Wichita eagle., 1888-05-15

jacent islands, and if they came down On US
they would come five to one. After II O'Clock
everybody 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 position, as, if attacked from
the entrance we could bring only tins two
port cannon to bear. Ii proved. however, TO
be our salvation.
It was a little past midnight, and every
man on deck was listening for signs or the
enemy when we were suddenly attacked on
al sides at once. We had scarcely got the
alarm when full dozen native craft OF all
sorts burst through the fog and were upon
US 1t was a clever piece Of work. All had
come into the bay from the sea, our position
had been exactly located, and the fleet had
separated 20 take us on all sides and to at
tack 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 expecting them. Disciplin.
saved us. There was no confusion. Every
man knew his station and sprang to it. We
gave them a couple of broadsides inside of
the schooner. The guns were depressed and
fired at just the right moment, and the havoc
created was simply awful The recoil of the
guns gave the schooner sheer which upset
two or three craft, and the only attempts to
board were at the bow and stern. 1 was on
the bow with others, and we each had mus
ket and cutlass. blew the whole top of
natives head off as be raised it above the rail
in front of me, and then used my cutlass.
The fellows just swarrned up the chains and
they had ropes, with hooks attached, which
they threw over the rails and came climbing
up. In spite of the way we laid about US
they kept gaining on U.s. and l had just split
q fellows head open when a hook thrown
from below caught in my clothing, and
was jerked to the rail and over it in three
snaps of your finger. fell upon the heads
of several natives and rolled off into the sea !;
but almost as soon as / struck the water, a
rough hand pulled me on to the raft or cat
amaran, and in thirty seconds my hands and
feet were tied and q pirate took charge
of me-
Although dazed and confused by my sud-
den change of position, l knew all that was
going on. | hadn't been on the raft two
minutes when she was backed away from
the schooner, and as she moved dose of
canister from one of the guns killed five or
six natives, who stood over and just behind
me. Again, after we were concealed by the
fog, another discharge tore off corner of
the raft and killed two more men. | could
hear the shouts and cheers of my shipmates,
and [ knew we were one of the last parties
to withdraw from the attack. The schooner
had come out of it very handsomely, having,
as l soon learned, inflicted terrible damage
on the pirates.
After getting away from the vessel we
we were joined by boats and RATS carrying
nearly 100 men, and good third Of these
were wounded. All made for the entrance
of the bay, and it was only when out of can
non shot that the fury of the pirates over
their bloody repulse broke loose. Ny pres
ence seemed to be forgotten for the time, and
it was lucky for ne that such was the case.
There were several fights among the sur
vivors on our raft, and it appeared that all
those in authority had been killed.
In about an hour after getting out of the
bay, and all the time progressing slowly to
the north under paddle, we ran into tho
mouth of a creek and landed in village, tie
inhabitants of which were awake and alert
to standing position, and when it became
known through the village that prisoner
had been taken the excitement increased to
fever heat. But for very old man, who
was probably a superannuated chief, l should
have been cut to shreds at the first rush
Everybody but this old man seemed to have
an insane desire to kill me, and why he
should try to prevent them was a mystery to
1.
them off until cooled down, and then made
them a speech. After that was conducted
to hut, and guards were placed at the open
ing.
Next morning it was made plain to me
why my life was spared the night before. An
hour after daylight stout crotched limb
was driven into the ground few yards III
front of my hut Then long, stout pole
was laid in the crotch It worked exactly
like an old fashioned well sweep, but instead
of the bucket they were to Use my body.
Fuel was gathered and FIRE kindled, and
figured it out that the men at the other end
of the sweep or level were 30 hold me sus-
pended over the flame, taking due care that
my suferings were drawn out as long as pos
sible. When l came to see the villagers by
daylight had no hope whatever of my lie
being spared. They were not only the most
villainous lot white man ever saw collected
but many of those who returped
from the attack were grievously wounded
and bent on Vengeance
It was about two hours after daybreak
that was pulled ont of the hut and roughly
ierked along toward the fire Every man,
woman and child in the village was in the
circle around me, and the benign odd man of
the night before now lcked his chops like a
hungry tiger, and approached to give direc-
lions. Ny hands were united, and two natives
helped me Off with my clothes As my shirt
came off the old man, who stood in front Of
me, flung up his hands and cried: "Onnai
Onna!" at the same time pointing to the
mark on my breast. His exclamation was
taken up by others and five or six Of the old
est men came forward to inspect the mark 4
minute later they signed to me TO resume my
and was no sooner dressed than
was taken TO the old mans hut, and
hearty breakfast was given to me. He
not only smiled at me as soft as
but patted me on the back
many times After | had eaten I was
taken out on the open ground, and every per-
son in the village filed past and touched one
of my hands. Then every wounded man
came and touched my shirt over the nsrk,
and l was asked by signs to remain in the
village and become head man. replied in
the negative, adding that desired to return
to the schooner right away. There was
kindly attempt TO induce me TO remain, and
when it was seen that l would not l was con-
Quoted through the woods by an easy path 20
the bay, got farewell all sround, and was
then padded of TO the schooner by a single
native in a canoe do not know to this day
the significance Of those queer marks IN India