Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1856-05-30
ENCOUNTER with the Arabs.


Africa. The following letter from Capt
Ryder gives an interesting statement o
the circumstances of the affair:
To the Editor ofths Boston Journal:
| l will give you short account of my
battle with the Arabs, on the coast of AT
RIGA, the Sd day of November. We wen
ashore, having been on shore the day pre-
vious, and traded with them. They seem
ed quite friendly, but l did not ike theil
looks. We were well armed, and die
not fear them; but this day I borrowed
a gun of Capt. Tuck, of barque F. Bun
china, of Provincetown, because it haC
two barrels. Invent on shore before day.
light TO shoot some Flamingoes. I haG
my revolver with me, and dreamed of nc
harm. I took my bow oarsman with me-
and left four men in the boat, well armed
with instructions not to leave the boat,
and little thought of harm, for was not
above mile from the boat. l saw some
fowl flying towards US, and we lay on the
sand; but they did not come near. We
then got up, and saw some natives COM
ing towards US. / was quite surprised
to see them SO near, but thought they
intended us no harm. I did know the
stratagem they used to get at US. Sud-
denly three camels came with fury upon
US, and cut US off from the boat. They
dismounted, to the number of three men,
and came towards US, armed with double
barrel muskets, and some thirty or forty
on foot, armed, some with knives and
muSkets, some with creises. I waived nv
hat for them to leave US, but on they
came to meet their. hard but just fate.
L ran and waived my hat to my men in
the boat to come to our relief, and if they
had done so | should not have got hurt
in all probability, but they ran off with
the boat, and left US to our fate. On
came the pirates, for they are the worst
beings on earth. As last resort I threw
my hat from me to warn them off, but it
was all the same to them, for they wan
ted to plumber and then sell US for slaves.
L determined not to give up, but die on
the spot, sooner than be taken by them.
soon saw they were a different tribe
from those We saw before. l spoke to
them IN Spanish, and they answered and
said fhey were friendly. then extend
ed my hand to the chief, and held nv gun
in my left hand; he passed his left, hold |
his gun in his right hand then, quick as
lightning, he grabbed my gun with his
right hand. But [ had my eyes on him,
and kept my gun with ease. He then
drew his short sword to try his skill with |
that, but that would not compete with the |
butt OF my gun. As soon as had driven |
nlm from me, L turned to look for my /
man. The Arabs were dragging him off
% the camels. He had my revolver. /
gave tito him before we came to blows.
With instructions not to shoot until I bid
I'm. L soon saw without doubt that thew
meant to take US if they could. I then
I'D him shoot them, but he had lost his
presence of mind, and did not help him
elf. dared not fire for fear one barrel
would miss fret had acted so before.
turned round and saw the other chief h
aking aim at me. I then commenced !
umping too and fro to bother his aim. I
nd while doing so saw one on my right.
nth gun leyeled at ME also. They both
red at the same moment, lodging three {
alls IN me. The balls are crvstalized
uartz rock, each barrel containing two
them. One ball passed through t
~ left thigh, close to the bone: the 9TH Z
passed through my right leg, and thro'
lie bone, three inches above the knee
mother ball passed through my right a
ligh and lodgedinmy hip, having glanced 5
p where It now remains. I then fired a
the chief, and he fell dead, with four
en- pistol bullets through his head. the
ntents OF one barrel; the other missed !
e. | then took the butt of my gun and 2
owe them from me; then stopped and W
It my hat. My pants were cut in sew [
al places by their bullets, but with the te
p OF providence [ wonderfully escaped. tie
d run fora boat one mile distant. They S
Ok me on board of the barque F. Bun M
lna' Capt. Tuck, where they extracted AZ
0 OF the bullets. They then took me de
board ofthe schooner Mountain spripo or
lptain Young, and carried me I'D to the
'narles, where they procured SURGEON or
q dressed my wounds. They next took Va
Gown to Central Bay, where we ar or
gu alter a passage of fourteen DAYS.
icy conveyed me on board the F. Bnn- fr,
in"' where remained thirty-fve davs Al,
F'ectly helpless, but received every mn
en'i0h mat could be lavished upon me
Ad0f- Il uaGr al