Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1914-04-17
BY M. QUAD

l didn't get medal for what hap
pened to me on the day l was fourteen
years old, which Is more than sixty
years ago, but l had the fun Of fight
ing pirate ship and knowing that she
was the last one that has ever dared to
fly the black flag. That's better than
to have read hundred pirate stories
was a cabin boy on board an Aus
tralian packet ship, and she was max
ing the voyage from London to Austria
liza. She was called the Ruby Castle.
and fine craft she was. Things new
er went better with any of the liners
until we were south Of St. Helena, and
the beginning Of our trouble was the
sighting of brig which stood out to
us from the African coast. We soon
felt sure she was a pirate vessel and
was coming to attack the Ruby Castle
They must have known that we were
armed and had strong crew aboard
but pirates were men to take long
chances. When the four boats were
ready to leave the briggs side counted
fifty-two men in all, and it seemed as
If many more were left behind.
You will wonder how we took mat
ters aboard the packet OF the thirty
or more male cabin passengers, five or
six showed the white feather. and Of
ly frightened. Among the emigrants
were about fifty men and half grown
boys. To man Of them they voun-
teered to help the crew, and muskets
and pistols We're ser-ed ont to some
and cutlasses and boarding pixies to
others. The boats divided as they
came on, and when half the distance
had been passed their crews began
cheering. Our first shot from one of
the big guns could not have been bet
tered. The solid shot struck one Of
the boats fair in the stem and split her
open full length, and of those not killed
outright only two or three were picked
up. The disaster only made the rascals
the more desperate. Raising a cheer,
the three boats dashed at us and were
soon so close that the big guns were Of
no further use. We met them with
firearms, and we heaved cold shot into
the boats as they hooked on, and no
gang Of pirates ever got harder drub-
bling. Although we lost two killed and
several wounded, not a man Of them
got aboard, and only two boats and
eighteen men returned to the pirate
ship. We knew they would not make
another attack, and 1t was generally
believed that when the breeze came
the pirate would sail away. 1t was
o'clock in the afternoon before the
calm was broken, and to our surprise
and anxiety the pirate did not show
her heels. On the contrary. she began
working down toward us, and as soon
as within cannon shot she opened fire.
She had four guns in broadside, the
same as the Ruby Castle. and for an
hour we had n square fight of It, She
sailed much better than we did and
was more easily handled. but in spite
of all her tricks we gave her the worst
of it and finally drove her out of range.
That night all the dead aboard us
were buried ana the ship put to rights
as far as could be- and only the wO-
men and children slept. The wounded
spars were replaced, shot holes plug
ged up, and there was no reason why
we should not safely make the Cape
When daylight came we congratulated
each other over our victory. and the
captain had just decided to make a
sort of holiday in honor Of the event
when thunderstorm came racing up
behind us. and In the midst Of the
black cloud was the pirate brig. In
stead Of sailing away in search of
haven or of another prey, when she
had repaired damages she had picked
up our trail and was going to give us
another brush. When we had her Grip
pied the night before we could have
destroyed her, but Captain Wilson sim
ply sailed away. He now promised
the crew to sink her If he could. and
there was cheering as the men went to
the guns. Down came the black cloud,
and with 1t down came the pirate.
with his black flag flying, and as he
ranged up on our port quarter at half
rifle shot he opened fire. His first shot
struck a gun and killed three men, and
his second wounded five men. Then,
though the firing continued, no great
damage was done on either side. Day
light was turned into evening by the
storm. So terrific and continuous was
the roll of thunder that the reports of
the guns We're unheard. You felt the
conclusion along the deck, but the re-
port was lost In the war of the ele
ments.
Loading and firing every gun which
would bear as fast as possible, the
Ruby Castle rushed forward on her
course, and, hanging to her quarter
like bulldog to his prey, followed the
pirate ship. OF a sudden there was
great crash aloft, and down came the
fore and main topmasts together. The
men were called from the guns to