Year: 1875

great length, both covered with can
vas, under a press of which she came
bowling along, the now freshening
breeze filing her sails. The rapidity
with which she gained on us, show
ed that we had no chance of escape
by flight. Our every rag of canvas
had been for some time set, and the
old, numbering ship, heavily laden as
she was, went snorting and groaning
through the water. The match was
as unequal as between a cart horse
and a thoroughbred racer.


Turning my eyes again towards
the deck, l found the men all activi-
ty and hustle. One group obsery-
ed busily engaged in breaking and
saving old iron hoops and spikes
these were for grape shot.


But where are the guns?' asked
of the captain.


You shall see, presently he re-
piled; the men are dragging them
from their concealment below, for
we carry more than the regular num-
Der. In the meantime may I ask you
to go below, and break the matter to
your fellow passengers. There may
be some of the gentlemen not unwill-
ing to aid in the defence of the ship.
At present l cannot leave the deck.
My wife!-a shuddor seemed to pass
across his face, and he added
would to heaven she had not been
herer


/ pressed his hand and went be-
low. Need l say what screaming,
sobbing and crying there was, when
I informed my fellow passengers of
the danger SO near at hand. One
tender girl there was, fair and grace
full, beautiful as light, who display
ed the most charming courage and
self-possession. She was on her way
home from England, in search of the
health she had lost amid the hot
tropics. 1t might be that she felt
the hand of death already upon her,
and the ties that bound her to life
we're thus feeble. She tried to soothe
the shrieking women, cheered those
who seemed as if stricken down by
their terror, and urged upon all to
reflect, that it was their duty to aid
and encourage those who were about
to risk their lives for their protec-
ton, than to embaYrass and dis
tress them by shrieking and clamor.


The captains wife, I found was
more composed than the others; and
she suggested that the other females
should at once proceed to disguise
themselves in ordinary seaman's
clothes, and proceed upon deck, so
as If possible to escape detection, in
event of the ship being boarded by
the pirates.


L left them engaged in these pre-
parations, and fastened upon deck.
L found that the men had now drag
ged from their concealment nine
eighteen pound carronades, which
were mounted ready for action.
Some were busily engaged in load
ing them, each with a round shot and
aibag of iron cuttings, broken nails
and musket bullets-the most de-
structive kind of grape. They work
ed as if life and death depended on
their efforts, which was indeed the
case. OF the eleven gentlemen pas
sengers OH board, of nearly all ma
tions, the greater number, with
praiseworthy alaerity, aided the crew
in their preparations for defense. All
the guns, rifles, pistols, swords and
cutlasses which the ship could mus
ter, were brought on deck and dis
tributed among the passengers and
crew.


Z The pirate ship was now rapidly
approaching, and was almost within
ganshot. We could see her deck
distinctly, and perceived that it was
crowded with men; bOoms and all
were filed She was evidently well
armed, for we saw six guns on a
side, and long gun, on pivots,
planted on the forecastle. The occa-
sional CLEAN caught our eye. We
saw man, evidently a person in
command, standing in the shrouds,
with polished speaking trumpet in
his hand, closely scanning us: He
wore white trousers, and had red
sash bound round his waist. On his
head was q broad Panama hat, the
now burning sun rendering such a
defence highly necessary.


But our attention was suddenly
attracted in another direction, by a
new object of interest-perhaps of
danger. 1t must be observed here,
that we were now off the coast of
Cuba, whose high lands to the west
of Cape Maize rose clear and strong
ly defined against the northern sky.
One of the old hands on board,
pointed out, very far off, q spot
which he ssusred us, was one of the
most noted piratlcal haunts in Gu
ba.


These fellows said he, 'even ven
ture out in their boats to attack and
board merchant men of the first
class. l have known -


Boat ahoyr sung out the man on
the lookout.


AZ where away?'


fUnder our forefoot!


And sure enough there was a
boat almost in our track, though at
first sight, there seemed nothing in
its appearance to excite either sus-
pieion or alarm.


Keep your eye on that ere cap
tain,' was the remark Of the old sea-
man at our side.


And the captain, to do him JUS
tice, seemed alive to the necessity
of keeping sharp look out in all
directions.


We were soon within hail of the
boat, and perceived that there was
only one man visible on board, who
seemed as if fishing with a rod and
line at the boats bow. An inn
mense tarpaulum covered the boat
which was large as a jolly. The on
ly circumstance which excited our
suspicious was an object very like a
canonade OnIa pivot, planted forward
and on which tho man sat as if to