Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1865-03-10

'hc ElasSs hhu Souiu poho o"s '"o iSiio
plaioly. Twas one Of the largest proa
| ever saw. / should say seventy-fv
feet long, with the bows like an old man
nose turned bottom upwards, and ster
about the same. | counted the men i
her and could do it pretty surely.
What is she; sir ?" asked Walker
my first mate.
"a Malay proa," told him.
Chow many men 7"
"Seventy-fve at least"
"a pirate!" he uttered.
"She isn't likely to be anything else,
r answered, assuming as much composur
as / could but you may be sure | fel
but little of it, for Malay pirate is jus
about the worst thing in the world--blood
thirsty as Bengal tiger, with all tbt
wit of man to back ii up. Their very
religion makes piracy holy virtue, ant
man is honored among them for the
many times his knife has found human
heart. And they are powerful fellow:
too, and trained from childhood to the
use of arms.
"She's coming after us !" cried the man
at the top. But then, be needn't have
told US of it, for had seen that from
the beginning.
The men looked anxiously toward me,
and | saw that they were stricken with
fear. And our position was not one to
inspire poor chap with very deep joy.
The wind was still to the eastward, and
three knots was the most the ship could
be made to rup. The Malay was now
within three miles, and shooting through
the water like mad. He had twenty
broad paddles out-you know these
bloody bounds can send these long, mar
row, sharp proas fast. We were now
sure that there were over seventy men in
that great boat, for we could even see
their long knives and clumsy fire arms
through my glnss. My crew, all mus
tered, numbered twenty>nine, and one
of them was only boy. Of swords or
cuttasses, we bad only six, but l had
thirty brace Of good pistols in the arm
chest, and dozen pixies by the mast
1t was rather a dubious show, wasn't
it?
However, resolved to do the best |
could, for | knew if those Malays cap
tured US, we were simply dead men SO
of course. there was some ground for
resistance. First, | made myself as calm
as'I could, and then / got out the pistols
and had them all loaded gave two to
each man, reserviug two extra ones for
myself. The six cutlasses l gave to
those though best qualified to handle
them, and then distributed the twelve
pixies. Beyond these found four boat
hooks, and these | also gave out, for they
would be servicesble in repelling when
the pistols had all been fired.
"Now, boys" said | "you know what
that fellow is after; and if Id thought
of this lull in the wind, | shouldn't have
remained here. But it can't be helped
now. We can't run away, and we all
know that if those Malays take US, they'll
cut our throats every one. / fancy you'd
rather fight TO the death than to be killed
so. Will you stand it"
Of course they all said eyes," bnt then
they didn't speak like men that had any
hope, and surely l didn't blame them,
for our enemy was more than double Of
ls-almost treble. Yet | saw that my
brave fellows meant to fight.
The proa was now only mile distant,
Ind would be alongside 10 ten minutes
inless we caught smart breeze. /
ooked about but saw no sign of any such
'reeze, save bank ofvapor to the north
ward. ! called after Ned to run to the
abin, and get me my slippers, for the
'oots l had on were stiff and clumsy
But Ned was not to be found.
"Never mind" l said to myself, as
an down; she amt to blame. Poor
oy, he couldn't do much unless TO fire ;
istol, and perhaps blow bis fingers off. +"
| couldn't find it in my heart to haul
i'm from his hiding place, for you see he
ad been faithful fellow to me, and if /
g could escape he would. l get on my 5
ippers and then returned to the deck b
he Malay was now within mile of us, h
nd we could see their knives plainly.
There was just seventy-four of them, a
lere being twenty seats in the boat, and r
i except one or two at the bows and =
ern having four men on a seat. u
"We shall never be able to beat them Il
J, sir" whispered my mate Walker in u
y ear. v