Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1903-05-26
AN OXEYE
SQUALL
NJ ~ OH n
By n. q VA D

on board, was making q voyage from
Boston to Cadiz The year was 1854.
There had been peace with England
for year, but in granting the colonies
their independence the mother country
had insisted on the right to search any
| American vessel in any water and at
any time The pretense was that Eng
lish subjects were continually desert
ing his majesty's service and shipping
on American craft. 1t was therefore
Captain Bidefords plan to keep clear
Of any armed vessel flying the British
flag. He had crew of Nantucket
men, every one of whom had served in
the cause of liberty, and he began
worrying about what might happen
before he was 200 miles at sea. His
wife saw that he was disturbed, and
she said:
sAbner, when we left home / do be-
| lieve that forgot to fasten the wood
shed door,"
Whats that to worry about?' he
| asked
Jest as much as your fear that we
may be overhauled. Let's wait until
we see Britisher bearin' down on US
before we git dizzy headed"
! But Captain Abner had just made his
noon observation when a sail was
| sighted to the eastward. There was
feeling from the first that she was a
British man-of-war. Half an hour
later all doubts were dispelled. The
stranger was not only man-of-war.
but he had changed his course to meet
that of the brig.
Il told you sou exclaimed Captain
Abner to Mary as he pointed to the dis
tant SAIL
Eyes, Abner; you did," she replied.
"And now he'll board and press two
or three of the men, even though we
haven't got half one to spare"
"Waal. it's no use to give up till we
have to- should keep right OH and
pay no 'tention to him."
| There had been a stiff breeze all the
forenoon, and the few clouds driving
| overhead had a squally look to them.
| Captain Bideford's first idea had been
| to run away: but, realizing this would
| provoke curiosity and pursuit, he de-
-cided to stand on. As the craft neared
| each other the man-of-war kept all
fast and seemed about to pass OH with
| fired a solid shot across the briggs bows
and hove into the wind.
'sThat means heaye to and be board
edw shouted Captain Abner as he pre-
pared to give the necessary orders.
But don't you do anything of the
kind" protested Mary. Hes no more
right to stop you than you have to stop
him."
by Josh. then. but he'll blow us out
of water.'
LET him blow Abner, you're no
man if you give up licked to Brit
isher who has bin beaten in war;
The Dolphin held her course. The
British captain brought his big craft
around in pursuit and opened fire with
his bow chasers. When his shot began
falling about the brig, Captain Abner
and the crew were for bringing her to,
but Mary shut her teeth together and
grimly said:
"Abner, if you let that Britisher board
you before he shoots away mast I'll
not go back home to hear you called a
coward"
So the Dolphin held on, though be-
fore she got out of range the shot
splashed water ON her deck. She
would have eventually made clear
escape but for loss of the breeze. When
it died completely out, the two craft
were three miles apart. The man-of-
war promptly lowered boat with an
officer anu six armed men to pay
visit.
"Waal. you see that boat comm, /
s'pose," said Captain Abner as Mary
stood beside him. If you hadn't inter
fered, l might have got off without
anybody bein' taken
IF I hadn't interfered, you'd have
gone back to Nantucket to be sneered
at by everybody in town. Jest you
watch and wait. 1t looks bad, but
sunthin' may turn up"
The boat came on with long, regular
strokes and in half an hour was along
side the brig. The lieutenant in charge
| cdIlt OVER tue Ed1ls IciioH Cl W thA .
marines with loaded muskets. He had
hardly touched the deck when he sang
out:
"You impudent BLACKBOARD Of Yam
kee, but why didn't you heave to when
we fired gum
Because we didn't feel like itr' an
swered Captain Bideford, who had al
his GOODNESS now that the crisis was al
hand
what. What. More iinpudence
My turlzeycock, but you need lessor
in manners. AS a beginning l ordel
you to douse that ragr'
Il shall do nothin' of the kind.
you want to make prize Of this brig
go ahead and haul down her flag. 1
not, then take yourself off,"
"Oh, you won't muster your crew
ehT' sneered the lieutenant 1T is a
we suspected too many British de
serters aboard Well, I'll soon wee'
them out without your help. Here
you Yankees. muster at the mastv
Had the crew been backed by tn
captain they would have refused I
line up on the deck; but, receiving u
encoura gement from him to resist, the
shambled aft to the mainmast and go
In line. They were six able seamer
the mate and cook not being include
in the muster. The lieutenant in
pressed five out of the six.
fxfr al