Sharp County record., 1896-10-23
rnn cArrAIy OF TIE nAyoEn.

u lN.a ~ NaA'r' Va I'M 'N%A-'NA~'f'
1t will be remembered that it was the
morning of tie lst of June that Pilot
piycr, of Smithvillc, stated that the
Clara Belle, bearing Angus Bruce, passed
out the inlet At break Of day, and not
withstanding the reward that Lathror
I offered for the apprehension of Bruce,
and the further fact that many officers
were searching for him on land and sea
no trace of the Clara Belle, or of her
captain had been found. 1t was now
conceded that they had left the Caro-
lima coast.
On the evening of the 18th Of August
there passed into the mouth of the
| Ashley river, and anchored off Charles
ton, tWo-mast schooner, Of apparently
the same tonnage as the Clara Belle, and
she seemed to ride the waters, as she lay
at anchor there, rs lightly. There was
evidently small cargo, if any, aboard
/ The Clara Belle, when last seen plying
the waters of Cape Fear wore a coat
of white paint, and her master took
pride in seeing that it should be kept
so clean that her sides should glisten in
the sunlight.
This schooner was painted a darl,
green, and her name as painted in bold
letters on her stern was 'The Rang
er."
The Ranger theE had ridden at anchor
something like an hour, and it was pos
sibly eight o'clock, when a man of more
than ordinary stature and of athletic
build, stepped from the cabin. He wore
pair of dark blue trousers, which were
sustained around the waist b. heavy
leathern belt, and within two pockets
of the belt, on either side, protruded the
stocks of pistols, while within its
sheath at the back rested the sheath
knife.
His blue wooden shirt was open at
the neck, and a soft felt hat was on
his head. His features it was hard to
judge of, as an immense black beard
covered his face almost entirely, ex-
tending fully 10 inches below his chin.
His large, expressive eyes were of a
dark blue cast, and his every movement
seemed to speak of great energy.
AS he stepped out of the cabin, he
was wiping his long, black beard with
a red bandana, as though he had just
partaken of his evening meal.
"Mate," he sang out, "lower a yawl,
and send Hendricks and Bullion ashore
with me-"
"Aye, aye, sir! but who's Bull
lion?"
"Why, he that eats so much soup. One
of the men we shipped at Port au
Prince"
The yawl was soon lowered, and the
captain, who had donned his coat ac-
companied by the two sailors, descended
into it.
A few minutes pull at the oars, and
they drew up at the wharf.
"Now, my lads" said the captain,
"go aboard and wait my signal-the
whistle three times; remember now,
bear an ear, and don't both get foggy
at once-there may be action before
morning."
"Aye, aye, sir!" and the yawl dis
appeared in the gathering darkness,
while the captain passed from the
wharf to the opposite side of the street.
Here he turned to the left and pro-
ceeded south along the quay.
He entered several saloons, and along
here nearly every building was a
saloon,
In each place he stepped to the bar
and took a drink or cigar, and threw
down silver dollar, and while waiting
for his change scanned every face and,
without remark, took his departure.
He was evidently looking for some
one He had traversed fully three
blocks, when he entered saloon mid
way Of the block, and bearing on the
sign above the door the words. "Sail,
ors Rest; Jim Holland, Proprietor
"This should be the place; old Jim