SINGULAR ADVENTURE OF A SHIP'S CREW.

Lyttelton Times, Volume V, Issue 308, 13 October 1855, Page 4

SINGULAR ADVENTURE OF A SHIP'S CREW.

In our shipping intelligence of last week we briefly announced that the Conference, of North Shields, had been attacked by Pirates on Riff coast, and the master and crew, after making their escape in the boats, had fallen in with another vessel,abandoned,of which they took possession and carried her into Gibraltar. The following are further particulars, given in a letter from the master to the owners, dated Gibraltar, May 13:— " The Conference was taken by pirates on the 2nd of May, off the coast of Barbary. We left the Downs on the 17th of April. After a fine passage across the Bay of Biscay, on Saturday, the 28th, we rounded Cape St. Vincent, and on the 30th we passed Europa Light, with a strong Westerly breeze, and every appearance of a prosperous voyage. On the same afternoon the wind veered to the eastward, and on the next day the wind continued from the E.S.E. At six p.m. it became calm," and so continued all night, and at daylight.on Wednesday, the 2nd of May, we were between twenty and twenty-five miles to the westward of Cape Tres Forcas, and about 15 miles off the land. I observed two boats rowing from land, which I supposed might be fishermen. Shortly after I observed with the glass three more put off; out-from a creek or river; the two first lay-to on their oars until they joined company ; they then came in the direction of our ship, which was still lying nearly becalmed. It never crossed my mind that they weie pirates and armed, until they continued so long rowing in the same direction. On their coming nearer to us I observed the boats to be very large, and crowded with men; I then heartily wished for a breeze. I still kept the wat.h at their respective duties, still hoping for a breeze ; but, alas ! my hopes were blasted. When at about a quarter of a mile distance they opened a tremendous fire upon us, apparently with very large swivel guns, and our boat was then turned up on the long-boat. ." The crew now. thought it high time to endeavour to save their lives, if possible; accordingly, the boat was in a few minutes launched over the side; we all got into her, and rowett to the north-eastward. The crew were all fresh and young men, with the exception of the cook, who fell in the hurry, and broke one of his ribs; getting him out of the forecastle nearly cost us all our lives,—it gave them time to gain considerably upon us. However, I steered the boat as long as possible, keeping the ship between us

aud their guns. So soon as they opened us clear of the ship, they kept pulling, keeping up a constunt fire on our boat. Their headmost boat kept "P the chase, but when about 500 or 600 vav ds near us, he gave up the chase, .after giving us a shot, which was not an arm's length from the boat. The shouts of the ruffians when they thought they were gaining upon us were hideous, but we were not to be intimidated, 'and our crew pulled well. After getting clear of them we hove to on our oars, in order that I might observe their movements with the glass. As soon as they got on board the Conference the helm was put up with the ship's head for the land. We watched our good old vessel as long as it was prudent to do so. We think there could not be less than 200 men in the pirates' boats. " We then remained exposed on the open sea, without any kind of provision : neither a drink of water nor a piece of bread at our command, an<s a hot sun beating upon us, and almost^, without any clothes to cover ns. We saved^ nothing but a wooden steering compass and spy-glass. The pirates would probably take everything out of pur ship that was useful to them, and then scuttle her, because, it being only about 90 miles from Gibraltar, they would expect a man-of-war to be despatched* in pursuit; but, unfortunately, our very long passage afterwards to Gibraltar gave them plenty of time to carry their views into effect. After we had rowed about another hour to the northeastward we got sight of a vessel bearing about north of us. The oars were immediately double-manned, and all our strength put on. At four p.m. we got up with the vessel, and glad we were as we neared her, in the hopes of our being taken on bimrd, and receiving at least a small supply of bread and water, in order to keep us alive, as we had made up our minds to steer for Gibraltar; however, when we got alongside we found no one to make their appearance, and we went on board, and found the ship bad been.abandoned by her crew. I observed a boat rowing to _the northward of us, and it struck me it might be the crew of the ship we had boarded. I then got the ship's burgee and hoisted it at the peak end, in order that il might be seen, and if they were the crew they might return to their ship. Shortly afterwards I lost sight of the boat; there was at the time a light air from the westward, and the ship's head going towards the land. We therefore sounded the pumps, and found only 19 inches of water in the well. I then took command of.her, trim*: wed the yards, and put the vessel's head to the northward. There were at the time a barque and a schooner on our lee bow, distant about 8 miles. It struck me the crew might have .'seen our boat and mistaken us for pirates, and that they might have got on board the barque. What could be the cause of their, leaving their vessel we could not imagine, but perhaps they had seen the smoke from the pirate's craft, when they were firing at us ; it being then calm, the smoke from the fire-arms would ascend to a great' height. From the papers on board we louud the vessel' to be the Lively, of Stockton, James Napier, master. We arrived at Gibraltar on the 18th, after a long and severe yassage, with the loss of foretop mast. Immediately on arrival at Gibraltar, I applied to the Captain of the port to induce him to send a man-of-war to recover, if possible, the Conference; but he informed me he could not do so, for two reasons, — "I'st, he only had one war steamer, and it was impossible to spare her; and, in the second Place, if he had been able to comply with my request it would be of no use, as such a length °f tune had elapsed since our ship fell into ihe hands of the pirates. I therefore, may, I suppose, conclude that our ship is totally lost."— Courier, June 6.