Connecticut western news., 1883-09-05
VOL. XIII.


 match and clapped it upon the priming at the word.
 MT. Gale took unusual pains in sight ing the long forty-two. Once or twice he was upon the very point of giving the order to let drive, but hesitated and sighted again, the man with the match all the while standing with arm out stretched and the bright coaP glowing. Now little higher, and again a little lower; was brought the muzzle of the huge cannon, as the lieutenant squinted along the iron, till the lockers on be- came impatient for the flash and
 70, never mind the first shot," said the captain; you'll have to try good many times before you hit the fellow !"
 "I know it, " said MT. Gale, still squint- ing intently and never looking up; 'but want to come as near as-ah, there little lower! want to come as near as Fire p
 Down came the burning match, and the whole vessel shook at the roar of the forty-two. For a moment the smoke was blinding-and what smell of burnt powder there was about the deck!
 "I saw gray streak, " said the captain; "and 8 mighty straight one, too! but I didn't see where it ended, for the smoke was in my way"
 eff the ball had struck the water,'' said one of the officers, Eve should have seen it skip, think. I had a glimpse of-something between us and the enemy, but I don't know what became of it.''
 Every one looked anxiously toward the seventy -four; and in a minute or two some operations were observed on board of her which made the excitement intense.
 "Hello !" exclaimed Captain Brown, s'what does that mean? They have lowered their head-yards and are hauling up their foresail My soul! they must have got that shot through their fore mast! They're afraid the mast will go over, and are getting in all their head sails as fast as possible Look at the hands going up the forerigging And there they start their -topsail sheets [ You'll see the yard alive with men in minute p
 By the time the sails were clewed up. those who were to furl them were lying out on the yards in long dark rows. With that numerous crew there was a simultaneous handling of foresail, top sail, topgallantsail, and royal-as, in deed, would have been thee case with all the canvass upon the ship had necessity required it to be taken off; and even she would have had a large force to spare.
 But just as the sails had been hand somely slowed under the gaskets, the masts began to waver. Faster and faster it inclined to leeward, then, suddenly, as if the weather rigging itself had given away, down it went with all it's hamper, broken short off by the deck It was startling spectacle. Lowermast, top mast, topgallantmast, royalmast, yards, men, and all, plunged splashing into the water.
 There was most lively scrambling among the wrecked spars and rigging where the numerous fellows who had been aloft were seen like so many en- gulfed rats; but, as was afterward ascer- tained, the casualties were fewer than might have been expected only three men being lost, although four or five others were somewhat injured.
 From the loss of all her head cenvas the seventy-four was obliged to take in all her sails on the mizzen also, as oth- erwise she would not answer her helm. She, however, kept everything set on the mainmast, and, bringing her broad side to bear on the privateer, sent the round shot whistling thick and fast Nevertheless, the distance being some what too great for her guns, the execu- tion done was very little.
 MT. Gale repeated his fire with the forty -two-pounder a dozen or twenty times, but could not succeed in bringing down another spar, although he evidently hulled her more than once. A number of her own shot reached the privateer :; one of them rolling across the deck, wounding a marine in the foot, and bringing up the opposite plank-sheer. A few of them went hustling past with great force, while others fell short.
 "This is time lost," said Captain Brown. You have disabled her, MT. Gale-good for you But we have no further business here-we are sure of the West Indiamen now, and I am going after them forthwith !"
 The wind had freshened, and the Tom was put in chase of the merchantmen. They were more than twenty mil es of but it was soon discovered that they had lost the breeze which was helping the privateer; and, coming up with them near sunset, she captured all three. Upon a subsequent cruise, the Tom, | with the same officers as before, and with many of her former crew, went ranging along the coast of Africa. Here, upon rounding 8 bluff which sheltered 8 little inlet, her captain discovered g Guineaman lying cozily in the basin and, going in, dropped anchor within g cables length of her.
 Not soul appeared upon her deck but on her stern were read the words "Gambia-Liverpool," which gave the Yankee commander all the information he desired A boat was manned, an6 the vessel, which was 8 large square. rigged brig, taken possession of; stil without arousing any one to call this summary proceeding in question.
 Lieutenant Gale, who was in com