The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1871-07-27

whistled through our fore-sai.
''Firel" cried our skipper, through his
speaking trumpet. 7 trailed the swivel
gun carefully and pulled the trigger
striog the shot riochetted once upon
the water, then fed straight across the
deck ofour adversary, moving down the
the swarming crew IN its deadly passage;
the ball had begun in earnest. Then the
innks threw eff their masks of innocence,
and poured broadside after broadside in
upon us In rapid succession nor were
We idle-for the Captain and second of
ficer served the mid-ship guns, while I
worked the one forward, aud we blazed
away at our opponents until the dead
lay in heaps upon their decks, and their
sails hung shattered and torn from their
bamboo frame works. Those of our num-
Der who could be spared from the guns.
poured in an incessant rain of rifile-bul-
lets upon our foes, whom we managed to
keep at SO great distance that their
stink pots could not be hurled in our
midst, and it seemed as if the tide of
battle was flowing in our favor.
"Stink-pots. as they are APPLY term
ed, are the most dreaded OF all weapons
used in Chinese maritime warfare. They
are earthsnware jars, filled with sui
phurous compound. closely assimilated
to Greek fire, which explodes On concus-
sion, and scatters liquid fame and lava
around, from which dense calid smoke
arises, asphixiating all who come within
ried at the masthead, and from thence
are hurled upon the decks of contending
vessels.
Our object was to keep our adyersaries
at SO great distance that these could not
be used but unhappily the breeze died
away, and the pirates, manning their
long sweeps, steadily neared US. One
shot. striking our foremost above the
hounds, brought the topmast, with its
yards. sails, and tangled cordage, down
upon our deck, while another shattered
the rudder, and rendered the schooner
utterly unmanageble, The bow of one
of the junks struck US just abaft the
main-chains, and in an instant perfect
host of fierce, pcwder-grimed pirates
ieaped over our bulwarks, yelling their
demoniac war-cries as they flung them
selves headlong upon. our crew, whom
had mustered to repef boarders.
1t was terrible sight! All that was
savage and brutal in the nature of both
Chinese and Malays broke loose, and a
horrible insensate desire for blood SEEM
ed to animate assailants and assaiIed in
the terrible struggle for mastery that
ensued. [ had but little time to note
incidents. I mad 40 thought at that
moment but that the doom which men
aced us was frightful one, and that it
could be averted only b. strenuous resis-
lance. Therefore 1 fought on, dealing
death around with each stroke of nv
sword, with each shot from my revolver,
until [ felt horrible suffocating sensa-
ton In my throat, my brain swan as a
yapor enveloped me, and crushing blow
stretched me- bleeding and senseless,
upon heap of the fallen slain.
L must have lain for hours in dull
and dreamless stupor for, when con-
sciousness returned, the sun was sinking,
in blaze of crimson and gold, below
the western horizon, and the violet
shadows of night were deepening theazure
of the cloudless sky above me. I tried
ty rise, but so weak and dizzy was from
the effects of the blow that had struck
me down, that the effort was futile. All
was silent as the grave, only the plash
of the water as the vessel rolled, and the
creaking of the shattered spars which
swayed afoft, breaking through the dread
stiffness. The deck was thickly strewn
with slain, and from many a CHASTITY
wound blood welled up, and trickled in
slow rivulets towards the scuppers. A
football broke unon my ear; turning my
headin the direction from whence il pro-
ceeded, saw sailor advancing towards
me.
"Abjeed, mari-ceni," (Abjeed, come
hither) cried, in faint voice, as I rec
ognized the man.
He came, lifted me up into a sitting
position, and dashed water into my face.
partially reviving me-
orapa orang mardal?" How many
men are killed p | asked.
Samoa, tuanl STA saba mantle BIZ"
('Ali sir ! [ only remain unhurt) he ans
swered, sorrowfully.
1 closed my eyes, and should have
sank again into a letbargic sleep, had he
not vigorously aroused me from my semi
comatose state.
"Kappai ada appi, bowa de mocha"
The vessel is on fire forward) he said.
L saw smoke curing up from the fore
hatch. and dread of the new enemy which
menaced impelled me to exertion. |
turned my eyes upon the Malay. and he
read the question l would have asked, in
my inquiring glance.
There is one boat left, but il is badly
damaged" he said, in his own vernacu-
lar /; then he raised me bodily, and car
red me aft.
La little while I was so far recovered
as to be able to assist him in renair;no
the small dingy, wifieh was the only boat
that had escaped being smashed to atoms