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


smoke was in my way"
''lf the ball had struck the water
said one Of the officers, 1--WE should have
seen it skip, L think. 1 had glimpse
of something between us and the
enemy, but don't know what became
of it"
Every one looked anXiously toward
tue Seventy-four; and in a minute OF
two some operations were observed UIl
board OF her which made the excite
ment intense.
''HelloI" exclaimed Captain Brown.
"what does that mean? They have
lowered their head-yards and are haul
ing up their foreSail! Ny soull they
must have got that shot through their
fOremaStl They're afraid the mast will
go over, and are getting in all their
headsails as fast as poSsiblei Look at
the hands going up the foreriggingl
And there they start their fore-topsall
sheets! You'll see the yard alive with
men in minutei'
By the time the sails were clewed up,
those who were TO furl them were lying
out on the yards in long dark rows.
With that numerous crew there was a
simultaneous handling of foresail, top
sail, topgallant sail, and royal-as, in
deed, would have been the case with all
the canvass upon the ship had neceS-
sity required it to be taken off: and
even she would have had large force
to spare.
But just as the sails had been hand
somely slowed under the gaskets, the
mast began to waver. Faster and
faster it inclined to leeward, then, sud-
denly, as if the weather rigging itself
had given away, down it went with all
its hamper, broken short off by the
deck! 1t was a startling spectacle.
LowermaSt, topmaSt, topgallantmast,
royalmast, yards, men, and all, plunged
Splashing into the water
There was a most lively scrambling
among the wrecked spars and rigging
where the numerous fellows who had
been alOft were seen like SO many en-
quilted rats; but, as was afterwards as
/ certained, the casualties were fewer
than might have been eXpected-only
three men being lost, although four or
five others were somewhat injured.
From the loss of all her head canvas
the seventy-four was obliged to take in
all her sails on the miZZen also, as 9TH
erwiSe she would not answer her helm
She, however, kept everything set on
the mainmast, and, bringing her broad
side to bear on the priyateer. sent the
round shot whiStling thick and fast.
Nevertheless, the distance being some
what too great for her guns, the execu-
tiOn done was very little
Mr.. Gale repeated his fire with the
forty-twO-pounder a dozen or twenty
times; but could not succeed in bringing
down another spar, although he evil
IDENTIFY hulled her more than once. 4
number of her own shot reached the
privateer; one of them rolling across
the deck, wounding a marine in the
foot, and bringing up the opposite
plank sheer. A few of them went
hustling past with great force, while
others fell shoIt.
'sThis is time loSt," said Captain
Brown. "Y 0u have disabled her, Mr.
Gale-goOd for you. But we have no
further business here-we are sure of
the West Indiamen now, and | am
going after them forthwithl''
The wind had freshened, and the Tom
was put IN chase of the merchantmen.
They were more than twenty miles off,
but it was soon discovered thai they
had lost the breeze which was helping
the privateer, and, coming up with
them near sunset, she captured all three.
Upon a subsequent cruise, the Tom,
with the same officers as before, and
with many of her former crew, went
! ranging along the coast of Africa. Here,
upon rounding bluff which sheltered
little inlet, her captain discovered a
Guineaman lying coZily in the basin,
and, going in, dropped anchor within a
cables length Of her.
Not a soul appeared upon her deck,
| but ON her stern were read the words,
GambIa-Liverpool, a." which gave the
Yankee commander all tire information
he desired. y boat was manned, and
the vessel, which as a large square
Tigged brig, taken possession of, still
without arOusing any one 10 call this
summary proceeding in question.
Lieutenant Gale, who was in COM
mand of the boats crew, went into the
cabin, where he found the English cap
| tain lying on transOm fast asleep! He
had his hand on a book, which lay partly
open. and the reading which had prob
ably been a powerful adjunct to drow-
| siness. At all events his slumber must
have been very profound, to nave suf-
fered no interruption from what had
been going on 50 near him. Opening
1 L. l. -+a IN. fclr nnr,t af
the American officer, whose undress
uniform had a suspicious look.
"H'indeed, STRIP he said, Sow is
this? Who are you, sir, if man may
h'ask?"
81 am a naval officer. SIT" replied
Mr.. Gale.
"Ah, yesi seel One of 'is Majesty IS
blue-jackets, l must 'ope, sir?''
"Not quite that, sir" replied Mr..
Gale. ''The majesty | serve is called
The Sovereign people | am first
lieutenant of the privateer Tom, OF
Baltimore. to which vessel your brig
has become a prize! L am sorry for
your misfortune, but it is our business
to make war on England's commerce,
as it is her policy to distress u.s."
The English captain yielded sadly tc
his fate. His officers and men, he ex-
planned, were all gone on shore, and he
himself, having had no particular busi
ness on hand at the moment, had sal
down to read in the cabin, and SO fallen
asleep.
The Gambia proved to be one of the
richest prizes ever captured by al
American privateer. She was of about
three hundred tons burden, and had
almost completed her cargo for home
Its bulk consisted mainly of palm-Oil
tamarlnds, and valuable wood; but she
had likewise an unusual amount oi
gold dust and ivory, with an abund'
ance of ostrich feathers and various
kinds of choice gum. She was, beside
fine new vessel, upon her first voyage
The British crew, upon coming dow
to the shore, were much surprised Il
find their brig prize TO anke'
privateer, and would not pull off to her