Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1881-08-11

but we could think of nothing that could helI
US. The villains were bunked in the fore
castle and the fore. peak, some in hammocks
and some on the floor. Before we could Kill
half a dozen, the rest would be up. Ano
then they were mixed with my own men
One thing was sure-I knew had not mar
who could be hired to join them. t.
"By Heaven !" uttered Allen, let us risk
ourselves in our boat rather than surely die
I know they mean to murder us-there car
be no mistake about it. And now, rather
than have our old brig turned into slavel
why not set her on fire, and then let the VII
lains have their own boat, and we take ours? Z
| thought of my mates proposition mo-
ment, and then leaped to my feet. A ne"
idea had entered my mind. pondered upon
it while, and felt sure I had hit an expe'
dient.
"I'll smudge 'em out!' cried. And then
l sat down and told my plan to the mate
He started up with hope; and when he thor
oughly understood it we went on deck to ex'
plain to the .men We found none OF the
villains on deck, and in few minutes every
man of the wstch had his cue. But of course
we could do nothing until after midnight, for
it would not answer to rout out the other
watch lest we should excite the suspicion OF
the slavers.
1t was now past eleven. If the villains
meant to make an attack before we were ready
then we had to 6ght-that was all. 1t was
not quite midnight when we called the watch,
but of course no one below knew OF that.
The first watch went down as usual and turn
ed in without undressing. Two ofthe slavers
came on deck when the mid watch was set,
but they only remained few minutes and
then went below again. At one o'clock all
was still. l had made the second watch ac-
quainted with the whole affair, and was now
ready for work. One man was sent down
into the forecastle to see how matters were
there, and he returned with the information
that all was quiet, the villains being all asleep
and the others all awake. AS soon as heard
this I went to work.
The main hatch was taken carefully off
and laid one side, then two very large thick
tarpaulins spread over the open hatch'ways
and openly secured to the combings. We
let these tarpaulins bag down as much as
possible, so that they would hold considerable
of a load. They were thoroughly soaked in
salt water, and knew that they could not
easily catch fire. Then into the wide basin
thus formed put a lot of shavipgs which the
carpenter had made few days before, some
old rags, oakum, and so on, and had them all
we'll soaked with oil and also had couple
of buckets filled with oil and set by ready
for use. My next movement was to take the
cooks great copper kettle and ill 1t with
cotton rags and tar. This we took forward
and made line fast to the bail. just tor
ward of the foremost there was small hatch.
way which opened into the after part OF the
fore. castle, and which was used for letting
down a windsail l carefully took off this
hatch and then set fire to the mass in the ket-
tie, and as soc l as it burned we'll up | threw
on lot of wet rags and powdered rosin and
deck sweepings. Of course this made cloud
of smoke and team which would ill the FORE
castle in me nent. I let it carefully down
through the hatchway, and as soon as it
touched the forecastle floor FASTENED aft The
mainsails had been already clewed up. While
| set fire to the pile of combustibles on
the tarpaulins, some Of the men had the
main topsail aback, and then we raised the
cry of fire fire with all our might; and
some of my crew cut loose the fastenings of
the slavers' boat and began to work it over
the rail-
In moment the pile of stuff upon the Sc
cured tarpaulins was in blaze, and it looked
exactly as though the flames came pouring
up from the hold. Even to me, who had
fixed all, it seemed as though the devouring
element had full sway below. OF course my
own men rushed for the deck as soon as I let
the kettle down, one of them remaining on
the ladder to arouse the sleepers. He had to
wait but moment, however for the forecastle
was filled with dense, hot smoke, ere my men
had gained the deck. Then he, too, Yelled
fire!
Ere long the villains began to flock upon
deck. They came up in wild confusion, and
cry of terror broke from their lips as they
saw the fire, as they supposed so furiously
bursting forth from the hold. I had kept
man pouring water carefully upon the edges
of the tarpauin, while another was throwing
oil over the fire.
"Ho let that boat alone!' yelled the vii
lain captain as he saw that my men had it
nearly over. "Get your own boat!'
l sang out for my men to bring out the
long beat, and they apparently went at the
work. In the meantime the Spaniards and
their companions got their boat over the side,
and then their captain wanted to know if
there was bread and water on deck.
"I've put lot on your boat" I told him,
"for supposed it would hold all of us. But
if YOU want that boat all to yourselves, then
let me have one breaker of water and bag
of bread. I can't get to the bread room now"
But the bloody villain only told me to
go to the very place where fancied he ought
to have been, and then ordered his men to 60
over. Young Myers crept to my side and
asked what he should do. "Stick by me-"
| answered.
In few minutes their large river boat was
showed of, and the villains seemed to be
waiting to see what we would do.
ooh" uttered Myers, in quick, fearful
tones. 81 am lost at any rate, and so are
you! I heard the captain tell his mate that
they'd push off and wait until you'd get off,
and then rob you of your provisions and every
thing!" They'll do it they will surely"
"We'll see, said |. And then turning to
my men, "Give the main topsail to the
wind-quick ?" l cried; and while the
yards were coming around dozen buckets
of water were cast upon the fire. The water
we had been pouring upon the edges of the
tarpaulin to prevent that from burning
through, had already formed quite pool in
the basin, and these twelve buckets extin
guished the flames entirely. Myers was fair
" thunderstruck He could not at first be-
lieve the evidence Of his own senses ; but he
eoon oonnnrahnndad the whnla thinu and then