St. Landry democrat., 1891-05-30
TWO NANCY LEES.

In the month of July, 1857, I ran away
from 4 British ship which entered the por
of Madras. | was Il boy Of II, a runaway
to sea, and captain and mates had done
| their very best to take the romance out 0
me. They had succeeded so well that
slipped ashore determined to die of starva
ton before | would return to life on the
deep. No effort was put forth to capture
me, and two weeks later, when | sat in tht
shade OF a wall one day hungry and PENN
less and ready to give up, an EngIlSE
woman halted before me and began tC
question me. She was small, slim woman
about forty years of age, quick of speech
and movement, and l got the idea at once
| that she was a sea captains wife. l was
not far ont, as she proved to be a sea cap
sain's widow, and was in command Of {
| brig trading with the east coast of CeylOn
She happened to be in want Of another
hand, and after being told what could dc
| she made a proposition that | accepted.
found the brig to be called the Orient
She was small, but almost new, and &
rapid sailer. The crew consisted of ar
English mate, two Norwegians, French
| boy who had run from his ship, and my
self Mrs. Sweet, the captain, stood her
watch, and this gave the mate himself, q
man and a boy in his watch, while she
mad man and a boy only, though the
cook had to turn out in her watch if re-
quired. The latter was full blooded
negro, big and powerful and sailor enough
to steer or go aloft, Mrs. Sweet, as all
agreed, being able to navigate the brig
anywhere and being thoroughly posted in
every detail of the ships work.
saw on the briggs deck, almost as soon
as l set foot aboard, q nine FOUNDER mount
ed on & carriage, and later on | ascertained
that sha carried a supply Of small arms,
but [ gave the matter little thought and
asked no questions. We got away next
day after joined, and we had fine run
down the coast to Cape karikal, from
which point we laid our course to the
southeast. We had crossed the gulf of
Mancar, which separates the island Of Cey-
lon from the southern end of Hindoostan,
when the wind fell to calm one evening
at O'Clock, and all night long we rolled
about without making the least progress.
Next morning there was a heavy mist on
the water until after sunrise, and it gradu-
ally burned away without bringing the
breeze we hoped for.
When the horizon was clear we saw
bark rugged craft of three times our size
lying about three miles north Of us. She
had come down on the last of the wind
probably bound through the straits, and
the currents had set to the eastward dur
ing the night Those were suspicious days,
but the bark looked to be an honest En-
glishman, and we gave her no attention
until about midafternoon. Then the
French boy, who was aloft, reported that
she had lowered two boats. The glass was
sent up to him, and he soon made out that
the boats were being manned by armed
men, and dark skinned fellows at that.
This looked as if the bark had fallen into
piratical hands, for no trader could have
any honest purpose in arming his boats.
They took their time about it, and final
ly headed in our direction. Had there
been any wind they would doubtless have
tried TO lay us aboard. AS soon as it was
seen that the boats were headed for US
Mrs. Sweet called us all aft and announced
that the stranger was pirate who meant
cur capture and destruction. She was
little paler than usual, but spoke in a low
and even voice, and did not seem to he a
bit frightened. She sold - AS a case
7nere we must .is..- -. ol7 lives. They
you'd cut our throats if we surrendered
and could do no more if we fought to the
last. She seemed to accept it as a matter
Of course that we would fight, and she was
the first to lend a hand to clear away the
gun. The two boys of us brought up the
muskets and loaded them, distributed the
pixies along the rail, and then passed I'D
shot and cartridge for the big gun. Every
thing had been made ready for just such
an emergency. There were thirty solid
nine pound shot and twenty-five loaded
shell in the magazine, as well as about
thirty cartridges containing the proper
quantity of powder. As I afterward
learned, all had been purchased at the
government arsenal in Madras.
We were as ready as we could be before
the boats were pulled amile from the bark.
The mate loaded the gun with shell, and
placed two others and several stands of
grape near at hand. Our brig lay broad
side to the NORTH headed to the east. The
boats must therefore pull bow on to us I'M
I'll close at hand, even if the plan was to
separate and board from different points
fhis gave Us a big advantage, as we could
all lay along the port rail. The gun was
wheeled over, the decks cleared of every
obstruction, and then we were ready. Mrs
Sweet had a doubled barreled English
fowling piece loaded with buckshot. Shs
was nearest the stern. The rest of us had
government muskets. I was pretty ner-
vous, knowing what was at stake, and she |
noticed this, and kindly chided me, saving
that must take good aim, keep cool, and |
that we should surely beat them off, She |
called the French boy over and told him |
the same, but there was no need of speak |
lngto the Others. They were as cool as if |
it We're an every day matter, and l heard |
the mate. say to the cook that he was |
afraid the fellows would back out.
The boats came on to within half mile
Of US and then stopped. Some sort of
signal had been run up on the bark-prob-
ably notification that we were ready for
! stout resistance. They could have seen
is preparing by aid of the glass. There
was consultation of about five minutes,
md then came cheer as the boats moved
forward. Mrs. Sweet looked over at the
nate, and he nodded his head, sighted his
gun, and after long moment applied
he port fire. There might have been some
uck about 1t though he was an old
gunner, but his she'll struck the eastern
most boat plumb on the bows, exploded
With loud report, and she was wiped out
% completely that we could not even see
he fragments. I believe that every man
n that boat was killed. This ought to
lave discouraged the other, but it did not.
She was pulled for US as fast as possible,
nd the stand of grape fired at her went
90 high.
After that discharge we began to blaze
way with the muskets, and l hit one of
he rowers and almost stopped the boat for
moment. While the mate and negro
rorked to load the big gun the other five