Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-11-12

SlXCy 1eeG away, ana the Ducksuob ntiu 'o tell. There were screams and shouts and stampede. All broke for the boat-all who were on their feet after our fire. Two or three men had been left in charge of the craft, and as soon as they heards the firing and yelling a panic seized them and they pushed the boat off, sprang into her and mado off down the rip. Nine natives were thus left in the lurch They raised great outcry, calling and commanding, but those in the boat did not even reply.
 The situation was this: We had the fellows penned up on a neck of sand without cover, and we had firearms and they had none. l have no doubt we had been spied upon before they came to make the attack, and very likely they believed there were three of us. They were afraid to attack us, and as for surrender it was not to be thought of. In the five years l sailed among the islands never knew quarrel between white men and natives to terminate in a draw. One party 1 or the other ran away or were wiped out. | These wreckers had meant to butcher us. | Had offered them terms, they would have refused Had they captured us alive, they l would have lanced us off hand, and been as l tonished at any protest. Lying in our rifle pts we both realized that it was question of the survival of the strongest. and that we would have no relief until the last man was wiped out. We heard them chattering and curslng for an hour or 50, the leader evidently seeking to work their courage up to the at tacking point, and then all was quiet.
 Daylight came at last, and what was our astonishment to discover that the nine had crossed the channel to the sand bar, leaving most of their weapons on the main shore. We also soon discovered why they had braved the sharks to reach that spot. The boat had run down the rip, circled around outside the surf, which was very light there, and at tempted to land on the head of the bar. The fellows had swam over expecting to be taken off, but the craft had struck rock and filled and sunk in fifteen feet of water. There must have been three men with her. for the number on the bar was now twelve. Tho only explanation of why the sharks did not seize any of the nine was that they had fol- lowed the boat out and around. Well, that was the situation, and no two men ever had heater drop on gang of cut throats. They had their knives alone, while we had shot guns, and it would have been the easiest sort of work to bowl them over in succession by off hand shots. By our volley when at tackled we had killed three and wounded q fourth so that he could not leave the spot. That made the strength of the attacking party sixteen.
 l could talk all the lingoes of the islands, and l asked the wounded man who they were and why they had attacked us. He said the boat was from the Pindos. and tho namc of her captain was Abyan. They had attacked us for the sole object of plumber The fellow had several buckshot in his left groin and others iD his leg, and I told him he was fatally wounded
 Ut so written" he calmly replied "Be so kind as to finish me-"
 ''Kill youg'
 Certainly I would do as we'll by you" But 1 cannot do it."
 ''Then I will. I waited for morning, in hopes my friends would kill you, but as they have not, and as all must die, I will go first"
 He had his naked knife in his hand, and before 1 could move, to prevent he drew it across his throat. and two minutes later was dead We now had tho living to look out for. AS told you it was only about sixty feet across the rip, and we could look right into their eyes. A moro bloodthirsty dozen could not have been scraped together in the east Had they been humbled by the situa- tion I should at least hoped to see them get away; but they were not. On the contrary, they were brazen and defiant As soon as ! they sow us moving they uttered shouts of | defiance and brandished their knives, and because we did not begin shooting they taunt- l ed us with cowardice.
 Just what steps to take 1 did not know. stood guard while my companion prepared 1 breakfast, but there was little fear of any of them crossing the channel. The sharks had come in until they actually crowded each other, and out beyond the surf we could see their dorsal fins by the score. The na- tivcs saw the situation in all it's dangers, but they continued defiant. called to ask them why they had attacked us, as we had done them no harm and were not trespassing on their domain, and the leader shouted back:
 GIVn11 ITO a 6oui Vc1, ,ot fr>1 1i1-ot Yes, you are dog and a cowardl have wet my hands in the blood of half a hundred white faced dogs, and am only sorry that haven't your heart to throw to these fishesr'
 ''WeL, what are you going to do2' asked as choked back my anger.
 "What is it to you dog! Comet You are a coward. Now that it is daylight you tremble before us and dare not shootl Ha! believe you will run awayr'
 My companion was for killing them off at once but I was moro mercifuL While I knew they thirsted for my blood, and would kill me if they got the chance, it seemed awful to shoot them down in their helpless situation. After breakfast we sat down op- poSite them with our guns in our hands, when those who had knives began to flourish them and their taunts were renewed. The leader finally worked himself up to such a pitch of anger that he threw his knife across at me. It came whlrl1ng and whistling through the air and entered the sand beside me. I replied with a snap shot which stretched him dead His fall only enraged the others, and I had scarcely finished re- loading when my companion said
 ''Take care They are going to try and swim the channel!"
 They scattered along the bar it's full length like skirmishers going to the front, and at a given signal all sprang into the water. Had there been no sharks we could have answered for every black head crossing the channel By spreading out they hoped to distract the attention of the monsters, and reasoned that portion of them would get over to attack us. But there were too many sharks. Fo1 about five minutes the sight was terrible. Ii seemed as if there were three or four sharks for every victim, and they fought over the feast like so many tigers. Not man lived to make twenty strokes toward us. In ter minutes after fired my shot we were rid o1 the whole gang and ready to resume ou1 labors, nor were we annoyed again before the schooner took us off-New York Sun.
 Except by Personal Experience,