The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1897-01-21

J
The captain sprdng up on the bltllcdrls.
with the dawning and now the rising
sun tinted the fringe of the storm
wrack as it dwindled into the west and
glinted on the endless chests of the log
green waves. To north and south and
west lay skyline which was unbroken
save by the spout of foam when two of
the great Atlantic seas dashed each
other into spray. To the east was
rocky island, jutting out into craggy
points, with few scattered clumps of
palm trees and a pennant of mist stream
ing out from the bare conical hill which
capped it.
A heavy surf beat upon the shore, and
at safe distance from it the British 32
gun frigate Leda, Captain A. p John
son, raised her black, glistening side
upon the crest of wave or swooped
down into an emerald valley, dipping
away to the nor ard under easy sail. On
her snow white quarter deck stood a
stiff little brown faced man, who swept
the horizon with his glass.
"Mr. Wharton" he cried, with a
voice like rusty hinge.
A thin, knockkneed officer shambled
across the poop to him.
Eyes, sir "
GIVE opened the sealed orders, Mr..
Wharton.
A glimmer of curiosity shone upon
the meager features of the first lieuten-
ant. The Leda had sailed with her con-
sort, the Dido, from Antigua the week
before, and the admiral's orders had
been contained in a sealed envelope.
eve were to open them ON reaching
the deserted island of Sombriero, lying
/ in north latitude 1895, west longitude
y SO. 20. SombrieIo bore four miles to
r the northeast from our port bow when
the gale cleared, Mr.. Wharton.
= The lieutenant bowed stiffiy. He and
! the captain had been bosom friends
! from childhood. They had gone tc
= school together, joined the navy togeth.
/ err, fought again and again together and
h married into each others families, but
b as long as their feet were on the poop
d the iron discipline of the service STRUCK
e all that was human out of them anC
y left only the superior and the subordl
~ nate. Captain Johnson took blue pa
= per from his pocket, which cracked a
n, he unfolded it,
lie The 80 gun frigates Leda and Dido, Cap
" tains A. P. johnson and James Munro are Z
- cruise from the point at which these instruc
4 lions are read to the mouth of the Carlbbea
~ sea in the hope of encountering the Frenc
K frigate La Gloire (4S), which has recent
IN nor o,1r rparpbaut ShiDa in that unartpl
ar a. NJ frigates are also directed to hunt dow
in the piratical craft known sometimes as tn
I'd Slapping Sal and sometimes as the Hair
m Hudson, which has plundered the BIRTHS
"A ships as per margin, inficting barbarities upo
~ their crews She is u small brig carrying
VI light guns, with one "a pound carronade TO
"a ward. She was last seen on the % ult. to ii
northeast of the island of Sombriero.
JAMES MONTGOMERY, Rear Admiral.
7. H. M. S. Colossus, Antigua.
la. "We appear to have lost our consort,
cd said Captain Johnson, folding up n
ID. instructions and again sweeping tt
ire horizon with his glass. 'She Dire
! way after we reefed down. 1t woul
DC a pity if we met this heavy Frencl
nan without the Dido, Mr.. Wharton
4 sh?''
The lieutenant twinkled and smile
4 'She has IS Founders on the ma
and twelves on the poop, sir, +" said Il
am. captain. "She carries 400 to our 23
Cal. Captain de Milon is the smartest mi
in the French service Oh, Bobby, DO
lca I'd give my hopes of my flag to rub II
,k.' side up against herl'' He turned on
= heel, ashamed of his momentary laps
ole "Mr. Wharton, - said he, looking ba
que, sternly over his shoulder, "get the
San square sails shaken out and bear aw
O point more to the west.
"A brig ON the port bow, came
ND voice from the forecastle.
tai., "a brig on the port bow" said t
9 - lieutenant.
arge The captain sprang up on the bl
sco' warks and held ON by the mizz
full shrouds, strange little figure with f
'sF ing skirts and puckered eyes. The lie
. lieutenant craned his neck and whisp'
Co., ed to Smeaton, the second, while o.
lars GERS and men came popping up from
,r all low and clustered along the weatf
' WI rail, shading their eyes with tn
49, hands, for the tropical sun was alrea
lore, clear of the palm trees. The strar
free brig lay at anchor in the throat of
yers, ,urving estuary, and it was already I
,slpFy vious that she could not get out wi
~ out passing under the guns of the Fl
eye lite. A long rocky point to the mo-
rnai. IF her held her in.
pay Keep her as she goes, Mr.. VIII
IELD Ton, ," said the captain. Hardly wo
iseo.
$50; clearing for action, Mr.. Smeaton,
q |, t9r the men can stand by the guns in c
- she tries to pass us. Cast loose the b
IL chasers and send the small arm 1
70 onto the forecastle
,,Cal. A British crew went to its quar-
s,,ver in those days with the quiet seSenit,
u. d. men on their daily routine. In a
lonn. minutes, without fuss or sound,
ma sailors were knotted round their G,
4 49, the marines were drawn up and lear
. List ON their muskets, and the frigate's b
'I vGaa- spirit pointed straight for her little
pl es, tim.
.lgisn us it the Shaping Sal, sir?"
'g, 700 81 have no doubt Of 1t, Mr.. WI
!, Nai' ton"