The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1893-12-27
WHOLE NO. 2213.

whizzing oyer our heads. The brig Wild
ened the gap until out of ride range. and
the captain then said to the crew OF Long
Tom:
Il want to save the women II they are
aboard, aud though yondsr rAseals are
desperate lot don't want TO sink them.
Aim to strike her above the water line.
\ few shot may take the 6ght out Of
them
The first shot passed between her fore
and mainmast without touching any
Thug, but the second smashed Der bni-
warks and killed two rsen. A third and
fourth were fred, both of them creating
havoc aboard, and We were looking for
some token of surrender when the
bark ported her helm and came bearing
UP on our quarter We had the weather
gauge. but she had been three or four
points of the wind. The fellows we're
evidently determined to get near enoush
to use their rides, but with their poor
seamanship they stood no show.
We gave the brig more sail. and after
a couple Of tacks were of her quarter
and sending solid shot aboard again.
There was great confusion among the
convieis, and We were hoping for a sig
nal when the wretches brought the
women on deck. We could see them
very plainly without glass, and their
presence put stop to our firing, as the
convicts had expected. While We con-
tinued to gaze across the waters one of
the women Was lifted above the star
board rail and lashed to the shrouds Of
the mizzenmast, and a minute later the
other was similarly secured in the shrouds
ofthe mainmast. 1t was a scheme to
stop our fire, and every man groaned in
spirit as be wondered how our captain
would take It. lie must have reslizsd
that there WAS lat one course open TO
him, and after bit he said to the elp-
tain OF our big gun
Aim at her foremast and try 70 Grip
pie her. She must either surrender or
III sink herr
During the next 30 minutes We fred
six times. The f5renast WAS carried
away about % feet above the deck, her
forward deck plosed by two sho. and
the yasl on her stern daviis smashed to
splinters. A shot which crashed through
her bal xarks between her main aud
mizzsumasts was reported from aloft as
striking Iown seven or eight Of the vii
lains, put with their craft lying wreck
in the trolsh Of the seas they continued
TO shout defiance at Us. We suspended
firing to give them chance = sur:en-
der, bat they had determined - die first.
The crew of q mGn-of-war could have
carried the brig b. boarding, through it
would have been desperate fight, but
we were not strong handed enough 10
attempt soch thing. The unfortunate
women must q down if the eonsicts
did, but death xould be preferable to
our sailing away and leaving them in
the hands Of the monsters. We changed
our shot 70 shell as we loaded Long Tom
again, and the gun was pointed 70 strike
the hull 0ae after another five shell
we're sent into the bark, each one tear
ing great hole and carrying wounds
and death, and We had reloaded for the
sixth time when it was seen that the
craft was settling away.
We had our eyes on her as she was
heaved up broadside 10 US by a wave, her
decks almost awash. There was a wild
cheer from the coRyicts. half a dozen
rifles were discharged. and as the baFk
dropped into the trough the waves TAn
right over her, and che settled away
with The heavinsss Of block of granite.
We ran down to the spot, but there vas
no cns TO rascIs. Living and deal hal
been dram down together.