Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1886-10-01

lutekirtta batteries was doubtfuL
hey were probably without artillery.
ut the number of men that the chief
could land at once would make the
Scnousists really formidable.
Day Mt last began b break, aud the
first rays of the sun dissipated the mists
on the horizon Every eye was turned
scaward towards the east and south of
Antekirtta The fiotilla was advancing
i'll "a long curved line. There were over
two hundred vessels some of them
of thirty or forty tons. Altogether
they could carry from 1900 to 1000 men.
At five o'clock the flotilla was off Ken
raf. Would the enemy stop there and
take up their position before attacking
the island? If they did so. it would
indeed be fortunate. The mines laid by
the Doctor would seriously damage their
attack, if they did not entirely settle it.
An anxious half hour elapsed. 1t
seemed rs though the vessels, as they
reached the islet. were about to land
but they did nothing of the sort. No.
one stopped, the line curved farther OF
TO the south. leaving it TO the right, and
it became evident that Antekirtta would
be directly attacked, or rather invaded,
III an hour.
The only thing now il to defend
ourselves. said the Doctor, 70 the chief
of the militia.
The signal was given. and those in the
island fastened into the town TO take
the posts that had been assigned them
beforehand. BY the Doctors orders
Pierre Bathory took command of the
Notifications to the south. Luigi of those
to the east The defenders-tive hun
dred Mt the most-were posted so that
they could face the enemy whxever he
attempted to force the walls. The Doc
tor held himself ready to go where his
presence might be necessary. Madame
Bathory. Sava Sandorf and Maria Fer
ratio remained in the hall of the Stad-
thaus The other women. should the
town be carried, were ordered to take
shelter with their children in the case
mates, where they would have nothing
to fear even If the assailants possessed a
few landing guns
The question of Kcncraf being settled
unfortunately TO the Doctors disadvan-
tage there remained the question OF
the harbor. If the flotilla attempted to
force an entry, the forts on the two
jetties, with their cross-tires, the guns
of the Ferrato, the torpedoes OF the
Electrics and the torpedoes sunk in the
channel would have something to say IN
the matter. 1t would, in short, be for
tunate il the attack were made on that
side
But-as was only too evident-the
chief OF the Senouists was perfectly
acquainted with Antekirtta's means of
defense. To attempt direct attack on
the harbor would have been TO run to
complete and immediate annihilation.
A landing III the southern part Of the
island, where the operation would be an
easy one, was the plan he adopted.
And having passed by the harbor, rs he
had passed by Kencraf, he took his
flotilla, still rowing, toward the weak
point OF Antekirtta.
As soon as he saw this, the Doctor
took such measures as circumstance
demanded. Captains Kostrik and
Naisos each took command of n torpedo
boat, and slipped out of harbor.
A quarter of an hour afterwards the
two Electrics had rushed into the midst
of the hotilla, broken the line, sunk five
or six of the vessels, and stove in more
than a dozen others. But the numbers
of the enemy were so great that, to avoid
being boarded, the Electrics had to
retreat to the shelter OF the jetties.
TTO RE CONTINUED