The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1880-03-26
From BrcntInos Nonth'yl
A GOOD NAVAL STORY.


A GOOD NAVAL STORY.
The little open cabin skylight of the
good armed schooner Mary Anne WIS
darkened by the weather-heaten face-as
brown-.ls brown rs brown paint-and
the shock of fiery red hair-with whiskers
to match-uf our worthy captain, Mac
leod by name, and related To the chief of
that ilk. He had been 10 sta in every
sort Of craft. and i'll every part of the
world; and, ms Won may think, the old
Islesman WAS us stout and thorough II
sailor as ever faced wind and weather,
and cannon and musket shot too.
There were three of us. Mr.. Darglc.
a great planter in Demerara and Berbice,
who had nine hundred slaves, Of whom
he used TO say that he had never tiogged
but three, and never sold hut one-at his
own desire. He WAS mild, quiet man,
and every house in the coast colonies WAS
delighted when his kettarm appeared,
with his high-steppIng bay. The second
man of the party was Mr. M"sca, Mr..
Dargle's agent, who, As his father was n
Cuban Spaniard, AMI his mother Il
perry disposition. which required I'll tie
mild persuasiveness of Mr.. Darglc I"
keep down. However, he WIS, to my
knowledge, n most energetic AMI excl
lent agent; and ~ he and his employer
were generally seen together, they usu-
ally went by the name Of brandy and
water" As for myself, 1 was poor
subaltern in West India regiment. go
ing home invalided, after tight brush
with Yellow Jack. And now you know
the company which Captain Macleod adj
dressed.
nod
Madeira sangaree, Captain Mucleod.' -
aid Mr.. Darkle, at the same time knock
ing white worm with a black head ont
Of a biscuit.
well, I've lust been taking a meri-
dian-you needn't suiggcr, Mr. Masca'
and the skipper produced a huge old
fashioned quadrant; " think tina. If the
wind blows as it's doing now. tomorrow
night Ill show you the Lizard lights. .
There was Il simultaneous Gathering of
glasses on the table.
"And without as much as seeing tho
shadow of one of them damned privateers
to say nothing of these" -expl"tive
again French frigates. Ours them
and their dandy hoist III the nape Of her
topsails.'
"Well, then, captain, | suppose We
have made the Iun, says MOsca.
Why, don't whoop till you IL o the
wood, -" rcioined our skipper.
"TLere's often q swarm OF these crafts
as quick as flying fish aud rs fierce as
sharks, lurking about the chops "f lho
chanucl-the internal villians-tu picB
up al thy can get. However-SambO
couple Of bottles Of that champagne
got from the governor
"Sail no." echoed through orr canvas
and the brown fac" disappeared Us if by
magic, and there was moments tramp
ling u feet. All the watch below were
tumblimg up, rs they call 1t; and us YOU
may think, We tumbled up too.
".Where away" said the skipper, ad
dressing the top-Gallant-mast cross-trees
BROAD on the lee-beam," was the
answer, " standing on the same way Will
u.s..
"Glad slre's to lee'ard, at all events,
said the captain.
"Sne's going through the water yer!
fast. sir. said the first mate touching
his straw hat.
"What do you make her out, Mr.
Mathews"
why, sir, she's smallish vessel t.
carry three squIre-rigged masts."
Captain Macleod looked grave, and
without word, took his pet tclescop
from the brackets. and leisurely mounte,
the forc-rigging 1t must have requires
long prartico to use Il glass from Il var,
which was continually on the swing, ant
that sometimes twelve or fifteen feet q
n lurch. However, the captain took
long survey, and then descending, Wen
below, and returned on deck with an oil,
accotInt-boOk, with letters down til
edges of the leaves, Which were closet
scribbled over, and an immense lot O
loose memoranda, written on all sorts O
scraps of paper, backs Of letters and tor
bills OF lading, and turned mp b. Afte
a scrutiny, during which We all stOo
.tnxiously around him, waiting for tn
old hard-a-weather's opinion, he brough
his clenched fist down upon the boob
and exclaimed
"By heavens it's her, and no other;
and he read
"The Jean Bart of Dicppe, consoi
TO the Belle POule, was barquc-bui
sharp for the aye-tradc-altercd
frigate rig for priyateering. Low i'll tn
water and very fast, particularly on
wind-lofty rig-bigh i'll the topsails-
always strongly manned and heavil
armed-miZzenmast rnkcs well aft"
"Shc's rising us fast, sung the look
out aloft.
"Pack on--pack Oh every stitch sli
can carry. Look alive, Mr.. Matthews
BE smart, Mr. Jenkins. We've got a
ugly customer hanging to us; If we cal
We must show him clean pair of heels
Get the fOre-rOyai on the ship, set til
main-tOpsail stun sail, govt the flying
iibboom, and set the sail, drop the for,
course, and get up the broadest-heade
gafi-topsaiI: we'll drive the ship und,
rather than be taken.
No sooner said than done, and I'll
Mary tnne was under press Of canya
her upIar masts bending, and Il
weatber-srys like fiddle strings, the !,
sc1tpper-hohs bIIzzing in the foamir
water, and be schooner making gallal
way.
For more than an hour there WI
silence N the ship. Captain Maclet
Mr.. Matthew's stood on each side OF u
Whed, keeping tire craft, which W
really behaving very well, as near Il
wind a. WIS consistent with absence
the.sligh test shiver in the windward ta'
Of the fOretopsail. During this pau
we had time 80 consider our situatio
OF all the privateers sent out by Franc
La Belle Poule, ultimately captured
the Black Joke, and the Jean Bart, We
the most famed for their successes, al
the most notorious for plunderiug to d
skin their unfortunate prisoners.
However, there was one comfort, III
nothing 90 lose but a few dollars-colo
ial currency, my uniform, and some Hg
West India clothing: and thought stru
me to put OH the uniform, as / had hea
that even French privateers respect
the red coat Of an English officer. Pl
ting the idea into practice, to the gr,
establishment Of all ON board I appear
on deck in the full uniform OF full IL