OPEN COLUMN.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume I, Issue 30, 29 July 1867, Page 3

OPEN COLUMN.

THE CARTERTON VOLUXTEEIIS. (To the Editor of the Wairahap.v Meucuhv.) Tarntahi West, July 22, 1867. Sir, — I was glad to notice that in your last issue you expressed a definite opinion as to whether it was right or wrong Tor gentlemen who were not Volunteers to attend the parade of the Carterton Company, on last drill day, before they received their appointment as officers from the Governor. 1 have no doubt that the opinion is quite correct, that gentlemen who hold no rank whatever in the Carterton Volunteers had attended parade and drilled the Company and who ought not to have done so. 1 wish the}' had done otherwise as X much regret that the company, of which lam a member, should ho placed in so awkward a position by gentlemen who held Her Majesty’s Commission long enough to have learned that they did not belong to the company after their resignations were accepted, mid therefore ought not to have again attended and taken part in any parade or other meeting of Volunteers unless they were first either admitted into the company as private members or appointed by the Governor as officers. The Government have had plenty of time allowed them to have appointed those gentlemen before last drill day, as fail three weeks had expired from the time the company nominated them, and now another week has elapsed without the appointments being made, and I have no doubt that unless some pressure from without shall be brought to bear on the Defence Office that next drill day will find the company in as awkward a position—nay more so—than last drill day had done. But if the gentleman that attended parade under the impression that they were officers of the company were wrong for so doing, how much morc so was the conduct, of the Adjutant who permitted and authorised them to do it, when, us an officer of the permanent staff he was himself in command of the company, and will be so until the Governor will, in the name and on behalf ot Her Majesty by commission under the public seal of the colony, appoint one or more officers in place of those gentlemen whose resignations were accepted about live weeks ago. So far as the Adjutant’s conduct on tuat occasion is concerned I shall only say this that it was utterly subversive of all discipline and, therefore, ought strictly to be inquired into, and I think that the Maior commanding the District will neglect his duty if he will not cause the matter to be fully investigated ; because, when such matters arc pci milled to pass unnoticed, they become precedents to be acted upon until the Volunteer force will become thoroughly demoralised for want ofpioper discipline. I have examined the volunteer Act, 13G.5, to see if I could find subject to fine or imprisonment for any one not an officer to appear on parade in die full umlurm of a volunteer officer ; I cannot discover such a clause, which, I think, is absolutely necessary. If any one dress himself in the uniform of a policeman, and then attempt to do the duty of a common policeman, lie would soon find himself iiuide of Her Majesty’s jail; yet I cannot find that there ia any clause in the Volunteer Act to punish any one for personating an officer on parade. Whenever a policeman finds out a sham policeman in uniform he will at once collar him off to the lock-up ; but when Captain Adjutant C!eland met sham officers in full uniform on his parade he shock hands with them and immediately gave them the command of the company ; not only so but when Mr Leyden, one of those sham officers was about commencing to drill the company in the platoon exercise, the Aljutant commanded the company to pay attention to Mr. Leyden’s commands. In condit ion I have to state that as 1 was rather free with my personal remarks, as published in a Wellington paper about six or seven months ago. about the appointment of Major Smith, of whom. I knew little, I would cetr-ider myself as actum very wrong indeed if I row spired a personal friend from public censure ;an 11 am afraid 1 that fear lest my feelings of friendship should cause me to do so has made me write rather stronger in the matter than I would have done if those gentlemen that I have referred to as sliaiu officers had been total strr.n ers to. me. I am, &c,, W. Ant. error,. A Carterton Rifle Volunteer.

THE PIRATES IN CUBA.—BY A TRAVELLER, ON THE RAILS. She was shocked, without exactly knowing why, “ Yes , Senora del Orchellana; I wished to thank you for your kindness. I shall now walk gently into town.” “ The senor is quite welcome to the trifling assistance I have been permitted to oiier, and I hope he will reach town without further inconvenience.” “ I should like to thank you senorettas also, senora, if I may be so much honoured ? ”

“ The children are at 'their studies, senor,” answered the lady, stiffly; “ and it is not usual to interrupt them at such a time.”

“ Very well, senora. I’ll look over my list of consignments from Europe when I reach town, and if there is anything worth your notice, you will, I hope, allow me to present it to your granddaughters, as an acknowledgement ■ibr your kindness • ” “It is not necessary, senor, and the •Del Orchellanas do not accept presents from strangers. Adieu, senor! the saints keep you i ” The stately old lady stiffly inclined her head, and left the apartment. “ Infernal old cat! I’ll see you a precious deal sfiffer than you are now, if I have luck, I can teli you ! Now for the Havana!”

