Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-11-30

mark q foul weathGr. In TIL dtuat3o0 ~
were ovsrtoyed to sight small nip q ~
horiscn, and TO perceive hH 20 about and
hsad for the sainte- Maria But our gratia-
cation did mot very long sadurs; for whan
she had laid 10 and lowered . boat 70 IVES im-
msdiately 6lled with disorderly fellows, who
sung and shouted - they pulled acroa 10 uA
lasses, cursing loudly. Their leader was Q
horrible villain, with his faes blacked and his
whisker curlcd In ringlsts; Teach. his name;
. most notorious pirate. He stamped about
tho deck, raving and crying out that his
name was Satan and his ship was called He'll
There was something about him like a wicked
child or half witted perSon that dauntsd
me beyond expression. whispered In The
enr of Ballantrae that would not be the last
to volunteer, and only prayed God they
might be short Of hands; he approved my
purpose with nod.
..Bcdad,n said to Master Teach, III you
arc Satan, here is divii for ye.n
The word pleased him; and mot 10 dwell
upon these shocking incidental Ballantrae and
I and two Others were taken for recruits,
while the skipper and all the rest were cast
into the sea by the method Of walking the
plank. It was the first time bad sseu this
done; my heart died within me at the spec
iytes 0or my head was too much lost TO be
precise) remarked upon my pale face in very
alarming manner. had the strength to cut
a step or two Of jig and cry out some
ribnldry, which saved me for that time; but
my legs were like water when must get
down into the skiR among these miscreants;
and what with my horror Of my company
and fear Of the monstrous billows, IL was all
could do to keep an Irish tongue and break
jest or two rs we were pulled aboard. By
the blessing OF God, there was q fiddle In tho
pirate ship, which had no sooner seen than
fell upon; and in my quality OF crowder
had the heavenly good lack TO get in favor In
theft eyes. Crowding Pat was the name
they dubbed me with, and it was little
cared for a name so long as my skin was
whole.
What kind Of pandemonium that vessel
was l cannot describe, but she was COM
manded by lunatic, and might be called
floating Bedlam. Drinking, roaring, singing,
quarreling, dancing, they were never all So
Der at one time; and there were days together
when, il a squall had supervened, it must
have sent us to the bottom, or IL kings
ship had come along, it would have found US
quite helpless for defense. Once or twice we
sighted sail, and, II we were sober enough,
overhauled 1t, God forgive usl and il we
were all too drunk, she got away, and
would bless the saints under my breath.
Teach ruled, IL you can call that rule which
brought no order, by the terror he created
and observed the man was very vain of his
position. have known marshals Of France,
ay, and even Highland chieftains that were
less openly pulled up; which throws q singu-
lar light on the pursuit Of honor and glory.
Indeed the longer we live, the more we per-
ceive the sagacity of Aristotle and the other
old philosophers; and, though I have all my
life been eager for legitimate distinctions, I
can lay my hand upon my heart, at the end
of my career, and declare there Is not one
no, nor yet life itself-which Is worth acquir-
ing or preserving at the slightest cost Of
dignity.
1t was long before got private speech Of
Ballantrae; but at length one night we crept
out upon the boltsprit, when the rest were
better employed, and commiserated our po
sition.
"None can deliver us but the saints" said L
"My mind is very different" said Ballan-
trae; "for am going to deliver myself. This
Teach is the poorest creature possible; we
make no profit of him and lie continually
open to capture and" says he, II am not go
ing to be a tarry pirate for nothing, nor yet
to hang in chains il | can help it." And he
told me what was in his mind to better the
state of the ship in the way Of discipline,
which would give us safety for the present,
and sooner hope of delverance when they
should have gained enough ard should break
up their company,
Iconfessed to hin ingenuously that my nerve
was quite shook among these horrible sur
roundings, and burst scarce tell him to count
upon me.
81 am not very easy frightened" said he.
NOR very easy beat"
A few days after there befell an accident
which had nearly hanged us all, and offers
the most extraordinary picture Of the folly
that ruled in our concerns. We were all
pretty drunk, and some bediamite spying
sail, Teach put the ship about in chase with.
out glance, aud we began to hustle up tho
arms aud boast Of the horrors that should
follow. observed Ballantrae stood quiet in
the bows looking under the shade of his
hand; but for my part, true to my policy
among these savages, was at work with the
busiest, and passing Irish jests for their diver.
sion.
run up the colors," cries Teach. "Show
tine --s the jolly Roger!"
H. was the merest drunken braggadocio at
such a stage, and might have lost US valu.
able prize; but thought 1t no part Of mine
to reason, Ald ran up the black flag with
my own hand.
Ballantrae steps presently aft with smile
upon his face.
You may perhaps like to know, you
drunken dog" says he, "that you are chasing
kings ship"
Teach roared him the lie; but he ran at
the same time to the bulwarks, and so did
they all. lhave never seen 80 many drunken
men struck suddenly sober. The cruiser had
gone about, upon our impudent display OF
colors; she was just then filling on the new
tack; her ensign blew out quite plain to'see
and even as we stared there came puff OF
smoke. and then a report, and q shot plunged
in the waves a good way short Of US. Somt
ran to the ropes and got the "Sarah" round
with an incredible swiftness. Ono fellow
fell on the rum barrel, which stood broachet
upon the deck, and rolled it promptly over
board On my part, made for the Joll,
Roger, struck it, tossed it in the sea, ant
could have flung myself after, SO vexed wa
with our mismanasement As for Teach
he grew as pale as death, and incontinentll
went down to his cabin. Only twice b
came on deck that afternSon; went to tn
taffrail; took a long look at the kings ship
which was still OH the horizon heading afte
us; and then, without speech, back to hi
cabin You may say he deserted us; and
it had not been for one very capable sailo
we had ON board, and for the lightness o
the airs that blew all day, we must certainl.
have gone to the yard arm.
1t is to be supposed Teach was Inundated
and, perhaps, alarmed for his position wit
the crew; and the way in which he set abou
regaining what he had lost was highly chal
acterstc Of the man Early next day W
smelled him burning sulphur in his cabi
and crying out of "Hell, helll" which wa
well understood among the crew. and file
their minds with apprehension. Present.
he comes on deck, perfedA figure of fun, hi
face blackened, his hair and whiskers curlet
his belt stuck full of pistols, chewing bits {
glass so that the blood ran down his chin, an
brandishing dirk. | do not know il he ha