Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1894-08-02


bowsman, boat-hook in hand, was
hurled by the shock among the gran
ite masses on the hillock. The other
seamen had flung themselves out of
the boat upon the elevation, and the
vessel, now bottom up, was whirled
off among the breakers, which tossed
it like a feather far above the rocks
and the rect, into the open sea beyond.
The coxswain would have lost his life
but for Wayne's quick decision.
The long, warp-rope having caught
in a blight about the mans neck. he
was being drawn, choking and strang-
ling, from the base of the hi1Iock
which he had clutched, when the boy
sprang into the shallow water and,
with blow of his dagger, severed the
| line, which otherwise would have
dragged the sailor into the breakers.
The lad must the next instant have
been swept off his feet by the wind
| and the strong current, to be carried
off into the white, roaring vortex be-
yond, had not he contrived to grasp
the pole of the boat-hook, which was
held out to him by the bowsman.
| Thus he drew himself back to the hill
oclS. and now, with the rest of the
crew, one of them carrying the flag
staff and fresh water-keg, which had
| fallen out of the overturned boat
among the crevices of the rocks, he
assembled to the rugged platform above.
Il don't think we will have to stay
here long, boys" he remarked. AL
ready the gale abates, and if the vapor
clears, hope before great while to
see the ship come up and heave to, off
| there beyond the end of the reef"
An hour later the tempest had passed
far off to leeward. A thick mist, how
ever, had spread over the waters.
which were now being ruffied by a
light breeze. Presently the mist
showed signs of clearing, but the coral
wall which rose back of the platform
and was too steep to be climbed, him
dered the sailors from watching the
open ocean on its other side, to see if
the ship was coming.
Suddenly one of the men pointed to-
ward the distant headland where the
mist was lifting. A couple OF proas,
crowded with their fierce, duslzy crews,
had emerged to view round the eleva.
ton and were coming up under their
broad, 1ateen sails, directly before the
breeze.
'The rascals have a swivel in the
Wayne, land some of them carry
spears, in addition to the long, crooked
creeses and pistols in their sashes.
They must have had spies to watch us
and doubtless they knew all about our
situation. Look to your pistols. men
and see if they are in good order
The sailors found that their pistols,
sheathed in leather cases, had not suf
fered from the water. AS they had not
been expected to fight, but had been
sent from the ship merely to re-
connoiter and then return to the yes
sci, they had with them no cartridges
except those in their weapons. AS a
matter of precaution, however, in case
of any sudden surprise, each man had
been ordered to buckle a cutlass to his
belt before he left the sloop.
From behind the ridge of sandstone
which bordered the edges of the rocky
platform, forming a sort of low barri
cade, the seamen watched the Malays
vessel.
Swiftly on they came, skimmine
over the sea with bows cutting the
water like sharks fins. Forty dark
browed rascals stood in them. an6
were now near enough to show the
glitter of their small black eyes. the
white shine of their rows of teeth as
they savagely grinned, the variegate6
colors of their low caps and the blue
and red sashes about the waists 0,
their short loose trousers. In these
sashes were long polished iron-wood
sheaths, holding ivory-handled creeses
besides which some OF the party car
ried pistols, while about twenty of the
dusky gang were armed with spears.
When the vessels were within abou
twenty fathoms of the hillock, thu
crews set up a fierce yell and the1
opened fire upon the sailors with thei
swivel. The shots having to be sen
upward, owing to the situation of tn
rocky platform, which was about fiji
teen feet above the water, they passeC
over the top of the coral wall, so tina
none of the Triton's men were hit, Blu
the sandstone barricade was knocke'
to pieces.
Wayne planted the flagstaff, wit
the stars and stripes streaming out, il
crevice of the rock and said to tn
sailors:
''Boys, we are outnumbered NOR
than three to one, but we will do GU
best against those villains. who exul
because they have handful of man
OI-Wdr S-Ilcn COTncTSu Ion nIc u
, give the word
AS the platform sloped a little back
ward, its occupants, though their bar
ricade was broken, were not We
touched by the shots that still cam
from their foes. For this reason, an
probably, also, because they feare
the Triton might be near enough 70
the firing to be heard aboard of hel
the Malays soon ceased to ply thei
swivel and to discharge their pistols
On they came, leaning forward il
their vessels, prepared to leap upo
the hillocx and rush upon their fey
opponents with their spears an
creeses.
When the head proa was With
twenty yards of the elevation, Wayn
gave the order to his men to fire. TIL
sailors took good aim, and sent
rafting volley at the duslly crew
Every shot would have told but for
roll of the vessel as the gang crouched
Only three were hit, and these wer
but slightly wounded. The rascal
gave a derisive yell The man-o1
war's-men drew their cutlasses an
gripped them firmly. They knew the
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