Year: 1874

OF wal III 1917, Cuf WhOle coast was
swarming with British cruisers, and
every craft that yentured to show
herself was pounced upon, hGwk-lille,
by our watchful enemy; so that u
coastwise trip was, IN fact, mere
running of the gauntle in which he
was a lucky fellow who escaped
capture. Notwithstandin&the chances
were so much against them, many
we're perfectly willing to run the
hazard in consideration of the i'm
mense profits that accrued from a
successful voyage, There was some
thing, too, in the nature of the enter
! prise,that suited well the daring char
acter of those engaged in it. They
Calculated on being taken, but
they "rather guessed as how" they
could manage to give John Bull the
slip-for though Johnny is pretty
shrewd chap in the main, yet he is
not circumstance to Brother Jona-
than, who can outwit him with his
eyes shut.


In the Fall of the year, some three
or four months after the declaration
of war, feet of eight or ten small
crafts was fitted out OF Salem, by
William Paul and others, intended
for the Philadelphia -four trade
Among them was the schooner Fo&,
a little fore-and-after of about fifty
tons. Samuel Hodgdon, MASTER
George Henssler, mate-an old ex-
perienced pilot, by the name of Ell
bridge, and the boy Bill, from whom,
by the way, we derive these pardcu-
lars, formed her complement of men.
Our little Eox was in ballast-save in
her hold snugly slowed against the
bulkheads, for those were not strictly
temperate times, was a barrel Of
American gin. Thus appointed the
Fox topped her boom and was of,
with a fair wind and a good promise
of success, for a late arrival stated
that no cruisers we're to be seen on
the bay.


For three days the little craft went
iauntily on. her course unmolested,
and at the close Of the third day,
clear sea still before them, they "took
pull at the peak" all round for the
successful prosecution of their voy-
age thus far. On the fourth morn
ing they found them mselves off Great
Egg Harbor and, much to their
chagrin, in the close neighborhood Of
a strange sloop-of-war. Running
away was out OF the question-and
in answer to one or two rather press
ing invitations, by a messenger not
over particular in regard to forms
and ceremonies, the Fox hauled her
wind and stood for her unwelcpme
neighbor.


Enabled, by Jupiterp' said the
old pilot, squirting a small cataract
of tobacco juice to leoward, as he
saw a boat put off from the sloop-of-
war filled with men.


In few moments Capt. Hodgdon
had the pleasure of being toll that
he was a prize to his Britannia Maj
esty's sloop-of-war Prometheus, Of
seventeen guns, and that the COM
pany of himself and mate was partic-
ularly requested on board With as
good a grace as could be mustered
the requisition was complied with,
and the captain and mate repaired on
board. They mounted the sides and
stepped on deck with certainly any
but agreeable feelings. They went
aft, and scarcely had they doffed
their tarpaulins to his Majesty's rep
resentative than, with trde Yankee
spirit, the skipper began to chatter
with his captor, endeayoring to strike
a bargain for the release of his craft.
At first the commander would not
hearken to his proposals, but declared
his intentions to burn her forthwith.
By dint of perseverance, however,
the skipper prevailed upon him to
come to terms, and he agreed, for IL
certain sum in specie, to ransom the
schooner.


Not having the specie on board, but
being provided with bills of credit,
it was settled that our skipper should
land at Great Egg Harbor, cash his
bills, and bring off the rhino. Land
ing for that purpose, Captain Hodg-
don found that he could not procure
the specie until next day. Most Of
the day was spent in trying to nego-
tiate his bills, and as it was late in
the afternoon when he returned on
board the sloop-of-war, the command
er agreed to wait until the next morn
ing, threatening, if the money was
not forthcoming, to "burn, sink and
destroy" as his orders ran.


With the consent of the command
er the captain and mate were permit
ted to 90 on board their own vessel
for the night, which was in charge of
MILDLY and nine men During the
night the two vessels were to lay off
and on in the harbor, close in com
pany, although with such a force on
board the schooner of course noy the
least suspicion was entertained OF an
attempt to recapture. Not relishing,
however, the idea of making 50 un-
profitable a voyage if the ransom mon
ey was paid, nor of seeing their little
craft burnt ana them elves prisoners
if it was not, Henssler, the mate, and
the boy Bill lid their heads together
to retake the schooner. Rather a
formidable undertaking, it must be
confessed, with ten armed men on
board and the guns of the sloop-of-
war, like sleeping thunder, frowning
upon them. Undeterrel by the al
most hopelessness Of their task,
Henssler and the boy arranged the
plot, giving the captain and the pilot
hint of their intentions, which they
readily acquiesced in.


The night set in and our determ-
Il. l. q. d T. 1,