The National tribune., 1902-07-10
TIE PREY IN SIGHT.


About 8 o'clock the sun -shone ont
bright and clear. the fog slowly lifted,
then gradually dispersed, and exposed to
bow. We Immediately got up steam and
stood in, and before 10 O'Clock a boat was
observed coming out from a point Of land,
making directly toward Us, and it was
soGn alongside. 1t proved to be boat be-
longing to enc of four ships, all of them
with the Star Spangled Banner flying
from their peaks, which we could now dis
Germ lying at anchor in a beautiful little
bay. feeling as secure. no doubt, as they
would have done in Boston Harber.
The beat contained, among its other oc-
cupants. an Englishman, who had been
wrecked in the island 10 years before. l
could scarcely conceive more degraded
looking object. He had adopted. perforce,
10 doubt, the habits of the Islanders; his
body was tattooed with all manner of fam
tastic designs, and he spoke his mother
tongue with hesitation and difficulty. He
had married a native woman, who had
borne him two children, one of whom was
still living; ard so far as l could learn.
he was treated with kindness and consid
erable consideration by the savages among
whom his lot had been east. but the torrid
climate, with unnatural and perhaps Of
tentinles disgusting food, had made sad
inroads upon a naturally robust constitu,
tion, and it was plain to see that he was
descending by slow but sure stages to
the grave.
1t appeared. from the statement of our
visitors, that our ship had been mistaken
| by the Yankees for some vessel engaged
| in Il coast survey, and they had good
natHredly sent out boat with this old
| Englishman to pilot US safely in. Thus
| far we had displayed no bunting, and, as
would have been naturally expected, one
of the first questions our pilot asked on
coming on board, was in regard to our
nationality.
| Not knowing in what direction his sym
pathies might lie, after hobnobbing as he
! had undoubtedly been for some days past
with the crews of the United States yes
| sells in the harbor, and fearing. in the
event of bis entertaining hostile senti-
ments. that he would run US ashore, as
| he might easily have done, upon n coast
| with which none of us were familiar, we
informed him that the Shenandoah was
an American Man-of-war, and requested
/ him 70 take us in and anchor us near the
other vessels, which he readily consented
! TO DO, III consideration of the sum of $50
He favored US with some tough old
yarns touching his island experience. aud
/ il his story was to be believed, he had
/ h. often in Imminent r-eril of life and
! u , from the savages, who, from first
| considering him i'll the light Of material
for a substantial entertainment had al
last come 10 regard him rs a friend, and
respect him as a being of superior endow-
ments: but ! doubt if anything could haYe
| induced him to return to civilized life. and
indeed he was then thoroughly untitled
for it,
In the course of an hour we had
ranged up within mile OF the ships. all
of which we had discovered were whalers
and dropped anchor. Four boats were
then lowered and manned with sailors
carrying side arms and revolvers, with
two officers in each boat, and when al
WAS in readiness blank cartridge was
fired and the Confederat, flag run up.
Our pilot was evidently mystified not
a little At these proceedings. He stood
for a few moments watching the recet!ine
! boats, then turning his eyes aloft, curious
~ scanning the, to him, strange bunting
that strcamed out to the breeze, and final
~. turning to the officer of the deck, ht
asked what flag that was, why we ha6
fired that gun, and why those boats, filled
with armed men, were putting off toward
the wbalcrs.
''An answered in a word, n,g hearty
. responded the individual addressed
: These four ships are prizes to the Con
: fcderate Government"
And what the - Is the Confederat,
Gorernment?' queried the old salt, il
! unaffected astonishnent.
THE best and biggest half of wha
was the United States of America Th,
! TO suit us. so We cut adrift and started OF
. our own hook"
! The -. What are you going to d
with your prizes?''
'.Set them on fire by and by, after ",
have taken what We want out Of them