The Florida agriculturist., 1889-05-01

enormous shell and shot from heavv
guns, which had been trained upward At
a high angle, now fell into the sea
short distance from the crab
Crab G would not have feared these
heavy shot had they been fred from an
ordinary elevation; and although -
other vessel in the syndicate's SCI
would have hesitated to run the ter III
gauntlet, this one, by reason of erro
construction, being less able than anv
other crab to resist the fall from great
height of ponderous shot and she'll
thought it prudent not venture into this
rain of iron, and moving rapidly beyond
the line of danger, it attempted to an.
proach the Adamant from another
quarter. If it could get within the circle
of falling shot it would be safe. But this
it could not do. On all sides of the Ad.
amant guns had been trained to dron
shot and shells at distance of half .
mile from the ship.
Around and around the mighty iron
clad steamed Crab G, but wherever she
went her presence was betrayed to the
fine glasses on board the Adamant bv the
bit of her shining back and the ripple
about it, and ever between her and tha
ship came down that hail of iron in
masses of quarter ton, half ton. or
nearly a whole ton. Crab G could not
venture under these, and all day she ac-
companied the Adamant on her voyage
south, dashing to this side and that, and
lookin% for the chance that did not come.
for all lay the cannon of the battle ship
roared at her wherever she might be-
The inmates rab were now very
restive and tjffl;e a.s,, eor they were on
short ration th 'o# IoOd and water.
They would rat
cast loose fro.
the spitefl
content, broa0
did not fear to ru4.
its thick roof plates protected by spring
armor, through the heaviest cannonade.
But signals from the repeller COM
manded them to stay by the Adamant as
long as they could hold out, and they
were obliged to content themselves with
hope that when night fell the other
crab would be able to get in under the
stern of the Adamant, and make the de-
sired exchange.
But to the great discomforture of the
syndicates forces darkness had scarcely
come on before four enormous electric
lights blazed high up on the single lofty
mast of the Adamant, lighting up the
ocean for mile on every side OF the
ship. 1t was of no more use for Crab Y
to try to get in now than in broad day
light; and all night the great guns roared,
and the little crab maneuvered.
The next morning a heavy fog fell
upon the sea, and the battle ship and
Crab G were completely shut out OF sight
of each other. Now the cannon OF the
Adamant were silent, for the only result
of firing would be to indicate to the crab
the location Of the British ship. The
smoke signals of the towing crab could
not be seen through the fog by her con-
sorts, and she seemed to be incapable OF
making signals by sound Therefore the
commander of the Adamant thought 1t
likely that until the fog rose the crab
could not find his ship.
What that other crab intended to 90
could be, of course, on board the Ada
mant, only a surmise, but it was believed
that she would bring win her torpedo
to be exploded under the British ship
That one crab should tow her away from
possible aid until another should bring
torpedo to fasten to her stern posi-
or n L. L.. Of thA