The Hope pioneer., 1886-08-27

j L.,
carrying a three ounce ball, with pow.
der enough behind it to kick the marks
man half way across the ship. W.
left Singapore as well prepared rs !,
merchant vessel could be, and it seems
that the Captain was advised to bear
well up to Borneo, and give the Red
Islands wide berth. We crossed the
equator at least a hundred miles to the
east of the islands. as overheard the
Captain say, and then altered our
course to the southeast, calculating to
pass to the east of Billion Island before
hauling away from 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
masthead, when there came a calm.
The wind had died away about mid
forenoon, and the drift of the bark WAS
to the north. We looked for a change
at sunset, but nothing came, and the
night passed without wind enough to
move feather. My watch was below
when daylight came, and we got the
word to turn up lively. To the north
east, off the coast of Borneo. two or
three green islands were in sight, and
between us and the islands were two
native craft bearing down upon u.s.
These craft were about the size of
pilot boats, half decked over, and
rugged like a catboat. They had been
sighted when six or eight 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 eve that
we should have a breeze as soon as the
sun began to climb up. No man asked
himself the errand of these boats maxi
ing out for the Huntress. At that time
and locality there could be but one an
swer. The captain presently called us
aft and said:
"Men, the craft which you see pull
ing out for us are pirates. We shall
have a breeze within an hour, but they
will be here first. If we can not beat
them off we are dead men. They take
no prisoners. 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 and start
rousing fire, and the arms were
brought up and served out. There were
three or four men who had served ut q
| heavy gun, and these took charge of
the cannon, and the piece was loaded
with she'll. When the captain called
for some one to use the rifles, theeonly
man who answered was IN American.
He took them aft, loaded them with his
own hands, and by the time the pirates
were within a mile we were dis 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 he could
see no cannon. They made slow pro-
gress, and we were impatient to open
the zig hit. By and by, when they mi ght
have been three-quarters of a mile
away, the captain passed word for the
gunners to send them a shot. In few
seconds the big gun roared, and we all
saw that the shell flew over the pirates
and burst in tho air, 1t was good line
shot and something to encourage, but
before the cannon sent another shot
the American had Ito 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 Yankee! He hit at
least a couple of Them"
The second shell from the cannon
h,,no 90 -
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 en-
thusiasm, but the struggle was yet to
come. The fellows bent their energies
to creeping closer, and pretty soon
they opened on us with musketry, and
the balls began to ring through the
| rigging in lively manner We had
our muskets ready, but the Captain Or
| dered us to hold our fire and keep
sheltered behind the rail One of the
piratical craft was quarter of mile
in advance of the other, and the third
shell from the cannon bursts 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
American got in two more shots which
found victims. We now looked upon
the victory 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 although none Of the
men were hurt we were thus deprived
of great advantage.
AS soon as the Captain knew what
had happened he called upon all the
crew to shelter themselves and wait to
fire at close quarters. One man was
detailed to assist the cook with the hot
water, and powder and bullets were
placed handy for reloading the muskcts.
l was stationed near the gun carriage,
and l noticed several shells lying about
under foot. The American kept firing
with the rifles, knocking over pirate
at every shot, and pretty soon the two
craft were near enough for US to open
fire with the muskets. 1 presume we
wasted a good many shots, for we were
green hands and greatly excited, but
am likewise certain that we also did
great execution. We had plunging
fire down upon a mass of half-naked
fellows, and we must have weeded out
full third of them. There was no air
stirring, and the smoke grew thick
about us. BY and by the shouts and
yells of the pirates sounded close at
hand. and their craft were laid along
side. We now flung down the muskets
and used the revolvers and pixies.