The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-02-19
other from above, and then shock as tho


shouting and running, and after few min.
utes made certain that the Algerine had
taken possession. Men began to rum
mage the brig, and as one of the matches
was pulled off I retreated to the hiding
place had selected. Three or four men
came down with a lantern to examine the
hold, and 1 heard them curSing away in
the Moorish tongue because they found
no cargo.
1t was now evening and the wind had
died entirely out. l crept out of the
box and stood under the main hatch, and
as the cover was partly off I could plain
ly hear what was going on, although
could not understand what was said. As
heard nothing from any of our crew,
concluded that they were either prison
ers in the cabin or had been transferred
to the dhow. Up to midnight the YES
sells lay side by side, the flap of their sails
proving a dead calm, but soon after that
breeze sprang up and we were forging
slowly ahead. I heard them hailing
from one craft to another, and 1 would
have given great deal to have been able
to understand the tongue. 1t was my
idea that they were going to run the
brig over to the Moorish coast as 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
shipwrecked on that inhospitable shore,
and at that very time France had 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 remainder of the night, but came
from the east and thus headed us off. I
sat Oh the hard ballast under the hatch,
" ordering and planning but arriving at
no conclusion. 1t 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 thorough
ly searched and I would be gged out.
It would be only twooo Two OF Ii thee days at the
longest before hunger and thirst would
drive me out.
DAYLIGHT was not half an hour old be-
fore l 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 to. The brig
was brought head to the wind, amid a
great clamor of voices on deck, and then
everything was quiet. I now made my
way across the ballast to the sliding door,
opened it a little to find the forecastle
deserted, and I at once passed through.
Not hearing any one Immediately above
me, Iascended the ladder and gotta look
along the decks just as a French naval
officer came over the rail. I sprang up
the ladder and rushed aft with such a
speed that no one saw me until was at
the officers side. Lying off to wind
ward was a big French frigate, and
alongside was one of her boats. Hang
ing in the wind, half mile distant, was
the dhow, with another of the frigate's
boats just boarding. On our decks were
thirteen Moors-swarthy, ragged, and
the villain in every movement.
The fellow in command was just opening
his mouth to make explanations to the
officer when I came upon the scene and
shouted:
"Lieutenant, that dhow yonder is a
cursed pirate, ,and she captured us at dark
last night"
explain" he replied as he looked
me over with curious eye.
I briefly told him who and what we
were, and the actions of the Moors cor
roborated my story. He called four
marines aboard and sent the boat back
with message. The frigate had drifted
down little near, and some of her guns
had been cast loose. This was lucky, as
all of sudden the dhow spread her
wings to sail away. We saw the frigates
boat sent adrift, and afterward learned
that the boarding officer was cast neck
and heels over the rail to take care of
himself. 1t was desperate resolve with
the dhow, ,and it might have succeeded at
longer range. As it was she had not
moved a hundred yards when boom!
boom! went the guns and we saw the
aplinters fly. She at once luffed up and
let everything go, and another boats
crew was soon alongside.
Everything was soon made plain to the
Frenchman. When the dhow boarded
us her hot headed crew were ripe for
killing, and without the slightest provo
cation Shields was SHOT through the
head. Harper protested, and shared the
same fate, while one of the villains
slashed our Captain across the face and
gave him wound which was months in
healing. The dead bodies were searched
and thrown overheard, and the living
to the dhow. They were
found in her hold half dead for want of
air, and momcntarily expecting to be led
out and murdered. The Algerine was
caught red handed, and could trump up
no excuse. He and his whole gang were
transferred to the trigate, a prize crew
put aboard of the dhow, and we sailed
away for Malta. I was taken very ill
there, and had no part in the proceed
ings. The Captain, mate, and one or
two others were condemned and exc
cuted, and the dhow was made prize
to the frigatc. 1t was currently reported
that large sum of money was found
under her cabin floor, and that every
man aboard the frigatc was we'll re-
wardcd. The remaining prisoners, num-
bcring over forty men, were after time
exchanged for the shipwrecked French
men, while our brig sailed home empty
1 i Il. AfE IA q