The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1879-04-29
NEW B1ooMF1E1D Pa TUESDAY, April. 90 1879.

reeneu from us, so tnat we cOulu nOC
see her deck but the noise on board, an
occasionally seen head, whale-boat full
Of natives propelling themselves with
paddles towards the vessel, and the crowd
of savages, of both sexes and all ages,
on the beach, spoke plainly of one of
the terrible tragedies with which the
history of these seas abound. The re-
mains of large fire were still smoking
and smouldering near the water's edge
and doubtless it was the light of this we
had see the evening previous.
"What's to be done, Graham ?'' ask
ed; "we couldn't do anything with the
brig If we had possession of her, for her
backs broken; she hogged full three
feet amldship."
go, the briggs done for; but what are
they trying to do ?" answered my COM
panion. "There's two fellows in the
maintopmast crosstrees; you can see
'em once in while past the foretopmost
(the brig was so nearly bow to us that
the mainmast was partially hidden by
the fore), and these black thieves don't
go aloft for nothing, aboard ship
We're safe enough here, for all the ma
tives are round the wreck; just step
down to the boat, and bring up the glass;
you'll find it in my jacket in the stern
sheets.'
l procured the glass Ia small opera)
and handed it to the captain, who look
ed earnestly through it at the brig for
few moments, and then turning to me
said, with more excitement in his tone
than l had ever heard before:
BY the Eternal Murray, there are
white men there yet alive. Look into
her cross-trees ~ at the same time hand
me the glass.
The brig was not quarter of mile
distant, and 1 soon satisfied myself that
one of the two men aloft was a white
man, and that he had some weapon
the second man appeared to be native.
Returning the glass, l told Graham
what had made out and again he sur
veyed the wreck. Soon he spoke again:
"My God Murray, what can we do
There's two or three of the natives 60
ing up the rigging, and one of 'em has
got cutting-in-spade; those men will
be butchered right before our eyes. Hal
hold on bit; that fellow in the cross
trees has got hatchet; well done hur-
rah he's cut the topmost rigging and
let the whole lot of the black devils rip
down on deck together. By thunder !!
Murray, we can't leave them chaps to
fight it out alone; what say ?"
CT am ready to go where you wish,
Captain Graham" saidI.
"All right" he answered. "But I'm
going further in their way, SO that can
see her deck for minute: 1 won't be
gone long, nor go far; get into the boat
you, and wait"
did as he directed, and told the boat 8
crew, who were anxiously eager for in
formation, what we had seen; which
drew from old Tom the remark:
"That's the imagination 1 heard
last night, Mr.. Murray"
In few minutes Captain Graham re-
turned, and informed us that there were
fifty or sixty natives on board the brig,
and that they were trying to cut down
the mainmast, with axes probably be-
longing to the vessel; but that they did
not know enough to cut the shrouds
away first. Even while he spoke there
was great outcry, and then crash and
splash. Its all over" said Graham,
| ouietlv. hut TIL take n look once more -
He went up to our former lookout place,
and almost Immediately returned, SEEM
ingly much pleased.
"Those chaps have weathered 'em
again" /" said he; " they have got across
on the stays to the foremast, and are
safe for a spell yet. But we must help
'em soon, if at all, for the foremast will
be cut away now, certainly"
Well, let's bring up the schooner
and practise on 'em with the gum
said L.
"That would do if we could manage
it, which we can't, in a dead calm," re-
piled Graham; we must tackle 'en
with this boat and boats crew, or else
leave 'em alone. What is the word
men, will you face it There are lots
of natives, and they have got two white
men penned up aloft in the brig; there
is only one boat in the water there, tha
/ saw, and that's whale-boat, which
these fellows can't paddle so fast as W.
can pull with two oars. There are som'
canoes but Won know what kind of dug