The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1867-02-14


with pistols and bowie knives, were
waiting for him outside. asked
Captain Deyol; arc you armedg'
"No.p
"Then take my pistol
"Thahk you" said Pros. cIiDching
his fists; 81 want no weapons but these
which nature gave me-
He left the Office, and there. between
him and the river, stood the iuifians,
armed to the teeth But the fist was
quicker than the pistol Before they
could draw their weapons Pres. was
upon them The first man fell like an
OK under the butchers ak; a crashing
blow sent down the second with bro
ken jaw; moment after, the third
went spinning against fence with
such force that his head made dent
in the board where It struck; and Pres.
walked down to his steamboat.
he GOES TO THE PACIFIC.
During the excitement which fol.
lowed the discovery of gold in Califor-
MIA he visited that region, making a
sea voyage for the purpose. In the
course Of the voyage storm came up;
the vessel struck upon a rock and
sprang leak. A sailor who was sent
below to see how much water was id
the hold, accidentally touched a bale
of cotton with his candle. Instantly
1t leaped into a blaze, and be ran on
deck crying out, Sire! frel fire p
The ascending flame and smoke filing
all the hold. confirmed the wild cry
The Captain lost his presence OF mind,
and gave contradictory orders The
crew were in Qo9fusion, and all on
board were giving themselves up as
lost. In this terrible emergency, Pres
said to the Captain. Give me command
of the vessel I can save you all, and
the ship besides" The CaptaiO came
forward and directed the sailors to
obey the commands Of Capt. Devol.-
He ordered the matches to be tightly
closed, turned steam into the blazing
hold until the fire was eXtingushed
set the terrified sailors to work at the
pumps, and saved the vessel in its last
extremity. On board were a number
of wealthy men. Full of grateful ad-
miration toward Captain Devol for the
preservation of their lives, they gave
him dinner on shipboard, and pre-.
sented him with gold watch. and a
purse of over four hundred dollars
| On reaching California they introduced
him TO the best society of San Fran
cisco. gave suppers and dinner parties
in his honor, and exerted themselves
10 the utmost in rendering his visit
among them agreeable. He travelled
here and there over the country, and
spent u short time in examining the
gold diggings, but on the whole did
not like. the society generally met with
in California Therefore he passed on
to the Sandwich Islands, from thence
to China, and from thence to SIAM n
Soon afterward his friends heard that
the King of Sam had presented to
him two white elephants as mark of
the royal favor, and the papers of this
country announced that he was hold
ing the Office of Admiral in the Siam
ese navy, and was engaged in the
work Of capturing pirates in the Gulf
of Siam. ~
ENLIsTs IN THE sIAMEsE SERVICE,
In letter written to his sister from
Siam in 1857. after describing his ad-
ventures in China, and as q captain oi
a Peruvian vessel sent to cruise after
pirates, he says he went to Bangkok
where the two kings of Siam gave him
command of brig sent out TO put'a
check to piratica depredations. He
then continues;
So was duly commissioned and in
stalled full post captain in the navy
OF the two Kings of Siam, to catch pi-
rates.
! Well, gotunder weigh for the Gulf
with 1875 sailors and mariners, and two
Coons. These Coons are Siamese Off
cials of the Kings, sent along to see
what you do. Bangkok is situated
about thirty miles from the Gnlf of 81
ami, on river called the Msnam; prob
ably thee thousand people living in
floating houses. The entire population
is estimated at about one hundred and
seventy thousand Siamese, Birmese
Mons, Laas, Musselmen, &c, Well,
passed into the Gulf, cruised four days
and at last, in behind an island, found
two suspicious looking crafts | made
sail for them, the brave Coons looked
rather blue. l, then not speaking thu
language, had to issue all orders through
an Interpreter. | ordered my chic
, boatswain, when in hailing distance
to ask them to heave to; but they kep
on their course, Finding that hailint
! did no good, | gave them an eighteeI
pound shot across their bows. As ye
; they paid no attention to US L the'
beat all hands to quarters, ordered th'
big gun shotted, which was slxiy.eighl
an English made gun; hailed again, NJ
answer. l then pointed the gun my
+. self and fired, tore away her bulwark
3 and down went her mainmast The.
returned the fire. Hol hol say l, yo
l have woke up at lnstl They the
> showed about thirty men, and go
e their boarding netting ready to keo
t us from boarding. | gave them an
r other from the big gun, killing five 9
i their crew They returned the tir'
Z putting shot through our spanke'
: and very near the head Of ons OF m
q Coons, which caused him to start b'
Elow. Said 1. mo you don'u Th