The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1890-10-10
CHAPTER xxx.
THE CHASE.

continued for about twenty -fours. from late
ono morning filth beginning Of the next.
AS for dry, there were none; for the sen
and black clouds made one long night Of it,
Fortunately, too, We hal been driven of
shore, and when the murky gloom broke
away, and we were able to look around, our
first anxiety was to see what had become Of
tho brigantine and when some one sang out,
Sail hot knew by instinct that it must be
the Pirate schooner"
I'VE did not wait this time for the pirate
to lead US in getting ready for race, but we
gotup a bran-new suit Of topsails and
courses out Of the sail-room. and SO soon as
the men could go aloft with safety, they
were ordered not to unbend the few latter
ed nss still clineing to the yards, but to cut
away ut once. Up went the topsails and
courses, and they we're soon brought to the
yards and set close-reefed. with a Storm
jib to steady the ship forward. Presently
we gave her the whole furesail and main
sail, and think that even then, for some
hours, but one.half the corvette's upper
works could have been visible as she b, ing
ed through the angry heaving seas.
1t left us dry enough. however, to pay
some heed to the brlgantine ahead Of us.
We saw that her false bulwarks had been
washed away and she was once more the
pirate schooner"
So We went GU, the sea getting more
regular every hour. SO that we conid send
up the topgallant masts, get the yards across,
shake reef or two out. and put the Scourge
III order. The Schooner needed no encour-
agement from us. but cracked ON more sail
until her long mainmast reeled and bent
over rs she came up on the breaking ridge
OF wave. like n whip-stnlk. BY noon the
clouds had gone and left us clear sky with
the gale going down into full top gallant
breeze. sending the corvette along good
eleven koota. Wegot M observation for
latitude and five hours later We determined
the longitude and our position to be n few
leagues to leeward Of the Sarrana Keys,
with that bird of q schooner before us
heading for the Mosquito coast.
We begin to gain upon her now. and
whenever she kept more away before the
wind the gap between us closed more rapid
~; for tho ship could evidently outcarry
the schooner, and had the breeze freshened
and the sen kept up We could have run her
under if her inasts didn't go out of her. as
We hopedand expected every minute they
would. Gradually. however, she watched
her chance and hauled up till she brought
the wind barely abeam and steered true for
81.
nearly surrounded by as terrible lodges and
reefs as any to be found in the caribbean
Sea-"
He was evidently bent upon playil.g
n desperate game, but if he thought he
would not find another ready to lay down
the same stake he was greatly mistaken!
1t was about sunset when we made the keys,
and there We went-the schooner leading
us about mile-at o rate which would
have made both vessels leap clear over the
first ledge they struck, and perhaps have
thrown somersanlts of US into tho bargain.
asked the captain, who had never left my
side on the poop. if We should keep on.
Yes, sir" he replied, so long rs We
have u gun and plank to foatit!"
The reefs were to leeward Of the string
of low keys, which made the water COM
paratively smooth, though the wind still
swept strongly over us, and sang through
the rigging; and it was here the schooner
entered, going like wind pigeons the pair of
lis. The outer reef hada far, deep pas
sage, and SO had the next; but the inner
ono presented but one narrow gateway,
scarcely wide enough for ship to scrnpe
through, with the whole reef one uninter.
rupted fringe Of black. pointed rocks and
roaring white breakers, which toppled over
and boiled aud eddied like thousand
whirlpools into the smoother water inshore.
AS the schooner's stern gave sharp
pitching jerk when she entered this boiling
gorge, We saw, in the moonlight, her head
Yards laid square, the fore and nft sails
flowing in the sheets MS she fell off with
wide wings and the wind on her quarter,
and flew down inside the .eef."
Five minutes after we too entered this
maelstrom chasm. anu though the helm was
hove hard up, aud the after-sails shiyered,
yet before the Scourge's bows, going ut the
rate she WIS, could turn the sharp angle of
that water-gate, her port bilge grated
against n coral ledge and grooved and
broomed the planks and copper away like
SO much sea-weed! But yet that sight
Craze never stopped US hairs weight, and
with additional sail, We rushed after our
pilot, mile after mile, through reef, lodge,
breakers, inlets, and keys, now bmced
sharp up, and again going free, until at last
the fellow. having run us dance Of full ten
miles, once more emerged into the open
water. close jammed on the wind, steering
nearly due east.
There, Hardy" exclaimed the commo-
dore, Il am tired of talking; suppose you
take up the thread of the yarn, Domino,
another bottle of Tinta!"