Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1891-08-01

'S''o ti"t 10 .1eSs tua1 three frlcndIy
sails were IN sight when be was attacked
but all too far axay to signal. even If he
had been warned in time to do some
thing Owing TO the shoals surround.
lng the ISLAM our craft could not an
proach near enough to use her guns ana
she'll the fellows ont, and we were not
strong enough TO land from our boats
and deal with them. The sight Of an
armed vessel nosing around would mt
pIra5cs On tlelr euari, alu SC 1t was re-
solved 70 play them a YANKEE tricl. We
ran into bay on the coast and set to
work.
You are probably aware Of the fact
that Al English man-o war. 10 matter
how large Or how small, IS u pattern of
neatness and regulation. ana the cut of
her sails will alone establish her iden-
tity while her hull is yet beloH the
water line. We had, therefore, u un-
do and overhaul . great deal. We pat
everything IN seeming confusion aloft,
disguised her hull as much as possible,
and when We left the bay The Shark
had the look Of mercnantman which
had been through a ty,Aoon anl wl'
too short handed to make repairs. TIC
Dutch captain died Oh the lay a.ter We
found him, and his last words were q
prayer that we might fall in witt aal
punish the pirates.
1t was just at daylight that We ap-
peared off the north coast of the island
and anchored on bank aban. three
miles from the beach. aIcn were sent
aloft as if engaged in repairs, a boat was
got down as if to work on the hull, and
the bulk of the crew remained in hiding
below. No doubt the fellows ashore had
lookout IN some trees, and provided
| with good glass he could see everv-
thing going on aboard 1t was hardly
sunrise when small native craft with
J four men in hercame out to within pistol
| shot OF us to make an avestiration. Our
captain hailed them and they replied
with gestures of signify that ehe7 would
return 70 the shore for help. They
evideotly took US for what we pretended
to be, and we were piped to break fast
| feeling that our ruse would succeed.
About eight O'Clock, with the wind
breezing up lively, three native sail craft
| put out for US. \ man aoft with Il glass
reported that each craft was crowded
with natives, and it was now our plan to
weigh anchor and make little sail and
pretend to be standing away from them
as if alarmed. The object was to draw
them as far away from shore rs possible,
and we had added H4ic or more to the
| distance when the foremost boat came
within hail She hadn't a gun of any
sort IN sight, but she had forty eight
desperate looking villains in plain view,
and every one Of theln had u cutaSo and
pistol. While her captain was hailiug
us in language no one could understand,
she was slowly edgng along down upon
our starboard quarter. At the same time
a second craft was drawing ahead on the
port side, and the third kept in our
wake
Only seven or eight men were in sight
on our decks, and the natives seemed to
have 10 suspicious Of a trick. The
breeze was a little bit too strong for their
mannuvring at first, but after we were
about six miles off shore the two sudden
ly closed in to board US: Our captain
had been closely watching them an1
waiting for this move, and Of sudden
the drum beat to quarters and our decks
No 3 gun crew and hal the honor Of
triug the first shot. 1t WAS solid ball,
and it struck the craft on her port bow
and went clean through her and dropped
into the sea beyond. This opened the
fight the natives instantly rei.izc1 That
they had caught a Tartar, aa1 they saw
too, thai their Only means Of escape lay,
in capturing the ship. Therefore, in
stead Of running away, a, W hai loo1e /
for, each craft bore down Oh Us to board.
They were handled Is easily a an Indian
manauyres a canoe, and it wasn't FIVE
minutes after the first gun was fired ere
they were on our quarters Ike wolves
, seeking to hamstring deer. | fred
!, another solid shot and then loaded with
grape, aud this last charge was fired
, right into mass Of natives waiting L
|, Chamber up the side. The gun aext tc
me fire1sa solid shot, which tore Though
her bottom, and two minutes later she