Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1879-09-02

} lading the fish in, while those hauling
had to keep easing to give them time tt
work at the dense mass; and when a.
last the remnants were shaken out of the
, strands of the net, the patron said, turn
ing to me:
, "There, senor, you have brought us
luck. l never saw finer take, and il
there were millions more, we haven't
room for another hundred"
And so it seemed, for we were pretty
deep, and as for the flooring, the boards
were just cast loosely over the fish,
Then, in the exuberance of his spirits
Clement Orue served out a glass OF
aguardiente and cigar all round. AS
he passed me the cup, he indicated with
the hand holding the bottle the land.
"And now for Lequeitio with as many
sardines on board as Pedro Artegui and
Jose Echevarria have between them
There, abreast of US, lies Elanchove,
and" turning slightly, "there is Cape
Machichaco, where"-
| His eyes and jaws became fixed, the
fingers opened, and the bottle fell into
the water. Following the direction of
his gaze, saw steamer rounding the
headland, and apparently pointing di-
rectly for us.
"Holy Mary! yonder is the govern
ment cruiser Ferrolano-up saiI, lads,
and pray for the breeze to freshen, or
we're likely to see Cuba or the Philip-
pines on board man-of-wa
| We had good ten miles to run, with
the wind, which was increasing, on our
beam. The steamer, to cut us off, would
have to do the whole in fourteen though
when we sighted her she was not more
than seven distant. We both would be
going or diagonal lines, and ours was
the shorter. 1t may readily be imagin-
ed that the chicos needed no recommen-
dation to bestir themselves. The sails
were hoisted in jiffy, the galley trim
med to bear the strain, the course laid,
and as the boat felt the "drawn she
seemed to leap forward. Pedro Artegui
and Jose Echevarria were already under
the land, so they, at any rate, were safe.
For some minutes no one spoke, the
whole attention being concentrated to
the Ferrolano; and it soon became evil
dent, from the increasing volume of
smoke, that she had caught sight of US
and was firing up. We were well bal
lasted with the fish and stood the spread
of canvas admirably, though the list to
port, now and again, brought the gun
vale level with the seething water. The
wind fresheEed considerably, and under
other circumstances it might nave been
a question of taking in reef, but we
held on, banking sardines and men well
over to starboard. I should think we
must have been going eight or nine
knots, but for all that the Ferrolano rose
perceptibly every few minutes, and
when we were within five miles of the
entrance to Lequeitio could distinctly
see the group of officers on her bridge.
At four miles she was not more than
fifteen hundred yards off, and she soon
let us know it; for following a white
puff from her bows came a shrieking
howl across our stern, which made all
| hands duck like lot Ofsalaaming man
darins. The Ferrolano gunner was try-
ing his hand, and it was pretty certain
that each succeeding shot would come
closer, and so it proved, for the next
struck the water on our starboard quar-
ter, completely drenching the patron
and mysef.
"What do you think about it, senior;
we have no chance have we 2n asked
Ciementi Orus of NE in low voice.
With tolerably decent attempt at
smile, considering the awkward position
| in which we found ourselves, [ suggest
ed that while there was life there was
hope that [ did not think we should be
hit, and that every moment we drew
nearer home. 1 had scarcely given ex-
preston to these comforting observa-
| tions, when q flat contradiction came to
the supposition that we were not likely
to be touched. Vrrrowww-vrriish-
boom and shell struck our mainmast
about three feet from the peak, bursting
and sending the particles humming to
port. The spar was shattered complate-
| ly, and the canvas came down with
| crash, partially falling on to the gun
vale, and partially into the water, and
as the men slid over to port at the same
time, I thought we would capsize. The
fore-sheet had also been cut, and the sail
was banging and Hopping terribly,
"Holy Mary! it's all over with u.s."
gasped the patron we'd better lutf' up
tWo.n
I hardly know how to explain, but
somehow or other I found myself in
command
| presume it was that had kept my
head, having during campaigning expe-
riences of fifteen years, been considera-
bly, under fire bot at sea and on land
besides, felt convinced that the chances
were not altogether hopeless.
''Now, chicos," I shouted, "down
with that foresail-unstep both nasts-
get that wreokage and dragging canvas
inboard, and out with oars that's it,
don't be Hurried, he has not half the
mark to shoot at now, besides which our
jumping will puzzle him. I beg your
pardon, patron, but as you are one hand
short you had better take your place on
the after thwart to make up the number.
! will steer, only tell me if I can keep
straight course for mid-entrance with
out fear of rocks ?"
Clement Orue looked at me curiously
and steadily for moment, then grasp
ing an oar and seating himself, he am
swered:
| "Yea, direct for the entrance: it's
about high water, and there isn't enough
sea on to make going over rocks very
risky."
"Well, then, give way all of you, and
let him shoot his best why he'd have
to be able to hit a fly to strike us now.
That's it, my lads, pull your hardest
and pull together; you are bound for
Lequeitio, and not fc7 Cuba or the
Philippines"
Another shell few over us but at
considerable height, and then one
ducked and draked across the bows and
thought told the men, who could not
oSO WhNAO CdO WdIcl was X. tn9G III
was at least quarter of mile of, I be-
gan to have serious misgivings. The
Ferrolano was overhauling us rapidly,
and, in addition to her cunning, would
probably soon sprinkle us with rifle
shots. I had my eyes firmly fixed on
the entrance, SO as not to lose an inch
by yawing, if I could help it, when to
my utter astOnishment a long puff of
white smoke leaped over the wall of the
platform in front of the hermitage, near
the summit of the mainland point
Turning my head quickly in the direc-
tlon of the steamer, 1 saw a flash right
on her bows-she had been struck by a
shell.
Don't stop to look, lads. bat give
way; every minute is worth an hour
now. Some one is helping US, and no
mistake, and if the second shot is an
Improvement of the first, we shall not
have much more to fear from the Fer
rolano.n
1.-The gun must have dropped from
heaven" cried the patron, with an ex-
preston of blank amazement on his face,