Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1888-04-19

ing party, which was recharting the
northeast coast of Borneo and the
islands adjacent. The schooner was
called the Survey. and she carried a
crew of thirty-six men, and was armed
with two nine-pounders on side, and
long Tom on Il swivel. In those
days the China sea was the paradise of
pirates, and the great raft of islands
to the north of Borneo offered them
every security. These islands are
strung along for distance of one
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 II show to attack
the commerce passing up or down the
great waterway. The schooner was
Differed from the navy. and naval
discipline prevailed aboard. She was
fitted out to fight as well as to survey,
and u better crew could not have been
selected. With few exceptions all were
young men, full of physical strength
and daredevil spirit, and the knowl-
edge that the voyage was dangerous
to go.
We had been out six weeks and had
been making soundings and surveys
along the west coast of ongisland to the
north of Borneo, when we had our first
trouble. We had been surveying bay
about six miles long by three in width,
and deep enough to float a 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 neighbour
hood. While they seemed to be pow
erty-stricken fellows, with nothing
more than a 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 il near col
ony of pirates, and he advised every
man to keep a weather eye open. We
had been in the bay three days, an
chored in thirty feet of water, and
within half mile of he beach, when
it came on a 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
and 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
could not have been made. Not u
breath of air was moving, and the sun
had no sooner gone down than mist
rose from the still waters of the bay,
and nine o'clock we could not see the
length of the schooner. Although half
n mile from the shore, we heard all the
sounds of tropical night. and after
ten no one was allowed to speak above
whisper. There was nothing serious
about the situation to us young fellows.
All we had to do was to open on the
pirates if attacked and drive them off.
The officers took different view of it,
however. There were no more desper-
ate men at that time than the pirates
of Borneo and adjacent islands. and if
they came down on us, they would come
five to one. After eleven o'clock every
body was on deck and at his STATION.
We lay broadside to the entrance of the
bay, with the schooner lazily riding to
the ground swell, and swinging her
head this way and that by turns. This
was thought to be an unfavorable posi-
ton, rs. if attacked from the entrance.
we could only bring the two port can
non to bear. 1t proved, however, to
be our salvation.
1t was a little past midnight. and
every man on deck was listening for
signs of the enemy, when we were sud-
denly attacked on all sides at once.
We had scarcely got the alarm when a
full dozen native crafts of all sorts
burst through the fog and were upon
us. 1t was n clever piece of work. All
had come into the bay from the sea,
our position had been exactly located,
and the fleet had separated to take us
on all sides and to attack us at the
same moment. The best white naval
officer could not have laid his plans
more perfectly. A merchant vessel
would have been in the hands of the
pirates in five minutes, even if expect
ing them. Discipline saved us. There
was no confusion. Every man knew
his station, and spran@ to it. We gave
them a couple of broadsides inside
of half minute, and it was
these which saved the schooner. The
guns were depressed and fired at just
the right moment, and the havoc