on the other tack very cleyerly.
"Never missed stays when she had
mouthful of wind" said the captain, ap
prOvingly. But the :" Mounseers," n
Mr.. Mathews called them, were ever,
bit rs quick as we, and the lively it'll
frigate swung round as if she had beer
struck on pivot.
"She made deadly forge ahead then,
said the Responding mate; and captain
as if influenced by his subordinate
evident opinions, went again into th
rigging, and after a good, long look a
the fast-approaching ship, the hull G
which was now visible, he shouted
"Mr. Mathews, I'll put my head into
bucket of tar and eat 1t, if that's not II
English frigate; and before ten minute
you'll know it yourself, when You see th
ensign Mt the peak, and the jack Mt tn
foretop."
As the captain seemed perfectly conf
dent, the champagne corks popped, an
the men had their rum-and-water, whic
they Infinitely preferred to wine, or, IL
deed, to spirits Of any description, bu
all kept their eyes alternately ON tn
frigate, now fast nearing us, and rOllin
Enthusiastically before the following seas.
"Look Mt her textbook at he
teeth" shouted the captain III ecstacy
AZ the frigate gave slight yaw on
cross sea--"a forty-four ut the least
Thirty-twos and eighteens at the yer
least"
Meanwhile the Frenchman showed Il
change Of tactics, unless it was ter
dency to go off down to the leeward, he
movements betokening suspicion of th
big fellow coming down before the vino
with magnificent wreath Of foam decl
ing her ample bows.
At length she was within mile, whe
she made a sudden sweep, and the
rushed round, with her broadside to us
backing her main topsail-letting to he
stunsails-firing gun-and hosting h
colors-French!
"Now, then, captain" said Mathew
"now then, what do you say now"
Before he could answer, the privatet
also fired a gun, and also hoisted the TT
color.
The captain had u moments time
take counsel with himself, and then /
; gave most unexpected jump on Il
deck, flung up his straw hat which BILE
3 into the sea, and exclaimed: "Its
) dodge-a dodge-he wants to bring Il
, privateer closer, so that he'll be surer
her."
{ Matthews shook his head.
2 At this moment the frigate fred a
other gun.
"N0 ball." said Mathews, lookil
Y rather disappointed than otherwise.
3 Then an officer appeared on the chat
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