The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1896-03-14

| lectS from the under side OF the barrel and
fits into an iron socket fastened to the
stern-post Of the boat. These great guns
are not intended for shooting at single
ducks, OR even at flocks The instinct of
wild ducks causes them at night to huddle
together in dense masses on the surface of
the water. This is for self-protection, for
if one individual in such combined flock
is alarmed and takes flight, the movement
arouses his neighbors, and so the warning
spreads throughout the whole multitude.
The success of the swivel-gunner, depends
upon his ability to approach such a congre-
CATION OF birds so stealthily that no alarm
can be taken. His boat is sculled silently
within range, and you can imagine the
slaughter when pound Of number four shot
is hurled in one load upon 'huddle Gov
ering an area of half an acre.
A low whistle from the stern of the sloop
caused the captain to spring to his feet.
where is it, Jake? Never mind; see
it now Following the direction Of his
extended hand, / made out "a black shadow
gliding over the water in the direction of
the shore. 1T is nothing but 'one man
boat. With the larger game ahead of us
we have no time to stop and look after
him..
AS the darkness became more intense,
lost even the outline of the scrubby, low
lying shore; but the vision OF the captain
seemed to pierce the gloom on every side,
and his softly spoken orders to the steers
man had "a confident accent that indicated
an exact knowledge OF our surroundings.
@ am looking for the CLEAN Of " lantern,
or another flash of that gum he said.
"The moon will not rise for two hours,
and there ts good reason to suppose that
the pirates will take advantage of the dark
ness to venture out into the middle Of the
river, which at the mouth is two miles
wide. This would put their boat nearly
mile off shore, and il we can get in the
neighhorhood before they take the alarm
we viii give them pretty chase. II is
almost impossible to catch these fellows so
long IA they stay close in shore, for rs soon
as they are aware of the approach of Il
police boat they make for some convenient
cove, where they abandon their slliir and
take to the woods, through which it is use
less for us to follow
Suddenly, and it seemed to me close a
hand, there was binding flash, lighting
up the water for a hundred yards in all
directions, and followed by roar like that
Of cannon. imagined that near the
central point of the momentary glare
caught glimpse of the silhouette of boat
hut before could be quite certain the
picture was again enshiouded in darkness.
There they are cried the captain,
land not more than q mile ahead. We've
got them, unless they take fright within.
the next five minutes. We'll be in the
vicinity before they can pick up their dead
birds. Hug the windward shore, Jake,
for a pirate boat always goes up the wind,
to battle pursuit. If this is chase We
want, the breeze in our sails
''Now lie flat on the deck continued
the captain, turning to me. We've got
to Look for that boat with "a lantern, and it
is not the safest thing in the world; a light
offers particularly good ark for bal
let"
Up to this moment the lantern--a very
large one, with powerful reflector behind
the ame-had reposed in a box, placed it
the foot of the box, which prevented any
struggling beam from giving warning of
our approach. Now the captain lifted the
lantern from its hiding place and turned it
from side to side, so that the fierce CLEAN,
moving in great quarter circles, swept the
surface Of the water. Half q minute later
it became stationary, and then l saw the
piratical boat-a little fourteen foot bat
teau, containing two men.
| Immediately became aware that our
position was not favorable, for the steers
man had not interpreted the towindward
order in a sufficiently literal sense, and we
were still slightly to leeward OF the pirates,
WHO WlleIt HOl SlOW W lllttkc anu hcU upon
the same discovery. l am quite certain
that, after we made them out, five seconds
did not elapse before two pairs of oars took
the water with desperate energy and the
boat shot off towards the Eastern shore.
''No use to CHI sc them, with the wind
dead agdinst u.s. growled the captain.
They would be in shore, and laughing al
us, before we make two tacis. Keep the
light on them he continued, handing me
the lantern and seizing his winchester
"And you, Jake huff her ali you cam
Take in your oars!' he reared, placing
his foot on the port gunwa!e. Bring that
skilT alongside or ri pat u bullet through
her.
The threat did not seem to have the de-
sired effect for the landwaId movement
of the boat was not for moment inter.
rupted.
Seeing that the little craft vas rapidly
losing itself in the darkness, the captain
raised the rife to his shoulder, and two