The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1893-12-15

i ~ 4ubuOxo Dr06z(
sprang ups The anchor '556s sui ftls
csthesded to a cheery schorns' ! - ~;
the Bristol trader was steered fos
the narrow passage to receive pilot
for Savanna 10 Mar.
BY sundown the ship was nioored ia
harbor, and everything was made snug
Tor the night. A considerable num-
Der OF vessels happened to be Assem-
pled In the port, and the picture was
one OF beauty and color when, on the
sinking of the sun and to the blast of
n heavy piece of ordnance, some score
Or two of radiant streaks of bunting
descended fiuttering to the deck from
peak and masthead.
At 8 o'clock Captain Rogers went
ashore to smokea pipe in hotel that
was much frequented in those days by
seafaring gentlemen. He entered q
hot, long room in which already a
number of captains, mates and such
folk were assembled. The atmosphere
was thick with tobacco smoke.
Much was made of Rogers, as a man
newly arrived from England. One
thing leading to another, our captain
presently referred to the piccaroon
incident he had witnessed outside the
port.
"That schooner was undoubtedly
the Santa Margarita," exclaimed a
shipmaster.
''The cutter was from Kingston, :"
said another. Cali the owner has in
the wide world was in her. He is a
ruined man, 1 fear," and he fetched
the table mighty thwack- with his
great Hst as he heaped variety of sea
blessings upon the pirate schooner.
The 1mpudence of that Santa Mar
garita," exclaimed mate, quiet.
sober-faced man, "goes beyond all in
vention! She walks off with the
droghers rs boy with apples out of
1leld, and stoops to such filthy mean
work MS plundcring the poor John
Canoes.
"She was playing just the same
pr"nks when 1 was last here," said
Captain Rogers. elias there been
nothing with pennant ut it's masthead
washing about these waters of late2
How is it that the epaulets are allow
ing this little cruiser to have it all
her own wny?"
"The Firehy was down here on a
cruise three or four weeks ago." said
one of the captains, ''and chased the
Margarita for six hours. I'd have
thought she would have loite-ed till
she'd snugged the gang of cutthroats
under her own hatches"
"She was called away to carry. des-
patches" said some one.
sVrho
Margarita in sailing" exclaimed a
shipmaster. 'Tm iunked if she didn't
scandalize her mainsail out of sheer
bravado when the Firefy was winking
at her with bow-chaser couple Of
miles astern dead in her wake
That's where it is I" cried Captain
Rogers. eff it was not for the
creased lightning of the beggar's keel
Ia offer my ship to chase her with.
and take my chance of a shindy at |
home for detention if l was long in
catching her. But bless me, gentle.
men! There's nothing in this port.
there's nothing commanded by any of !
you, that's going to look at her in a
oreeze of wind; whilst in ~ dead calm.
why, she came buzzing out this
afternoon from round the corner like
ten-oared galley to the thrust of her
ong sweeps!
Yet we ought to nab her. ,fxia.nf. be-
Re concluded, 1--WE oua'sJsasr to nah ~ % hs,
Ter Ter existence thilssa "a a standing a dsoraS, aSs
bs the red flag of our country.
thought occurred to me this afternoo
whilst [ was watching her walking o
with the cutter. Are we all true me
here?"
He rose as he spoke the words ian
took critical survey of the peopl
around about him. Indeed, he ha
need to be wary; for often it happene
that the piccaroons of those days wei
secretly owned or employed by PEI
sons who were esteemed of good stant
colonies.
But all the people in the long rool
this night were Englishmen an
sailors; every man could have name
the ship he belonged to. Being sati.
fed on this head, Captain Roge,
J communicated his scheme.
1t was very warmly received. Th
I offers of assistance were far in exec.
OF the requirements of the little col
spiracy. For an hour or so th
matter was debated, and the compan
then dispersed, with the understand
ing that all was to be in readiness b
, sunset next evening.
At the hour when the sun sank nez
day, a large sloop, hoisting her maiI
sail and stay-foresail, hoated quietl
, out of the harbor through the narro
passage before weak offshore breez,
The vessel was about five-and-twent
, tons burthen, rugged with one mas
and had been lately employed in carr,
ing sugar along the coast. She WI
unarmed; her flush deck swept cles
from the taffrail to the "eyes."
The night that followed sundow
, was one of rich tropic beauty, II
moon was at her full. Her wah
flowed in II river of greenish splendo
across the black surface of the water
but the night beam was 80 clear an