Graham's Magazine Vol XXXIII No. 4 October 1848. VariousЧитать онлайн книгу.
and as it was fired three cheers arose from his crew, as they perceived the pirate's mizzen-mast fall away.
"She is ours," cried the lieutenant.
"Stand by, men, to take in sail," shouted the captain. "We will draw near enough," continued he to Morris, "to fire into her at our leisure, a pirate is not entitled to a more honorable warfare, and he seems also to greatly outnumber us in men."
As the privateer approached the pirate they could not but admire the singular beauty of her build. She rose and fell upon the waters as gracefully as a free and wild ocean bird. The long red lines of her port-holes swept with a gentle curve from stem to stern, and her stem was so sharp that the bowsprit seemed rather to terminate than to join it. Twelve carronades occupied a double row of port-holes, and the deck seemed crowded with men, all armed with cutlases and pistols.
"A formidable looking set," said Captain Greene, as he laid aside his glass, "keep the gun lively."
An ineffectual fire opened upon the privateer from the pirate, but though they had a swivel of pretty heavy calibre, turning on its axis amidship in such a manner as to menace at will each point of the horizon, it was evident that its force was far less than the long gun of the privateer.
A well aimed shot brought down the pirate's fore topsail-yard, which hung in the slings, and succeeding shots did much injury to her masts and rigging, and at length the main-topmast fell over the side.
The scene on board the pirate, during this unequal warfare, was one approaching perplexity and disorder. Their commander stood by the helm, gazing at the privateer, his brow clouded with angry thought, and giving little heed to the movements of his crew. He was aroused from his abstraction by the voice of one of his officers.
"Captain, this is bad business, what is to be done?"
The captain gazed at him in silence.
"The crew are alarmed, and demand of you some relief from this harassing state. Our guns will not reach the chase, and we cannot leave her in this crippled state."
At this moment a heavy ball from the privateer whizzed by them and buried itself in the main-mast of the brig.
The captain seemed fully aroused. His eyes flashed with their wonted fire. He turned toward his crew, and saw at a glance the state of depression which had fallen upon them all. He even overheard some muttered words of complaint.
"Pat," says one, "this seems to be playing a rough game, where nothing is to be won on our side."
"Faith, an' ye may say that, but we stand a chance to gain one thing."
"What may that be, Pat?"
"O, a two-inch rope, and a run up to the fore yard-arm."
"The devil! That's not a pleasant thought, Pat."
"No, but they say it's an aisy death."
"Silence, men," was heard in the deep tones of the captain's voice.
In a moment all was still, and every eye turned toward the companion-way, on which the captain stood, resting one hand upon the main-boom, as he was exceedingly weak from the wound inflicted by the ball of Captain Horton.
"My brave fellows," said their leader, "do not be alarmed, we shall not be hanged this time. Is our situation any worse than it has been in times heretofore? Trust in me. Have I ever deceived you – have I ever failed yet? You know I have not. Where we cannot conquer by fair battle, we must use stratagem. Be watchful and ready, and we will yet not only escape yonder vessel, but stand upon her deck as masters."
The confidence with which he spoke inspired his followers with like feeling, and with countenances relighted by hope, they returned to their several stations. Their reliance upon their commander was unbounded. He had so often triumphed when even greater difficulties opposed, that they already felt sure of ultimate delivery, now that he had been restored to his former energy – they had mistaken the lethargy into which pain and weakness had thrown him for the torpor of despair. Again the joke and laugh went round, and already they began to compute their respective shares of booty in the vessel so soon to be theirs, they knew not how.
"Haul down the ensign, in token that we surrender," cried the captain.
A murmur of indignation and surprise arose from the crew.
"What, men, do you doubt me? 'Tis but a feint. Haul down the flag and take in sail."
The men obeyed with alacrity, for they already clearly comprehended the plan of their leader. It was his intention to entice the privateer alongside, and, well aware of his own superiority in numbers, to make a sudden onset upon her deck, and thus, contrary to all laws of honorable warfare, seize by foul means what could not be obtained in any other way.
These pacific indications were viewed with some surprise on board the privateer.
"By Heaven!" cried Lieut. Morris, "she's tired of this game soon."
"Well, she had no other way to do; as it was we should have sunk her without receiving a shot."
"It was a losing game for her, true enough."
"Lay the brig alongside of her," shouted Captain Greene to his men.
As his men with a cheer began to unfurl all sail, Captain Horton approached the commander of the privateer. He had up to this period ventured no interference, both from matter of delicacy, and because he saw nothing to disapprove of in the course pursued by Captain Greene.
"My dear sir," said he, as he laid his hand upon the arm of the captain of the privateer, "allow me to say a word."
"Certainly, sir," replied the courteous commander. "I ought sooner than this to have asked your advice."
"I would not place too great confidence in the pirate's signal of surrender."
"Do you apprehend foul play?"
"Recollect the savage brutality which the fiend has already evinced, and judge for yourself whether he is worthy of being trusted at all."
"You are right, sir. Lieut. Morris," continued he, turning to his young officer.
"Ay, ay, sir."
"Load the long gun with grape and canister, and wheel it abaft – load the larboard guns the same way. Now, my men, don't run too near her. She must send a boat aboard."
The privateer approached within half a cable's length of the pirate.
"Ship ahoy!" cried Captain Greene.
No answer came from the pirate, but her head was rounded to, so as to bear directly down on the Raker.
"Answer me, or I'll fire into you."
"Fire and be d – d," came from the deck of the pirate, and at the same time a broadside was poured into the Raker, which killed two or three men at the guns, and severely wounded Captain Greene.
"Lieut. Morris," cried he, "take the command of the vessel," and falling on the deck he was immediately carried below.
The young officer was fully equal to the emergency of the occasion. At a glance he perceived that the pirate in the confusion which ensued from his unexpected broadside, had fallen foul of the privateer's rigging, and the crowd of his crew in his bow and fore-rigging, all with cutlases drawn, and ready to spring aboard the privateer, plainly announced the intention to board.
"All hands to repel boarders," shouted Morris, and drawing his cutlas he sprang forward, followed by his men.
A well contested struggle ensued, the American seamen, indignant at the foul deceit which had been practiced upon them, fought like tigers, and for a time kept the pirates at bay – they had indeed, notwithstanding their superior numbers, nearly driven them from the deck, when the form of their commander appeared among them. In consequence of his wound he had, contrary to his custom, entrusted the command of the boarders to his first lieutenant, and had remained upon his own vessel watching the fight. He sprung among his crew, with a sword drawn, and a tight sash bound around his waist, from which the dark blood was slowly oozing, his wound having burst away from its ligaments.
"Cowards!" he shouted, "do ye yield – ye are two to their one."
Leaping