The Opelousas courier., 1889-07-06

- o.'suise, the two canoes H..
1asneo Tor the schooner. In an IN
seans the repeater was At =
captains shoulder, the a",
WORKED rapidly twice, and tw[
ma Ives In the starboard boat fa,
mortaliy wounded. As he aoair
s,gnted' the sharp reports of the six'
aas"" 'ess rang out, and responsive wells
assured him that Ben and Bill Graves
we're shootf G to good effect, psrtIr
sueltered behind the low rail of the
schooner, Webster quickly sent fo,,,
more OF the pirates to their last ar.
Souh1 This deadly fusilade material.
: enecked the advance of the canoe,
coward the schooner, and dronnino
uomn behind their low gunwales the
natives reloaded their muskets and
Ian poured a volley into the
schooner. A sharp, singing sensa-
.,on In the shoulder told the cantain
maj he was hit, while an exclamsticn
oenlnd him of Boys, I'm done for"
.onoweo oy a heavy fall on the deck.
'oio MIN that one Of his brave com.
,aues was incapaciCated for further
auty. Dropping on the deck, he
looked hurriedly around. Poor
Iraves. stretched at the foot of the
mainmast' was gasping out his last
breath. MORALLY wounded.
Crouched behind the rail however
MS oying shipmate's weapon in his left
nand' his own six-shooter in his RIGHT
ben still kept the other canoe at a dis.
lance. Grasping his Winchester.
eostef now crept rapidly forw ard on
MS hands and knees behind the rail
and suddenly appearing in the fore
rigging. surprised the occupants Of the
starboard canoe by several well-di-
rected shots before a dozen muskets
pointed in his direction compelled him
"a drop upon the deck for a second
lime 1t was at this moment that Ben,
having thrown higeself on the deck to
reload. was supposed by the natives on
ms side to have been killed. With a
yeii OF triumph. now feeling certain of
their prey. they urged the canoe for
ward, and in another moment were
alongside the schooner. At this iunct-
ure matters looked very black for the
Americans. Webster had his hands
full with the other canoe, and
In order TO keep that off was compelled
to expose himself necessarily to a har-
assing fire. Ben had not yet succeeded
in reloading. and it looked as if the
Indians on his side would succeed in
gaining a foothold on the deck. Once
there, the sailors would stand no
chance for life.
At this important crisis assistance
arrived from a wholly unexpected
direction. A stalwart savage was al
ready in the main chains. and the canoe
the little vessel, when Hon
Pee. rushing from the galley with an
copper Of boiling water, pre-
cipitated its scaldlssg contents into the
middle of the canoe. A gigantic saw
age alone succeeded in climbing on to
the rail. To him Captain Webster
now directed his attention, when
he became conscious that he
vas himself covered by the
weapon of O native in8 the fur
canoe. 1t was a critical
moment. The piece OF the native on
The rail was directed at Ben. the barrel
Of whose pistohseemed in some way to
be jammed. Nsregarding his own
Webster drew 8 bead at the
man on the rail, asd-missed him. 1t
had the effect. however. of disconcert-
the fellows aim. Sr his bullet, in
is turn, whistled harmlesIy by Ben's
lead. Clubbing his now empsv Win
Captain Webster was about to
'ush upon the native, when a deafeta 4
ng report was heard behind hill.
back. he was in time to see
he native boy, falling backward down
he compaion way, sent there by the
,ecoil of his musket. The native
N the rail staggered and fell
onward. a gaping wound in his
,reast telling plainly that the harm
ess charge of powder with which the
10Y had been intrusted had been sup
by something of a more
Ieadly nature. This repulse afforded
9th Ben and the captain a chance to
sload. As he rose from the deck,
Ioweyer, to pour in eanother vSJey,
Webster felt a puff of air on his chesk,
nd, glancing aloft, perceived by the
tellying canvas that the schooner was
gain gathering Storage way. Turn
ag seward, he swept the hori-
with an anxious glance, where a
rail- of white water seemed to be rush.
ng Iandward. In a few moments a
,hite squall, SO common in those lati-
ades, would be upon them. uThe ma
ives saw it, also, and disheartened BIZ
he resistance they had met WITH
arned to fee. Webster's heart beat
Ugh with a feeling of uncomfortable
as, bending to the influence
[ the freshening wind, the schooner
ore through the water.
s.She's got steerage-way on ner,
he shouted. Lower away the
eak a bit, and let the topsail down on
ne can. Wen give those fellows
,mething they won't forget"
Rushing aft, he threw the wheel
ard over aud brought the schooner's
cad to the wind. Right in her track,
,nfused and helpless, were huddied
e frightened occupants OF n 7
moe, .half-buried ine the foam
! the waves, now dashed in-