The patriot. [volume] (Indiana, Pa.) 1914-1955, 1917-08-18
How a irate
Was Downed
By EDWARD STEWART


shores of the island of Jamaica, cass
anchor and sent boats ashore With
casks for water. While waiting theig
return two vessels appeared out on the
sea. the one a clumsy hrigantine, the
other a low cut, rakiSh craft with
enormous sails. Chandler brought his
glass to bear on the two ships and
was not long in determining that one
was a merchantmen, the other a Span
ish picarOon, and the picarOon was
chasing the. merchantman. The for
mer flew no flag, but the captain knew
only too well that she was a pirate
and If the wind held would overtake
/ the merchantmen.
| This was at time when piracy had
| been almost entirely swept from the
/ West Indies and few merchant ships
/ had means of opposing the villains,
! Chandler could see no evidence of guns
aboard the brigantine, and he had but
/ one little barker ON his own ship. lie
had no women aboard, but Judged
| from the size and build of the mer-
chantman that she might have passen-
gers.
The wind was now very light, and
what there was was. dying down. The
sun was near the western horizon, and
it had no sooner set than the last
traces Of a breeze went with it. The
| two vessels, now about three miles
apart, stood still, efr sails tapping
as the swells rolled under them Chan
dler began to take thought how he
might save both his own and the 9th
er ship from the pirate, He had some
small arms aboard, but no guns ex-
cept the one mentioned, while, though
the portfolios in the picaroon were
masked, he knew that she must be
well armed with cannon. His small
arms would be of no use against her.
Chandler ran over in his mind what
! he had aboard that he might use in
! fight and remembered that he was
carrying, among other things for blast
ing purposes in the Mexican mines, a
Illuminating powder used In those days.
But what use could be made of this
against the cannon balls of the pirate?
Chandler was Yankee, and the
Yankees even at that remote period
were famed for their shrewdness and
inventive genius. he formed a plan to
attack the picaroon with Illuminating
powder. Noting the positions of the
ships with his compass, he waited till
midnight; then, putting crew in each
OF two boats, he weighed anchor and
ordered them to tow the Wasp out to
sea, his object being to get between
the two vessels Neither ship displayed
light, but faint glimmer OF cabin
lights was percepdble on the pirate.
Chandler stopped when he thought he
might be in the proper position. He
did not casr anchor, for the sound
would betray him.
When the first faint dawn came
Chandler saw that the Wasp, the pi-
rate and the merchantmen occupied
three corners of a triangle. He was
pleased to see that he was nearer the
pirate than the merchantman, for if
the former attacked the latter before
attacking the Wasp Chandler could af.
ford no assistance His plan did not
admit of this All three ships had their
sails hOisted ready to take advantage
of the slightest breeze. AS soon as
there was sufficient light the pirate
displayed the skull and crossbones
from her peak and sent a shot before
the bow of the Wasp. Chandler, un-
derstanding this as a demand for sur
render, returned from his popgun a
shot no bigger than a boys rubber
ball. He did this that the pirate
might attack him with his ship In
stead Of sending boats to take posses
sion without fight
With the rising of the sun ripple
was seen coming on the water, and
/ breeze came with 1t. 1t caught the
picaroon first, and she approached the
Wasp, running out her guns as she
did so, but nearing her prey it was
plain that there was no armament
aboard, and she ran them in again.
The critical moment had come
Chandler stood on the quarterback
awaiting his enemy, occasionally cast
ing a glance at a man partially con-
cealed aloft on that end Of the gaff
swung from the mainmast. The breeze
had reached the Wasp and filed her
sails, enabling the helmsman to keep
| the vessel before it with some head
way. When the bowsprit Of the plea
room came within a cables length of
the Wasp, Chandler gave an order to
lower the sails. The pirate Tapped the
Wasp and was making ready TO grap-
! pie and board when signal was given
that turned the tables. Chandler rails
ed his hand. Men concealed under the
bulwarks pulled on a line fastened to
the end of the gaff, swinging IL over
the side next tie picaroon. The man
above carrying a demijohn, nimbly
crawled out on it, gaining a position
nearly over the pirate, now not twenty
! feet from the Wasp. Giving the demi-
john a swing. he tossed 1t on the pi-
rates deck.
There was an explosion that blew