The Opelousas courier., 1894-02-17

~ U w z u Ii lSvol
trader, q bark of about four hundred
and sixty tons, three months out from
the Avon and bound to Savanna la
Mar, lay helpless off that Jamaican
port in what is known to sailors as q
s'sheet calm"
The water foated like a breast OF
liquid glass, and a solemn, %long-drawn
heave of swell ran through it. The
Bristol trader, in strict correspondence
with her proportions, rolled very I'M
comfortably indeed from side to side,
bringing her wide spaces of canvas
into the mast with many savage sound
ing whacks, until the atmosphere all
about seemed filled with the noise OF
exploding artillery.
The heat was intense; the hour
about two in the afternoon. The dark
blue land about Blewfeld's Bay swan
in the steamy haze, and writhed as
though it lived.
Seward the junction Of heaven and
water was scarcely distinguishable in
the parched and brassy air. The land
went sloping into mere films, and
nothing showed upon the face Of the
ocean save a large cutter-rigged YES
sci, lifting and sinking upon the swell
at the distance of about two miles
away from the Bristol trader in the
direction of Blewfeld's Bay.
"Mr. Jenkins" said the master OF
the Bristol ship, s'drop the hand-lead
over the side and observe the vessels
drift"
This was done, and the rate of drift
reported.
sSir," said Mr.. Rogers, the captain,
to his mate, sit is not my intention
to founder upon a bottom of coral OF
go to pieces on st. Johns Point. Clew
up and haul down everything light,
and let 60 the anchor"
These orders were duly executed.
The seamen made the decks busy with
their figures in active motion, and the
chain cable roared hoarsely as the
weight of the big anchor swept it
through the hawsepipe.
Some half-dozen male passengers
women there were none-lounged upon
the little poop in the sultry shadow
cast by the awning. 1t was disheart-
ening to see the narrow entrance to
Savanna la MAJ almost within reach
of a twenty-four FOUNDERS throw OF
its ball, and be as little able to enter
it as to walk to it.
elbow long is this going tolast," ex-
claimed a planter.
"Perhaps a week, SIR answered
Captain Rogers, a large, short, purple
faced man who hated to be asked ques-
tions.
The planter rolled the yellow
.'whites'' Of his eyes to the heavens
and tossed his hands, with a maledic-
ton betwixt his teeth.
"What's that yonder, coming round
that corner of land?" exclaimed an
other passenger, pointing to the line
of coast which the rolling cutter lay
becalmed abreast of.
Captain Rogers went to the com
panion-way, picked up the ships tele,
scope and levelled it. Q
IA piccaroon!" he exclaimed; ano
the roa of his voice went in thunder
along the decks rs he hawled to hif
~liveliest to tumble up and load the
carronades, and 60 see all ready with
the small arms, and to stand by te
sink the scoundrels should they dare
attempt the ship. But it was speedily
evident that the pirates quarrS wa
the cutter, and not the Bristol mer
chairman.
The piccaroon was a long, black
schooner. setting very low on tht
water, heavily rugged, showing not an
inch of canvas as she stealthily crawlee
over the FURNISHED blue heave to. thu
impulse of her long oars, or sssweeps,'
as though she were some gigantic ma
rine reptile forging her way through
It with movements of her antenn@.
The cutter rolled helpless, with al
occasional blazing flash sunward 81
she lifted her wet, sparkling copper
out Of the water. On q sudden, how
ever, and as though the men ABOARD
her had but just walked from sleep,
down dropped her swinging, big main
sail, oars we're thrown over, and sh'
| m.de in the direction Of the Bristo
trader, slipping her cable as sh'
rounded, without stopping to buo.
her anchor.
But the piccaroon buzzed fast in he
wake. A puff of white cloud occasion
ally broke from her bow, and the blacl
ball, ill-aimed, went skimming aheat
| of the cutter in the direction of thu
| Bristol merchantmen like a parchet
| pea along o table.
Before the cutter had measured hal
a mile the pirate was alongside ant
flashing the vessels together for board
ing, as q spider revolves o fly in it
web before trotting aloft to dine of j
in its hole.
There was some small cracking Q
blunderbusses and pistols, shouts fain
in the distance, q little lifting of whit
smoke. The business was then ended
and with true pirate celebrity tn,
schooner was making for the blue heal
Of coast with the unhappy cutter tow
ing and rolling and flashing in he.
wake.
This thievish piece Of work had beel
watched with helpless wrath by Cap
tain Rogers and his ships company
and with no small alarm by the pas
sengers. The captain said he comic
swear to the schooner she was tn
wickedest Of all the piccaroon pets 9
] those waters, He pronounced he