The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1898-08-05

upon tue MIN AFTERNOON sDafp eyed
sailor from the masthead saw the tops Of a
ship many miles away and judged them
to belong 70 a fighting vessel of their own
size. So when the night came up, dull and
dark beyond the night of those parts (the
moon being new and the air misty, they
clapped ON full sail and sped toward tho
unknown foe
Then they around their swords and load
ed their guns and each went to his place.
SOme laughed and some TESTED. Some gave
messages Hnd told of tokens for faroff
Poll or Bess. A few played at all fours by
the gllmmer Of n rushlight in a lantern.
But mostly they were silent until, half
an hour later, the lookout man called
"Sail ahead l'' as a vessel of about their
own size seemed to spring almost on top
Of them out of the dark.
Hard a-port" cried the captain.
"Stand ready for broadside" COM
manded the next officer.
At the same moment the stranger turned
little the other way, so that the vessels
passed side by side. THE Lark, " whisper
ed one man to another
"Shall we let goi" asked the first lieu
tenant
But Blade shook his head. mot first"
said he decidedly.
Suddenly, as II she mouth Of hell had
opened, the stranger belched forth thunder
and smoke and flame and storm Of shot
tore through the Tanarind from side to
Side. leaving tracks of mangled flesh and
blood.
"Firep called the first lieutenant; but
before he had spoken the answering tor
rent had sprung forth. Then the ships
swung slowly away from each other.
Blade, who, although dandy on shore,
was the equal OF any man ahoat in sea-
manship, gained a great advantage, out
maneuvering bis emmy and bringing his
broadside TO bear right across her stern, 50
as to rake her from head 20 foot as he pass
cd and leave longer trail of slaughter,
Then, swinging dexterously away from the
answering broadside, he couutered upon
the other side.
First One mast and then another was
shot over, and ct length the vessel heeled
50 heavily that the few guns which were
still replying shot hsrmlessly In the air
"God forgive us, captain" cried the
first lieutenant hoarsely-he was lying on
the deck with half leg shot away-"it's
enough" And Blade, who had grown
very white. cried out In broken voice.
stop firing, and get out the boatsl She's
going dOwnf" But the boats readIest for
use were shattered; their opponent sud
denly listed over, two or three Of her guns
firing last derisive shot ~ she went.
The men Of the Tamarind sat down
those who were Ieft-on their guns or on
the deck, with eyes averted from the slain
around them. The officers buried their
faces In their hands, save the youngest
MILDLY, who lay quiet and forever still with
a handkerchief over his handsome boyish
face. At last Blade drew his sword sud
denly and snapped 1t across his knee.
Il am n disgTaced man - be cried, with
the voice of one gone mad. May heaven
curse US all
But heaven, which blesses or curses not
as we call, for answer sent up the rising
sun, and the morning light upon a lonely
vessel short of mast sailing slowly along
three miles away! And the first lieutenant,
pulling himself up TO look through the
portfolio, cried like a child: 1T wasn't
the Lark God forgive us ALL" Then he
sank into a swoon from loss of blood and
was neroifully unconscious in the sur.
geon's hands.
The Lark, when she sailed to the west,
had to beat up against heavy head winds
and 80 made but slow progress. Yet when
& the fifth day came the men were kept con-
stantly under arms, and ere nightfall they
caught glimpse of IA lighting ship in the
distance.
There was a vessel whose sailors had
courted their Polls and Bets near these
regions by now they knew. And II in the
fog and dark they should come together
many an old score would be wiped out.
At length the fog lifted tritle, and sud
denly a big vessel rushed swiftly upon
them from the quarter where they had
least expected it, "Stand to the guns be-
low shouted Hawke, land boarders
make rendyl'
A hail o. shots poured out upon them
before they were fully prepared, but fortu-
nately few ~ Ligh as 70 do little damage
beyond bringing down the foremost, while
the Lark ran close alongside the foe and
put in terrific broadside before graphing
: Then there burst forth very volcano Of
flame and roar that challenged the heav-
ems, for shot had reached the stranger s
, powder magazine, and the forces of nature,
! let loose from their thraldOm, scattered the
vessel to the tour winds and her men to
the mercy OF God
/ Those ON board the Lark looked at one
another In mute horror, and the tears ran
down some checks.
I'VE are traitors and unfit to live,
groaned Hawke. And they took his weap-
ons from him lest be should do himself a
mischief
Then the sudden tropical morning
dawned, and afar in the cast, with the ris-
ing sun glinting through her tattered
sails, the Tamar.Dd sailed into view.
When the governor sent hume his great
dispatch couple of months later, to an
nounce the total suppression OF piracy in
those regions, he observed that this result
had been achieved by means of the remark.
ably cordial co operation between the cap.
taiDs, officers and crews Of the Lark and
the Tarnarind, which after sinking sepa-
rately the two most dangerous pirates had
joined their forces with marvellous sue.
cess and now, wished to combine their prize
meney In common find
Such harmony, he observed, was equally
to the advantage h the service and the
credit of the captains. But the admiral,
newly arrived from home, took the credit
of the co operation TO himself st Paul s.