Jacopo had been summoned by his mistress to attend the stranger to the gate, and he was not at all loth to perform the dutv.

“ Well, amigo,” said the pirate, “bueno die. till we me.-t again. Here’s a coin for Tour trouble.” “ Gracia?, sen or ! von will find joinway to town without difficulty, if you keep the main road all the way.” “ Very good ; that will do.” Pinto turned from the gate towards the town, and the servant, after securing the gate, and peeving cautiously round him, left the d [ 'gs in the yard, and went into the house. The man was not better satisfied with the stranger than bis mistress and tbe young smores were, and be felt much relieved when the intruder was clear off the premises.

lie went again into the courtyard, and b used himse’f about with looking- to the bars and fastenings of the gates: then ha again entered the house, and examined some of the firearms, that had not been used fin- veavs.

“I wonder what old Jacopo is so busy about, Rosalie ?” said the young sister. “He seems to be brightening up those fire-arms as if he expected some enemy would attack the island.” “I don’t think Jacopo would trouble himself much acout an enemy that would attack the island; it is our own house that he is preparing for defence, I think.”

“ Does grandmamma think sc ?” “ I fancy she does, as she just directed Jacopo to be more than usuallv viligant in fast'.n-.ng up the house, and having the dogs about the grounds at night.” “ Then. Rosalie, the senora also fears that man ?”

“I don’t know, dear; if the senora thinks proper, she will tell us why all these extraordinary precautions are just now taken; it she does not do so, wemav be assured that what she is doing is for a v he p -ipose.” ‘ Now, Jacopo, why do you come here without being summoned?” asked the elder of the Young ladies.

“Pardon me, sen oral t a I was looking for the senora, my Icdv.” “Tv/;li inform the senora that rou seek uer/' said the young lady, as she left the room.

“Jacopo/’ .-gdd the youngest girl, now she was alone with the old servant, “did you like that man who came here for shelter from the sun this morning?” “ No, senoretta, I do not.”

“ Neither did I, Jacopo, and I wish my brother and his preceptor were, here •and the padre, for I am afraid something bact will happen to us through that evilIcoKir.g saner.” “ V> hat is it that yon require, Jacopo?” asked tne sencra, as she entered the room. “ If my lady, the Senora del Orcbollana will pardon my boldness, I would presume to speak with her alone.”

“Alone!—strange, Jacopo! "Well Isadora, leave me, my child, for the present. Now, Jacopo, what have you to •say to me so very particular ?” “The sen ora will not lie offended ?”

41 Say, sir, what you have to sav at tmee.”

*•' Oh! senora, I have a great terror of that man.” ‘ For what reason ?” “ For fhe strange questions he asked al 0 t the family, about the Senoretta liosai ie, and about the number of people who wore on the estate at night.” “ "V cry strange questions from such a person, certainly.” “ He also enquired if the grounds extended to the sea, and if there were a path to the house from the creek.” “Indeed!” “And once, when looking at the portraits in the senora’s breakfast-room, be pointed to that of the Senoretta Kosalie and muttered, ‘l’ll have htr !’ “Merciful saints! Jacopo, you have done well in apprising me of this, and I commend your vigilance, which shall be rewarded. Have some one ready to ride into town immediately.”

“ Yes, senora.” “ I will write to my ■'brother the commandant, to come here immediately, and see what is requisite for our safety.” “ Yes, senora.” “ Do not alarm the senorettas by mentioning this to them. lam full of apprehension. Now haste to have onre*' (if the people ready while I write.”

One evening, about a fortnight after the occnrence last narrated, a suspicious looking craft might have been seen standing off the coast, no great distance from the mouth of the creek that ran into the private grounds of the estate of Sen ora del Orchellana. It was intended to remain on and' off until evening was far advanced, to enable the boats to pull up the creek without observation.

The lights in the mansion were visible from the sea, Land Diaz Pinto had carefully taken the hearings of the land, the darkness would he no impediment to the success of his project. “Mr. Prescott, a word with you,” said Pinto, addressing the chief oflicer. “ Aye, aye, sir,” replied the latter, as lie crossed the deck to join his chief. “ I intend to land in that creek as soon as the boats are near a bathing-station on the left-hand side. There may he some attempt at resistance when we reach the house, so have a dozen men of the right sort told off for each boat. See they are well armed, and have the coxswain, with my gig, towed in by the boat I go by.” “ Very good, sir.” “ Send Jones to me far orders.” The man came forward.

