THE CORSAIR'S PRIZE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2719, 25 April 1906, Page 86

THE CORSAIR'S PRIZE.

BYiBAJJKHt. , 7 - " 1 In. the earlier days of the la«t century a. , gallant baxqufe-^a vision of very beauty and harmonious grace, ,a veritable fairy of the sea, with all sail set from main sky-sail to mizzen. top-gallant-stay-sail— is majestically and proudly coursing in mid-ocean before the breeze, her shapely bows ploughing ' the waves and^tliro wing up glittering showers of . foam and spray; over which, a dancing rainbowever and anon plays, and leaving. in 'her . wako a broad river of frothy spume, overwhieh.^ » graceful frigate' bir a, with outspread, motion- - less .pinion, is solemnly sailing. ' 'The rbyth- . t mical , motion, of .the. gpp.d. ship^, the., warm, delicious, - and .invigorating, breeze, the i, g!orioxis ;v 'surrslii»e----irra«tfating --Her- • glistening- ,-^" white sails/ air,.tend,io exlu*larate~ and to'ani-v ._' mate not only; those, who Jove^Jie great arid whose" chie]Fltleligbt. js-vto^Toain, over ner' heaving boisoin/»'but/.also even^ those'JLn whom'; 1 -, her fascinations 'uwak'e" n0,.- responsive'^ chpid:-. --, -. of&cat'a na,ve'"be6n vratching 'with some';'appr€r . '{ lienstoa.-- i%& irfaduai ( agutoa<!&;- at k a Y>lar&e£^ x sdvfe^netjrVJMcfaL^C uo^ithstanditig, tn.eit'.r^pfd-':-; * progress, .is steadily gaining upon, tb.6m.- _By, r the aid of. glasses it can now be seen. that she is apparently a passenger vessel, a number ', '• of ladies, para6ol in, hand, leisixrely promenading up and down the deck. But as the rover arrives within hailing distance of the graceful ship, suddenly a gun is fired over "her bows, ana in stentorian, authoritative tones - she is commanded to stop; the ''ladies", throw off their shawls and disguises, and prove to be hairy brigands armed to the teeth, and boatloads of swarthy pirates swiftly row to the ' doomed ship, board her like cats, and, overawing the terrified passengers and helpless- -■ crew, in a very short space of time have He-- - ' spoiled her of her cargo of gold, precious/stones, and other valuables from the Indies, together - with such other spoils as the pirates care to - seize. And then the buccaneers sail off to, prey upon other unguarded vessels, until probably :aptured by one of the war vessels ever on. the lookout for these rapacious robbers of the sea, when the chief of the pirates would ie summarily hanged at the yard arm, and: . ihe vessel taken aa a prize. . ... -, Happily, piracy has lope been stamped, out, . md no longer exists aa i menace *to" seafarers. But in our own lives there are unseeja-fpes - sver on the watch to despoil us- off qur^recti- »--- :ude, to lead ' us astray, and, to drag ;us '."down ' ' , o evil doing. But He" who" suffered ithe penalty • '■ lue to us for our misdoinge -is' r 'able'an3.ia^ , viliing to rescue all ihose ,-wip, come- Ijo Him--- 7 rom. the power ancTthe-'inftlice of those evil " ; tespoilers. W 7\.;-' -~ -'"''■ — There, is no-marke^ pxojtrfge \o -recgrd, n the employment. of cremation as'a,."meanVVif disposing of the- dead/'. The ; total num- "X >er of oremations in .Great Britain, during • he year 1805 was, according to, the .British! '■{ ~ J«dical Journal, 600, 33. against 566 in*. ••- 904 and 475 in 1903. It is to be noted I ,' iciwever, ihat wber«as in 1904 there Ver« " ir.lv nine crematorke at work, in, 1805- ' - here- were 12, • - - .- - - , v*