St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1889-12-21
NARRATIVE OF A NIGHT.
A Briggs Brave Battle with Pirates
and the Elements.

A darker night than that which
closed around the disabled merchant
ship. Carlos, a. I headed her of the
coast of the Islsnd of Mindana0. had
seldom seen.
Occasionally, however. . zig-zag
lightning-aash would play about her
ugly-loNking jury-masts. and reveal her
ragged stump OF jib-boOm. forward.
Having been damaged by tempest.
In which she lost her captain and her
mate. her distress signal had been an
swercd By our ship. the slOop-of-war
Congress. few days before the pres
cnt time, and rs there was no one
aboard capable Of navigating her. our
captain had put me in charge Of her
with few men. and Mr.. Shelburne. q
passed-midshipman of eighteen. to
convey her to Manila. her destina-
ton. She was q Spanish vessel. and
as. besides large amount Of gold and
a valuable cargo, che carried few
passengers. among whom were women
and children. I realized 10 the full
the responsibility Of my position.
Now. as I walked the deck. the
breeze freshened. and q distant moan
ing sound foretole gale. If not hur-
ricanc.
Far astern could just make out the
light Of our sloop. dipping with the
swell. and the sight afforded me some
consolation. The Captain had prom
ised to hover in our vicinity until We
were well past Mindanao. lest We
be pounced upon by some of the
formidable Mindanayan pirates that
were known to have hiding places in
the caverns and rocky bays along the
coast
Suddenly one Of the zig-zag flashes
of lightning have mentioned showed
me the dark. excited visages Of the
Spanish seamen forward, and also OF
some of my own men. as they stood
pecring and pointing. while the hoarse
voice of the outlook was. the next mo-
mcnt, borne to my ears.
Sail hor'
where away?" I shouted.
about two points OF the weather
bow" was the answer.
Shelburne came running up to me
and touched his cap.
Excuse me. Lieutenant" he said.
''but had as good a view of that
craft as the brief flash would permit.
and believe her to be some pirate
whose Captain has probably heard
from Manila people that this vessel
has gold aboard of her, and thinks he
will have a chance to take some of it
from her before our sloop can come to
our aid. Would it not be best. sir. to
wear ship and make a straight wake
for the Congrcss?"
Hooked at the midshipman's hand
some face. at his earnest blue eyes.
cleaning in the light of the pinnacle
lamp. and answered him, l fear, very
gruffiy. for | was not at all pleased at
having this youngster making sug-
gestiOns to me.
''She may not be pirate. When l
want your opinion. sir. / will ask you
for it. Be not SO ready to imagine
danger"
NV manner hurt him. and he
FASTENED to add:
Il was not thinking of myself. sir.
when I spoke, but of Miss Melton and
-and-the other passengers.
could not help smiling At his youth
full readiness in first mentioning Miss
Melton. though l was not surprised,
for |, too-a bluff matter-of-fact sea
Lieutenant OF thirty-had been i'm
pressed by the wonderful beauty Of
this young lady Of sixteen.
Her parent. a widower. who was
with her aboard the ship. was an En-
glish merchant but her mother. A. I
had already learned. had been Span
ish lady. and il WAS from her she in
herited the large lustrous black eyes
that flashed or softened with every
thought and feeling. while the light
brown hair and clcar complexion were
ike her fathers.
Never mind about Miss Melton" ]