Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1898-01-21

to his first mate
Long familiarity with the New Eng
lang coast now stood him in good ser
vice. He ran his craft so close to til,
shore that it was dangerous for on,
not familiar with the channels to fol
low.
"It's no use, Captain, the frs
mate said after long pause. III
that's Captain Low he knows every
inch of this water. He's better &c
quainted with this coast than any
whaling captain from Portland to New
Bedford"
"Well, if it amt Ned Low, well
give him chase among these rocks
that he won't forget very soon," re-.
piled gruff Captain Bald, pulling his
long whiskers nervously.
In short time the black flag of the
pirates indicated even to the crew what
mission the ship was bent on. There
was short time of general fear when
stout hearts quaked and rugged faces
turned pale. Every sailor knew the
cruelty of the pirate captain and his
horde of sayages.
Then Captain Bald called the crew
together and addressed them in these
words
"We may as well face this little
difficulty bravely, my men, and not
mince matters. That's Ned Lows
ship, and We know what he's after; he
never shows mercy to anybody, espe-
cially to New Englander, and we'd
better die fighting than be strung up
to the yardarm or have our lips and
noses cut off for fry. We've got
harpoons and axes aboard, and every
one of We knows how to use 'em. SO
just get 'em and stick together and
fight until ye're dead. Just remem-
Der that it's better to be killed than
to fall i'll their hands. I'll use
my wits to get away from them, but if
worst comes to worst, we must fight.
That's ALL"
The stout words of the grim old
whaling captain lent new courage to
the crew, and they gave little cheer
that meant more than the loud huzzah
of crowd, Every man felt that he
was about to face death, and he was
determined to do it with brave
front
Nearer and nearer approached the
threatening boat, on whose decks
black swarms of armed men could be
seen. A small swivel gun sent ball
ricochetting across the waves toward
the whaling schooner, but the latter
continued to thread her way carefully
among the sunken rocks.
The pirate craft, when she reached
the outlying fringe of rocks, hove to
and beat up and down like q duck
which way to go.
"It's dangerous water here if you
don't know your way" muttered Cap
tain Bald, and guess you don'tknow
it,"
He was scanning the ship through
his sea glasses.
aha Now Captain Low takes the
wheel. His pilot don't know the way.
Now we're in for it,"
There was change noticeable on
board the pirate. Then she directed
her course once more toward the rocks |
md plunged boldly between them,
following the narrow, tortuous chan
lel.
Captain Bald watched her in silence.
Then his light blue eyes, shaded by |
hick, shaggy eyebrows, grew worried
md restless. He scanned the sea and
he shore, and then he returned his
gaze to the pirate.
"We can't lose them here" he said
inally to his first mate. "rhey'll
overhaul us before night, and then"
He shuddered involuntarily.
eve might run her aground and
win for the Shore" he CALCULATED
inally. "No, we'll run her up the
liver. This is Machias Point, and we
night reach the river ahead of EN-"
1t was late in the afternoon when
the Carrie sailed up the mouth of
he river against strong tide, with
he pirate craft less than mile astern.
The coast at this point was bleak and
eserted in those days, and it was al
most as certain death to land and
esert the ship as to face the pirates.
">till, We'll do it," Captain Bald
aid. cts better to fall among the
indians than among these human
ends. I'd rather be eaten by wolves
han have my tongue and eyes gouged
ut"
The pirates were so certain OF their
rey now that their loud shouts could
q distinctly heard by the whaling
rev. Suddenly Captain Bald started,
nd, knowing that the best way to
eep his men brave was to find employ
lent for them, he gave orders quickly.
sect the whaleboats ready for
ction!" he shouted,
There were four Of these, two on
ither side, and each one was manned
18th crew of three sailors, and an
-