Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1917-11-28
How a Pirate
Was Downed
By EDWARD STEWART


casks Cor N4ses While waiting their
rcsasu iwo Vessels appeared out on the
sssa The one clu.asy brigantine the
osaer a low cIt. rasiSli craft VIA
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 picaroou. aud the pscaroon was
chasing the merchantmen The for
mer flew no flag but the captain knew
only TOO well that she was pirate
aud If the wind held would osertake
the nierchantman.
! This was nj tine 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. He
4 had no women aboard but judged
/ from the size anG build of the mer-
I chairman that she might have passen
/ gers
The wind was now eery light. and
what there was was dying Gown. The
sun was near the western horizon. and
1t had no sooner set than the last
! traces OF a breeze went with 1t. The
apart. stood stir their sails happing
as the sweils 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 he
wen 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 n
fight and remembered that be 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 plan TO
attack the picaroon with Illuminating
powder. Noting the positions of the
ships with his compass, he waited TIL
midnight: then. putting crew In each
of two boats. he weighed anchor and
ordered them to tow the Wasp out TO
san ~, boyt. m ,xaf y.arvx
the two vessels. Neither ship displayed
a light. but faint elimmer OF cabin
lights was perceptible on the pirate.
Chandler stopped when he thought he
might he IN the proper position He
did uat ras; .,ehor. for tue sound
would hcs.ay aim
When the Erst faint dawn came
Chandler SAW that the Wasp. the pi-
rate and the merchantmen occupied
three corners of triangle. He was
pleased TO see that he was nearer the
pirate than the merchantmen. for II
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 koisted 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 shot before
the bow Of the Wasp. Chandler. un-
Outstanding this as a demand for sur
render. returned from his popgun
shot no bigger than 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 ef-the sun a ripple
| was seen coming ON the water, aud
breeze came with it. 1t caught the
| picaroon first. and she approached the
| Wasp, running out her guns as she
| did so, but nearing her prey 1t was
! plain that there was no armament
| aboard, a.. she ran them in again.
The critical moment had come
| Chandler stood on the quarterback
awaiting his enemy. occasionally cast
ing glance at a man partially con-
cealed aloft on that end Of the gan
swung from the mainmast The breeze
had reached the Wasp and filled her
| sails, enabling the helmsman to keep
the vessel before 1t 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 crap
pie and board when a signal was given
that turned the tables. Chandler rails
ed his hand. Men concealed under the
bulwarks pulled on ME- fastened t.
the end OF the gan. swinging 1t ovel
the side next the picaroon. The maj
above. carrying demijohn. nimbly
crawled out on it. gaining a position
nearly over the pirate. now not twent.
feet from the Wasp. Giving the demi
john swing. he tossed it on the pi
rates deck
There was an explosion that blew