The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1914-05-22
The Last Black
Flag
B. N. QUAD
Copyright, 1914. by Associated Lit
erary Press.

l didn't get a medal for what hap
pened to neon the day l was, fourteen
years. old, which is more than sixty,
years ago, but I had the fun Of fight
ing a pirate ship and knowing that she
wal the last one that has ever dared to
fly the black flag. That's better than
to have read a hundred pirate stories.
l was a cabin boy on board an Aus.
tralian packet ship, and she was max
ing the voyage from London to Austria
liza. She vas called the Ruby Castle,
and a 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 y trouble was the
sighting Of a 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 md had a strongscrew aboard,
but pirates were men to take long
chances. When the -four ,bestsp were
ready to leave the briggs side / counted
.Afty-two men in all. and 1t 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
course most Of the women were great
~ frightened. Among the emigrants
were about fifty men and half grown
boys. To a man Of them they volun-
teered to help the crew, and muskets
and pistols were served out to some
j and ~cutlasse 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 coNld not have been bet
tered. The solid shot struck M 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.s, We met them with
firearms, and we heaved cold shot into
the boats as. they hooked on. and no
gang Of pirates eve got a 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
o-1kh>, okkOntr o~H e. woo nnonoVo1lv
believed that when the breeze came
the pirate would sail away. 1T was 4
o'clock in the afternoon before the
calm was broken. and to our surprise
and anxiety the pirate did mot show
her heels. On the contrary. she began,
working down toward us, and az soon
as within cannon shot she opened fire:
She had four guns I'm broadside. the
same as the Ruby Castle. and for an
hour we had a 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 and the ship put to rights
as far as. could be. and only the wQ-
men and children slept. The wounded
spars were replaced, shot holes plug
ged, mp xnd. thefeswae 10 reason why
we should not safely make the Cape.
When daylight came we congratulated
each other over 9 victory. and the
captain had Just decided to make a
sort Of holiday In honor Of theaaeVent
when u 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 q
haven or Of another prey, when she
had repaired damages she had picked
up our trail and was going to give-ue
| another brush. When we had her Grip
MED the night before we could have
destroyed her. but Captain Wilson sim
Ply sailed away. He now promised
the crew to sink her II he could. and
there was cheering as the men went to
| TIN. guns. Down came the black cloud,
:; and with It down came the pirate.
with his black dag flying. and as he
rnilxed. up ON our port quarter at half
rife shot he opened fire. His first shot
struck q gun and: killed three: men. and
his second wounded i've 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 were unheard. You felt the
concussion 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
lscourse. and. hanging to her quarter!
| like a bulldog to his prey. followed the
1 pirate ship. OF a sudden there was q
| great crash aloft, and down came the
ifore ana main topmastss together. The
men were called from the guns to
! clear the wreckage. and the ship wa
Tin danger Of preaching to and being
swept when there came . dash Of
.aAIaE.-sx kak ~nnunnag 4 hASinI fhn ava,