Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1892-05-28

the native craft was within a quarter of
a mile of the brig, which was being
slowly set in shore by a current, but was
III too deep water to anchor. Captain
Jack had made good use of his time.
There being only one prahu, and the
brig being high out of water, the ras-
Gals would doubtless seek to board at the
bows. All the grease aud slush which
could be found aboard was used there 10
make the boarding more difficult, while
the cook got hot water ready and trains
of powder were laid on deck. 1t was
meant to Ere these in case the pirates got
a foothold and drove the crew aft.
Just out of musket shot the pirate craft
rested on her oars, and Captain Jack
counted thirty of the r~ascals, each one
we'll armed and ready for desperate work.
He hailed them and asked what was
wanted; but no reply was made. He
then warned them to keep off or take the
consequences; but his loud talk did not
bluff them. They were simply looking
the brig over to note her strength and
what preparations she had made for re-
sistance. After a delay of ten minutes
the oars of the prahu fell into the water,
her entire crew uttered a cheer, AMI she
had just got under way when a mysteri-
GUS thing happened. No one aboard the
brig had an eye on her just then. as they
were making their final preparations, and
SO what actually occurred was mover
known. What Captain Jack saw az he
looked up was the prahu sinking below
the surface, which was very much aei.
tated. She went down slowly. a,d
seemed to fall apart as she went, fol the
surface was soon covered with wrectgqc.
You will perhaps not agree VITA me
when l say that Captain Jack now did a
good thing for mankind. All the 2iEafus
we're a1oat, supporting themselves Oh the
wreckage and they were making ready
to swim for the brig and attack her,
when the crew were ordered 10 open fire.
If the Malay of to-day is IN object of
suspicion and detestation to every B.fo-
pean sailor, the blood thirsty pirate, Of
those days could expect no mercy. The
log of the Hopewell says that the firing
continued until the last pirate had bean
picked of, aud that sharks gathered in
such numbers as to fill everybody with
a5tonishment. There was much speaala.
ton as to what caused the loss OF the
prahu. As the sea was clea9 of rocks and
reels, it was the opinion of Captain lack
that some great fish, perhaps a whale
struck the craft as it preached. Moth
ing else could have wrecked hey so
quickly or shattered her so completely.
The brig continued to drift in to yaIl
the island with the current, and at
length the anchor was let go in five
fathons of water half q mile fran the
beach, With his glass the Captain
could now make out five or six hilt1 and
a large storehouse on shore, and only a
single native appeared in sight. lie
made signas with a flag, but as night
was coming on further investigation was
postponed till the morrow. Not snow
ing but that another force of pirates
would come III under covef of darkness,
Captain Jack kept the crowd under
arms all night ani was prepared to give
them a hot reception. Tue night passed
quietly, however, and next r~aorning the
lone man renewed his signals so vigor-
ously that a boat was sent off to ~iuyesti-
gate. She had no sooner come within
hailing distance taan the man crin1 out
in good English that he was a captive
aud the only living man on che island.
The boat thea landed and he proved to
be William Trip, An English sailor,
who had been captured three ytars be
fore on a small trading schooner, While
the rest Of the crew had been murdered
after capture, he had been alafei for
some reason unknown, aud hal been on
the island ever since. He wu treated
like a slave, and on ooe OCCASION, |
when he had planned to es.ota, they
had sliced off one of his earg as a eau.
ton not to attempt it again. Every man
of the gang had embarked to attack the
brig, and Trip was overjoyod al their
fate.
1t would have been a feather in Cap
tain Jacks cap had nothing further been
accomplished, but the best Of al was yet
to ONE That storehouse was full of
plumber, and they worked the brig into a
cove, where she wal fairly safe, ard set
about discharging her ballast and load
ing her with a cargo. DUNG Trips
stay with the pirates they hal Eapturei
two trading schooners and a German
ship. Most of their car5oes were in the
storehouse, with a MISCELLANEOUS assert
ment of stuff picked up at other times
-four, sugar, coffee, tea, clothing, hard
ware, dry goods, shoes, cutlery, wines,
and almost everything else ever carried
in a CARO-. Some of the stUlf was badly
damaged by rot and mildeT. bat they
had plenty to PICK from, and III a couple |
OF weeks had loaded the HspeHell with
the richest Car 20 she ever carried. As
they tore out one side of the storehouse
the better to get at the gooGl, what was
left after the brig could takn no more
was converted mo "a bonfire, aud all
traces of the pirates thus wiped out.
The brig then sailed foE Singapore
and reached that port in SAFETY. A claim
was there set up by the Gefpm Consul
and others, but the courts decided against
them. What the value of the ltopewelrs
cargo was the log does not state, but it
must have amounted to a large sum, for
after receiving his share of the sale Cap
tain Jack decided t. give uB the sea AMI
its perils and become a ship chandler.
When the particulars of his adventure
with the pirates reached England soma
OF the hum1ne societieties made a great
ado over his heartIessness in picking off
the Malays as they tioAte1 aooIt, but
every sailor would have votei him a gold
tobacco box for doing that very thing as
thoroughly as be did.-New York Sun.
General Putnams PloY.
The most valuable an1 historical relic