The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1893-10-06

reclaimed landSman OF bad character
and no seamanship was sent on board
Of us; and, in fact, except there was
scarcely any discipline and no restraint,
we appeared like floating pcnitcntiary
of convicted felons.
$50 long as we ran down the channel
with slack sea and fair wind, so
long all went on tolerably we'll; to be
sure they only kept watch when they
were tired below, when they came up,
reeled about the deck, did all just as
they pleased, and treated me with no
manner of respect.
ION the fourth day from the setting
in of the gale as we entered tho bay of
Biscay, some one aloft deserted strange
sail to windward, bearing down us if in
pursuit OF us Scarcely did the news
reach the deck when, bad as il was be-
fore, matters now became ten times
worse-every counsel that drunken
ness, insanity and crime combined
could suggest being offered and de-
scanted on.
meanwhile the chase gained rapid
ly upon us, and before noon we discov.
cred her TO be French letter-of-
marque with four guns and long
brass swivel upon the poopdeck.
''As for us, every sheet of canvas we
could crowd was crammed on, but in
vain; and, as we labored through the
heavy sea, our riotous crew grew every
moment worse, and sitting down sulltily
in groups upon the deck declared that,
come what might, they would neither
work the ship nor fight her; that they
had been sent to sea in rotten craft
merely to effect their destruction, and
that they cared little for the disgrace
of flag they detested
Half furious, my first impulse was to
run among them with my drawn cut
lass and take heavy veng eance upon
the ringleaders- when suddenly a
round shot went flying over our heads
"'Down with the ensign; strike at
once' cried eight or ten voices togeth-
er, as the ball whizzed through the rig
ging Anticipating this, l had made
the mate, stauch-hearted, resolute
fellow, make fast the signal halyard
aloft, so that it was impossible for any
one on deck to lower the bunting.
Tang went another gun, and, be-
fore the smoke cleared away, third,
which, truer in its aim than the rest,
went clean through the lower part Of
our mainsail.
"'Steady, then, boys, and clear for
action said the mate. She's French
smuggling craft that will sheer OFF
when we show fight, so that we must
not fire shot till she comes alongside
''By this time the Frenchman was
close up, and ranging his long gun to
sweep our decks; his crew were quite
perceptible - about twenty bron zed,
stout looking fellows, stripped to the
waist and carrying pistols in broad,
fat bolts slung over the shoulder.
Come, my lads, said l, raising my
vol ce, as l drew pistol from my side
and cooked it, our time is short now
may as well tell you that the first shot
that strikes us amidship blows up the
whole craft and every man on board.
We are nothing less than freship
destined for Brest harbor to blow up
the French fleet. Ifyou are willing 70
NAL Ike an effort for your lives follow
me-
"The men looked aghast. Short as
was the time for reflection, they felt
that there were many circumstances to
encourage the assertion.
Animated now with the desire for
battle, they sprang to the pinnacle and
seized their arms.
In an instant the deck became
scene of excited hustle, and scarcely
was the ANN unition dealt out and the
boarding party drawn up when the
Frenchman broached-to and dashed his
bowsprit to our own.
'One terrific yell burst from our fell
lows as they sprang from the rigging
and the poop upon the astonished
Frenchmen, who thought that the vic
tory was already their own; with death
and ruin behind, their only hope be-
fore, they dashed forward like madmen
to the fray.
THE conflict was bloody and terrific,
though not long one; nearly equal in
number, but far superior in personal
strength, and, stimulated by their sense
OF danger, our fellows rushed forward,
carrying all before them to the quar-
ter-deck.
"My story is soon told now. We
brought our prize safe into Malta,
which we reached in five days. In less
than week our men were drafted into
the different men-of-war on the sta
ton. was appointed warrant officer
in the Sheerwater, forty-four guns;
and, az the admiral opened the dis.
patch, the only words he spoke puzzled
me for many day after
"'You have accomplished your orders
too WE'LL said he; that privateer is but
a poor compensation for the whole
French navy
MANY years after found out that
our dispatches were false ones, in
tended to have fallen into the hands of
the French, and mislead them as to
Lord Nelson's fleet, which at that time
was cruising to the southwark to catch
them. This of course explained what
fate was destined for us-a French
prison if not death; and, after all,
either was fully good enough for the
cray that sailed in the old rlx n-Ero,,,