The Opelousas courier., 1894-02-17
the water wrinkling under the delicate

the water wrinkling under the delicate
brushing of the braeze.
Thus passed theS night. The dawn
broke in a violet CLEAN along the east
ern seaboard. Presently up rose tie
sun, and the wide scene of ocean and
distant shadow of land was flashed out
blue and brilliant into the wide, troplc
day.
It was then that the stout, red-faced
man, dressed in a wide straw hat and
an old monkey jacket, ceased III his
walk to and fro on the sloop, and pick
ing UP a telescope, knelt down and
pointed It.
cat last /" he exclaimed, addressing
another stout, red-1aced nan alongside
of him, clothed in a plain sleeved
waistcoat and an old pair of Yelling
ton boots. 'sThere they are, Per7en!
and about time, too! A pretty long
job of waiting this has been, GER
tainly!"
The other man took the glass, di'
rected it, and stared long and keenly
through the lenses.
Yes" said he, 'there they are,
right enough"
The object at which he pointed the
telescope was a mere black speck as
vet in the thin blue haze upon the sea
under the land. But she developed
her bulk apace as she game along.
urged by a number OF long oars which
rose and fell at her sides like hairs of
gold.
She was a low, long, black-hulled
schooner, unquestionably the indenti-
cal %piccaroon which had excited the
wrath of Captain Rogers. She showed
no color, and her sails were furled, for
the weak draft of wind that now blew
was right in her teeth as she came
heading direct for the sloop.
The two stout, red-faced men walked
the deck together, and seemed to give
no heed to the approaching craft.
They we're the only persons visible,
and might, for the matter of that,
have formed the entire crew of the
little vessel. The schooner drew along
side. and when she was within a half
dozen cables length some twenty or
thirty men came tumbling up out of
her main hatch, and in a trice her
decks were full of people.
Beauties they we're! Never had the
eye rested upon a choicer assemblage
of scoundrels. They were black, white
and yellow; chocolate colored Spani-
ards, renegade E%nglishmen tawny with
fierce usage of the sun, draped in as
many costumes as there were men-in
red and blue and white shirts, in col
ored breeches, in grass hats, with
sashes round their waists, deadly
weapons strapped to their hips and the
butt-end of pistols cleaning on their
breasts.
In perfect silence, without the pre-
liminary courtesy of 50 much as a hair,
the schooner approached. The mo-
lions of the overs were directed by
signs by a tall, scowling desperate
who stood near the main rigging. The
long sweeps were tossed inboards, the
helm put down and the vessel, in tragic
stiffness, ranged alongside the sloop.
Then the hush was broken by the tall
ruffian shouting orders to lash the two
vessels together.
At this instant the stout, red-faced
man, who was indeed no less a person
age than our friend, Captain Rogers,
put a whistle to his lips and blew shril-
". Both men then whipped off their
clothes to their shirt-sleeves and sprang
for a couple of cutlasses concealed be-
hind the mast.
In a breath, in response to the sum-
mons Of the whistle, a whole mass of
powerful men came pouring out of the
hatch of the sloop. They were armed
to the teeth, and as they rushed up
they delivered one of those vast, hur-
ricane sshurrahs' which, as delivered
by British throats, have been known
again and again to paralyze the enemy.
"Now. my friends roared Captain
Rogers, "now We have them! Total
submission or no quarter"
The fine old fellow sprang for the
rail and was followed by the mass of
men, all of them captains and mates
of merchantmen, except some half
dozen able seaman.
Never was there q deadlier, more
heroic boarding rush. It was IN affair
of about five minutes only. Howls
and yells, cuts and thrusts, the CLEAN
of brandished steel, the cracking of
pistols, followed by some dozen of the
miscreants jumping overheard, while
the rest were driven, bleeding and
shrieking for mercy, down the hatch.
There are aged men who still talk
of this memorable capture. By three
O'Clock in the afternoon the little
sloop and her prize the schooner had
foated safely through the narrow pas
sage and entered the harbor Of Savanna
La Mar where, their arrival being con.
fdently expected and eagerly awaited,
they were received by thunderous
salvos from the guns of the numerous
merchantmen.
Seven of the captured pirates, the
most desperate cutthroats Of the gang,
were gibbeted along the coast and
dangled in chains for many a long
month afterward. The rest we're vari-
ously disposed OF. --Youth's Compan'
ion.
Power.