The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1896-03-11

starboard quarter. 1 can't make out
any sail on her"
"AlI right. Come down. Well have
breakfast. There's trouble ahead. But
there are % of Us, all good men, and
we ought to make tidy fight for our
lives.
A strict watch was kept at the mast
head, and at 10 o'clock hail came:
There's a boat full of men putting Oft
shore. 1t is yawl with a tug. She's
coming fast under sweeps"
The ensign was seized union down to
attract some passing vessel, and all
waited and watched. There were not
less than 40 men in the yawl.
When it was within about 20 yards of
the boat, the captain cried, ''Fire!" But
as usual two of the carronades missed
fire, the other scattered ten feet wide OF
the boat, and next it swept under the
bow, the leader white man, sprlnglng
into the chains, followed by gang Of
mulattoes, negroes and Spaniards, all
big men. Their captain 8 head just came
above the bow, when he was run through
the neck by pike and dropped over
board, but his men managed to get on
the bowsprit and come aboard. Two OF
the pirates mounted the channels and
tumbled into the waist. The cook, ne
gro giant weighing 800 pounds, rushed
at them with d cutlass, beat down their
guard and hewed them down. A third
had grasped the swifter to help him up,
when his arm was cut clean off at the
shoulder by the negro. A splash III the
water told the rest.
In the bow the defenders had done
good work, but Captain Drake was
stretched on the bits covered with blood
The last pirate had run out on the jlo
boom and fired his pistol just as mus
ket ball took his life, but he had done
his work, for poor Spain got his bullet
il the head and never spoke after. They
were beaten, and under parting voIley
the rufians sprang to their sweeps and
with the loss of half their crew made
fer land.
Suddenly the mainsail gave flop.
No orders were needed. The topsail hal
wards were manned. Cup with the fly
ing jib, trim sheets, round in starboard
braces r' was the cry, and the little brig
began to surge through the water.
''See, see! The schooner's making
sail. Up go her gaff and foresail. The
fights not over, men! She'll cut Us to
pieces with her long TomI' Just then
came the sound of heavy gun, and SO
intent were the crew watching the pl-
rate vessel that they had not seen, half
a mile away, a British corvet plllng
on sail up to royals. She was fler,
too, and inside of five minutes swept
down on the brig, hailed and was told
what had occurred.
The pirate craft was intent only on
saving her men in the yawl, but it was
too late. The corvet ran her down and
at 100 yards gave the marauders a
shower of grape that tore the boat and
crew into splinters. The schooner made
off, followed by the man-o'-war, and
both disappeared in the southern board:
The second mate took command Of the
brig. Her captain had broken thigh
and shot through his body, while the
mate and four of the crew lay dead.
The breeze kept steady, and on the 4th
of January they came to anchor in Span
ish Town harbor. Captain Drake lived to
get we'll and quit the sea. But before
the Christ Church chimes rang for an
other Christmas poor emma Drake had
followed her lover to a better land
Philadelphia Times.