Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1900-01-13
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s The Sea Hing.{
81 GA ROMANCE OF THE WAR OF ISl2.-@ Il
III BY CAPTAIN MztRRuAT IL
N150VT00T1Vll@1Vl@ 1Nt@1Ni@lW Observation-Disclosures
GA ROMANCE OF THE WAR OF ISlz.->
BY CAPTAIN MARRuAr.

the business I am on is Of a nature that
will not admit Of the least delay"
II am ut your service, Senior Captain"
"Your excellency." resumed Suther.
land, "is no doubt aware Of the numer-
Gus deprcdations that have been commit.
ted upon the commerce Of all nations by
the piratical cruisers which for years
have infested these seas"
II am, indeed" returned the Governor;
"and, Senior Captain. have for a long
time used every exertion In my power
to free the ocean of these scourges. but,
alas! without avail"
Your excellcncy states that which has
been proved a melancholy TRUTH" re-
turned Sutherland. II fear that nothing
but general crusade Of the powers Of
Spain, France, England and America will
effect the object you have so much at
heart. They have all interests at stake
In this quarter, and should at once com.
binc to preserve them from violation
"They should. indeed. Senior Captain"
"The object Of this visit Is to inform
your excellency that there Is now within
the harbOr Of Havana vessel Of suspi-
ciCus character. I myself have been on
board Of her, and can say with certainty
that she Is no fair trader upon the waters.
They call her the Santa Maria.
A close observer might have noticed
slight change In the countenance Of the
Governor, but like a fash 1t passed all
away.
"And has the picaroon had the impu.
dcnce to pull inside Of the Moro?'
"YOur excellency might have seen her
before sunset with the banner Of old
Spain waving from her spanker-gaff; she
had unbent sails before I left the Spar.
row Hawk. and by this time has no doubt
moorcd ship; for by her movements I
should suppose that she was preparing to
make a long stay In port"
"Now, by San Pedro, he shall make a
longer stay than he himself had antici.
patcd; II you will excuse me one moment.
Senior Captain, I will write IN order for
the immediate arrest Of her commander
and crew."
Sutherland bowed, and the Governor
scrubbed z few sentences, then folded,
sealed and delivered the document to an
officer on guard, with instructions to send
1t at once to the person indicated by the
superscriptiOn.
After this his excellency became cx.
trcmely communicative. Various sub.
u,
hand Of the clock pointed past ten when
Sutherland rose to depart. The night
was unusually dark, and light, drixzling
rain rendered the light Of the street
lamps dim almost to obscurity. Suther.
land passed hastily to the mole; crowd
| Of boats surrounded II on every side, and
the night was SO obscure that It was
some time before he could ascertain the
"a. Ntnk hn hal g.
his gig. At length. singing her out, he
descended the stairs.
sparrow Hawkw
Here you are. sir" responded gruff
| voice; and Sutherland, stepping lightly
In the boat, threw his sword upon the
stern sheets and took his seat.
"Shove OIL! exclaimed he. The oars
fell with a common plash, and the gig
commenced dashing through the water.
Ten minutes rowing brought them along.
side. "Way enough" exclaimed the cox.
swain; the oars were tossed and the boat
checked beside the accommodation ladder.
Sutherland seized the man ropes and as.
ccnded to the gangway; but his astonish.
ment may well be imagined when, upon
gaining the deck, he found himself IN
board the Sea King.
| drop the boat and hook her on" ex.
claimed voice from the quarter deck.
"Stop! said Sutherland, there IL some
mistake"
! mo mistake whatever, sir," said the
commander Of the bark. coming forward,
and passing to Sutherland the salutation
Of the deck.
"What mean you. sir?-this Ia not my
ship"
mo, sir; but you must for little time
content yourself on board of her."
The eyes Of Sutherland flashed fire al
this remark. "N0-never-not for one
mOment!" exclaimed he; and stepping
back q pace, he felt for his sword hilt
but found that It had been abstrac ted
from the scabbard. "Ha" muttered he
"and have my own gigs crew aided In
betraying me?'
Captain Sutherland" said the com
mander Of the bark, ut n useless to agi
tate yourself further; my own safety and
the preservation Of my ship and crew
obliged me to practice this deception upor
you. But harm Is not intended you; and
you are as safe on board here as II you
stood upon the quarter deck Of the Spar
row Hawk. was well assured you
would follow me II attempted to 20 t.
sea; and though ! have every confidence
In the superiority Of the Santa Maria a
q sailer, still ] thought It better to incul
no hazard; and, therefore. have adopted
the only expcdient that can prevent your
ship from getting under way ut the samt
time"
The manner of the commander of tn,
bark was respectful and suasive, and {
little reflection restored the calmness thai
Sutherland but seldom forgot. "YOu per
haps are justihable In the step you hav,
taken to secure your own safety, al
though at this moment ! am ignorant o.
what It may be; you prevailed upon m,
boats crew to deliver me into your hands
but for what purpose know not"
captain Sutherland, You deceive your
self" replied the stranger; ut was on'
Of my boats that brought you alongside
and your own gig has been at the steri
davits of the Sparrow Hawk longer thar
an hour"
This added yet more to Sutherland
surprise; and now for the first time, h,
cOmprehended the full extent of the STRAIT
agem. The Governors pretended Orde
for the arrest of the commander of tn,
Sea King was, he supposed. an intimatiol
of what had passed between them In con
versati0n. and desire that the SAINT,
Maria should be put to sea Immediately
This Sutherland implicitly believed. TO
he remembered the Governors eagernes
to detain him until late, and no attribut
ed this show of extreme courtesy to
wish on the part of his excellency to gall
time, In order that her commander Shout,
have space and opportunity to mature hi
plans.
"And my object In effecting this meas