The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1890-05-28

4
of these good sea-folk, who were so will
ing to place themselves unarmed in their
power, that they gave the desired per-
mission, the strangers solemnly promising
that they would allow themselves to be
searched on landing
The boats crew returned to the ship in
high glee; they hardly hoped for such
success. In anticipation of the plot they
had planned the ships crew had brought
with them stout coffin of sufficient size
to hold a large man. After dark the
coffin was brought on deck. The lid
was firmly fixed in its place, and yet so
contrived that it could be quickly de-
tached.
The next morning, the weather still
continuing fine, the coffin was carefully
lowered into the boat and flag was rev.
erently thrown over it. The pirates were
all at the landing to await the arrival Of
this unique funeral procession. Each
sailor, as he stepped on shore, was care
fully searched. Relieved to find every
man of the landing party totally unarmed
the canny islanders laid aside all sus-
picion and devoutly assisted to lift the
heavy coffin out of the boat. The coffin
was large and heavy, evidently the dead
man must have been of portly proper
tions. The seamen seemed tenderly at
tached to their dead comrade. They in
sisted on lifting the coffin themselves. 1t
was a most anxious. moment for all con-
cerned.
But the invaders still had far more
laborious and dangerous task before them
| The summit of the island where the peo-
pie lived, and where the church stood,
was over one hundred feet above the
landing and could be reached only by
narrow, steep steps cut in the rock, up
which it was simply impossible to carry
the coffin. There was only one way of
getting it to the top; this was to hoist it
with stout ropes by main force. Surely
never was a dead sailor buried under
greater difficulties9 Not only did the sail
ors have to do this very hard, severe duty,
harder far than hosting wet topsai,
but it was also necessary that not one of
tbs pirates should lend hand in haul
ing up the coffin; at the same time the
task had to be done without arousing
their suspicious. Death was in the air;
blood must flow before the day would
close.
The pirates were not men to show
mercy, and the least suspicion on their
part meant the massacre of every one of
the invaders if attacked before they were
ready. The landing party contrived to
start up the cliff steps first, and while
some, nimble as cats, skipped up
quickly and proceeded to hoist the coffin,
the Others fingered along the steps keep
ing the impatient, but yet unsuspicious
pirates in the rear.
While the above incidents were occur
ring several of the pirates, moved by
their covetous and treacherous natures,
thought it would be good idea to take
the ships boat and steal ON board the
ship, whose crew they supposed to be all
on shore engaged in the funeral cere-
monies. They hoped to be able to
anticipate the reward promised them by
ransacking the cabin. But when they
sprang on deck they were fearfully
taken aback to see a number of lusty
fellows spring up armed from behind the
bulwarks, who flew at them with great
fury, overpowered them, and gagged
and chained them to ringbolts in the
deck.
This done, the sailors sprang into the
boat and rowed to the aid of their COM
panions on shore. As we shall see, they
reached there none too soon. Immedi-
ately on getting the coffin to the top of
the cliff the invaders gathered around it,
and hurried with it to the chapel The
pirates also fastened to arrive their first;
it was nip and tuck which party should
first enter the chapel. But the coffin
bearers, knowing well the chances at
stake, put forth herculean exertions;
keeping together in a close group the
sailors crowded into the chapel with a
haste most unseemly for a funeral, and
closed and fastened the door. As soon as
this was done they opened the mysterious
coffin in a twinkling. Instead of a corpse
it proved to be packed with daggers,
cleavers, halberds, swords and blunder-
buss or two, with which the sailors hur-
riedly armed themselves and were soon
ready for the deadly affray.
The pirates were now furiously knock
ing for admittance. If not exactly sure
of the purpose of the invaders, they were
by this time exceedingly suspicious that
such singular proceedings at funeral
BODIED no good. There was mischief
brewing, and it behooved them to find
out what all this meant without a mo-
ment's delay.
They found out sooner than they ex-
pected, and in a very unpleasant way,
when the Captain of the ship in tone
Of thunder cried: "Open the door! And
now, my brave men, do your best Cut
and slay! Give no quarter! Strike
homem
The door few open and forth rushed
troop of armed men falling into the
midst OF the band of pirates. Taken al
together unawares, the latter, although
the most numerous, fled in every direc-
tion pursued by the ships crew. Some
were cut down on the spot; Others leaped
panic-struck over the edge of the cliffs
and were dashed to pieces on the rocks
below Others threw themselves into
the sea and were drowned. But a good
number gathered in a rocky angle, and
being armed prepared to make desper-
ate resistance which might have been
successful, as they still nearly equaled
the invaders in number. But at that