Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1893-06-03
She bad D OF seen us on account OF wooded

Q
wind was from the West, and it was Il bit Of
job to ger the BRIG about, smart as we
were. the bark was dbout five miles OFF
as we headed for her She couldn't 10 to
the west, nor were there men enough
aboard to turn her ON her heel and beat her
back To the northeast.
Her only recourse WAS to stand TO the tall
OFF and run dead 10 the west Veal Iook I'd
TO see her head into the wind and wait to
be boarded, but the rascal had not thought
OF it. She suddenly shifted her course to
the west, and hoping 20 cut her of we
shifted ours northwest. Each was now the
leg of triangle. IL was plain from the
start that we should be within a cables
length of Der 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 gun for
her to heaye to, but not the slightest notice
was taken of it. Our two pieces of ord
nance were then shifted over to the star
board side and loaded with solid shot. If
the rascals refuse to surrender, 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 of, as we hoped for, we were
still quarter of mile away when she
! passed the point.
The three Portuguese were shouting and
cheering, while the white man was at the
wheel. Orders were given to fire, and two
solid shots went whizzing at her but to pass
over her without damage. We then fell
into her wake and could not bring gun
to bear, and we had the further mortified
ton to see her walking away from us. The
Portuguese ran mp the American flag and
dipped it three times, and our crew fairly
danced in their indignation. The only thing
we could do was to follow her but we lost
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 saw Enderbury island. which
is the easternmost 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 approached it from
the west, ran in to 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 located bay on the north. We
hoped to trap them if they were there by
making circuit Of the island and coming
| upon them from different direction unex-
/ pectedly.
1 Next day we bad to work up the west
shore against head wind, and night came
on again before we had fairly turned the
corner and headed to the east We came to
anchor again, bat such was the impatience
Of Mate Cummings and his men that they
set of 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 200
feet of the beach, her sails furled and stow
ed, and was heard of before she was seen.
| The Portuguese were drunk, and 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 believed
his party strong enough to recapture his
craft, and he therefore pulled down TO make
the attempt He did not surprise the pi-
rates as he hoped to, and when he attempt
ed to board was driven back to his boat in
great disorder, nearly every man being hurt
by blows of capstan bars. 1t was nearly
daylight before the boat returned TO the
| brig, and as il was perfect calm we de
cided to wait until daylight before making
any further move. As day dawned there
was every prospect OF IA continuance of the
calm, and two boats each containing eight
armed men, were dispatched to get posses
sion of the bark. Our first mate had charge
Of one and Cummings Of the other, and |
was in the first boat Our instructions
were TO board at any sacrifice, but spare the
pirates for the gallOws il possible
After row Of two hours we came to the
entrance OF the bay, and there was the bark
before us. She had a snug anchorage, and
everything aloft was as tidy as you please.
She wasn't over half mile away as it was
not deep bay, and We were no sooner in
| sight than we heard cheer from her decks.
followed by the boom Of n cannon and the
sound of a round shot over our heads In
rummaging the vessel the men had discov-
cred an old 6-pound cannon which had lain
! in the hold for many years. This they had
| hoisted out, loaded with IA shot intended
for the feet of a dead man and fired from a
carriage so poorly constructed that the gun
| dismounted itself The bark lay stern to-
ward us, as the tide was running out, and
we pulled to board her on either bow.
| Captain and mate had both left revolvers
| 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 fourth man was wounded as we
boarded The Portuguese ran to the cabin
| for shelter, and we found the white sailor
dead at the foot OF the mainmast, they hav-
| ing dubbed him to death the night before.
| While we were planning to attack them in
the cabin, they dropped from the windows
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 to her, and
that evening while in the cabin to be ques-
toned. one OF them attacked the captain
and was shot by the second mate, who had
them in charge The other committed sui
eide, and thus the villains were got rid of
without trial or expense. York Re
corder
Herd Of Gnus In London.
fka lot -. n