Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1890-04-04

looking down from the ship were amazed
to sec what large vessels they were.
Higher and higher the crabs arose,
their powerful air pumps working at
their greatest capacity. until their pom
derous pincers became visible above the
water. Then into the minds Of the off,
GERS Of the Llangaron flashed the true
object Of this uprising. which to the
crew had seemed an intention on tho
part Of the go devils to Chamber on
board.
II the cylinder were left In its present
position the crab might seize the chains
BY which It was suspended, while II it
were raised II would cease to be . de-
Tense. Notwithstanding this latter con-
tingeQey. the order was quickly given to
raise the1eylinder. but before tho hoist
ing engine had been set IN motion Crab
9 thrust forward her forceps over the
top .of tie cylinder and held It down.
Another thrust, and the iron jaws had
grasped ono Of the two ponderous chains
by which the cylinder was suspended.
Tho other eyd Of the cylinder began to
rise, but 1t this moment Crab r, appar-
emily BY . single effort. lifted herself q
foot higher Gu Of the sea; her pincers
flashed forward. and the other chain was
gTasped So
The two crabs were now placed In the
most extraordinary position. The over
hang Of their roofs prevented an attack
on their hulls by tho Llangaron, but
their unmailed bulls were 30 greatly ex-
posed that a few shot from another ship
could easily have destroyed them. But
a. any ship firing ut them would DO very
likely u hit the Llansaron. their direc-
tors felt safe on this point.
Three Of the foremost ironclads, less
than two miles away, were heading d.
rectly for them. and their rams might be
used with but little danger to the Liam
garon. but. ON the other hand, three
swift crabs were heading directly for
these irOnclads.
1t was impossible for Crabs @ and r
to operate in the usual way. Their mas
sive forceps. lying ilat against the top Of
the cylinder. could not be twisted. The
enormous chains they held could not be
severed by the greatest pressure, and II
both crabs backed at once they would
probably do no more than tow the Liam
garon stern foremost. There was, mora
over, no time to waste in experiments,
for other rams would be coming on, and
there were not crabs enough to attend to
them all.
No time was wasted. 9 signaled to R
and Il back again. and instantly the two
crabs. each still grasping chain Of tl,s
cylinder. began to sink. On board tue
uangaron IN order was shouted to let
out the cylinder chains. but as these
Chains had only been made long enough
to allow the top Of the cylinder to hang
at. or . little below. the surface of the
water. . foot or two Of length was all
that could be gained
The davits from which the cylinder
hung were thick and strong. and the
iron windlasses to which the chains were
attached were large and ponderous. but
these were not strong enough to with
stand the weight of two crabs with steel
armored roofs. enormous engines and
iron hull. In less than o minute one
davit snapped like pipe stem under the
tremendous strain. and Immediately
afterward the windlass to which the
chain was attached was torn from its
bolts and went crashing overheard, tear.
ing away a portion Of the stern rail in
its descent.
Crab Q instantly released the chain il
had held. and in q moment the great
cylinder hung almost perpendicularly
from one chain. But only for q mo
ment. The nippers of Crab r still firmly
held the chain. and the tremendous lev.
erage exerted by the falling Of one end Of
the cylinder wrenched it from the rigidly
held end OF Its chain: and in fash, the
enormous stern guard Of the Llangernn
sunk. end foremost. to the bottom Of the
channel
In ten minutes afterward the Lianga-
ron. Fudderless. and with the blades OF
her propellers shivered and crushed, was