The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-10-12

| rot hold Of the geld on board, Cha. they NAG n.y.
either drugged or oyerpowered,tnes ~, ,n n,
and that Ii was their intention 70 oloR ~ -
Efhe ship and escape in the confusio aa,st n
Get away a lissle, beforehand. sn no foi,ow.
4 shearn,os;on. which must inevisao.y; ~, Ian and
10 10 r = ali proof Of their c.l y waa
70 s aaasd 80 napture. saw wha. !. m n;sI
al uIoau 81 to you, sir, at sse e 20
pu. co th. 4 coward, That / stooo .. nss'
OF being 'no w or net toany useful purpose.
unable 70 tnin sonant end decided, now was
Had peen pa 20 acted while the stranger
the tlnn sa - hut / own that stooa rooted
was on a. Nth shsky knees, With 2qulver-
70 the sp0 and with cold, clammy perspira-
ing np i,s,nd;np on my forehead. have
ZION s s.@ In peril, but ] never felt SO un,
oIse before or since, as did then, ana
= sar;lv believe that had I been left alone
should have allowed the ship, and the ,e
gold. and my own life, and the lives OF gu
oI hoard. to take their chance, ratns tna4
venture out to face those desperadoes.. 1
nod MT the choice. The chief, after looking
~ go sbs Are and examining the gauges, CROSS
al tbe atoke-hole to the other passage under
the starboard plat form, with the view propa 3
hly Of getting at some of the grease and tai
low that was slowed away close by where :
had made nv couch. 7 saw that must
now be discovered but with the prospect u
a struggle with one man singly my o 0ud az
revived, my limbs became sts sg ~ = ~
coward feeling left my heart: ne ~ siopvu m,s
way slowly up the passage, anu 'nen ano
the rush which / have described as necessa-s
-. va =, = void the water from the ,water-pipe.
The rush brought him close to me before ne
stopped, end we stood face to lace: MY eyes
were accustomed to the dim light OF the
place, while his were yet dazzled oy the
bright light of the fires, so that l
could distinguish his features, while ne
Was vet uncertain whether there was
any one there but himself. | ought,
70 have seized the opportunity and at
tackled him at once, but foolishly let the
moment pass, and instead of acting prompt
". I sung out. "Who is there? /" In
moment his eyes lit up with look of fierce
Intelligence, and with suppressed excla-
nation he sprang upon me. The suddeness
of the attack made me spring back; and,
INV feet being tripped up by the bag Of cot
ton used for bed, we fell heavily to the
deck together, being undermost. His left
hand was on my throat, and olutching my
hair with his right, he, with quick lift
and Jerk, moved my head to one side toward
the engine. I did not resist the movement
much, for had not thought exactly where |
was lying; but oh! think what was my hor-
ror at the next instant to see directly over
the end the side lever descending, and
not more than three feet above my head !
By a violent effort I got out Of the way just
in time but even then the cutter atthe end
of the lever grazed my forehead in its
descent. The horror of my position seemed
to give me for the moment supernatural
strength, and I succeeded in rolling my
antagonist over till I became uppermost,
and then struck him with my clenched fist
two or three heavy blows on the face with
such effect that his hold Of me relaxed, and
thought that had stunned him. In a
moment I gained my feet and fed; but |
had been mistaken in fancying had quieted
my antagonist he was nearly as quick as |
was, and pursued me closely. | rushed
through the passage by the side of the ship,
across the stoke-hole, through the passage
between the engines, and thence to the plat
form and up the ladder leading to the deck.
The chief was close behind me, 80 that l
dared not lose time by turning my head !;
and I rememb Der how heard his feet slip
as he crossed the iron floor Of the stock-hole
directly after me. / tried to fling open the
door OF the companion-way and gain the
deck. I thought that my escape was certain.
But, oh sir, had no sooner touched the
door thanI found that it was closed, fastened
on the outside. Hooked down. The chief
was standing on the platform at the
foot of the ladder; he held revolving
pistol in his hand aud was them IN
the act of cooking it There was no
time for hesitation, and | flung my
self right off the ladder upon him. He
fired, but without having had time to take
aim, and I was not hit. With the force of
my fall we both rolled off the platform into
the passage between the engines, the pistol
at the same time being dashed from his
hand. How we both escaped being crushed
by the machinery I scarcely know but go
it was, and directly we were both on our
feet again, and struggling through the pas
sage on to the slippery stoke-hole floor.
Here, still graphing each others throats,
we paused to take breath and saw then
that Macpherson, land thestockers, and trim
mers Of the watch, were either lying dead
or dead drunk about the side platforms and
stoke-hole., I shouted as well as could
but without avail; and then thought fash
ed across me-the steam whistle! There
was q handle from which itcould be sounded
in the engine-room. If Icould but reach
that I must alarm all the ship, and VIC
might vet be saved. But at that momen.
the companion hatchway was opened, ano
the yoi,th. ths chief g accomplice, descended
He came down the ladder hastily; but hi
had no sooner turned and seen what wa:
Going on than he paused as if frightened
and irresolute how to act. The chief SOW
him as soon as Ibid, and sung out to him
g The pistol! the pistol! there between TIT
engines! -"
The youth picked upthe pistol, and comm,
forward presented it at me but l could see
! even in that moment, that he had omitted
to cock it. He pulled the trigger, but o
course without avail. =" Cock it, d-n you
cock It'll" he cried out; and then heart
the click as the hammer was drawn bacl
and the chamber revolved. 1t was now O.
neyerfor me. am Cornishman, Sir !; and
like most from that country, little bit o
wrestler, had regained my. strength {
little, and skill took the place of what wa
wanting. 1t was my only chance, SO, quicl
as Lightning, / gave the chief the "toe,'' a
we call it in our country, and turned hin
over like top towards the sideon which
the youth was standing. He fired at tn
same instant, but the sudden turn l CAV
my antagonist changed our positions, an'
the bullet, after inficting O. flesh wound il
my arm, entered his body instead if mine
The youth gazed for moment with lool
of horror, and then, with q scream, threy