The National tribune., 1881-09-17

that vessel, and get them to tell you what they
know of her?'
what vessel, captain?' said Corney staring
into the fog.
Why, the vessel you can hear, SIR
"Ho, the ship ahoy;" shouted Corney.
"Who are you 2" came back the reply
"The French schooner st. Brieur, from the
north, bound to st. Nazaire," responded Corney
promptly. "And you?"
There was no answer to this; instead heard
a sound uncommonly like the traversng of car
ronade-slides, accompanied by more hauling and
pulling and boxing about of the yards
"NInd,o l sung out. "They are making
ready to give us broadside, sir. They evidently
suspect u.s."
And sure enough, as 1 said this, the white mist
flashed up like crimson, as though mine had
exploded close aboard, a heavy roar Of artillery
followed and the sea was torn up by shower or
grape about twenty feet away from us,
LET them have it, men 2" shouted Shelvocke
in Il voice that must Immediately have let the
Frenchmen into the secret of the ST. Brieur;
aim as point, and high, to cripple her for us
when the fog lifts. How does she bear, Mr..
MadisOn?"
Northeast three-quarterS east, Slr.
He glanced at the compass, and indicated the
position of the vessel by extending his hand.
The guns were canted and fired In all five
pieces were discharged, and to judge by the
crashing and splintering of timber and several
sharp yells, the grape and round shot had
pumped faithfully home. Another broadside
followed from the Frenchman, and again the
iron sleet tore up the water wide of the mark.
From the heavy, broad scattering of the missiles,
it was plain that they were fighting US with car
ronades, and it seemed by the explosions that the
metal was of heavy calibre.
Our men, following in the direction indicated
by Shelvocke, fired again, and once more we heard
the grape ratling and tearing along the invisible
deck, and the splintering and crashing of yards
and masts alOtt. If the fog was thick before
there remains no word to express the opacity of
it now that the smoke Of the cannon hung around
us. Although, as | have said, the enemy lay
within pistOl-shot, the very fame-spouts of his
last brOadSide had not glanced the least reflection
on the solid body of smoke and vapOr; the men
stationed at our guns could scarcely see one an
other, and when we fired our third broadside
they had nothing but the recollection of the spot
y
Five times the Frenchman fired at us and the
last time his grape sung close along the port side
of the schooner, showing they were aware that
their shot had taken effect and that they had
shifted their aim. A little more, and this broad
side would iss Ell or they fired with de-
pressed mt l6 -hc, vessel was twice as
high out o sI5 as ours. As it was, not
single shot c-a 1s. had taken their bear
ings, but t.. --.- idg-ly not taken ours: and
it was by omissions of this kind apparently so
incOnsderable, but in reality of the very first
importance, that French naval officers lost most
of the vessels entrusted to them by country
whose reverses at sea were only to be equalled by
its disasters on land.
We were in the act Of giving them a fourth
broadsde, when they hailed to say they surren-
dered. ShelvOcke Immediately ordered the pin
mace to be lowered and manned with twelve sea-
men, in charge of Mr.. Tapping, with orders to
take possession. The boats crew were armed
to the teeth, Shelvocke being apprehensve of
treachery; and a small compass being sent down.
and the vessels bearings given, the pinnace
showed off and was Immediately swallowed ND
in the fog.
We waited anxOusly for Tappingis hail to an
nOunce his arrival, the being still at quarters
and the guns double shotted, ready to bestOy
their terrible dose should the boats crew meet
with any resistance. But we had no fear that
the third mate would overshoot his mark. as he
had the bearings of his prize, and it was certain.
from the result Of our broadsides that the vessel
had not drifted half her own length from the
spot in which we had sighted her.
We remained waiting for some time-I for one
expecting every moment to hear pistol shots and
the clash of cutlasses as | thought it extremely I
probable that the Frenchman had called for quar-
ter as an excuse to get his boats out and tow
away from the place in which we had hailed him.
when, to our great relief, we heard shout from
Tapping.
Hailo." answered Shevocke
It's all right, sir. She's splendid ship We've (
got the Frenchmen under hatches and liberated
the prisoners"
"What's the name of the vessel 2" .
"The Hanover, bound from London to jamaica
She was captured this morning at three O'Clock
fifteen men, who were taking her to Hayre.
There are forty of her crew and master aboard
as she much damaged? 2"
Her foretop-mast is in halves and the royal-
masthead rests on the torecastle Her lower
standing rigging is good deal cut up, but can't
see anything above her tops. She has three men
killed and one slightly wounded"