Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1890-11-29

briggs course was accordingly laid. On
the afternoon of the third day after pick.
ing up the boat, we sighted the bark
dead ahead. We were not then over
twenty five miles from the island. Tine
stolen craft had evidently been taking
things pretty easy. She was under shor6
sail when we first espied her, although
the weather was fine and the breeze fair.
The thieves had no fear of pursuit, and
perhaps all were captains except the ship
keeper and would not obey each others
orders. We had her almost hull up when
the fellows became suspicious. Then they
set everything below and aloft, and to
our intense chagrin we discovered that
the bark was faster saler than the
brig. 1t was o'clock in the afternoon
when we signted her, aud us darkness
fell she had gained a couple of miles on
US. Having got the alarm it was hard
to tell what they would now do, but
after long consultation our Captain de-
c:ded to round Christmas Island on the
north and west and lay course for jar
Wis Island. The bark was headed di-
rectly south when we last saw her.
Next day at noon we were to the west
of Christmas and running down on our
course, when we suddenly discovered the
bark on our starboard quarter, standing
out from the southeast end OF the island,
where she had been in hiding to let us
pass. She had not seen us on account
or a wooded peninsula making out for
several miles, and we felt sure we had her
in box. The wind was from the west,
and it was a bit of job 70 get the brig
about, smart as we were. The bark was
about five miles off as we headed for her.
She couldn't go to the west; nor were
there men enough aboard of her to turn
her on her heel and beat her back to the
northeast. Her only recourse was to stand
to the southwest, heading directly for US,
! or to fall off and run dead to the west.
| We all looked to see her head into the
wind and wait to be boarded, but the
rascals had no thought of it. she sud
denly shifted her course to the west, and
hoping to cut her off we shifted ours
northwest. Each was now the leg of
triangle. 1t was plain from the start
that we should be within a cables
length of her at the meeting point, even
if we did not cut her off She would
have the shore on one side and us on the
other.
Each craft had all sail set. When
within three miles of the bark we fred
gun for her to heaye to, but not the
slightest notice was taken of it. Our
two pieces of ordnance were then
shifted over to the starboard side and
loaded with solid shot. If the rascals
refused to surrender they must take the
consequences. Each craft held dead to
its course, but again the bark proved
her better sailing qualities. Instead of
cutting her off as we hoped for we were
still quarter OF a mile away when she
/ Passed the point. The three Portuguese
were shouting and cheering, while the
| white man was at the wheel. Orders
were given to Gre, aud two solid shots
went whizzing at her, but to pass over
her without damage. We then fell into
Z her wake and could not bring gun to
bear, and we had the further mort.ica-
ton to see her walking away from u.s.
The Portuguese ran up the American flag
and dipped it three times, and our crew
fairly danced in their indignation. The
only thing we could do was to follow
her, but we lost her early that evening
and we're all at sea as to where we should
set eyes on her again.
Three days later, having had only
light breezes, we raised Enderbury
Island, which is the easternmost island
of the Phoenix group. The wind had
been fair for the bark to lay this course,
, and this group also offered the pirates a
/ good refuge and beautiful climate. We
approached it from the west, ran in to
within two miles of the beach, and then
worked slowly along the southern shore.
The charts showed no haven of refuge
on either tine south or west shore, but
located a bay on the north. We hoped
to tap them, if they were there, by max
ing a circuit of the island and coming
upon them from a direction unexpected.
As the breeze vas light, we were all day
working down the south coast, and as
the sun went down we anchored in forty
feet of water off the reef Next day we
had to work up the west shore against
head wind, and night came again before
we had fairly turned the corner and
headed to the east. We came to anchor
again, but such was the impotence of
Mate Cummings and his men that they
set of in their whaleboat to explore the
coast in advance. Ten miles to the east
they found the bark anchored in the bay
laid down on the chart. She was within
200 feet of the beach, her sails furled
and slowed, and was heard of before she
was seen. The Portuguese were drunk,
as they were singing and shouting SO
they could be heard half mile away.
The mate should have returned and
reported the case, but he did not. He
believed his party strong enough to re-
! capture his craft, and he therefore pulled
down to make the attempt. He did not
surprise the pirates, as he hoped to, and
when he attempted to board was driven
back to his boat in great disorder, nearly
every man being badly hurt by blows of
capstan bars. 1t was nearly daylight
before the boat returned to the brig, and
as it was a perfect calm we decided to
wait until daylight before making any
| further move. As day dawned there was
every prospect of continuance of the
calm, and two boats, each containing
! eight armed men, were dispatched to get
possession of the bark. Our first mate
ba6 charpp of ona ond C,r,,,- ,ipr ,s IF +lo
other, and l was in the first boat. Our
instructions were to board at any sacri-
/ fee, but to spare the pirates for the gal
lows if possible
/ After a row of two hours we came to
1 the entrance of the bay and there was the
bark before us. She had snug anchor
age, and everything aloft was as tidy as
you please. She wasn't over half mile
away, as it was not deep bay, and we
were no sooner in sight than we heard
cheer from her decks, followed by the
boom of cannon and the sound of a
rouad shot over our heads. In rummag-
ing the vessel the men had discovered
an old six-pound cannon which had lain
in the hold for many years. This they
had hoisted out, loaded with shot in
tended for the feet of dead man, and
fred from a carriage so poorly con
structed that the gun dismounted itself
The bark lay stern toward US, as The tide
was running out, and we pulled to board
her on either bow. Captain and mate
had both left revolvers on board, and
these were now used by two of the nj