Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1892-01-23
FREEBO0TERS AT SEA.

FREEB00TERS AT SEA.
On the morning OF Sept. 10, 1888,
With tho sun half way TO tho zenith,
,le trim schooner Dolphin forged
uathwurd A gentle southerly breeze
rppcd the smooth Caribbean waters,
and st. Thomas, hor port, lay only
tgenty.iour hours sail away. Hero
sbc was TO discharge and load cargo
and thence shape her homcward course
toward Boston.
Captain Archibald Knowlton walked
o. quarter deck brisl,ly, for hc was
lrnning to enjoy the relief from nnNi-
e'y felt on nearing port safe from disas.
NJ by storm or pirate. Tornnioos and
hurricanes were less TO be dreaded thnn
the fierce outlaws that In those days
haunted tho seas wherever merchant
vessels sailed. dead men tell no
tales was their maxim with prisoners,
and every merchant captain knew woll
that the capture Of his ship by pirates
meant that those Of his company taken
alive would DO made TO "walk the
plank"
The Yankee skipper wllistlcd cheer.
fully rs he looked to windward, whore
a long, sharp rirsoi schooner which tho
morning had brought into view wns
sailing IN the nmc direction "a the Dol.
lllin. From her course and appearance
ho took her TO bo n trader from some
American port. The stranger was
iIsor aud faster than bis own craft,
and slowly crcpt up on her weather
quarter
Anothcrmore distant sail WINS In Wow,
a brig on the port bow, coming on with
iur breeze.
Both schoonos were close hauled on
the starboarl tack. and the strange
schooner was now nearly aboam of tho
Dolphin. Five or six sailors and an
officer In plain clothes wcro In Wow
upon her decks
what do you make her out to be,
Abel" said Captain knowlton.
lie spoke to his lirst mate, with
whom no had sailed since they wore
boys
"A SLAYER maxim for tho west coast,
more'n likely answered Abel Forbes.
shes a good ono; pulls ahead OF us
On the wind, and not many craft can
do that
The breeze, which came and went
iHully, was dying wholly away, and
uostranger, which had come very near,
now fell OF little, keeping on tho
tame tack, as II trying to mako the
most Of whit wind was Left
III that fellow doesn't mind what
hos a-doin hen run afoul Of u.s." said
captain knowlton. I'm hail him. -
Lifting his speaking trumpet, lio shout.
'd' Schooner ahoyl What's your
name and whore are you boundP
Tho Piroqun, Of Havana" called
h'ek tile oliicori then gave command
~ Spanish to his helmsman, who sud.
d'nly throw up the wheel; the stranger
mot ahead aud laid her port bow on
Tie storboarl quarter Of the Dolphin.
as the vessels pitched and ground
together the Piroqua's men, pretend
iug to help In clearing them, passed n
hawser about tho Dolphin's main
hroud', fastening tho schooners to
E''hor a gorgoously dressed man mp
feared, sword In hand, on tho stran
GERS quarter deck, shouting commands
About her leo rail rose n crowd of dos
pcrate looking fellows who in mo
Ment more, with flashing weapons ant
ilrocIous yells, were swarming upor
Tie hophin's decks Before an attach
o. sudden tho merchantlnan's com
p'ny were easily overpowered aud mad,
Prisoners.
Inc pirates were Of many nations anC
eolCrs' In motley dress aud armed Il
Tie teeth, They ransackod the cnbir
ana iorecastle, knocking their captive
about and compelling them to assist II
mo plundoring; then gathered will
ue't booty and prisoners In tho Dol
lnlns waist Upon the poop stoo,
uelr captain, tall, black bearde,
IMAM with fierce eye and rcsolute
cruel, thin lips He wore cooke,
nat, and over his shoulder was slung
vide, crimson sash in which were sticl
''Ferol heavy pistols, and hi. han,
.i''ed ON 1ne rlcniy oruamented hllt 1
TIE sword Mt his side.
lie put come questions to Capital
Nnowlton concerning his cargo, III
sailing Of other vessels from Bostor
una the measures that the British n,
tH9r'ues were taking against the We
Indian pirates
lnen he turned TO his lieutenant.
We're wasting time" he said. "Ru
plank out at tho Ice gangway au
walk thom overheard