The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1901-04-18
AN OLD-TIME SEAFARER.
A Tale of Shipwrecks and Disasters.
Continued


Light, at the mouth of the River
Glronde, and came to anchor at about
eight O'Clock in the evening, with a
southerly wind, and in thick fog from
the Shore She lay there in the fog
until ten o'clock the following night.
The shore could not be discovered dur
ing any portion of this time, but the
roaring OF breakers was distinctly heard.
A heavy blow coming on, the schooner
was compelled to weigh anchor, the
sails having been reefed in anticipation
of such necessity.
The captain wore her off shore, and,
just as he did so, the fog scaled off and
the Cordovan Light made its appear
ance due east, the wind being then
sOutheasterly. The schooner lay Off
shore until two o'clock in the morning,
at which hour she wore on shore. AS,
about the dawn of day, she approached
the land, a British frigate, believed to
be the "Nieman," was discovered close
aboard. She poured broadside into
Vic SlIoOIlCl, NHINli, nav lllS III
ment, struck. A prize-master and six
men were put aboard. All the crew
save Captain Pilsbury were taken out
of her, and she vas ordered to Ply
mouth.
For two DAYS she scudded before a
heavy sea. The prize-crew not know
ing how to sail her, had, by constantly
gliding her, torn away the forecastle
and companion doors. The wind at
length subsidized, and the schooner hauled
to the westward She was yet under
all sail, being then about sixty or seven
Gy miles to the northwest of the Isle of
iiToiX, near Quiberon Bay.
Captain Pilsbury now formed a plan
TO retain her, and carry her into France,
iie was armed. He supposed the prize
crew also to be armed. At eight o clock
III the evening, the prlze-master and
three Of the crew being below in the
cabin. asleep, and three men-namely
the one at the helm. and two others
on deck, the captain hauled up the COM
panion ladder, and ordered the two men
on deck. not the helmsmen, into the
forecastle. whittier they went.
Having seen these orderes executed.
lie directed the helmsmen to keep the
schooner away four points, so as to APP
alOach the French coast. The order
was obeyed. The noise attendant on
these movements awakened the prize
master. a conversation ensued be
tween them, and the captain warned
MIN that if he came on deck he would
blow his brains out. The reply was
that if the captain intended to take his
vessel, he must first take the prize
masters life, because his honor was
concerned. He was a young man, and
acted steadily.
Tile three men in the cabin, with the
prlze-master, then went to work with
handspikes, crowbars, and all the tools
which were below, to break up the
after part of the schooner particularly
the skylight, which was long, she being
what was known as a packet schooner.
This they succeeded in doing They
knocked the skylight to pieces. Mr..
Pilsbury called att the two men whom
he had ordered into the forecastle. to
assist him in throwing cable, which
lay on the deck, over the broken sky
light.
Having aided in this operation, the
two men seized a favorite moment.
their comrades.
Some time elapsed, during which they
were concerning measures of action.
After scattering with handSpikes the
cable which lay Oh the skylight, and
thus making a clear opening for egreSS.
beside the opening OF the companions
way, the whole number rushed on deck,
ard overpowered the captain. The men
lald violent hands upon him. and got
him to the gang way with the intention
of throwing him overheard but were
restrained by their officer. The captain
was then bound hand and foot. and
kept on deck III charge Of a sentry, who
used his own pistols, the crew having
no weapons except single dirk, as he
for the first time learned.
The schooner was taken to Plymouth.
The captain had passed the usual ex-
animation preliminary to the condem-
nation of the vessel as having broken
the blockade when the officer made his
appearance in court, and stated to the
Admiralty Judge the attempt that had
been made to take the vessel. The
audge made light of the NATTER and the
captain, having forfeited all his prop
erty. was set at liberty. From Ply
mouth he sailed to New Bedford, in a
ship belonging to Mr. Parker of the
latter place, called the ''Modoc," Capt.
Dunbar, now dead The owner kindly
declined to charge him for his passage
He arrived previous to the war of
1872, soon after the embargo had been
laid. AT the commencement of the
war, certain mechanics in the neighbor-
hood of Newburyport built privateer
schooner called the ''Yankee," which
sailed on a cruise to the West Indies,
commanded by Captain Stanwood-a
very clever man-whose usual mode of
swearing was, BLOW me up to the
moon" Hence Ire was called, "Blow-
me-up-to-the-m moon Stanwood." He was
a very clever man Mr. Pilsbury was
first lieutenant The vessel carried a
crew Of sixty, with the necessary com
element of officers.
When few days out in the Gulf
stream, there came ON a violent gale
from the southeast. The vessel was
heavily spared, and rather crank At
about ten p. NJ. most of the men We're
sent below, and the matches battened
down, leaving on deck only such few as
were requisite to take care of the
schooner She was laying to under bare
poles, the sea making a breach over
her. About half an hour before mid