The Arizona sentinel., 1889-06-22
A FIGHT FOR LIFE.
Three Sailors Repulse a Hundred
 Desperate Savages.
Under Pretext of Friendship the Blood thirsty Demons Get Alongside Help less SchOoner-Aid From an
 Unexpected Quarter.

Captain Thomas Webster was one of the pioneers in the settlement of Vic
 toria, Vancouver Island. At that time the remote region swarmed with saw
 age and hostile tribes in frequent and
 sanguinary conflict with each other. He and his partners were the joint owners of a fine schooner called '|The Golden Gate" which piled between San Francisco and Victoria. A skill full navigator, the command of this vessel naturally devolved upon Web ster, his partner remaining on shore and running their large general store at Victoria.
 It was early in the month of May that the Golden Gate left the port of San Francisco, bound for the new set tiement with a general cargo. She had on board as crew two men, a Chi neso cook and the captain. In addi- tion to this complement, she carried with her as supercargo young na- tive, the son of friendly chief. This boy had made the trip down to San Francisco, and was then returning to his tribe. All went well until within fifty miles of the Straits of Juan-de- Fuca, when, being we'll in with the land, it fell a dead calm. Captain Webster was little nervous about their growing proximity to the shore, the flood-tide setting the schooner slowly but surely in that direction. He was well aware of the presence of a fierce and hostile tribe in that district, accustomed to range the whole length of the coast, penetrating even to the waters of Puget Sound in their swift war-canOes, and Oftentimes creating. by their sudden onslaughts in unexpected quarters, the utmost panic in the peaceful and, at that time, sparsely-peopled settlements. This tribe, known on the coast as the Ap- ponees, had proved themselves. both on land and sea, doughty opponents, and had in years before been one of the most formidable obstacles to the founding of the city of Victoria. To- ward noon the captain, seeing that it still held calm and that the schooner was approaching the shore, distribut- ed revolvers and ammunition to his two men and saw carefully to the con- dition of his own rife. Upon his two men he knew he could thoroughly rely. California Ben" was an excep- tional shot with a pistol; his com panion, Bill Graves, an equally excel ent and reliable marksman. Hon Pee was simply instructed to heat all the boiling water possible, and have it ready to repel board CTS. There now only remained the native boy. Of this young fellows Ioy- alty the captain entertained some doubts. Notwithstanding his. .protesta- tions of friendship, therefore, while, for appearance sake, he intrusted him with an old muzzle-loading gun, he took good care that powder alone went into it. The young fellow, however, who had witnessed the loading of the weapon, unbeknown to the captain slipped into its large single barrel nearly handful of rusty nails.
 The Apponees and his tribe were not altogether on friendly terms, and they would have killed him just as quick as B white man.
 Every thing being now in readiness, the captain took a survey of the situa- tion. The Golden Gate had ridden in on the foodtide to within half mile of the low coast, and that her presence was perceived by the natives was evil dent, as they could be seen running along the shore, evidently in great ex- citement In a few minutes they ob- served two large canoes putting out from the shore and heading for the schooner. Determined not to provoke hostilities, Captain Webster instructed his two companions to keep their weapons well out of sight, at the same time placing his own rife behind the rail of the schooner where it could not be seen. As the canoes approached it could be seen that they were crowded with natives. One canoe took up a position on the star board side of the schooner, about twenty yards away, its companion as- suming a similar position on the port side. There being no steerage-way on the vessel, Captain Webster directed his two men to watch the movements of the canoe on the port side, whilst he gave his undivided attention to the movements of the canoe on the star board, in the center of which stall wart native now stood erect and hailed them in broken English. Whilst the usual barley for gifts of blankets, flour or any thing the captain might have to give away, was progressing, Captain Webster had time to notice that the center of each boat was occupied by suspicious-looking heap, snugly cov- cred by blanket, He also counted