The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1889-04-18
SECTION FIFTH.

Around and around the mighty IRON
clad steamed Grab G., but wherever she
went her presence was betrayed to the
fine glasses on board the Adamant by the
bit of her shining back and the ripple
about it, and ever between her and tbs
ship came down that hail of iron n
masses of quarter ton, half ton, Or
nearly a whole ton. Crab G could not
venture under these, and all day she &C
companied the Adamant on her voyage
south, dashing to this side and that, and
looking for the chance that did not come,
for all day the cannon of the battle ship
roared at her wherever she might be.
The inmates of Crab K were now very
restive and uneasy, for they were on
short rations, both Of food and water.
They would have been glad enough to
cast loose from the Adamant, and leave
the spiteful ship to roll to her hearts
content, broadside to the sea. They
did not fear to run their vessel, with
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
syndicate's 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 G
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 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 it
likely that until the fog rose the crab
could not find his ship.
What that other crab intended to do
could be, of course, on board the Ada
mant, only surmise, but it was believed
that she would bring with her torpedo
to be exploded under the British ship.
That one crab should tow her away from
possible aid until another should bring a
torpedo to fasten to her stern post
seemed reasonable explanation of the
action of the syndicate's vessels.
The officers of the Adamant little un-
derstood the resources and intentions of
their opponents. Every vessel of the
syndicate carried magnetic indicator,
which was designed to prevent collisions
with iron vessels. This little instrument
was placed at night and during fogs at
the bow of the vessel, and a delicate arm
of steel, which ordinarily pointed up
ward at considerable angle, fell into a
horizontal position when any large body
of iron approached within a quarter of a
mile; and, SO falling, rang a small bell
Its point then turned toward the mass
| of iron.
Soon after the fog came on one of these
indicators, properly protected from the
| attraction of the metal about it, was put
| into position On Crab G. Before very
long it indicated the proximity of the
Adamant; and, guided by its steel point,
the crab moved quietly to the ironclad,
attached itself to its stern post and
allowed the happy crew of Crab K to
depart coastward.
When the fog rose the glasses of the
Adamant showed the approach Of no
crab, but it was observed in looking over
the stern that the beggarly devil fish
which had the ship in tow appeared to
have made some change in its back.
In the afternoon Of that day q truce
boat was sent from the repeller to the
Adamant 1t was allowed to come
alongside, but when the British captain
found that the syndicate merely renewed
its demand for his surrender he waxed
fiercely angry, and sent the boat back