The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1889-06-26

every foot OF the rail They could not under
stand what had occurred, and all ships and
all crews We're alike to them They seized
whatever weapons they could get hold of,
put themselves under a couple of leaders who
had probably been chiefs, and dared us to
board. pulled back to our craft for instruc-
tions, and was ordered to take one of the in
terpreters back with ME and let him explain
the situation. 1t was impossible for him to
do so owing to the yells and shouts which
greeted us. They could see him, and see that
he was not one of us, but when he stood up
and made signs the confusion was increased
The other boat now returned from her vain
chase, but we had as yet formed no plan when
the land breeze sprang up and the blacks be-
gan to make sail on the brig. There must
have been two or three among them who had
been aboard of sailing craft, or they were
sharp enough to study out the rig and dis
cover which ropes to haul ON. None of them
dared go aloft, but they let fall or hoisted
away until the breeze got purchase on the
hunts and festoons, and then the ji5s were run
up and trimmed down almost as we'll as sail
ors could have done it. We sought to board
her while so many of the blacks were busy
but there were enough left on guard to
thwart our efforts II we could have used
on her decks in two minutes, but our orders
were not to injnre man of them, our cap
tain hoping that after their first squirt was
over the interpreters might find opportunity
to explain.
What followed the coming of tho breeze
has never been detailed except In official re-
ports The wind came up strong and gusty,
showing an atmospheric disturbance inland,
and the management Of vessel was some
thing that no ono aboard understood She
had got her nose pointed up the blight by tho
time tho breeze took her, and away she moved
as fast as we could pull our boat behind her,
yawing to starboard or port In such way
that her wake was like rail fence The
blacks evidently wanted to return to land,
and as she moved that way their yelling was
tremendous After little practice at the
wheel the helmsman kept better course, but
tho breeze gusted up strong every few min
utes, and during these gusts he lost his nerve
and everything was in confusion. However,
the brig kept advancing up the blight all the
time, and our two boats followed behind
She was holding tolerably fair for the mouth
of the river, and we had made up our minds
that she would certainly DO beached when
she suddenly fell Off, wabbled about, came up
into the wind again, and, after hanging for
a moment, paid off and turned almost on her
heel and headed for the ocean,
Things must have been at skies and sevens
aboard, for the whole crowd yelled in terror
We did not know until later on what had
caused this erratic movement The crow of
the SLAYER, after pursuit had been given over.
rested on their oars to SEQ tho affair out.
When the brig headed up tho blight they cut
across her bows to recapturo her, not seeing
Il. /
to hook on to her fore chains, but In any
event they got in her course and were run
down and sent TO the bottom as surely as If
the blacks had planned it. Not man es.
capped.
When tho brig headed for the sea the
breeze helped her along faster, and the helms
man got back his nerve and managed to hold
her pretty even. Our own craft slipped her
anchor and made sail as a matter of precau-
ton, but the Lion passed her by quarter OF
q mile and held straight out. Wo had now
to pursue the foolish crowd, which we did as
soon as our boats could be recalled. We
hoped that the seas now getting up would dis
nblo the blacks, but few, IL any, OF them
seemed to mind IL. We could sail five feet
to her one, aud we ran as close as was pru-
dent and made every effort to get them 10
-uauefxfHHu fIfsTr we -weFu 7fTenuE Tuey an
swered us with threat and menace When
we fred gun, hoping to brighten them into
submission, it seemed to have just the oppo-
site effect She was held straight out to sea,
and we followed, feeling that disaster must
soon happen. She was good ten miles out
when We got tho word to reef and clew for
an approaching squall, and we were hardly
ready for It when 1t came booming down and
shut out sight Of everything for ten minutes
When It had passed the brig was bottom up
mile away. She had turned turtle, and not
a soul aboard of her escaped. New York
Etln