Evening journal., 1890-02-18

pulled off / retreated to the hiding place
had selected. Three or four men came down
with lantern to examine the hold, and
heard them cursing away in the Moorish
tongue because they found 10 cargo.
II was now evening, and the wind had died
entirely out. I crept out Of the box and
stood under the main hatch. and as the cover
was partly or ! could plainly hear what was
going on, although 1 could not understand
what was said. As | heard nothing from any
Of our crew I concluded that they were either
prisoners ia the cabin or had been transferred
to the dhow. Up to midnight the vessels lay
side by side the Zap Of their sails proving
dead calm, but soon after that a breeze
sprong up and we were soon forging slowly
ahead heard them hailing from one craft
TO another, and | would have given a great
deal TO have been able to understand the
tongue It was my idea that they We're go
ing to run the brig over to the Moorish coast
as a prize, and that the crew would be sent
into the interior as captives and slaves. This
had been the fate Of more than one crew ship
wrecked on that inhospitable shore, and at
that very time France had a man-of-war on
the coast and was demanding the release Of
fifteen sailors known TO be held in captivity.
The wind not only held light during the re
mainder Of the night, but came from the east
and thus headed US eff ] sat on the hard
ballast under the hatch, wondering and plan
ming, but arriving at no conclusion. It was
fair to presume that had not been missed,
as no search was made for me; but this was
little comfort. If the brig was taken into
some bay on the coast she would be thor
oughly searched and would be dragged out
Il would be only two or three days at the
longest before hunger and thirst would drive
me out.
Daylight was not half an hour old before !
heard an alarm on deck, and it might have
been another thirty minutes when the boom
Of cannon proved that we had signal to
heave 70. The brig was brought head to the
wind, amid great clamor Of voices on deck,
and then everything was quiet
now made my way across the ballast to
the sliding door, opened it little to find the
forecastle deserted, and | at once passed
through Not hearing any one Immediately
above me, uscended the ladder and got a
look along the decks just as a French naval
officer came over the rail | sprang up the
ladder and rushed aft with such a speed that
no one saw me until wasat the officers side
Lying Off TO windward was a big French
frigate, and alongside was one Of her boats.
AldialI III MliAAls uuA iliit AAnAsAiiis Ntt1
the dhow, with another of the frigate's boats
just boarding. On our decks were thirteen
Moors-swarthy, ragged, and showing the
villain in every movement, The fellow in
command was Just opening his mouth to make
explanations to the officer when came upon
the scene and shouted:
"Lieutenant, that dhow yonder is a cursed
| pirate and she captured us at dark last
nightln
| "Explainln he replied as he looked me over
with curious eye
| briefly told him who and what we we're
and the actions Of the Moors corroboratec
my story. He called four marines aboard
and sent the boat back with a message. Tn,
frigate had drifted down little near, anC
some Of her guns had been cast loose. Thi
was lucky, as all of a sudden the dhow spreas
her wings to sail away. He saw tile frigate'
boat sent adrift, and afterwards learned tina
the boarding officer was cast neck and heel
over the rail to take care of himself. 1t wa
a desperate resolve with the dhow, and j
might have succeeded at longer range A
it was she had not moved a hundred yard
when booml booml boomi went the gun
and we saw the splinters fly. She at ono
luffed up and 1ap, everything go, and anothe
! boat's crew was soorsslougside.
Everything was soon made plain to I'll
Frenchman. When the dh0w boarded us he
hot headed crew were ripe for killing, an
without the slightest proyocation Shields va
shot through the head. Harper protested, an
shared the same fate, while one Of the Vi
lains slashed our captain across the face an
gave him wound which was months in hea
no. Ihe dead bodies we're searched an
thrown overheard, and the living transferr'
10 the dhow. They were found IN the no
half dead for want of air, and momentarl
expecting to be led out and murdered. y
Algexfne was caught red handed, and eou
trump up no excuse. He and his whole ga
a were transferred to the frigate, prize CT
. nut aboard of the dhow and we sailed aw
+ for Malta. / was taken very III there q
4 had no part in the proceedings The sapta
= mate and one or two others were Condemn
n and executed. and the dhow was made a pl
q to the frigate 1t was currently repoE
n that a large sum Of money was found IN
h her cabin floor, and that every man labo
n the frigate was well rewarded. Therem
IL ing prisoners, numbering over forty Il
d we're after time exchanged for the S
Il wrecked Frenchmen while our brig sa
Id home empty handed and much the wors'
MT for the strange voyage--New York Sun.