The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1883-07-13

CT 10 pieces Tor nreWO0d, as LnaI Was
about all she was good for. On the
present occasion she was loaded with
provisions, but the load was necessarily
a light one, as jenkins dare not venture
to sink her too deeply.
The two schooners sailed from Salem
together In fact jenkins would not
have dared to sail alone, for he was not
sure his rickety old craft would carry
him through. The Polly Ann was
manned by Captain Wait; his son Ma
than, youth of nineteen; man of
thirty, named Jim Tufts, and Samuel
Locke, young man of twenty-five.
The Eliza had beside her Captain, Da-
vid, brother of the commander; Walter
Davis and Charles Allen, both young
men and able.
When the two schooners reached
Wood Island, which lies at the mouth
of the Saco River, they were boarded
by some Yankee fishermen who resided
there, and who informed them that it
would be of no use for them to 90 any
further
"Ye can't git into the river" said
one of them, flor cussed brig-o' wars
lyin' off an on there all the time. An
/ ken tell We one more thing, too: Them
Britishers are on the lookout for you.
They've heered as how't yeou were
comm in with provisions an arms for
priNateers: They've been informed
somehow"
This was damper upon Captain
Eben Wait. He had known that there
were British war vessels upon the
coast; but he had hoped that there
might be none in his way. He could
not turn back. He knew that those
whom he loved were suffering for the
want Of the food he had with him; and
that the privateers could not sail until
they had the stores he had in charge
for them. And, further, much of the
provisions he had in cargo might spoil
by being kept too long in the hold of
his vessel.
What should he do9 The loss to him,
if he failed to make his trip, would be
great; but he thought not so much
of that as he did of the loss to those who
were depending upon him for the very
means Of sustaining life. He questioned
the fishermen very closely, and was
convinced that they spoke truly. Three
Of them had come from Mauhegan only
two days before, and had been robbed
of their fish by this,same brig.
"And," continued the informant,
zone of the officers asked us if we
knowed the Yankee. schooner Polly
Ann. We pretended 'at we didn't
know anything about it. He said he'd
have We eff We come that way"
Captain Wait pondered a long while
on the information he had received.
It's hard case,' he said to his
friend, Captain Jenkins. I" / know how
these fellows watch. There's no getting
by them"
"'Tis COMPOUNDED bad,'' returned
Jenkins. "Now if 'twasn't for the
cargo I've got aboard they might have
my old hulk in welcome. don't know
but I'd be willin' to pay 'em somethin'
to carry her off; for the firewood she'll
make won't hardly be worth the trouble
of cuttin' her up. She's half rotten,
and other half is as full of nails and
spikes as her sails are full of holes. But
with your vessel it's different. She's
new and valuable. By thunder, Eben,
I'm afeared we'll have to go back. But
it's cussed hard, isn't it?''
But new light had cleaned upon
the bronzed face of Captain Wait.
"Look we, Abner," he said, eagerly,
eff | could carry your cargo all safely
up the river would you give up your old
vessel?"
"Would IP" cried Jenkins. "rll.
bet | would, Yes, sir; I'd let her 90 to
grass in minute" &A##E#
"Then | think we can do it. At all
events, we'll try. My schooner can
easily carry all the load you We got, from
here to Bath. Wen drop in shore and
shift cargoes as quickly as possible"
Jenkins heard his friends plan ex-
planned, and his own face grew bright.
The two schooners were anchored, and
then lashed side to side; and then all
hands turned to with will Before
night the Eliza was /" flying light,
with nothing aboard that could be posi-
bly, taken away. They left her. hull,
her 1nasts, her three sails, and such rig
ging as was absolutely necessary to
keep her on the wind
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 daybreak
The wind was from the south'rd and
east rd, and blew fair breeze, and it
was likely to remain so, at least until
the sun rose again.
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 $3.50 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 very few minutes afterward
the tall spars of British brig-of-war
could be distinctly made out ahead,
just outside of Seguin, and to the
south'rd of it.
'Now's our time,' 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 We set her going nowP"
"Yes. Are you going to?n
Eyes. / can fix that there
''Then do it as soon as We cen. The
Englishman hasn't seen us yet. Set
her head a little to the north I'd of east!"
''Aye, aye, responded jenkins; and
thereupon he set at work.
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 go a 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 behaved
very carefully for running with the
wind a little forward of the beam. The
tiller was next set, and as soon as he
was satisfied that the schooner would
run in 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 were Sc.
curely Delayed, and that nothing of any
value was left on board, he had his crew
get into the boat and pulled for the
Polly Ann.