The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1886-09-10


bullet told We were doing bravely and were
full of enthusiasm, bat the struggle was Yet
10 come The fellows bent their energies TO
creeping closer, and pretty soon they opened
ON III with musketry, and the balls began To
sing through the rigging in IA lively manner.
We had our muSkcts ready, but the captain
ordered us IN hold our fire and keep shclterei
behind the rail One of the piratical craft
was "a quarter IF mile in advance of the
other, and the third shell from the cannon
burst aboard of her and must have kille,l
and woundSl Al dozen or more men There
was great confusion On board, and she re
manned stationary until the other craft came
up. During this interval the American got
in two more shots which found victims. We
now looked upon the victory as assured, and
there was cheering from ono end Of the ship
To the other We were n little ahead Of
time The third shot from our big gun burst
1t, and althoug Ia none of the men hurt
we were thus deprived of great advantage.
As soon IA the captain knew what lad
happened he called upon all the crew Ia
shelter themselves and wait tn fire ut clOse
quarters. One man was detailed To assist the
cook with the hot water, and powder and
bullets were placed handy for reloa,lnG the
muskets | was stationed near the gun car
riage, and noticed several shells lying about
under foot The American kept firing away
every shot, and pretty soon the two craft
Were near enough for us To open fire with the
muskcts- presume we wasted good many
shots, for we were green hands and greatly
excited, hut l am likewise certain that We
also did great execution. We had plunging
fire down upon n mass Of half naked fellows,
ana We must have wecdcd out II full third Of
them There WAS no air stirring ami tho
smoke soon grew thick about us. by and 10y
the shouts and yclls of the pirates sounded
close at hand, and their craft were laid
alongside We now flung down the musketS
AMI used the revolvcrs and pixies. When the
rcvolverS were empty We used capstan bars,
dubbed muskcts, or Whatever would serve
To strike n blow. One dhow lay on our quar-
ter and the other ON the bow, and the fellows
tried to carry us by boarding.
L can't describe the fight To You, further
than To say that there was shooting, club
bling and stabbing all along our port rail
We beat them OFF the rail again and again
and twice. L Drained pirates who reached
the deck over the blades of pixies BY and
by heard some one sing out that the fellows
had boarded us forward. | did not Sse how
we could spare n man from the quarter, for
two had gone down AMI the rest Of uS were
hard pressed. All Of a sudden | thought OF
two shells lying at my feet. There were half
n dozen burning wads ON decks from the
ingics Of the pirates and with one of thcSs, 1
hShte-i the fuse tn II thrcr-sernnd shell and
gave the hall a toss for the dhow Ii fell right
into the thckest of her crew, ami it WAS "a
settler. Our rail was clear in half IA minute,
and then 1 picked up another shell and IA
burning wal ami ran forward. y dozen |
natives had gained the bow and were pushing
our men back. lighted the fuss and gave
the shell roll along the deck into the
crowd, and 1 give You my word that not
one of them left alive after the rXplo-
sion. One ut our men on the quarter threw
third shell, AMI | brought the fourth one
and threw it from the bow.
The fight was ended. \ hit Of wind blew
the smoke away, and we looked down upon "a
terrible sight. The boats seemed full Of dead
and wounded, the living having sought
shelter under the half decks. Why there
were bodies without heads, heads without
bodies, and arms and legs and pieces of
bloody meat enough to make the hr;lVest |
tGrn pale. As We cut their laShings they
drifted oil, and the American with his big
rifles, and two three of the men with
musk"ts, kept up n fire ON everything that
moved Presently the breeze came up, and |
rs made sail and got the bark where wa
coud handle her we ran down for the dhows.
They were light built, and it needed only "A |
fair blow IT, crush them. The first we |
struck on her starboard quarter, and. al |
though tho Lark glanced oil, We crushed IN |
her thinkers, ami she filled and went down in |
side of live minutes. There were about |
twenty hVm. men on the other. and a. We
bore down for her at IA good pace they uttered |
shouts of terror and made signs OF surrender. |
Our captain had no mercy for them. We put |
the ship right at the dhow's hrnadsile and we |
cut her square III two and rolled the bow one |
way and the stern the other while the living, |
wounded and dead went into the sea together.
New York Sun |