Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1899-05-11

rail he climbed upon a coil of line and
brought. it to bear.
The supercargo used the glass for
some time, but finally put it by and
went up to have talk with the cap
tain. OF course 1 could not hear what
they said, but it was easy to guess that
1t must be about the present strait. In
few moments the captain came to
the verge of the poop and called the
mate. Master Sellinger hurried up the
ladder and the three men talked togeth
er earnestly. The mate then came
down again, and Immediately the cap
tain walked to the color halyards and
with his own hands ran up the flag. AS
it blew out at the mizzen truck the
crew, who, as well as myself, were
watching anxiously and curiously the
doings aft, broke into cheer. All eyes
were now on the stranger, for this was
clear demand that he should declare
his intentions. IT was the most stir
ring moment thus far since the chase
or race, if you please-had begun. The
long black mass rose on the next crest
and slid foaming down the valley, and
again scared and fell. How we watched
her! Lift. lift, she rose, uptilted her
great house of stern and plunged,
with the shock of the parted seas, down
the declivity, and all swiftly and might
lily rode to the top again, and still not
a handkerchief's breadth of bunting!
same monotonous upride and tilt and
fall. The captain stood with straddled
legs, silently using his telescope, and
the mate was in the miZZen shrouds
scanning the foe under the pent house
of his hand. The zupercargo leaned
over the poop rail, holding on hat and
wig, and the rest of us lined the wealth
er bulwark, in the waist. OF sudden
the captain lowered his glass and shut
it up. The supercargo turned, catching
the action, and they came together and
exchanged a few words.
"The thing is fetched to head" said
sailor at my elbow, with an excited
pull at his waistband.
He had scarce spoken when Houth-
wick left Mr.. Tym and stepped briskly
to the head of the poop ladder.
Master Sellinger, set the mainsail
and reef it. Take ort one reef in the
foresail."
The mate was off his perch to the
deck in an instant, and at his word the
men flew to their stations. The wiEd
had less weight now than formerly and
hended that we We're taking consider
able hazard to thus swell our canvas.
Yet very quickly the thing was done,
and under the added pressure the ship
drove her nose into the smother, and
made a strong lurching start of it on
ward. While was stepping back from
the foot of the main shrouds, and in
the act of directing one of the men to
coil up a loose length of halyard, some
one behind me gave a shout, and |
turned to see that the dark ship was
likewise whitening with added sail.
On we raced, and it must have been
that the greater part of an hour went
by. So far the Dut lehman and we were
rarely well matched, he driving along
at the same point off our beam, as
though he might be our shadow. But
a change was at hand. All in a mo-
ment, as it seemed, his long bulk be-
gan to narrow, the small slant of his
sails that we could see expanded, and
at once his pot-round bows rode, leap
ing and sinking, into view. He had
changed his plan, and would fly
straight at US.
In an instant the trumpet of Capt.
Houthwick began to below:
Man braces! Down helm! Slack
lee braces! Haul in on the weather!
Aft here, some of you, and let out
reef in the lateen!"
1t was clear what the skipper would
be at. The cruiser, perceiving that he
could not outsail us and cut US off,
meant to close in and try to disable us
with his guns. To prevent this we must
turn tail and make a straight-away
run of it. The question then to be set
tied was whether he could get near
enough to wing us, by cutting up our
spars and rigging. l thought this all
out at blink, as the Scotch say, for
just at the moment l had to use my fin
gers rather than my brains. When 1
came in from the boltsprit, having
gone there on some matter concerning
the drawing of the sail, found that
the Dutchman was fair astern of US,
only the slant of his sails catching the
light, and the rest of him standing
up round and black. l think some
thing like two hours now passed, only
one thing, but that an important one,
happening, which was that the Dutch
man slowly gained upon us. At last
Houthwick said something to which
the others appeared to assent, and the
mate hurried off the poop. He espied
me, as / stood by the main shrouds,
and beckoned me to him. When | came
up he said low and in a strained, quick
tone:
The captain thinks we had best try
gun. l must serve it. Do you stand
ready to help work the ship. Call the
carpenter, and put him in charge of
the magazine. The main hatch will
have to be opened till they can get up
the first supply of ammunition, after