The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-07-24

ali looked to see her head into the wind
and wait 70 be boarded. but the rascal
had not thought of it. she suddenly
shifted her course to the west, and hop
ing to cut her of we shifted Ours north
west Each was now the leg of a tri-
angle. It was plain from the start that
we should be within a cables length of
her at the meeting point. even If we did
not cut her off. She would have shore
on one side and us on the other.
Each craft had all sail set. When
within three miles Of the bark we fired a
gun for her to heave to, but not the
slightest notice was taken Of it. Our
two pieces Of ordnance were then shifted
to the starboard side and loaded with
solid shot II the rascals refused to sur
render they must take the consequences.
Each craft held dead to its course, but
again the bark proved her better sailing
qualities. Instead Of cutting her off as
we hoped for, we were still a quarter Of
a mile away when she passed the point.
The three Portuguese were shouting and
cheering, while the white man vas at
the wheel. Orders were given to fire;
and two solid shots went whizzing at
her, but to pass over her without dam
age. We then fell into her wake and
could not bring a gun to bear, and we
had the further modification to see her
walking away from us. The Portuguese
ran up the American flag and dipped il
three times, and our crew fairly danced
in their indignation. The only thing we
oo-ld I1 ~ - fo11o~v ho~ bn& ire looA
her early that evening and were all at
sea as to where we should set eyes on
her again.
Three days later, having had only
light breezes, we raised Enderbury
island, which is the eastermost island Of
the Phoenix group. The wind had been
fair for the bark to lay this course, and
this group also offered the pirates a good
refuge and a beautiful climate. We az
preached it from the west, ran into
within two miles of the beach, and then
worked slowly along the southern shore.
The charts showed no haven Of refuge
on either the south or west shore, but lo-
Gated a bay on the north. We hoped to
trap them, If they were there, by making
a circuit of the island and coming upon
them from a different direction unex-
pectedly.
Next day we had to work mp the west
shore against a head wind, and night
came again before we had fairly turned
the corner and headed to the east. We
came to anchor again, but such was the
impatience Of Mate Cummings and his
men that they set off in their whaleboat
to explore the coast in advance. Ten
miles to the east they found the bark
anchored in the bay laid down On the
chart. She was within two hundred
feet of the beach, her sails furled and
slowed, and was heard of before she was
seen. The Portuguese were drunk, as
they were singing and shouting SO they
could be heard half a mile away.
The mate should have returned and re-
ported the case, but he did not. He be-
lieved his party strong enough to recap
ture his craft, and he therefore pulled
down to make the attempt. He did not
surprise the. pirates, as he hoped to, and
when he tried to board her was driven
back to his boatin great disorder, nearly
every man being hurt by blows of cap
stan bars. 1t was nearly daylight before
the boat returned to the brig, and as il
was a perfect calm we decided to wait
until daylight before making any further
move. As day dawned there was every
prospect of a continuance Of the calm,
and two boats, each containing eight
armed men, were dispatched to get pos
session Of the bark. Our first mate had
L. 1900. C-~-wno. ~ tho
other, and I was in the first boat. Our
instructions were to board at any sacri-
fee, but to spare the pirates for the gal
lows if possible.
After a row of two hours we came to
the entrance Of the bay, and there was
the bark before us. She had a snug an
chorage and everything aloft was as tidy
as you please. She wasn't over half a
mile away, as it was not a deep bay, and
we were no sooner in sight than we
heard a cheer from her decks, followed
by the boom Of a cannon and the sound
of a round shot over our heads. In
rummaging the vessel the men had dis
covered an old 6-pound cannon which
had lain in the hold for many years.
This they had hoisted out, loaded with
q shot intended for the feet Of a dead
man, and fred from a carriage SO poor
ly constructed that the gun dismounted
itself. The bark lay astern toward US.
as the tide was running out, and we
pulled to board her on either bow.
Captain and mate had both left re-
volvers aboard, and these were now used
by two of the pirates. While we were
sweeping up they killed two men and
wounded a third, and a fourth man was
wounded as we boarded The Portu-
guese ran to the cabin for shelter, and
we found the white sailor dead at the
foot of the mainmast, they having
dubbed him to death the night before.
While we were planning to attack them
In the cabin, they dropped from the win
dows to swim ashore. The alarm was
raised in time for the boats to overhaul
them, but one resisted so desperately
that he had to be killed.
The other two were brought aboard
and made secure, and about noon the
brig came down. They were transferred
70 her, and that evening, while IN the
cabin t be questioned, n of them at
tackled the captain and was shot by the
second mate, who had them in charge.
The other committed suicide, and thus
the villains We're cot rid of -ithout trial