The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1906-01-03

Diy snort time the EnSllSn lrlS3Ie was
close at hand. Though they worked
with a desperate energy, they had not
entirely completed those preparations
required by the shock Of battle. AS
usual, Morgan was determined to lose
no time. If he could have thrown his
vessel upon them out Of the fire and
smoke Of the first broadside he would
have gained the victory with scarcely
less difficulty than he had seized the
first advantage, but that was not to be,
and it was with considerable anxiety
that he surveyed the crowded decks
Of the two remaining ships.
He had no fear Of the armament Of
either one, but if those Spanish sol
diers ever got a footing upon his own
deck it was probable they could not
be dislodged without a tremendous SEC
rifce Of life, and as he gaZed over his
motley crew he even questioned their
ability to contend successfully with
such a mass Of veterans. he had hoped
that the remaining frigate would de
tach herself from the galleon, in which
event the superior hardness and mo
bility Of his W ship, to say nothing
Of his probable advantage in the way
in which his batteries would be fought,
would enable him to dispose Of her
without too much difficulty. Then he
could with ease place the huge and
unwieldly galleon at his mercy. But
&1n +r-l Crorich Shirc c+,,n1- o1or0 IN
gether, too close indeed, Morgan
thought, for their w safety. They
were both on the wind, with their lar
board tacks aboard, the frigate slight
~ ahead and to windward Of the gal
leon-on the side, that is, whence the
Mary Rose was approaching. So far
as he could divine it, the Spanish plan,
if they had formulated any in their
hurry, appeared to be for the frigate to
engage the Mary Rose, and while she
had the latter ship under her battery
the galleon would tack across the Eng
lish, vessels bows or stern, as might
be, rake her, get her between the two
ships, run her aboard and thus effect
her ruin. The plan was simple, prac-
ticable and promised easy success, pro-
vided the Englishman did what was
expected Of him.
Morgan was not to be caught nap
ping that way. As he rushed down
upon them there came into his head {
Of the most daring ideas that have ever
flashed across a seaman's brain. Has
tily summoning Braziliano, he babe
him take dozen Of his men, descend,
to the after magazine, procure two or
three barrels Of powder from the GIN
me- and stow them in the cabin under
the poop deck. BE charged him to do
IT as quietly as possible and take only
men for the purpose upon whom he
could depend. While this was being
done young Teach was also summoned
from the ~forecastle, his place being
taken by old Velsers, whose division In
the battery was placed under the COM
mand Of Raveneau. There was a whis-
peeef co:Ioquy between 5e chieftaic
and lis young subordinate. after which
the latter nodded lis head, ran below
atG concealed himself II one OF the
staterooms under the quarter deck IN
Ii littie space the Portuguese reaQpear-
ed with his men and announced that
they had completed their task, where
upon they were directed to return to
their stations.
Meanwhile the crew had been re-
charging the battery and reloading the
small arms. Morgan addressed to
them a few words Of hearty approval
Of their previous actions and predicted
an easy victory over the two ships.
The Spanish captain naturally suppos-
ed-and indeed the courses upon which
the three ships were sailing if persist
ed in would have brought about the
resultant the Mary Rose would pass
along his larboard side and the two
vessels would engage in the formal
manner Of the period, yardarm to yard
arm until the galleon could get into
action and so settle it in the purposed
way. He intended, Of course, if it
could be brought about, to throw the
masses of soldiers he was Transporting
home upon the English decks and car
ry the frigate by boarding.
Again Morgan put Hornigold IN
charge Of the maneuvering Of the ship.
and again that old worthy chose to
handle the spokes himself. There was
a brief conversation between them, and
then the English captain ran forward
on the f~orecastle. The ships were very
near now. In a moment or two they
would pass each other in parallel
courses, though in opposite directions
and their broadsides would bear. But
when the Mary Rose was about a ca
ble's length from the Spanish frlgate
the astonished don heard a sharp com
mand ring out from the approaching
English ship, after which she made a
wide sweep and came driving straight
at him at a furious speed. The English
captain intended to run him down.
There was to Ee no passage along his
hroodSida The other was upon him!