The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1895-03-02

vance She luffed up to cross the Lee
da's bows but the British ship came
round also, and the two rippled slowly
on in such silence that the ringing of
the ramrods as the French marines
drove home their charges changed quite
loudly upon the ear
"Not much sea room, Mr.. Wharton"
remarked the captain.
Il have fought actions in less, sir. "
1--WE must keep our distance and trust
to our gunnery She is very heavily
manned, and if she got alongside we
might find ourselves in trouble.
Il see the shakos of soldiers aboard
Of her, two companies of light infantry
from Martinique. Now we have her!
Hard a-port and let her have it as we
cross her stern!"
The keen eye of the little commander
had seen the surface ripple which told
of passing breeze. He had used it to
/ dart across behind the big Frenchmau
and to rake her with every gun as he
passed. But once past her the Leda had
to come back into the wind to keep out
of shoal water. The maneuver brought
her on the starboard side of the FIR. nCh
man, and the trim little frigate seemed
to heel right over under the crashing
broadside which burst from the gaping
ports A moment later her topmen We're
swarming aloft to set her topsails and
royals, and she strove to cross the
Gloire's bows and rake her again. The
French captain, however, brought his
frigate's head round, and the two rode
side by side within easy pistol shot,
pouring broadsides into each other in
one Of those murderous duels which,
could they all be recorded, would mot
tie our charts with blood.
In that heavy tropical air. with so
faint breeze, the smoke formed a thick
bank round the two vessels from which
the topmasts only protruded. Neither
could see anything Of its enemy save
the throbs of fire i'll the darkness, and
the guns were sponged and trained and
fired into dense wall of vapor. On
the poop and the forecastle the marines,
in two little red lines, were pouring in
their volleys, but neither they nor the
seamen gunners could see what effect
their fire was having. Nor indeed could
they tell how far they were suffering
themselves, for standing at gun one
could but hazily see that upon the right
and left But above the roar of the can
non came the sharper sound Of the pip
ing shot, the crashing of riven planks
and the occasional heavy thud as spar
or block came hurting onto the deck.
The lieutenant paced up and down be-
hind the line Of guns, while Captain
Johnson famed the smoke away with
his cooked hat and peered eagerly out.
This is rare, Bobby, said he as the
lieutenant joined him, then suddenly
restraining himself, "What have we
lost, Mr.. Wharton?"
"Our main topsail yard and our gaff,
sir"
where's the fag?"
"Gone overheard, sir. "
"They'H think we've struck. Lash a
boats ensign on the stgrboard arm OF
, the mizzen cross backyard. "
Eyes, sir. "
Q A round shot dashed tho pinnacle tC
pieces between them. A second knocked
Il two marines into bloody, palpitating
mass. For moment the smoke rose,
Il and the English captain saw that his
: adversary's heavier metal was produc
t ing q horrible effect. The Leda was q
shattered wreck. Her deck was strewr
S with corpses. Several of her portfolios
v were knocked into one, and one Of hel
d IS FOUNDER guns had been thrown right
f back onto her breech and pointed
= straight up to the sky. The thin line o.
! marines still loaded and fired, but hal
q the guns were silent, and their crew,
10 were piled thickly around them.
l. "Stand by to repel boarders!" yelled
10 the captain.
" "Cutlasses, lads, cutlassesW roaret
k Wharton.
IT Hold your volley till they touch, ;
cried the captain of marines.
II The huge loom of the Frenchmal
n was seen bursting through the smoke
d Thick clusters of boarders hung upoI
d her sides and shrouds. A final broadsid'
10 leapt from her ports, and the mainmas
h of the Leda, swapping short off few
It feet above the deck, spun into the ali
10 and crashed down upon the port guns
J. killing ten men and putting the Who'll,
battery out of action. An instant late
e the two ships scraped together, and thu
a starboard bower anchor of the Gloir,
IS caught the mizzen chains of the Ledi
p upon the port side. With yell thu
10 black swarm Of boarders steadied them
d selves for spring.
d But their feet were never to react
N that blood stained deck. From some
: where there came well aimed whit
Is of grape and another and another. The
g English marines and seamen, waiting
IS with cutlass and musket behind the 81
n lent guns, saw with amazement thu
h dark masses thinning and shreddinl
l. away. At the same time the port broad
y side of the Frenchman burst into roar
IT CLEAR away the wreckp' roared tn
v cantain "What the devil are they fir