Year: 1861




like preparations; and the male passengers,
together with the skipper and his officers,
sworc to assist and obey me in everything
This was great responsibility to be thrust
upon young fellow of about twenty two
years of age but did not hesitate to un-
dertake it,


My first step was to get Mitchell to mus
ter the crew on the quarterback, where /
made them short speech, telling them of
the suspicious we had of the craft in our
wake, and that we must make the best of a
very bad job; that if it came to a brush, I
felt sure, | said, that every mothers son of
them would fight to the last, to defend the
good ship and the two helpless women and
the poor little children who were amongst
us. Mitchell also told them to obey me in
everything. as was kings officer, and up
to fighting affairs.


The men answered with cheer, and one
old fellow, who was called Old Joe, at once
stepped forward and said: eff you please,
your honor, was captain of a gun for many
years on board kings ship; and if so be
there should be anything of that sort on
board, | and Bill here with a jerk of his
thumb over his shoulder 'can show them
how to handle them" Mitchell now remem-
bered that there were a couple Of old car
ronades son,cnchere IN the hold, buthe could
not exactly state their whcreabout! The
hint however, was sufficient. and an explor-
ing party was speedily sent below to search.
After tedious and anxious rummage be-
low, the joyful cry was heard from Old Joe:
''IIerc they are my heartics: so bear hand
to get them slowed upw And there, indeed,
appeared two old ship guns, with their car
riages, but from their looks I hardly hoped
that they would stand charge of powder
However, the hold was quickly opened, and,
by help of an cxtemporary derrick, our
pieces Of ordnance were safely hoisted upon
deck


The preparing Of these guns for service [
left for Old Joe and his shipmatcs, whilst /
and my party collected all the old cutlasses,
muskcts, and pistols we could find on board
NJ de s. =:-! had q good sword and pair
of pistols also and had bird h1ase
tolls. From amongst the rubbish on board
we selected three muskcts, four bayonets.
six or seven cutlasses, and couple of tol-
erablc pistols. The bayonets we set to work
and spliced on to the capstan bars, and so
rugged out some capital boarding pixies
the fire-arm we cleaned, and the cutlasses
we sharpcncd by grinding on the carpcn-
ter's stone. When all was ready. Old Joe
proposed to "scale the guns :" and in order
to appear as formidable as VIC could, we
contrivcd to fire the two guns i'll succession
on the starboard side and then run them
over to port, and fire them again. By this
device we appeared to carry four guns
We tried our small arms also in the same
manner, firing the muskets and pistols in
volleys


Much time was consumed in these pro-
ceedings, and whether it was that our stra-
tagcm had told with some effect or not, it
was evident that the brigantines sweeps had
been laid in, and that she had advanced no
nearer in the interval We therefore con-
cluded that the pirate intended to wait till
nightfaU before he ran us aboard. God
b lip US! It was a fearful thought. But
every one bore up like hero, and we made
the best preparations that we could devise to
resist the anticipated assault.


Towards sundown another sail was seen
on the horizon, and the pirate appeared to
perceive her at the same moment. for he
once more ''out sweeps" and pulled towards
the ill-fated sail at a smart pace. Every
eye was strained in watching the two YES
sells j; and just as it became too dark to dis
tinguish distant objects, Rash' followed
by quick report, startled the stoutest heart
amongst US. Further surmiscs were use
less, for up to this moment, though some
had still tried to ''hope against hope" that
the strange craft was not pirate after all,
the dreadful certainty fell like lead upon the
hearts of all. That gunshot had told tale
that none could doubt the meaning Of; and,
unless God should send help, either by a
night breeze Or some ship with which we
might act in concert, and so beat off this
scoundrel, our doom must, in all human
probability, be indeed fearful one. But
it was of no use to give way to despair and
darkness having now closed in, we extin-
guished every light on board, even in the
pinnacle, and enforced the strictest silence
fore and aft in the ship. need not say
there was no sleep for any Of US that night.
Anxiety had murdered sleep,' and none
even attempted to ''turn in" Long and
drearily passed the feverish hours of that
terrible night; and by the first faint streak
Of dawning light every eye was strained to
see if the pirate was still in sight. Alas !.
glance was sufficient. Not only was the
pirate there, but another ressel with him,
evidently the prize he had captured the
night before Still they were at some dis
tance astern Of us, and it seemed that the mis-
n - I =
from the night attack we bad expected.
Our nerves had been so overstrained for
many hours that some now began to show
signs Of wavering and despair; under the
circumstances, therefore, thought it better
to order good allowance of grog to be served
out to the poor fellows, and keep them en-
ployed in exercising the guns, &c, as much
as our small stock of powder would admit
Thus passed another wrctcLcd day of sus-
! pcnsc and misery