THE PIRATE HUNTER.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XX, Issue 1385, 10 September 1887, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE PIRATE HUNTER.

A terrific gale, which for three days had raged off the Bahamas, had so disabled the schooner Wingfield, cruising in 18—, against the pirates of the Antilles, that her captain, William Howard— a handsome, dashing roung naval officer, of twenty-five— was obliged to run for repairs into one of the narrow inlets on the west coast of the Island of San Salvador. It was a dangerous haven, as he might at any moment be discovered and pounced upon by the lawless hordes who had learned to dread and hate his schooner, which had made sad havoc among their vessels.

The captain dropped anchor close inshore, where the rocks were corcred with trailing vines, and the banks shaded with shrubbery, blooming with the flowers of the beautiful farnese and other species of acacia. Beyond silvery cascades were seen, flashing in misty distance, and gigantic trees, entwined with branches from which hung long, pendant twigs, full of red, blue and white blossoms, emitting a delicious fragrance.

Howard lost no time in getting to work at hia echooner, and in a few days she was sufficiently repaired for the crew, who bad been forced to a temporary stay on shore, to return aboard,

Next morning the captain was surprised to see a beautiful apparition beckoning to him from one of the rocks of the coast— a young girl arrayed in white, with a blue sash, and wearing a broad;"straw hat, from under which her long tresses fell to her waist. He had his gig down in a moment, and the" distance between the schooner and land being only six feet, he was soon ashore. As he approached the young woman he lifted his naval cap and bowed, his eyes beaming admiration upon the loveliest face he had ever seen.

The complexion was of a mixed olive and delicate rose tint ; the eyes were large, dark and soft, shaded by long curling lashes ; the hair had a blue-black shade ; the features .were faultless. But it was the expression — so full of innocence — that charmed the young man ; that piquant childish look, combined with the smooth, rounded cheeks, eloquent with womanly warmth, and the supple, well-developed form, which, as the full bust rose and fell, seemed to emit an irresistible magnetism.

The voice, when she spoke— in harmony with her appearance— had two intonations ; of the organ and the lute, of the woman and the child.

" Sir," said she, " I have come to tell you to leave as soon as you can. There are pirates, thrice your number, scarce a league from here. They will soon discover you, by chance, as I have done this morning."

" And who, gentle friend, are you that thus warn me ?"

" I am Viola, tbo adopted daughter of Jose Carbano — the fiercest and most powerful of all the outlaws. His craft is a full-sized two-decker, almost as large as a sloop- of -war, and he would gladly die for the satisfaction ■of blowing you to pieces. He has been in search of you ; I expect him back every day. Tarry not, I beseech you."

" I cannot go for a week, as I have my masts to repair and new sails to get up." She sighed, and bowing, disappeared in the deep woods beyond. But she came again, the next day and the next, and so on, anxious to see how soon he could sail away.

Ten days has passed— he would be ready to sail next morning — when he again met Viola, who now informed him that her father's vessel was in sight.

" You have no time to lose," she said in a tremulous voice.

" But, Viola, I cannot leave you here. I love you 1" He folded her in his arms, and, as her head dropped on his breast, he showered kisses on her warm lips and her bright eyes. "Beautiful girl I" said he "I will make you my wife I Will you go away with me ?"

Next morning Howard, ready to sail, watched in vain for Viola. His lieutenant pointed toward the woods, which were alive with armed men, hurrying toward the schooner.

Howard understood at once. Some spy had followed Viola on the previous day, and lying concealed, had seen the schooner, and perhaps, heard the girl's interview with him. Perhaps her father's craft, having doubtless arrived on the previous day, she was kept a prisoner aboard the vessel. If so the captain must give up all thought of now obtaining his fair prize ; but at some future time he would come with a larger war vessel and carry- off the sweet girl whom he was determined should yet be his wife.

The armed men drew every moment nearer. Howard brought one of his guns to bear upon them as his anchor was lifted, and fired a shot. Then away went the little schooner, shoooting with a fair wind toward the mouth of the inlet. Another gun, loaded with shrapnel, was discharged, and yells and curses broke from the pirates as several of their number fell.

As the schooner emerged from the inlet an unexpected sight greeted her crew— a large two-decker, which the rocks had hitherto concealed, lying in wait for them. There was the pirate flag at her mizzen, and through her port-holes glimpses of dark«faced men could be seen already at their guns. Huge and black she loomed up, ready to sink at one broadside the schooner, which, to escape the rocks astern, must now pass close alongside.

11 It is Carbano 1 " cried Lieutenant Hawthorne, shrugging his shoulders.

" Ay, ay ! " answered Howard as a tall, dark man, springing, trumpet in hand, on the quarter deck, hailed him in a voice of thunder :

" Ho, Americano 1 You and your crew shall go down like dogs 1 No chance for quarter— no time for prayers ! " Howard looked quickly around him, but saw no way of escape.

Already the end of the schooner's flying jibboom touched the pirate's quarter ; in another minute, brushing alongside, she would be completely at her mercy, right under her double tier of euns.

" We'll give her a parting shot, at any rate, before we go down 1 " said the young man, coolly, springing to the two guns on hia port side. At that moment a young girl was seen pleading with Carbano. It was Viola I But he thrust her away from him ; then, as the schooner passed alongside the huge pirate in the shadow of her frowning guns,so near.that her rigging scraped her enemy's quarter-rail, Carbano was seen to raise his trumpet to his hi 3 mouth, probably to give the command to fire.

But at that critical instant Viola, who had sprung on the rail, seizing hold of the, schooner's main topmast backstay, which was' within easy reach, descended swiftly to the top of her bulwarks. Howard, who had just been about discharging his two port-guns, paused, signalling his gnnners to desist, while with admiration and awe all eyes now were turned toward the beautiful apparition.

Holding to the stay with her left hand, and balancing herself on one foot, she stood upright, her lithe form inclining towards the very muzzles of her father's gun, while, with her disengaged arms upraised, she exclaimed, in a clear, ringing voice :

"Njow, Captain Carbano, fire if yon dare T"

And Carbano, who could not now give the fatal order without blowing into eternity his noble daughter as well as his enemies, called like a madman on some of his crew to board the schooner and bring the girl back. • But ere he could be obeyed the little craft had darted past the pirate, and was wingiag her way onward like a bird out to sea, the cheers of her men rolling to the skies. As soon as he could veer his craft round

Carbano started to give chose, but bis heavy vessel, while awaiting his enemy near the inlet, had drifted too near the rocks, upon one of which she now struck and lay wedged almost on her beam ends.

Howard ran down to Havana, where he was united to the beautiful girl who had so nobly saved his schooner and the Jives of his crew.