The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-10-05

reeled about the deck, did all Just -
they pleased, and treated me with ns
manner of respect
ION the fourt day from the setting
In of the gale as we entered the bay o.
Biscay some one aloft deserted a strange
sail to windward. bearing down as If in
pursuit of US Scarcely did the new,
reach the deck when. bad as it was DO
fore, matters now became ten time,
worse-every counsel that drunken
ness. insanity and crime combined
could suggest being offered and de
scanted on.
meanwhile the chase gained rapid
lv upon US, and before noon we discov
cred her to be French letter-of.
marque with four guns and Ion:
brass swivel upon the poopdeck.
'As for US, every sheet of canvas We
could crowd was crammed on, but in
vain; and, as we labored through the
heavy sea, our riotous crew grew every
moment worse, and sitting down sulkily
in groups upon the deck declared that
come what might. they would neither
work the ship nor fight her; that they
had been sent to sea in a rotten craft
merely to effect their destruction, and
that they cared little for the disgrace
of flag they detested.
HALF furious. my first impulse was Il
run among them with my drawn cut
lass and take heavy vengeanc upon
the ringleaders. when suddenly q
round shot went flying over our heads
Down with the ensign; strike Al
oncep cried eight or ten voices togeth'
er, as the ball whizzed through the rig
ging. Anticipating this. I had made
the mate, a stanch-hearted, resolutl
fellow. make fast the signal halyard
aloft, 80 that it was impossible for any
one on deck to lower the bunting.
Bang went another gun, and, be.
fore the smoke cleared away. third,
which, truer in its aim than the rest,
went clean through the lower part OF
our mainsail.
Steady, then, boys, and clear fol
action said the mate. She's a French
smuggling craft that will sheer Cd
when we show fight, SO that we mus,
not fire shot till she comes alongside.
by this time the Frenchman wa
close up, and ranging his long gun to
sweep our decks; his crew were quite
perceptible - about twenty bronzed.
stout looking fellows, stripped to the
waist. and carrying pistols in broad.
fat belts slung over the shoulder.
Come, my lads said I. raising my
vol ce, as drew q pistol from my side
and cooked it, our time is short now;
may as we'll tell you that the first shot
that strikes us amidship blows up the
whole craft and every man on board.
We are nothing less than fireShip,
destined for Brest harbor to blow ur
the French feet If you are willing &c
make an effort for your lives. follow
me-
1.-THE men looked aghast. Short a.
was the time for reflection. they felt
that there were many circumstances to
encourage the assertion.
Animated now with the desire for
battle. they sprang to the pinnacle and
seized their arms
in An instant the deck became q
scene of excited hustle. and scarcely
was the ANN unition dealt out and the
boarding party drawn up when the
Frenchman broached-to and dashed his
bowsprit to oIr own.
Zone terrific yell burst from our fel.
lows as they sprang frum tho rigging
and the poop upon the sstonished
E-aoobr-an ,-bn {bor~b< thai H. -
tory was already their own; with death
and ruin behind, their only hope be
fore. they dashed forward like madmen
to the fray.
THE conflict was bloody and terrific.
though not long one; nearly equal in
number. but far superior in personal
strength, and, stimulated by their sense
of danger, our fellows rushed forward.
carrying all before them to the quar-
ter-deck.
MY story is soon told now. We
brought our prize safe into Malta,
which we reached in FIVE days In less
than a week our men were drafted into
the different men-of-war on the sta,
ton ! was appointed a warrant officer
Ia the Sheerwater. forty-four guns;
and. as the admiral opened the dis.
patch. the only words he spoke puzzled
me for many day after.
You have accomplished your orders
too well, said ne; that privasecr is but
poor compensation for the whole
French navy
MANY years after found out tina:
our dispatches were false ones. In
tended TO have fallen into the hands Of
the French. and mislead them IS 70
Lord Nelson's feet, which a. u az time
was cruising TO the southwark TO catch
them This of course explained whaf
fate was destined for us-s French
prison If not death; and. after all.
either was fully good enough for the
crew tina; sailed in the old Ark"-Trom
the Works of Charles Lever.
kA n