Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-07-11

aboard, and during the rest of the
night small boat might have pulled
all around US and heard nothing to
indicate our presence. When morn
ing came the men were turned upI
and with the least possible noise, and
we waited for the sun to disperse the
fog before piping to breakfast.
In that fog we we're a ghostly ship
and ghostly crew, ont after a half
hours waiting the fog began to break |
up into queer shaped tongues and riffs |
and drift away, and all of sudden it
vanished and left US a clear vision.
A wild yell broke from every enlisted
man aboard, for there, hardly musket
shot away, almost stationary on the
dead tide, was the Lion, the brig we
were in search of. She had left her
iAoorings with the wind and tide, but
the former had failed her, and the
fog coming on had obliged her to
anchor for the night She had been
within mile and half of us all
night. and had lifted her anchor in
the early morning to drift down with
the last of the tide and be ready to
make her ofing with the first of the
land breeze.
The yell of surprise and satisfac-
ton f,om our decks was echoed by
one of astonishment and hate from the
SLAYER. Orders were given to drop
our boats and board her, but at the
same moment her yawl dropped into
the water, and captain and crew
tumbled into it to escape US. There
was little delay in getting away, one
of her men stopping behind for
moment, but when the yawl headed
up the blight, it was at such pace as
to discourage us. We had two boats
down, but 1t was the other one which
pursued the yawl, while ] was ordered
to board the SLAYER and take possess
sion. We pulled straight for her,
but before we got alongside pande-
monium broke loose. The fellow who
fingered behind had knocked the
fastenings off the gratlngs which
covered the two matches in her deck,
and the blacks swarmed up and over
the brig like so many hornets
Those dusky fellows were submis.
sive enough when overawed, but as
they came on deck to find themselves
In possession they got rid of their
light chains, and menaced US from
every foot of the rail. They could
not understand what had occurred,
and all ships and all crews were alike
to them. They seized whatever weap-
ons they could get hold of, put them
selves under couple of leaders who
had probably been chiefs, and dared
US to board. pulled back to our
craft for instructions, and was ordered
to take one of The interpreters back
with me and let him explain the situa-
ton. 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 vet
formed no plan when the land breeze
sprang up and the blacks began to
make sail on the brig. There must
have been two or three among them
who had been aboard of a sailing
craft. or they were sharp enough to
study out the rig and discover which
ropes to haul on. None of them
dared go aloft, but they let fall OF
hoisted away until the breeze got a
purchase on the bunts or festoons, and
then the jibs were run up and
trimmed down almost as well 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 If we could have used our
pistols and cutlasses we could have
been OH her decks in two minutes,
but our orders were not to injure a
man of them, our captain hoping that
after their first squirt was over the in.
terpreters might find opportunity tc
explain.
Il What followed the coming of the
breeze has never been detailed except
in official reports. The wind come uE
strong and gusty, showing an atmos,
pheric disturbance inland, and the
management of vessel was some
thing that no one aboard undertood
She had got her nose pointed up the
blight by the time the breeze took
her, and away she moyed as fast as we
could pull our boat behind her, yawn
ling to starboard or port in such way
that her wake was like a 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 helm
mau kept o better course, but tht
breeze gusted up strong every Few
minutes. and during these gusts h'
, lost his nerve and everything was il
confusion. However, the brig KEEP
advancing up the blight all the time
and our two boats followed behind