Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1889-04-06
ONE AGAINST A HUNDRED,
HEROIC oeFeNsEloF A CHIP At.
rACkEp ~ A eAvAoe, saoHpe.

Fs--N .--.,szk<-<,i
An Adventure In the South Pacific OCEAN
In isSS-Dusky savages. who roushs
Win spsdes-capt Jones whipped =
H~sdrsd Of the risnds.
About 1895 Capt Silas Jones, now
president Of the First National bank Of
this town, called from Woods Holl a.
third officer In the ship Awashonks,
Capt. Collins. on four years cruise In
tho South Pacific ocean. This voyage
was ono OF most intense excitement
and hairbrcadth adventure, and, while
Capt. Jones Is Of quiet and unassuming
character and not fond Of putting his
glory before the world. yet your CORE.
spondent obtained . story full of interest
and one that Is not known to have been
published. although In years past It was
theme Of much discussion.
The vessel had crew Of about thirty
i've men, including captain, first, second
and third officers, and made tho voyage
around Cape Horn without incident. She
cruised about the South seas, and when
eighteen months out had 900 barrels Of
fne oil in her hold.
WHERE ONLY ikAN Is VILE"
Closing In with group Of islands lust
north OF tho equator, Capt. Collins do
cided to make trade with the natives.
The ship was hove to, with most Of her
sails set, In small bay whero tho calm
water reflected tho strip Of white sand,
green palms and tropical plants that
skirted its margin as well as tho purple
hills Of tho interior.
A number Of native dugouts put out to
the ship and made fast to her chains,
and the savages clambered over the yes.
sells rail. At favorable signal q fierco
yell burst from their dusky throats, caus-
ing tho ears Of those who heard it to
tremble and their hearts to quail. In
less tinc than II takes to write Il the
ships decks wero full Of natives, and the
unarmed crew mado for tho rigging, lib
booms and forecastle, in fact anywhere
70 escape the bloodthirsty islanders.
Tho fight that ensued was q desperate
and indiscriminato melee. Tho natives
had been 90 suro Of a surprise that they
had formed no plan Of attack, depending
entirely on their overwhelming numbers.
At the first rush Capt. Collins and tho
second matc were engaged In q hand.to-
hand conflict with some OF tho savages
who had avalled themselves of the ships
cutting In spades, and the poor men wcro
Immediately hacked to pieces. Thomas
Clifford. Of Falmouth. seaman, mado
bolt for the forecastle, and received o
blow from a spade. He carries the scar
across his forehead to this day. and II Is
. most unpleasant reminder Of that
bloody massacre.
Capt. Jones, then youth OF about 20,
found himself surrounded by q number
OF infuriated natives, each struggling for
Q whack at him with tho keen edged
spades. He managed to parry the blows,
jumping into the vessels hold and
crawled among the tiers Of oil casks into
tho cabin. Here he found tho steward
md two seamen on the floor. covered
with wounds, inflicted by tho murderous
Bpades Tho rest Of tho ships company
were either aloft or cooped up In tho
In one corner OF tho cabin
was the magazine containing tho muskets
and ammunition. SEEKING tho muskets,
Capt. Jones gave them to tho wounded
men to load. while he ect about rescuing
the Awashonks.
oNE AGAINST HUNDRED.
The natives were scattered over the
deck stealing what they could get their
hands ON. They plucked up the ring
bolts from the decks and rails and
tugged at them when two tons strain
would not have pulled them out. They
pried ut bolts and straps. picked at nail
heads, wrenched down kettles and stove-
pipes and threw them into tho canoes.
The chief, an Ill visaged rascal. was at
The wheel endeavoring TO beach the ves-
vel, but he was not up In navigation.
First he put tho wheel down, and tho
'ails not filling ho put the wheel up.
Slowly tho Awashonks headed of and
gathered headway toward the beach.
An Indian who lived In Mashpec. some
,en miles from here, cut tho braces and
he sails were taken aback. A shower
,f arrows and heathenish maledictions
we're hurled Mt him as he sought shelter
In tho tops. The vessel lost hendway,
but tho chief continued his experiment
without tho rudder.
The cabin, where Capt. Jones had
aiken refuge. was lighted by two win
lows In the stern and large skylight
overhead. When the enemy peered into
.hese apertures well directed bullet
'ent them away in hot haste. For over
IN hour lis skirmish between desper-
ITO man and hundred murdercrs con-
tprpaA fnot t1,a In<1
,ould load the muskets Capt. Jones
would put their contents where they did
he most good. and tho islanders began
o have wholesome fears Of tho windows
md set about devising somo better
method OF attack.
Looking up through the skyllght dur
ng the quiet that followed Capt. Jones
aw the chief at tho wheel In his frantic
'ndeavors to beach the vessel. Taking
.arefui aim at his &road, naked chest, ho
pulled the trigger. Tho bullet passed
through the deck, and having spent its
orce. rolled along the planking to TO
.hief's very feet.
The savage left the helm, inspected the
,ullet hole, and then laid a piece of board
'ver the splintered plank; he then re-
urned 10 the wheel as unconcerned as
'ould be. Another bullet from the mus
ret pierced his heart and the lifeless form
oiled into the scuppers.
At the death Of their chieftain the isl
Inders fed panic stricken to tho shore,
md the Awashonks was laboriously put
o sea She soon fell in with merchant
nan, Capt. Proctor, and was brought
nto Woods Holl by q portion Of the
crew.
Capt. Jones was offered a masters berth
~ the owners of the whaler he had SO
'ravely defended, and up to 1864 he fol-
owed the sea in that capacity. Three Of
he crew now live in this vicinity. and
NO ~ thar, ho,r oca -, that toII N taIo -.