Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1884-01-02

ship of three hundred and fifty tons
or thereabout, well-armed and full OF
men. To the surprise of the Amerl-
cans, she hoisted black flagl She was
a pirate, in search of prey; and the
captain, rightly believing that the
privateer must have good amount of
gold on board, engaged her in a very
| spirited manner. The buccaneer was
considerably superior in force, but his
men were ill-disciplined, and their
gunnery was wretched in the extreme.
1t was now that Mr.. Gales skill
with the forty-two FOUNDER was again
turned to account. After number OF
broadsides had been exchanged, he sue
ceeded in putting shot into the pi-
rates hull several feet below the water
line. This was done as the enemy
rolled In the heavy swell which hap
pened then to be running, thus expos
ing part of his hull which in smooth
water would have been hidden.
As the spot was again instantly sub
merged, of course a perfect torrent be-
gun to pour in through the hole. Mr..
Gale knew what had been done, 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, hurriedIy 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
filed Immediately, and in less than five
minutes she sank with her whole crew!
The Tom had one man killed and two
wounded in the engagement.
The name of the pirate ship was
never aScertained, nor was that of her
captain; but that she was an enemy of
most gloomy and threatening front the
privateer's-men could well attest.
Standing to the nOrthward until in
the track of vessels from Europe TO the
West Indies, our patriotic adventures
next described heavy ship which
proved mole worthy foe, if less des-
perate one. She was the Townsend, a
mail packet, sailing between Falmouth
and Barbados.
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 priyateer, and they were well man.
aged.
She had strong crew, and, beside,
ny of har ole
TODD part in the battle, so that, alto
gether, she was really formidable an
tagonist. One of her shots, striking
the Tom on ths starboard quarter,
went into the cabin, where it tore
through the captains berth, and, going
across to the port side, lodged i'll the
lieutenant's mattress.
But the Toms forty-two-pounder
made sad work on board the Townsend,
cutting up her hull and spars and
spreading destruction among her de-
tenders. At length, when their cap
tain and Il number OF others were killed,
the Englishmen struck their colors.
First, however, they threw overheard
the ships mail, in order that the Amer
leans might not profit by any informa-
ton OF other matter that it confined.
1t was not sufficiently heavy to sink
Immediately, and the priyateer's men,
perceiving it as it floated, lowered their
boat and secured it
A proposition was now made, by the
officer whom the death of the English
captain had left in command, to ransom
the ship in order that she might proceed
on her voyage; and the arrangement
was presently effected, the sum paid
being forty thousand dollars, viii ch,
considering the value of the ship and
cargo, was not excessive
\ romantic incident occurred in con-
nection with the capture of this ship.
One of the Toms young officers showed
much kindness to an English lad, who,
although only passenger, had taken a
brave part i'll the battle, and received d
severe wound. The English youth re-
membered the kindhearted American,
and year afterward, in the West In
dies, when peace had been declared ,
the two again met
The American, who was a young
gentleman of good parentage, and a
fine education, became introduced to a
sister of the youth he had befriended,
and mutual attachment sprang up
between them. Six months later they
were married; and their subsequent
life, spent partly in the Barbados and
partly in the United States, was a
prosperous and happy one.
So the voyages of American priva-
teer's- men were not always without
associations which were softer than the
roar of cannon or the call of the boat
swain's pipe. There was sometimes q
rainbow of this description resting upon
the very smoke of battle.
Fewprivateers were more active than
the Tom, and few had more of roman.
tic novelty In their ocean record. HeI
appearance is said to have been jaunty
and rakish in the extreme; and one
would, indeed, be apt to guess as much