Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1886-09-04


it to kick the marksman half way across
tie ship. We left Singapore as we'll pre-
pared as a NJ reliant vessel could be, and
it seems that the Captain was advised to
bear we'll up toward Borneo, and give
the Red Islands wide berth. We
crossed the equator at least hundred
miles to the east of the islands, as l over.
heard the Captain say, and then altered
our course to the southeast, calculating
70 pass to the east of Billion Island be.
fore hauling away for Sunda Strait.
The bark made good weather of it,
and we had crossed the equator and run
down on the new course until Billion
might have been sighted from the mast
head, when there came calm. The
wind had died away about midforenoon,
and the drift of the bark was to the
north. We looked for change at sun.
set, but nothing came, and the night
passed without wind enough to move q
feather. My watch was below when day.
light came, and We got the word to turn
ap lively. To the Northeast, of the
coast of Borneo, two or thres green
Islands were in sight, and between us
and the islands were two native craft
bearing down upon us. These craft were
about the size of pilot boats, half decked
over, and rugged like a catboat. They
had been sighted when six or seven miles
away, and as my watch came on deck
the mate descended from the perch aloft,
where he had been using the glass, and
reported to the captain that the craft
were approaching us by the use of sweeps.
The calm still held, but it was clear
enough to sailors eye that we should
have breeze as soon as the sun began
to climb up. No man asked himself
the errand of those boats making out for
the Huntress. At that time and locality
there could be but one answer. The
Captain presently called us aft and said:
"Men, the craft which you see pulling
out for us are pirates. We shall have a
breeze within an hour, but they will be
here fist If we cannot beat them off,
we are dead men. They take no prisoners.
I look to see every man do his duty"
We gave him cheer, and began our
preparations. The cook was ordered to
fill his coppers full of water. ard, start
rousing fire, and the arms were
brought up and served out There were
three or four men who had served at a
heavy gun, and these took charge of the
cannon, and the piece was loaded with
a shell. When the Captain called for
some one to use the rifles, the only man
who answered was an American. He took
them aft, loaded them with his own
hands, and by the time the pirates were
within a, mile we were as ready as we
could be. The bark was lying with her
head to the east, and the fellows were
approaching us from the north, on our
broadside. The mate kept his glass
going and announced that both craft
were crowded with men, but that he
could see no cannon. They made slow
progress, and we were impatient to open
the fight. By and by, when they might
have been three-quarters of mile away,
the Captain passed word for the gunners
to send them shot. In few seconds
the big gun roared, and we all saw that
the shell flew over the pirates and burst
in the air. 1t was good line shot and
something to encourage, but before the
cannon sent another shot the American
had a try with one of the rifles. The
mate was watching his shot from the
rigging, and the report had scarcely died
away before he shouted:
"Good for the Yankeel He hit at least
couple of them"
The second shell from the cannon burst
over one of the boats and took effect on
some of the men, as reported by the
mate. The American then fired again,
and again his bullet told. We were doing
bravely and were full of enthusiasm, but
the struggle was yet to come The fell
lows bent their energies to creeping
closer, and pretty soon they opened on us
with musketry, and the balls began to
sing through the rigging in lively man
ner. We had our musdets ready, but
the Captain ordered us to hold our fire
and keep sheltered behind the rail. One
of the piratical craft was a quarter of a
mile in advance of the other, and the
third shell from the cannon burst aboard
of her, and must have killed and
wounded dozen or more men. There
was great confusion aboard, and she re.
manned stationary until the other craft
came up. During this interval the Ameri-
can got IN two more shots, which found
victims. We now looked upon the VIC
tory as assured, and there was cheering
from one end of the ship to the other. We
were little ahead of time. The third
shot from our big gun burst it, and al
fhou0h M ono Vvaa hurt MO xvara fbue