The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1890-02-20

was ready TO do my full share coward
! beating her off, but when was told that
/ there would he no resistance, and wheL
| she was within pistol-shot of us, en-
tered the forecastle, and from theucN by
means by means Of sliding door in the
bulkhead. passed into the hold. We
were rock -ballasted, and in the hold wcrt
a score or more of empty crates and boxes
! ! selected one of these rs place of refuge
having plenty of matches to enable ne
| TO see my way through the darkness, but
waited a while to see what would happet
| above. heard n hail from the dhow, an.
other from above, and then IA shock ms the
! stranger came alongside. In moment,
as knew by the tramping overhead, we
had been boarded by large gang. Two
or three pistols were fired, there was
| shouting and running, aud after few min.
utes | made certain that the Algerine had
taken possession. Men began to rum
mage the brig. and as one of the matches
was pulled off retrcated TO the hiding
place | had selected. Three or four men
came down with Il lantern to examine the
hold, and | heard them cursing away in
the Moorish tongue because they found
no cargo.
1t was row evening and the wind had
died entirely out. | crcpt out of the
box and stood under the main hatch, and
rs the cover was partly of | could plain
ly hear what was going on, although
could not understand what was said. As
| heard nothing from any of our crew,
concluded that they were either prison.
crs in the cabin or mad been transferred
to the dhow. Up to midnight the ves-
sc!s lay side by side, the ilap of their sails
proving dead calm, but soon after that
a breeze sprang up and we were forging
slowly ahead. | heard them hailng
from one craft TO another, and / would
have given great deal to have been able
to understand the tongue. II was my
idea that they were going TO run the
brig over to the Moorish coast as u prize,
and that the crew would be sent into the
interior as captivcs and slaves. This had
been the fate Of more than one crew
shpwreckcd on that inhospitablc shore,
and at that very time France had man
of-war on the coast and was demanding
the release of fifteen sailors known to be
held IN captivity
The wind no; only held light during
the remainder OF the night, but came
from the east and thus headed us off. |
sat on the hard ballast under the hatch,
wondering and planning but arriving at
no conclusion. 1t was fair to presume
that had not been missed, rs no search
was made for me; but this was little
comfort. If the brig was taken into some
bay on the coast she would be thorough
Is searched and | would be dragged out.
II would bc only two or three days at the
longest before hunger and thirst would
drive me out.
Daylight was not half an hour old be-
fore ] heard an alarm on deck, and it
might have been another thirty minutes
when the boom OF Il cannon proved that
we had signal 20 heave to. The brig
was brought head to the wind, amid u
great clamor of voices on deck, and then
everything was quiet. / now made my
way across the ballast to the sliding door,
opened it 4 little to find the forecastlc
deserted. and at once passed through.
Not hearing any one Immediately above
me, assembled the ladder and got look
along the decks lust rs "a French naval
riiiccr came over the rail. / sprang up
the ladder aud rushed aft with such
speed that no one saw me until | was at
the officers side. Lying OIL to wind
ward was a big French frigate, and
alongside was one of her boats. Hang
ing in the wind, half mile distant, was
the dhow, with another Of the frigates
boat, Jus, boarding. On our decks were
thirteen swarthy, ragged, and
showing the villain in every movement.
The fellow in command was just opening
his mouth to make explanations to the
officer when | came upon the scene and
shouted;
Lieutenant, that dhow yonder is
cursed pirate aud she captured us at dark
last night
Explain" he replied as he looked
me over with curious eye.
| briefly told him who and what we
were, and the actions of the Moors cor
robOrated my story. He called four
marines aboard and sent the boat back
with message Inc 1rlgatc had urlfted
down little near, and some of her guns
had been cast loose This was lucky, as
all of sudden the dhow spread her
wings to sail away, We saw the frigate's
boat sent adrft, and afterward learned
that the boarding officer was cast neck
and heels over the rail to take care of
himself. 1t was a desperate resolve with
the dhow and it might have succeeded at
longer range. As it WAS she had not
moved Il hundred yards when boom!
boom. went the guns and we saw the
splinters fly. She ut once miTed up and
/ let everything 90, and another boats
crew was soon alongside.
Everything was soon made plain TO the
Frenchman. When the dhow boarded
Us her hot headed crew were ripe for
killing, and without the slightest provo
cation Shields was shot through the
head. Harper protested, and shared the
same fate, while one of the villains
slashed our Captain across the face and
7 gave him a wound which was months in
/ heuling :. The dead bodies were searched
/ and thrown overheard and the living