San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-01-08

Iconfessed to him ENORMOUSLY that my nerve
was quite shook among these horrible sur
roundings, and burst scarce tell him to count
upon me.
II am not very easy frightened" said he,
NOR very easy beat"
A few days after there befell an accident
which had nearly hanged us all, and offers
the most extraordinary picture Of the folly
that ruled in our concerns We were all
pretty drunk, and some bedlamite spying a
sail, Teach put the ship about in chase with
out a glance, and we began to hustle up the
arms and boast Of the horrors that should
follow. observed Ballantrae stood quiet in
the bows, looking under the shade of his
hand; but for my part, true to my policy
among these savages, was ss work with the
busiest, and passing Irish jests for their diver
sion.
Run up the colors," cries Teach. "Show
the IS the jolly Roger"
1t was the merest drunken braggadocio at
such a stage, ana might have lost us a valu-
able prize; but thought it no part of mine
to reason, and ran up the black flag with
my own hand.
Ballantrae steps presently aft with smile
upon his face.
"You may perhaps like to know, you
drunken dog" says he. that you are chasing
kings ship"
Teach roared him the lie; but he ran at
the same time tn the bulwarks, and SO did
they all | have never seen so many drunken
men str X suddenly sober. The cruiser had
gone about, upon our impudent display of
colors; she was just then filling on the new
tack; her eusign blew out quite plain TO see,
and even as we stared, there came puff of
smoke, and then a report, and a shot plunged
in the waves a good way short of us. Some
ran to the ropes and got the Sarah" round
with all incredible swiftness. One fellow
fell on the rum barrel, which stood preached
upon the deck, and rolled it promptly over
board. On my part, | made for the Jolly
Roger, struck it, tossed it in the sea, and
could have flung myself after, so vexed was
| with our Encouragement. AS for Teach,
he grew as pale as death, and incontinently
went down to his cabin. Only twice he
came on deck that afternoon; went to the
taffrail; took long look at the kings ship,
which was still on the horizon heading after
u.s. and then, without speech, back to his
cabin. You may say he deserted us; and if
it had not been for one very capable sailor
we had on board, and for the lightness of
the airs that blew all day, we must certainly
have gone to the yard arm.
1t is to be supposed Teach was Inundated,
and, perhaps, alarmed for his position with
the crew; and the way in which he set about
regaining what he had lost was highly char
acteristic of the man. Early next day we
smelled him burning sulphur in his cabin
and crying out of Hell, hell" which was
well understood among the crew, and filled
their minds with apprehension. Presently
he comes on de:k, Il perfect figure of fun, mis-
face blackened, his hair and whiskers curled,
his belt stuck full of pistols, chewing bits of
glass so that the blood ran down his chin, and
brandishing dirk. do not know if he had
taken these manners from the Indians of
America, where he was a native; but such
was his way, and he would always thus an
nounce that he was wound up to horrid
deeds. The first that came near him was the
fellow who had sent the rum overheard the
day before; him he stabbed to the heart,
damning him for mutineer; and then he
capered about the body, raving and swearing
and daring US to come on. 1t was the silliest
exhibition; and yet dangerous too, for the
cowardly fellow was plainly working himself
up to another murder.
All of a sudden Balantrae stepped forth.
do you think to brighten us with making
faces' We saw nothing of you yesterday
when you were wanted; and we did well
without you, let me tell you that
There was murmur and movement in
the crew Of pleasure and alarm, thought, in
nearly equal parts. As for Teach, he gave
a barbarous howl, and swung his dirk to
fling it, All art in which dixie many seamen,
he was very expert.
KNOCK that out of his hand." saws Bal
lantrae, so sudden and sharp that my arm
Obayed him before my mind had understood.
Teach stood like one stupid, never thinking
of his pistols.
"Go down to your cabin, ;" cries BaIlantrae,
land come on deck again when you are so.
Der. Do you think we are going to hang for
you, you black faced, half witted, drunken
brute and butcherl Go down" And he
stamped his foot at him with such a sudden
smartness that Teach fairly ran for it to the
companion.
And now, mates" says Balantrae, "a
word with you. don't know if you are
gentlemen of fortune for the fun of the thing
but | am not. | want to make money, and
get ashore again, and spend it like a man.
And on one thing my mind is made up-I will
not hang If | can help it, Come, give me a
hint; I'm only beginner! Is there nc way
to get little discipline and common sense
about this busnessr
One of the men spoke up; he said by rights
they should have quartermaster; and no
sooner was the word out of his mouth than
they were all of that opinion The thing
went by reclamation; Ballantrae was made
quartermaster, the rum was put in his charge,
laws were passed in imitation of those of a
pirate by the name Of Roberts; and the last