The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1890-06-21
An Old Salt Tells of an Encounter with
Arab Pirates.


Arab Pirates.
One season back in the 40s shipped
aboard of a British ship, the Swallow,
to make a voyage from Bombay up the
Persian Gulf and back, writes an old
seaman in the Boston Commercial Bull
letin. She was an old craft and poor
sailer, and her crew of twelve men was
made up of four or five nationalities. l
remember there were two Kanakas, or
Sandwich Islanders, one Lascar, negro
or two, and the others we're American,
English and Dutch. We had scarcely
left Bombay when the captain was taken
sick with fever. His name was Aldrich,
and his wife, who was woman of thir-
ty, always sailed with him. She now
took command in general way, and
this to the satisfaction of the mates,
though both were thorough sailors. l
heard one of them say that she could
take an observation or work a dead
reckoning, and l saw from orders she
gave that she knew all about ship.
We had good weather and made good
progress until after we were above Mus
cat, in the Bay of Ormuz. Then, one
forenoon we got a squall which did not
last ten minutes, but which brought
down our fore and main to'gallant masts
and carried away sail or two. There
was only light breeze after the squall
had passed, and we were lying to and
hard at work when an Arabian dhow Of
about two hundred tons burden came
steaming down the coast. We were
within four miles of the rocky and
mountainous shore, but she was two
miles inside of us. She was no sooner
made out than the first mate became
anxious, and Mrs. Aldrich was sent for
to come on deck. She took q good1ook
aA<the stranger through tha glass, snd
as she turned away she queried of the
mate: <~--.&s
"Can we depend on the crew to fight?"
Il hope SO, ma'am," he replied.
Have them come aft.'' -A<
All moved aft, and I can remember
through all the long years just how she
looked and every word she said. She had
worried, anxious look, and no wonder,
and there was trembling in her voice
as she said: ,->i-s~~~~ >-S, -
"Men, you know that your captain is
sick. Yonder comes pirate If there ger
was one. II he captures us, those VINO
live through the fight will go into the
interior as slaves and worse. If we are
all agreed we can beat him off. What
do you say?" -.
we'll fight to the last!' shouted one,
and the cry was taken up by all.
Thank Godl'' she fervently ex-
claimed. ''Give them brave fight and
no one can be blamed If We are defeated.
Sooner than fall into their hands will
blow the old ship sky high and all of us
with her." .~e~-->~~t, =
We had no can non, but we had fifteen
muskets, a lot OF cavalry sabers, and the
captain had not lodged about those wa
ters with his eyes shut. He had two or
three years before purchased dozen
hand-greuades or stink-pots, such as
are used by the Chinese. These were
brought up with the rest and found tt
oe fused and in good condition. They
weighed about two pounds apiece, ant
each was inclosed in net, So that i
could be tossed quite a distance. w
loaded our muskets, took our stations
ana were as ready as we could be. Tn,
captains wife alternated between th'
deck and the cabin. He was out O.
ms mead, which was the better for him
anu she mad his revolver ready for use.
Down came the dhow, foot by foot
with never cheer from the crowd o
cut-throats on her decks. There was
menace In their silence, but it had n
ehect upon us. We were determined t
nght and to fight to the last. I got tn
nrst shot and knocked over man il
her forecastle, and then all began t
blaze away. She did not fire in return
but forged upon our quarter, and I Icoul
see fifty Arabs, each one armed with
crease, crowding against the rail to b
ready to board. ~h~ ]'ss~--s
Now, heave," yelled one OF tho sail
ors with the bombs, and both lighted tn
fuses and heaved away. ~seVxnssfs
Before we could tell what damage ha
peen done the dhow was alongside. Sh
'hrew her grapnels, but they did no
catch, and she rubbed our whole lengt
and went ahead. AS we saw her failur
we blazed away again with the musket'
ana every ball found man. She sale
IKE q witch, and before she could b
checked was cable length ahead. Sh
mad just put her helm over when ther
was an explosion, followed by q gres