St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1883-07-21
here to Bath. Wen drop in shore and

Jenkins heard his friends plan ex-
planned. and his own face grew bright
The two schooners were anchored, and
then dashed side to side; and then all
hands turned to with a will. Before
night the Eliza was .. flying" light,
with nothing aboard that could be posi-
bly, taken away. They, left her hull,
her masts, her three sails, and such rig.
ging as was absolutely necessary to
keep her on the wind se
The distance from Wood Island to the
mouth OF the kennebec is about thirty
miles; so the run was not a long one.
Wait did not wish to start until after
midnight, as his plan was to bring the
war-brig in sight just about dayl.ceak.
The wind was from the south I'D and
east'rd, and blew a fair breeze, and it
was likely to remain so, at least until
the sun rose again.
81 At one O'Clock in the morning the two
schooners again made sail, and at three
the light upon Cape Elizabeth was upon
the larboard quarter. At $50 Seguin
light was in sight ahead. Seguin is an
island at the mouth Of the Kennebec.
At four O'Clock the first CLEANS of the
coming day appeared upon the horizon,
and in q very few minutes afterward
the tall spars of British brig-of-wari
could be distinctly made out ahead,
Just outside of Seguin, and to the.
south'rd of it. 49, l.5tas,s'
stNow's our time,h shouted Captain
Wait, hailing his companion who was
close under his lee.
Abner jenkins ran his vessel to the
windward of the Polly Ann, and as he
came abreast he cried out:
Would ye set her a going now:?' >
Eyes. Are you going to5".
..Yes, I can fix that there.
''Then, do it as soon as, We can. The
Englishman, hasn't seen us yet, Set
her head q little to the north I'd of eastt'
..Aye, aye responded Jenkins; and
thereupon he set at work. - ii Il
In the meantime Wait had his sail all
taken in so that the Englishman should
not see him; and as the water was
shoal he let 90 light anchor. ~
Jenkins first movement was to lower
his boat and secure her BY, a painter to
one of the stern davits. Next he put
on all sail, and had the sheets Delayed
very carefully for running with the
wind little forward of the beam. The
tiller was next set, and as soon as he
was satisfied that the schooner would
run in a direct line with the tiller thus,
he dashed it fast He knew the Eliza
well enough to know that she would be
true to the course he had given her; and
having seen that the sheets We're Sc
curely Delayed, and that nothing of any
value was left on board, he had his crew
get into the boat and pulled for til
Polly Ann. 81
Away went the schooner in fine STYLE
dashlng the foam from before her, and
leaping over the light waves as detiantly
as could be- Captain Wait took his
glass and went aloft. He could now
see the brig plainly. Shar,was under
easy sail, and appeared tide b lying-to.
BY the course upon which the old
schooner was sailing. she would pass
only about three miles from the brig,
and that, too, before many minutes.
.'Hi-yir' cried Wait. ''There she
goes!' 8
AS he spoke wreath of smoke eurled
up from the Englishman's deck, and in
a moment more the report of heavy
gun came booming over the water.
stHe's taken the bait,h shouted Jerik-
ms.
Another and another gun doomed
away from the deck of the brig but the
schooner did not stop. She dashed
away over the water with her flag fly
ing and showed no disposition to obey.
the Briton' summons.
Hi! Lookm cried Wait, as a round
shot plowed up the water under the
stern of the flying schooner.
But this was not to last much longer.
The brig soon put up her helm and bore
away, and cracked on all sail.
Away went the. schooner. and away
went the brig. Bangi Bang! Bang!
went the Englishman 81 guns; and the
Yankee coaster seemed to fyithe faster.
But the brig was gaining rapidly. Near
er and nearer it came, and shot after
shot riddled the poor devoted schooner.
Presently her mainmast went by the
board-then her boWsprit dropped
and finally she lay a. Helpless, sinking,
rotten, useless mass upon the water,
which must soon open its bosom to give
her rest. Es
Meanwhile the Polly Ann ,hae run up
her. anchor and made sail; and as the
brig overlook her prize, the successful
Yankee was passing behind Seguin. In
a short time the island was LETT upon
her. starboard quarter, and once more
she was in full view ofthe Englishman.
Let's heave-to here a little while,
just to see the fun, said Wait.
This was readily agreed to; for the
Polly Ann was just in the mouth OF the
river with the wind fair for running her
up at any moment. .5.s
So the schooner was hove to, and all
hands gathered aft to watch the opera
tions Of the evening. Beside the heavy
guns which Wait had slowed away I'M
der the mainhateh for the priVateerS.