Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1894-06-04

| they were crowded with people, but
we swept by, passing them rapidly.
The SLAYER hoped we would stop to
pick up his boats, and thus gain more
time, but his ruse made us even more
eager. Now, our guns redoubled, We
knew the end must come soon, but
there seemed no way to stop the chase
without sinking her, and humanity
forbade shot in her hull. Her cap
tain realized the situation, but even
then his courage was wonderful.
"On we went. Suddenly, saw her
course begin to change; she was com.
ing to windward-her studding sails
came futtering down, her skysails and
royals were clewed up, her foresail
also, and as she rounded up to the
wind and backed her maintopsail, the
Constellation had barely time to get in
her canvas, and round to under her
maintopsail, scarcely two hundred
yards to windward. Away there, first
cutters, awayp called the boatswain's
mates, as their shrill whistles ceased
81 had barely time to get on deck,
after the guns had been secured, be-
fore / saw the first cutter, with our
gallant first lieutenant himself as the
boarding officer, speeding like an ar
row to the vessel, her oars scattering
sparkling diamonds of phosphorescent
water as they rose and fell Every Of
ficer and man was leaning over our low
hammock rails, breathlessly waiting
and watching. We saw the cutter
round up to the gangway. In bows;
way enough = we could hear Fairfax
say distinctly, though his orders were
low. Then came the rattling of the
oars as they were tossed, and the graf
ing of the cutter alongside.
"Fairfax's active figure could be seen
quickly mounting the side, and then
he disappeared as he leaped over the
gangway into the waist. For two or
three minutes the stiffness was pain
full One could hear men breathing
in their excited anxiety. Suddenly
there was hail, in tones which | can
recall as if heard to-day-clear, dis.
tinct, manly, Constellation ahoy !!
You have captured II prize with over
seven hundred slaves
"For second the quiet still prevailed,
and then the crew forward of the
mainmast spontaneously gave three
loud, ringing cheers. Only the sane
tity of the quarter deck prevented the
officers from joining, but they shared
the feelings of the crew. Aside from
the natural feeling which success in q
chase brings, there was large prize.
money in prospect, for in every such
capture the law divided among officers
and men sum equal to half the value
of the ship and her outfit. and an ad
ditional sum of $25 for each slave cap
tured, amounting in this case to al
least $30 600. TO n practical mind
there was reason for cheering. The
prize, however, was not surrendered
by her captain, but by the crew, who
in terror of our guns hove to the vesse
cit was about 2 A. M. when, by order
of the flag officer, / went on board the
SLAYER with prize crew, consisting oi
nine men all told, one being a negro
servant.
"The deck was covered with arti
cles of all kinds, which were to have
been cast overheard to tighten the
ship. The crew could only be seen a.
called to me. They were set of cut
throats bearded, dark looking, scowl
ing Spaniards and Portuguese. not
native American among them. The
slaves were nearly all on the slave
deck, shouting and screaming in terror
and anxiety. leaned over the main
hatchway holding q lantern, and the
writhing mass of humanity, with their
cries and struggles, can only be com
pared in ones mind TO the horrors oi
hell as pictured in former days"