The Grenada gazette., 1888-04-28

Islands adjacent. The schooner wa
called the Survey. and she carried ,
crew Of thiry-six men. and was armed
with two nine-poundeN on side, anc
long Tom on swivel. In thos,
days the China sea was the paradise O.
pirates, and the, great raft of islands
to tho north Of. Borneo offered then
every security. These islands ar,
strung along for a distance of on.
thousand miles, separating the Pacific
ocean from the China sea, and from
secure and unknown harbors on the
west side of the islands every species
of native crafts had show to attack
the commerce passing up or down the
great waterway. The schooner was
officered from the navy, and naval
discipline prevailed aboard. She was
fitted out to fight as we'll as to survey,
and q better crew could not have been
selcrted. With few exceptions all were
young men, full of physical strength
and daredevil spirit, and the knowl.
edge that the voyage was dangerous
one had made them the more eager
to 60. .r
We had been out six weeks and had
been making soundings and surveys
along the west coast of Longisland to the
north Of Borneo, when we had our first
trouble. We had been surveying a bay
about six miles long by three in width,
and deep enough to float man-of-war.
While We had failed to make out any
inhabitants on the shores, several
small native crafts had visited us and
engaged in fishing in our neighbor.
hood. While they seemed to be pov-
crty-stricken fellows, with nothing
more than natural curiosity to know
why we were taking so much trouble
for nothing, our quartermaster, who
had spent years on the coast, put them
down for spies sent out by near col
ony Of pirates, and he advised every
man to keep weather eye open. We
had been in the bay three days, an
choresl in thirty feet of water, and
within half mile of the beach, when
it came on dead calm. Some of our
men had seen natives in the tops OF
trees ashore, and there was no doubt
they had climbed up with spyglasses
to look down upon our decks and dis
cover our strength. We had one more
days work to accomplish, and, there
fore. instead Of getting out the boats
anil towing the schooner out of the
bay. we got spring on our cables, load
ed the guns with grape and canister.
and made every thing ready for the
night attack which the quartermaster
scented from afar off. He was sure
that by midnight we would be beset
by dozen native craft manned by
desperate fellows intent on our cap
ture.
A more unfavorable night for US
,ould not have been made. Not
breath of ai- was moving, and the sun
- - . - ~ =,
M .au =. . soo"e. sone @ uo"n 'aan "'s'
% .o"l .,,o S''ii ""'',s ,s "a ''ie 'ay'
ength of the schooner. Although half
! mile from the shore, we heard all the
ounds OF a tropical night, and after
en- no one was allowed to speak above
whisper. There was nothing serious |
bout Tho situation r., no vonnn fo,,nws
Nh wo had 70 do w.s - a,on an ~
,ir,tos n attacked and driyp thom off
,bo o,,;cers tool , d;8arant v;aw 81,
o,yever Thero woro M moro dosnor
70 MAN ar that t;mo ,hon tt, ,,;nptas
+ Rorneo and ad;,cort ISLANDS and =
h ov c,mo Inrr ~ ~, an,no,,,a ana,a
vc n nno Aftor o,oron o,o,oal, o,,a",. Su
od, was or doo,. ana - III, sta.;on ]
Va !, " hroads;Ja 70 ,ho ontr.noo ~ tha
~ with tho sohonnnr I,,ilr n;d;n. to
10 oron,d swau ora s,,;n a;na hou
o,1 th;s w,v and that hr t,,rns This
.,s thouobt 70 ho an ,rt,vorahlo nn.i
M ~ & lod tron, ,ho antranon p"
- % oo,,,a nnI,, h,i,r thn ."o w ., ,'''". "n,.' n
y, :" ho"n 7. ',.o,aa w. ho, o . y.
:, oun sa,,"t;on % p' ' W
:, . ,;..,
~ ""s n'',o p's' ''i,.'n'sa" M anu
,n n. n.h .h om ueuN % Mas listening i1f
gus Va ''c ehcHiy, WHeu We we're suu-