Connecticut western news., 1883-09-05

his eyes, he stared in astonishment at the American officer, whose undress uni form had suspicious look.
 "H'indeed, sirp' he said, "'ow is this? Who are you, sir, if man may h'ask?'
 "I am naval officer, sir,' replied MT. Gale
 k "Ah, yes Isee! One of is Majesty's lue-jackets, I must 'ope, sir?''
 "Not quite that, sir" replied MT. Gale. '"The majesty I serve is called 'The Sovereign People, I am first lieutenant of the privateer Tom, of Bal timore, to which vessel your brig has become prize I am sorry for your misfortune, but it is our business to make war on England's commerce, as it is her policy to distress us.''
 The English captain yielded sadly to his fate. His officers and men, he ex- plained, were all gone on shore. and he himself, having had nc particular busi- ness on hand at the moment, had sat down to read in the cabin, and so fallen asleep.
 The Cambria proved to be one of the richest prizes ever captured by an Amer ican privateer. She was of about three hundred tons burden, and had almost completed her cargo for home. Its bulk consisted mostly of palm-oil, tamarinds, and valuable wood; but she had likewise an unusual amount of gold dust and ivory, with an abundance of ostrich feathers and various kinds of choice gum. She was, beside, a fine new vessel, upon her first voyage.
 The British crew, upon coming down te the shore, were much surprised to find their brig a prize to Yankee privateer, and would not pull off to her. The cap- tain, at his own request, was set on shore among them; all the private effects of himself and his men being restored, and several hundred dollars in gold also re- turned from the cargo, in order to re- lieve the mariners who had thus lost their floating home. The captain said
 
 Portuguese station at little distance down the coast until an opportunity should offer of getting home.
 Running along the coast of Senegam- bia, the Tom fell in with the stranger ship of three hundred and fifty tons or thereabout, well-armed and full of men, To the surprise of the Americans, she hoisted black flag! She was pirate, in search of prey; and the captain, rightly believing that the privateer must have good amount of gold on board, engaged her in very spirited manner. The buccaneer was considerably super for in force, but his men were ill-disci- plined, and their gunnery was wretched ill the extreme.
 It was now that MT. Gales skill with the forty-two pounder was again turned to account. After a number of broadsides had been exchanged, he suc- ceeded in putting 8 shot into the pirates hull several feet below the water line. This was done as the enemy rolled in the heavy swell which happened then to be running, thus exposing a part of his hull which in smooth water would have been hidden.
 As the spot was again instantly sub- merged, of course perfect torrent be- gun to pour in through the hole. MT. Gale knew what had bes Sne, for, in spite of the smoke, he had seen where his great cannon ball had struck.
 The pirates, finding their vessel in danger of sinking, hurriedly ran inboard all the guns on that side, at the same time running out those on the opposite side-hoping by this expedient to so careen the ship as to bring the hole out of water. But the moment that so much weight was shifted, over she went
 The matches being open, the ship filled immediately, and in less than five min- utes she sank with her whole crew The Tom had one man killed and two wound ed in the engagement.
 The name of the pirate ship was never ascertained, nor was that of her captain; but that she was an enemy ot most gloomy and threatening front the privateer's- could well attest.
 Standing to the northward until in the West Indies, our patriotic adventures next deserted heavy ship which proved a more worthy foe, if less desperate one. She was the Townsend, mai packet, sailing between Falmouth and Barbadoes.
 The English captain, feeling that he had much at stake, used every exertion to defend the property entrusted to his care. His ship carried more guns than the privateer, and they were well man. aged.
 She had strong crew, and, beside many of her numerous passengers also took part in the battle, so that, alto gether, she was areally formidable antag onist. One of her shots, striking the Tom on the star board quarter. wentintc the cabin, where it tore through tht captains beeth, and, going across to tht port side, lodged in-the lieutenant' mattress.
 But the Toms forty -two-pounde1 made sad work on board the Townsend cutting up herhull and spars and spread ing destruction among her defenders. Al length, when their captain and a mum Der of others were killed, the English men struck their colors. First, however they thew overload the ships mail, il order that tho Americans might no profit by any. information or other matte | that if contained