Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1883-07-19
get into the boat and pulled for the

Polly Ann.
Away went the schooner in fine style,
dash1ng the foam from before her, and
leaping over the light waves as defantly
as could be. Captain Wait took his
glass and went aloft. He could now
see the brig plainly. She was under
easy sail, and appeared to be 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-yi'' cried Wait. ''There she
goes"'
AS he spoke wreath of smoke curled
up from the Englishman' deck, and in
moment more the report of a heavy
gun came booming over the water.
"He's taken the bait" shouted Jenk.
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's summons.
Eli! Look" cried Wait, as 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. Bang! Bang! Bang!
went the Englishman's guns; and the
Yankee coaster seemed to fly the 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 helpless, sinking,
rotten, useless mass upon the water,
which must soon open its bosom to give
her rest
Meanwhile the Polly Ann had 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 left upon
her starbOard quarter, and once more
she was in full view of the 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.
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 main-hatch for the privateers.
he had a lot of muskcts. He had eight
of these brought up and loaded, and the
Yankee flag got ready for running up
to the main peak.
The brig was seen to overhaul the
poor. riddled, dismantled hulk, and our
Yankee farcied they could almost hear
the British curse and swear.
But won't they cuss lectle more
when they see us?'' said jenkins.
"Reckon they will" responded Cap
tain Wait.
In few minutes from that time the
brig was seen to put up her helm, and
very soon afterwards the old hulk gave
lurch and went down.
''They see us'' cried Wait, as the brig
put her head about.
And SO it would seem; for the man.
of-war not only put about, but her men
crowded upon her forecastle and gazed
off to where the Yankee schooner lay.
Up went her studding sails, below and
aloft, and she came blowing through the
water at swift rate.
At length she fired one of her bow
guns, and the ball fell direct beneath the
end of the Yankees flying jib-boom.
Cup with the helmr' cried Captain
MI Oh OF
Get out the muskets!''
The muskets were taken by the men,
even the man at the wheel going in fol-
one, and as soon as the vessel was near
ly headed up the river, they gathered
along by the taffrail. The Stars and
Stripes were run up to the peak, and as
the glorious ensign opened its magic
folds to the breeze, the Captain gave the
order to fire.
The reports of the eight muskets rang
out upon the air; three hearty cheers
were given by the homeward-bound
men; and then the Polly Ann danced
away up her native river.
Surely the officers and crew of the
blockading brig must have felt particu-
larly foolish about that time. And that
they did feel so is evident from re-
mark her commander made to poor
fisherman whom he overhauled for fish
on the evening of that very day. Itwas
a fisherman who had ventured down of
Cape Small Point after haddock. He
asked the fisherman if the Polly Arm
had entered the river.
g Yes, sir" answered the poor fellow.
Ibid she carry much of load?'
Gerewsalem! yew'd thought so, ]
reckon" answered the fisherman, who
seemed DESTROYS of giving an emphatic
reply. "She was loaded daown to the
gun lis, sir. It's a marcy at she didn't
sink!''
The Englishman replied in a very ex.
tended and very deliberately wrought
sentence of oaths, and added: 81 wish
she had sunk! 1 never was so fooled
before; and never will be again!'
But the man spoke without counting
his cost. The Polly Ann stopped at
Bath and unloaded her large guns and
ammunition; and three days afterward
two sprightly privateers sailed down the
river, and captured the brig-of-war, an6
carried her into port.
Meanwhile the successful schooner
kept on up the river, carrying gladness
to all patriotic hearts; furnishing food
for hundreds of furnishing bodies, and
many Responding souls with
new hopes and aspirations.
A Ludicrous Blunder.