“ How, Jones, you will take charge of one boat, and follow me up the creek. I don’t want any nnnecccssary talking on tbe way, so listen to my instructions bore. As soon as we land, I shall push forward towards the bouse, keeping as much among the trees as possible. When we reach the edge of the lawn that surrounds the mansion, I shall go forward, my men following silently in singleffle.” “ Very good, sir.” “You will bring you men on in the roar, till you get my signal (a whistle) to close up ‘ then come on in a ruck, and cut down or pistol every one in your way.” “Except the women, I suppose?” “Except no one; after I have secured the two girls, the less left alive the less will be the chance of alarm spreading, don’t you see ?”

“ I understand you captain.” “ When you see me and two or three of the men well off with the girls, on tbe way to the creek, you may let the fellows have a run through the house, for booty if they please; but leave no one alive to say who lias been there.”

“ Kill all ?” “ Aye; all you can get at.” “Will there he much resistance,think you ?”

“INo; as an attack cannot be expected they are not likely to have, any one there besides the servants of the family. The affair need not last ten minutes after I give the signal for attack.” “ Very good, sir.”

“ Nov/ see to the boats. lam anxious to get my prizes on board, and you and the rest will join me in two hours from the time I leave you; for the schooner must be away from the island before daylight. Cast off the boats and pull with a will.”

“ Aye, arm, sir.” “ Mind, the first man that speaks after we touch the shore will have a bullet through him.”

Pinto, in the leading boat, soon reached the landing-place, and wi th his men, having ascended the path to the grounds, they proceeded silently until they had nearly reached the mansion, in winch numerous lights were visible. The next moment the deep bay of one of the bloodhounds came upon his ear.

“'Curse those dogs!” muttered the pirate ; “ I had forgotten them. They wiil give an alarm; there is no time to be lost!”

The sound came nearer, and in a few' moments two eyes, that shone like burning coal, were glistening wdthin a few yards of him.

The growl of the animal was terrific, as he halted an instant to make a surer spring’ at the throat of the robber, Pinto was prepared for the movement, and as the dog bounded towards him, he thrust his sword into its chest up to the hilt.

The pirate did not stay to extricate his weapon ; but, giving the concerted signal to Jones, lie rushed towards the house—the windows of the principle apartments opened to the lawn, so that there was no difficulty in affecting an entrance. There had been a dinnerparty and a, briliant party had assembled. Pinto rushed to the opened windows ; but at the moment Nero, the dog who had licked the blood from his hand, with two other hounds of the same breed, dashed among the advancing pirates, and in a moment had torn three of them to the earth, and had seized three more. The alarm had been given unperceived in the darkness, a body of troops had quietly formed in the rear cf the pirates, and, tee moment the company had left the exposed rooms, prepared to fire upon the ruffians.

The Senora del Orchellana, proceeded by her granddanghter,was nearly the last to quit the apartment. She had just readied '.ha doorway, wjien the pirate captain rushed across the room.

“Stay!” roared the demon, as he stretched out his hand to grasp the robe of one of the young ladies. At that moment a ball from the doorway struck the ruffian on his right temple and, with an execration half uttered,; he rolled lifeless on the floor. 1

The entry of the men was retarded by the dogs whose fangs were dropping with blood from the lacerated throats of . the pirates. “Back, men!” shouted Jones. “Away to the boats, or we shall be surrounded in five minutes.”

He had scarcely uttered the words, when a volley of musketry was poured in from the soldiers, who advanced at the double, and bayoneted every man they had not shot down.

Of the two hoots’ crews none escaped to the schooner but the two men left in charge, who, with the coxswain of the captain’s gig, pulled for the pirate craft, leaving the only serviceable boats of the ship moored on the creek.

The dead and wounded were collected in carts, and sent to the town. Tire former were buried in a. hole dug for the purpose, and filled with quick lime. The latter to the gaol, to be hanged if they survived their -wounds.

An exception was made as regards the captain, whose body was suspended on a gibbet at the back of the Regia, as a salutary warning to the depraved and dissolute inhabitants of the place.

I never heard what became of the schooner; but being short-handed, in all probability she went down in the terrific hurricane that swept along the coast the same night. Such is my tale of the pirates in Cuba —a theme which might be dwelt upon long enougn to occupy a much longer journey than the one w r e have mutually endeavored to shorten by our “Tales on the Rails.” CONCLUDED.