The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1896-10-06

lIlSnIEuSu
their wits, and they fed in disorder,
throwing away their clothes IL the
flight.
The news naturally elated the party
aboard the fleet. for they though L
presaged a speedy capture u the de-
serters. But their hopes were dashed to
earth on the 18th when the pursuing
expedition came back with no greater
spoil than one small hand sled drag
ging peacefully behind them. They told
thrilling story, however. They SAID
they had come up with the deserters
on the evening of the 18th and battle
had ensued. The fugitives turned their
sled up for a barricade and from be-
hind il had opened ire on their pur-
suers. About 40 or 80 life shots were
exchanged at 500 yards distance, but
no one was hurt on either SIDE Most
of the shots took effect on the barri-
caGe. after the fusilade had s1Esi0ed
an officer was sent forward with q flag
OF truce for a parley.
Are there any capita Is in your par
ty?" asked the ringl9ader or the &c
SerteTs.
No replied the man with the fag
of truce
Then you can all go 10 neil" was
the reply.
The pursuers didn't Immediately fol-
low the advice, but they held a consul
tatiOn. Things had assumed a serious
aspect, and if bullets We're the missives
TO be used, and 10 be used in this plen-
teous form, none of the officers was
willing TO assume the responsibilities
of command So they decided to
abandon the expedition and go back to
Herschell Island. which they did.
no of NV lie
time grown to be formidable force
They had started with only such equip
ment as they could haul on a single
sled. and their armament was one rifle
but the men rapidly equipped them
selves, however, by plundering the
natives and ships storehouses.
At the end of their first eight miles
they came to a native village and
sacked it. At the point of the rifle, the
inha bitants were forced to retire and
the deserters beat the squaws off bru-
tally. The natives fed to the ships and
the marauders helped themselves to
the stores. Soon after they captured a
sledge in charge of two natives and
secured thereby a dozen rifles and con-
sidera BILE ammunition.
The two natives were allowed to es-
cape, frightened out of their senses.
AS they ran they encountered the pur-
suing party, and thinking it was more
of the deSperadoes ran around their
flank. Two captains and one other
officer saw them, and thinking it was
two of the fugitives, they started after
them. Then followed a race to the
ship, both parties misunderstanding
the purpose of the other, and neither
knowing what it was doing. The ma
tives cast off shirts and coats as they
fed, and the captains also peeled off
for the race. AS some one said, ''The
air was full of Indian yells, shirts and
coats" The race terminated at the
ships, with the Indians ahead, both
contestants completely tuckered out,
and both madden than hornets when
the state of affairs was explained.
SHOTS EXCHANGED.
On March %, two captains started
for the camp of the Igillick Indians to
see if the deserters could not be arrest
ed as they passed through the realm of
that tribe. On the 26th they met two
of the ships officers with party of
native allies, returning with six of the
deserters, enc of them badly wounded.
Five of the party had escaped and one
was killed in a battle.
It appears that after the engagement
referred to above, the marauders start
ed up the river, .robbing the ship store
houses and native huts until they
reached Hoffman's camp. Hoffman
was an officer of the Wanderer, and his
camp consisted of a log house, which
he used in his hunting and trading ex-
petitions. At the time the deserters
reached there, Hoffman and most of
his expedition were away hauling in
venison on dog sleds. The camp was
left in charge of a single native.
The native was easily overcome and
then the deserters proceeded to destroy
things, tout OF pure cussedness," as
one writer puts it. They cut up the
blankets and clothing, smashed the
boats into splinters, scattered the -four,
powder and shot out on the ground,
and left the place absolutely destitute
of supplies, except for the two or three
days provisions which Hoffman had
with him.
| The native escaped and managed to
reach Hoffman and give the alarm.
| Hoffman was a man of determination:
! He gathered his forces-about ten men,
! Indians and all-and started on the
! chase for the robbers. On the second
day they overlook them, and Hoffman
ordered them to surrender or he would
shoot.
Shoot and be damned" came the
reply.
And Hoffman shot He opened fire
in full force, and in few minutes {
lively battle was in progress. One O.
the deserters from the Northern Light
whose name was said to be Kennedy
was killed in the melee and anothe
man, from the Janet, was badly wound
ed. 1t seems that Kennedy was killeC
by one of HoffmaD's Indians in sci
defense. Kennedy had shot at tn
Indian several times in spite Of tn
fact that the Indian was hoppin!
around frantically to dodge the ain
and yelling, mo shoot me; me native
me no white man" Finally the Indian
retaliated and shot Kennedy in the leg
Kennedy fell to his knees, but KEEP
firing at the Indian, who then too