Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-12-10

o'clock pm.
Our passage over the nineteen degrees
which separate Bombay from the line
lasted one and a half months, as for
weeks we had the most tedious calms.
We kept always about one degree from
the coast, and had reached the tenth de-
gree of latitude when one night our
attention was attracted by three "dschun-
ken" which looked somewhat suspicious
The captain at once took them for
pirates. AS, however, there was a steady
breeze blowing, we hoped to effect our
escape. Unfortunately in the morning
the wind died away, but OF the three
boats only one remained within sight,
which, however, gradually crept up to
us, as we could see through our glass it
was moved by long oars. 1t then became
apparent that fight would be unavoid-
able, and our captain made at once the
necessary preparations for it.
As we had come via Montevideo to
Bombay we had no cannon, not even q
single gun on board the Captain small
six-barreled revolver being the only
thing in the shape of arms we pos
sessed.
As we numbered, all hands told, only
eighteen, and each Of the enemys boats
contained about four times as many our
prospects were very gloomy indeed. So
far we could only see one boat, the other
two being out of sight.
IT, was about two o'clock pm. when
the first boat came within shooting dis
tance and kept astern of us, evidently
waiting for the two other boats to come
M They had not long to watt for
through the glass we could see that one
was coming up in front OF us and the
other from the starboard side.
The one that had kept astern now
opened fire upon us, which, however,
did us no harm, except that our compass
box was damaged and few shots went
into the rigging.
In the meantime--the boat coming
nearer and nearer--the captain had or
dered the deck to be covered with boiling
tar. and while this remained liquid we
had studded it with broken glass. OF
course we had then to put on boots our
selves to avoid having our feet cut,
What the captain foresaw happened, for
when. after the hrst boat had come
alongside, the pirates boarded the ship,
CRYING "Allahl Allah" and came rush
ing toward us, they broke down, as they
had their feet lacerated by the glass.
When the captain looked over the side
to sec how many might be in the boat
quite q shower of spears went over our
heads. 3iliu Do iH H.iltN
Ten of us, among whom l was, had
hatchets, while the others had hand.
axes. We had divided our foree-one-
half forward, the other amidships.
In the next moment we were right
among them and the most horrld butch
cry commenced.
In the meantime the second boat had
come up and placed itself under our
bow. From the cries we heard we knew
that there also was hand-to-hand fight
Slowly, aud fighting for
every inch Of ground, we withdrew to-
ward the stern, where we made barrieades
of our boats; when the Malays cut off
the heads of the wounded they tied them
together By the hair, and hung them over
their shoulders. The captain was send
ing shot after shot into the crowd.
We were well-nigh despairing, for what
would become Of us when the third boat
would arrive? Then, when the cloud Of
smoke was driven away by a sudden gust
of wind, we were delighted to see o.
steamer coming up, which a moment
afterwards opened fire upon the third
boat, which sunk after few shots.
The pirates jumped into the water
and tried to save themselves by swim
ming: but we saw that the boats from
the steamer were lowered and began
chase after them, while the steamer IL
self ct-.so IA faii speed toward Us. As
soon as we saw this we picked up cour-
age again, and, with laundering hur-
rah. we threw ourselves once more upon
The pirates who still remained on board,
aud cut down whoever came in our way.
then received another wound in my
right arm.
The steamers (which turned out to be
an English gunboat carrying six guns)
had overran the boat lying under our
bow, the same having been left I'M
guarded, and then went alongside the
other one, the occupants Of which were
also mostly on board Of our ship. The
few that were left in charge tried to row
Of with the boat, bat few well-aimed
shots from the steamer soon dispatched
them.
The surgeon from the steamer at
tended TO onr wounds, as al Of us, with