Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1896-10-31

Rushing on deck 1 beheld two big
war junks sailing out from an ambus-
cade formed by projecting point of
land little way up the channel ahead
of u.s.
up anchor. there, joel" I shouted.
taking In our chances at n glance.
CLAP the sails on her, Hawkins. We
must run for II. That Internal pilot Is
at the bottom of thisr
While my orders We're being carried
out the ti-mungs bore rapidly down
upon us. Seeing that we were liable
TO escape, they fired several shots at
us. one or which came crashing through
our topsails.
We replied to this with broadside,
which swept the deck of the foremost
junk, and must have killed a dozen OF
her crew.
How long our men seemed lifting
that anchor. On came the two war
1unks, their prows showing huge. hide
Gus earven faces, with great goggling
eyes, gongs beating snd crews yelling,
as though they expected to terrify us
Dy their horrible din. At the mast
heads of both We're stationed men with
"stinkpot" grenadcs, ready. when they
came close enough, to cast the suffocat-
ing things down upon our deck.
Beside me stood my plucky little
wire, carrying in er hand light rifle
which | had given her and taught her
how to use
"Se-sher' said l. s'pick those fellows
on the masts, yonder"
Without a moments hesitation she
nred. and sent one Of them hurting TO
the deck below.
Bravo! Well doner l cried. batting
her on the shoulder. Here. Ton, aud
Joe. do you the salpe to every steers
man they send to their wheels"
Having given this order. ran TO the
forecastlc gun and trained II upon the
foremost of our enemies. Waiting pa
ttently until she was within about 100
yards, let drive. The double charge
OF grape and canister rakcd her fore
and aft, and by the cries snd confusion
that ensued, must have created terri
BILE havoc.
Then, leavi1g the gun to the crew to
reload, l rushed aft to the long eight
cen, and as the Marie's sails filled and
sne came around, / biazed away at
war JUNK No. ?, which was making for
our quarter.
Now came the imperlallsts' turn, and
as they brought their ti-mungs broad.
SIDE, In order to rake us, / made all
hands lie nat on deck to avoid the com
ing nre. Presently their two ten-gun
Droadsldes roared almost simultane-
ousiy, but, being poorly aimed, their
snot new mostly over our heads, whist
ling through the ropes and tore huge
rents in our sails
Scarcely had the last shot whlzzed
ana hurtled through our rigging when
my men were on their feet, and with n
loud shout OF defiance. we let drive our
port broadslde. Then, spinning our
vessel around, we poured the contents
of our starboard guns into the other
war junk. The effect must have been
dreadful, for we could see great gaps
cut among the numbers crowding their
decks, while the spllnters flew from the
bulworks In clouds.
The gallant little Marie was now
gathering Roadway. and although the
breeze was light. she promised soon TO
take us out Of close quarters with our
pursuers. Her handsome maneuyer-
ing must be credited to A-choong. who,
throughout the enemy's fire, had stood
eourageously at the wheel.
One great advantage we had over
our assailants was the fact that our
guns We're movable. while theirs were
lashed as fixtures to the bufwarks. BY
picking OF their steersmen, therefore,
we could prevent them from getting
into the position they required TO train |
upon us their full batteries. Conse-
quently, we poured three broadsldes 10 |
their one.
We We're now drawing rapidly away |
~ IN ha
the river. As soon as we had gained !
half a mile. our pu .sners gave IN the |
chase. Little did I suspect the cum
ming course they were about to pur.
sue.