Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1893-10-27

prlvateer SlgnalleQ to ire ship cut no
response was obtained. Through his
powerful sea glass he surveyed the
decks, but he could see no Signs Of
human beings
..She must be a SLAYER" the cap
tain remarked.
"And the crew have gone ashore to
/ get niggcrs" added the mate.
eyes, that must be it Well, that
flag seals her doom. She's our prize.
| When her men come back we'll re-
ceive them. Prepare the decks for
action"
The Captains order was obeyed, and.
every seaman stood ready for action.
The privateer's Prov was swung
around, and in q few minutes she
glided alongside of the black slayer.
Grappling-irons were thrown out i'm.
mediately, and the two vessels were
locked together.
The crew OF the Stranger clambercd
upon her decks and surveyed the
field of action. No one came for
ward to meet them, and it seemed as
IL the ship was completely deserted.
When the crew were nearly all on
board, u cOmmotion suddenly startled
them. The matches were removed,
and q horde of black Africans issued
from the cabins of the ship like an
army Of rats Their numbers seemed
countless, and their wild yelis made
the seamen shuddcr.
The savagcs were armed to the
teeth with spears. clubs, and stone
axes, but they had no firearms.
Brandishing their weapons over their
heads they rushed upon the dcmoral-
lied whites, and threatened to en-
tinguish them completely.
but q few orders from the Yankee
Captain brought the men into a COM
pact mass. They rctreated behind
the forward cabin, where they could
get protection from the flying missiles.
A murderous explosion of carbines
and pistols broke forth and checked
the advancing hordes Of blacks. The
Seamen were accustomed to sudden
changes, and like the trained veterans
that they were they load = and fired
as rapidly as possible. 4 laughter
was terrific, and for every age that
was killed two more seem 20 issue
from the hold in the ship to take his
place. The fighting became general
and continued for some time. The
savages had oycrcstimated their
strength, and the battle soon de-
cimated their numbers so terribly
that the Others lost courage. The
sailors closed in upon them and grad
ually forced them into the sea. The
black heads moved through the
water towards the shore, where they
were met by countless others of their
| tribe.
The battle on the SLAYER, however,
was only preliminary to the days
work. The shore was now crowded
with savages, and. small canoes and
crafts were floating around on every
side. The entrance to the cove was
a narrow one. and this was blocked
up by RATS, which extended from one
point of land to the other, and black
human beings swarmed on them like
ants on a sandhill.
"Ihis is a fearful trap" muttered.
the Yankee captain as he took his
bearings, ssand we'll be lucky to es-
cape"
The sailors felt their hearts sink as
they tried to count the mvriads of
enemies. The woods LITERALLY seemed
TO be open.
1--WE must get on the open sea-"
observed the captain again, twisting
his long molstache %nervouslY. "But
how?:"
He glanced around at the hopeless
situation, and then asked Of the
master of-arms: "How much am
munlition have we left::"
"Ay ay, sir, any quantity. Tons
of it, sir" replied that worthy.
"Then stow away a dozen kegs in
the SLAYER, and be quick about it,"
The powder was quickly transferred
from n vessel to the other. The
graphing irons were cast off the
SLAYER, and a tow line fastened to her
bow. The Stranger then spread her
sails. and started toward the entrance
of the cove.
This was a signal for the savages
to set up a terrific howl. and to cor.
gregatc around the o%bstructing RATS.
4uS CduOSS dHU LOuUS were all
pushed toward the scene of impend-
ms conflict, and everything promised
to contribute towards a magnificent
battle between the trained marines
and the half-naked savages of Africa.
The Stranger hauled the heavy SLAYER
behind, slowly at first, but when it
was caught in the current setting to-
wards the sea it moved along more
easily.
The savages shouted and howled,
and waved their implements over
their heads as If to frighteh back the
two monster boats. The heavy RATS
had been dashed together so that a
solid bridge was formed connecting
one point Of land with the other, and
no sailing craft could crash through
the blockade without severely injur-
ing herself.
Nearer and nearer approached the
two boats, and then when close
enough u shower of arrows and spears
darkened the air, and fell in large