The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1889-06-19
HENRY /. BIOSSAT, Business Manager.

the men In the two conoes. There
were ninety-siX natives in all. The
spokesman, who at first had put his
requests for presents in civil language,
on meeting with a quiet but determined
refusal to be allowed to board the YES.
sci, soon changed his tactics, and be-
came insolent and overbearing. Cap
tain Webster sternly pointed to the
shore, and babe them return whence
they came.
The words had hardly left his lips
when the chief, putting his fingers ir
his mouth, blew shrill and piercing
whistle. Simultaneously the blankets
were stripped from the suspicious
looking heaps in the center of either
canoe, and each man, bending for.
ward. seized a musket. Abandoning
all disguise, the two canoes then
dashed for the schooner. In an in
slant the repeater was at the
captains shoulder, the crank
worked rapidly twice, and two
natives in the starboard boat fell
mortally wounded. AS he again
sighted, the sharp reports of the six
shooters rang out, and responsive yells
assured him that Ben and Bill Graves
were shooting to good effect. Partly
sheltered behind the low rail of the
schooner, Webster quickly sent four
more of the pirates to their last &C
count. This deadly fusilade material
ly checked the advance of the canoes
toward the schooner, and dropping
down behind their low gunwales the
natives reloaded their muskets and
again poured volley into the
schooner. A sharp, singing sensa-
ton in the shoulder told the captain
that he was hit, while an exclamation
behind him OF "Boys, I'm done for
followed by heavy fall on the deck,
told him that one of his brave COM
rades was incapaciGated for further
duty. Dropping on the deck, he
looked hurriedly around. Poor
Graves, stretched at the foot of the
mainmast was gasping out his last
breath. mortally wounded.
Crouched behind the rail, however,
his dying shipmate's weapon in his left
hand, his own six-shooter in his right,
Ben still kept the other canoe at dis
lance. Grasping his Winchester,
Webster now crept rapidly forward on
his 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
to drop upon the deck for a second
time. 1t was at this moment that Ben,
having thrown himself on the deck to
reload, was supposed by the natives on
his side to have been killed. With a
yell of triumph, now feeling certain of
their prey. they urged the canoe for
ward, and in another moment were
alongside the schooner. At this junct-
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 foothold on the deck. Once
there, the sailors would stand no
chance for life.
At this important crisis assistance
from 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
immense copper of boiling water, pre-
,ipitated its scalding contents into the
middle of the canoe. A gigantic saw
age alone succeeded in climbing on to
he rail. TO him Captain Webster
low directed his attention, when
lie became conscious that he
vas himself covered by the
weapon of a native in the fur
her canoe. 1t was critical
moment. The piece of the native on
he rail was directed at Ben, the barrel
If whose pistol seemed in some way to
% jammed. Disregarding his own
safety, Webster drew a bead at the
nan on the rail, and-missed him. 1t
lad the effect, however, of disconcert-
ng the fellows aim, for his bullet, in
is turn, whistled harmlessly by Ben's
lead. Clubbing his now empty Win
chester, Captain Webster was about to
'ush upon the native, when deafen-
ng report was heard behind him.
looking 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
m the rail staggered and fell
Onward, a gaping wound in his
breast telling plainly that the harm
ess charge of powder with which the
10Y had been intrusted had been sup
'lemented by something of more
leadly nature. This repulse afforded
10Th Ben and the captain chance to
eload. AS he rose from the deck,
however, to pour in another volley,
felt a puff of air on his cheek,
md, glancing aloft, perceived by the
'ellying canvas that the schooner was
again gathering Storage wav. Turn