The Osceola times., 1880-01-03
PlRSrED BY plRATES.
Thrilling id~rntnre Of !; naligonian Yes,
A.i An the Aest indies.

Thrilling sdvcnture of II naligonian Yes.
S"i In the West Indies.
\ special from lIllifaN contains an III
torcii ing narrative by sn Old STA captain
detailing an account Of his return from
the West Indies. His name is Captain
Swimm, Off schooner Laura Bruce
which has been engaged in the West
India trade for several years. TN all
previous trips nothing occurred Of q
| startling nature, and there is probably
no vessel on the seas that has been aF
1 successful, financially or otherwise, as
[ the Laura Bruce. In whichcvCr-direc-
ton her Prov pointed, large q rgc
awaited her. and her hold was fiEed
with the class of freight that minCs q
profitable return TO the carrier. During
every gale which has occurred in the
line OF her route, she WAS at sea, threat
cncd with destruction by the shivcring
elements, 5u. was always in proximity
toa c1nycn.cnt port, where she anchored
in safety. and remained until the storm
had subsidized She is what is called q
lucky craft. Her sailors were well paid.
and their comfortable berths were the
envy of those Of other vessels. Her
speed has hitherto been SOW, bu, sure,
and her successful voyages may thus he
accounted for. TWAS never known how
fast she could run, until few days agO.
when il was absolutely necessary that
She should make railroad time, and. as
the captain expresses 1t, she took wings
and flew. About half league of the
coast Of Maraquana there is small
island. which contains one port, at
l. l.. . II
and during the temporary stay brilliant
lights would occasionally be seen in the
interior of the island The island was
always supposed to he unlnhabitcd, and
on accOur Of the supcrstitiOns OF sailors
an investigation prevented them from
becoming any wiser. Captain Swimm
thinks that hc has solved the mystery,
that has SO long been associatcd with
the namcilss island. As hc was round
ing this point he saw a small but full
rigged schoOI e., sailing without. flag
on board Of which not a human being
could be seen. She was Just coming ont
or port. and was proceeding slowly to-
ward the Laura BI-ice. The captain
looked upon the stranger with a slspi-
cious eve, and came 10 the conclmio
that the schooner was manned by pi-
rates. For several years past Yossol Is
with small crews have been uyrrhauicd
in tie vicinity If this island and plum
dared OF lhcir yaluahlcs, the description
OF the pntiical craft tallvmg with The
one sighted % this OCCASION. The COM
mINlcr ~ the Bruce, rctli2inr his posi-
tiDa. changed his coi.r-c, which WIS fol-
lowed hy lilYachmec on The part oi the
schooner. In whaieser direction the To-
giiimatc vessel would turn her bow the
pirate would fallos tlg example, as
though 1t was !ile needle of COMPASS
and the formgr was the North Pole.
The Laura Bruce quirRcncd her speed,
which was likewise initiated Nv the
stranger, which was only under lib and
iore-lil, bat soon loiatod her mainsail
aud BCcJA the chase in earnest, Capt.
Swimm sIw that he was placed al dis
ADVANTAGE, being heavily laden; 50 q
portion OF the cargo Of biz vessel was
thrown overheard, all the sails spread,
and for fifty miles the silent pursuit and
successful cndoayor TO escape were kept
up. hcc3ptain Threw overheard few
more packages OF his cargo, and as they
iioatcd towa.d- the pursuing schooner
the latter stopped and Its men tshed
thcm rom the waves, turned in an op-
pusite direction and thus gave up tie
chase. Capt sWimm alleges thai tlic
island alleged to be uninhabited il in
tested with pirltcs, who have there
slowed away the treasures stolen during
the past even years An expedition IS
being fitted out at llalitaN, and in Il few
days will start for the purpose Of making
a thorough exploration Of the island.