Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-05-23
FELL IN WITH PIRATES.
A Brigantine Looted In the Med
 iterranean by Riffians.
STIRRING TALE OF THE SALT SEA.

The Captain and Crew Made an Heroic At
 tempt to Rspel the Boardsrs. but They
 Were outnumbersd, and the Dscks Ran
 Red With Gore, Just as They Do In Books.
 WASHINGTON, May 23-A stirring tale of the sea that reads like romance of Stevenson or Pyle comes to the state de- partment in a dispatch from Richard l.. Sprague, acting United States consul at Gibraltar. The story Is all the more sur prisinG because the events recorded occurr- ed in the well travelled waters of the Med iterranean.
 According to the account furnished to the department by Mir. SpraSus, the steam tug Hercules, on the afternoon of April 80. lowed into Gibraltar bay the Dutch briRantine Anna which had bsen flying signals of distress of Europa point. The experiences of the Anna, according to the story told by one of her crew. recall tho worst days of piracy.
 On March l9 she set sail from Bari, Q port in the Adriatic, with 0 cargo of oil, and on Sunday. April 26, became hsCalm- ed about seven miles from shore near Al. | huonmas bay. in tho Riff country, be- tween Melilla and Centa. She was manned | by captain, a mate, three seamen and O cook.
 The Pirates Open Fire. About 2 or o'clock that afternoon a boat approached from shore manned by seven or eight Moors They were savage | looking fellows, stripped naked to the waist, with heads entirely shaved clean of hair except a long tuft on top. Breech loading rifles and long knives were their l arms. When within hailing distance the Moors called in Spanish to the brigantine | to lower sail, and on being refused con- menCed firing on tho vessel.
 AS the boat camo alongside tho crew | armed themselves with hatchets and crow bars, and one of the Riffians who at- tempted to board was struck down by the mate with blow from a crowEar A vol Icy was returned, and the mate fell. Seiz. | ing his revolver, the only firearm on board. | Captain Nelvis began to use it on the pi- rates. but had fired only one shot when he was wounded in the hand. Meanwhile the wounded mate had proceeded aft, where he was fired on and fell Four bull lets had entered his body. Then tho cap tain was permanently disabled by shot wound in the stomach.
 About this time several other bouts put out from shore. and resistance was out o the question. Landing on board. the pi rates began thoir work of plunder. Tn, ships boat was lowered, and bedding ! cooking utensils, Compasses, side lights spare sails, portion of the cargo, all th, provisions except salt meat and many other things even the cabin door, wcr | loaded into this and the boats of the pi rates and taken to land. Several trip were made, the boats coming and goinl the whole afternoon. To complete tn
 work the pirates took even tho shoes iron the feet of the crew and tho clothes iron their backs.
 |
 When night camo, the buccaneers lief
 the ship, and n light breeze springing Ii
 the sailors endeavurod to steer for tn
 Spanish coast although without compas
 or lights. They sailed all that night an the noxt day. using an old cotton shirt i
 daylight and burning Oakum after dar
 as signals of distress. but although seI
 eral vessels passed within sight no attor
 tion was raid to the distressed brig0utint At u'Clock tho next morning Captai
 Nolvis died. and after many hardship
 the Anna was sighted d oUt r. m. O Apri! {" iy the HcrIuius and brougt D into lhr hlrhur. Tho mate W. SmitI l who lad ivcn badly wounded in bot thighs. in tie abdomen and tho rigl 8 hand was taken 10 the Colonial hospit' s in q critical condition Ire Anna halle b from old Iekola in iIOllArd, where tt captain and mate resided. Tie consul fC
 tho Netherlands at Gibraltar is invostiGn 5 ing tho outrage.