Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1894-01-20


claIly hard on the saamsh. who would7 bs
sure 10 lose their dunnnge and their WAGES.
The sailors determined TO take the matter
into their own hands and settle 1t by M
old superstition OF the yea.
The cook ol,eyed the behests Of his ship.
mates. lie shArpened his knife on his
steel. Two Of the sailors caught hold Of .
razor backed hog that was In the pigsty
and hauled him out ON deck. The cook
| stuck him after the most approved way
and his squeals were drowned In the thun.
der OF n gun whose projectile whistled
ominously near the Blue Rocket.
As the blood az the pig ran down the
scupper and reached the sea sudden puff
smote the ship. IL WAS so strong that the
topgaiiant stunsail booms snapped on
short like pipestems
Lee main bracer' yelled the skipper. as
he fairly danced with glee on the poop.
The yards were trimmed for the wind
abeam, which was the Blue Rockets best
point Of sailing IN n humming breeze, and
with the lee rail awash the disappointed
Alabama was left far behind. The stun
sails were taken In at leisure and all hands
rejoiced.
My informant. the old salt, assured me
thac IL the pig hadn't been slain the Ala.
bona would have captured the ship. The
Blue Rocket arrived safely In New York
after all. and extra pay was given the
sailors
The old salt took his sixth ''nobbler" and
continued his cruise.
| or course didn't believe the yarn, but 1t
had so much verisimilitude that seized an
early opportunity Of looking up my Ala
bama literature. In lively little volume
entitled THE Cruise of the Alabama, by
One Of the Crew." on page il6 ! found the
following, which seems to ms to be strik-
ing continuation OF the yarn Of my South
street friend:
I'VE were not out more than two hours
when wa took bark. and ON the 18th Of
December. 1853. captured two more ana
burned them all. On the afternoon Of the
27th. about eight bells. our lookout hailed
Ship ahoyp and we saw In a few minutes
from the deck the topmasts of large ship.
She had the wind abaft, and her flag, which
was unusually large, was standing out fiat
~ board, showing the broad stripes and
| bright stars of the American ensign.
I'VE were Oh the northern point of Su-
matra and fairly out OF the lee of the land
and the wind was blowing from the north
east. We were on the starboard tack and
the other ON the port. and we had the
weather gauge We went about, and with
the American flag flying went straight for
the chase. But the Yankee was evidently
tiled, and changing her course so as 60
bring the wind abeam and on the starboartl
made her course due west. She was about
ave miles away and evidently clipper.
''She was spiendidiy handled and It made
our old square rugged sailors stamp with
approval to see how quickly she sheeted
home har canvas. Out went her weather
studdingsails up to royals. Now these
last are troublesome to handle, with deal
Of gear and overhaul. but 10 was evidently
no trouble to the Yankees, for in about
five minutes their ship was q pile Of can
vas from gunwale to truck.
For a time our old bark, with all sails
set that would draw, seemed to gain, and
when we were about four miles of the
order was given TO clear away the pivot
gun. ! was captain, and the commands
came: 'Spongep Load shotr Ram her
homer Give her full elevationr Now,
was sure we were out of range, and was
rs good a gunner as was on board; but ]
determined TO help the brave Yankee a
little IL could. so gave her a turn less
and then came, 'Firep Bangi The solid
| shot few, cutting the crests OF waves 8, 900
yards away and buried itself fully 500
yards from the stern Of the clipper
''She was fairly flying now and the
breeze was freshening. and her lee rail
must have been almost awash.
The chase was now sinking her courses,
and was giving US the towrope every min
ute, but ! let her alone, after fumbling
about the screw. IL was good line shot.
but fully 1000 yards from the Yankees
stern. Night was coming and the men
stood about the deck in groups and dis
lfastn asastf l.s.s. lxnka