St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-03-06
San Francisco Call.

w W. Iish! ted a .. cigar ana ma
IL MI 4 pipe and lighted ii to
~s~a#VV his satisfaction.
49, | shook my head in
the negative.
ut is not very pleasant place at GER
tain seasons of the year, for there are
earthquakes ami hurricanes and Gains
and rains in abundance. A man can't
lie down and be certain that he's not
going 10 wake up with his maSts over
the side or his ship on her beam ends,
| and forlled lightning paying round the
maintOpSail sheets like dandieS round a
ballroom belle.
In the year 1919 | was master Of q
brig bound from the West Indies TO
| Boston. think was days sail from
Santa Cruz on the night that am about
TO tell you of. The wind was very high,
and we were going through the water
10 faster than two knots an hour. |
left the deck at 10 O'clock In charge of
my mate, Salem-bred boy named
Cooper, and smart fellow he was. |
told Cooper to keep a sharp look out for
squalls and uspicIOuS-looking vessels,
for we were directly in the track of
! homeward- bound slaverS, and as had
met them number of times without
any good result, / was not anxious to
see them again. and | preferred giving
them wide berth.
Il hadn't been mapping more than
two hours when Mr.. Cooper called me.
"'Captain.' he said, the moon just
rising through black cloud, aud
directly in its wake can make out a
vessel braced sharp up and standing
, across our hawsn, as.thOugh she wished
10 speak us
Il went on deck and took Squint at
the vessel that had somewhat alarmed
my mate. | must confess that did not
} feel quite satisfied with her looks, for
she was large tOpsall schooner, with
; tremendous hoist TO her sails, and they
set as though made for her by master
I hand. The craft was low in the water,
ANA rs black rs a pocket is reported to
be. saw that the schooner was damned
tight in the wind and that she would
be likely TO pass our bows at the rate
/ she going at about hundred yard
distance; but, while | was examining
her through my glass, saw her sails
were shaking and her Roadway was
materially deadened. 1t seemed to me
that her skipper wanted my vessel TO
| draw ahead, in hope of not being
noticed, and possibly he would have
succeeded had not COOpef'S eyes fer
reted him out.
Il examined the stranger for few
seconds, and then | came to the conclu-
sion that the chap was either SLAYER,
uncertain of our character, or Il pirate
i But at all events determined to ue pre-
! pared for either, for | thought that
had guns enough to stand something of
a tug before consenting to walk the
! plank.
Mr.. Cooper | said. last call all
hands in a quiet way, and let's get these
guns ready for business. Don't make a
fuss andseem frightened, as there is no
occasion for it,"
"'AY, ay, sir he answered, and in a
! few seconds the men were on deck and
casting loose the tWelve-pOunderS, all
of which had been loaded two days
before with canister and round shot,
and all that we had to do was to get up
ammunition and place it handy, and
then load our muskets and take the
boarding pixies out of the racks.
"'We are all ready, captain my
mate said in less than five minutes after
he had received Inc order. The men
are all stationed at the guns and ready
o fight at commando
81 hope that there'll be no occasion
for the use of the bulldogs | replied,
| but there's no telling what that yes
sePs intentions are lie stillikeeps his
huff, for his sails are shaking and he
don't draw ahead any,"
"'Perhap5 he wants us to draw by
| and not notice him. my mate remarked,
! and l did not know but that such might
! be the case, for the brig did look very
much like man-Of- war, and, to tell the
truth, had no objection to beng taken
for one of Uncle Sam's vessels, as it
| rather flattered my pride.
| 'By this time the stranger was off our
| beam, and, when began to think that
! he cared nothing for us, he filled his
| sails and Steered so as to just run under
our stern. l did not know but that the
fellow was determined to rake us. If
he had there would not have been any
thing left Of us. However, | resolved
| to let him know that we Werenot asleep,
so | Sprang into the main rigging and
| hailed:
Schooner, ahOyr
"There was no response, but | could
| hear hustle as though there was some
| confusion at being spoken. | fancied
| that there was some scut1iing on deck,
! but | could not make out anything dis
| tinct. | thought that l would give
them another chance to reply, so l
| hailed again:
Schooner, ahoyp and this time
there was an attempt at an answer
Hello! came in grutf tones over the
water.
"'What schooner is that?' 1 de-
manded.
1.-THE
"There was moments hesitancy,
and then some one in the waist of the
schooner shouted in startling tones:
Help! Treacheryi Murderr
Gag the foOlp cried the man who
was answering my hail. Gag him and
throw him overheard
There was another scuffle and manv
suppressed mutteringS, land then | heard
wOman's voice raised in imploring
tones.
Have mercy, gentlemen she cried,
and spare his life. He did not mean
anything, am sure. Oh, let me entreat
of you to spare his life
~ put my glass to my eye, and as the
moon had got clear of black cloud |
was able to see what l had to deal with.
l could make out only half-a-dozen men
on deck, and l concluded that was all
the schooner had on board. There was
something wrong going on. and made
up my mind to investigate it, even If |
was exposed to some little peril | de-
termined on a bold stroke, although /
had some little fear of the result.
Schooner, ahOyn l shouted, just as
she was directly astern OF us.
"'Well, what is it?' was the answer.
Send boat on board Immediately
and let me see what you are COM
manded.
WHO in thunder are you?' was the
| impudent question.
1.-The United States brig Perry,
bound to Santa Cruz
There was GREATNESS silence for a
moment, when suddenly l heard shrill
whistle on board of my own brig such
as is used by bOatswains of a national
vessel when the crew are to perform
any work. The trick was Cooper's.
and was intended to aid me in the de-
| ceptiOn.
brace up the head yards!" shouted,
and then the men left their stations and
performed the work without the usual
accom- paniment of noise.