Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1896-06-19

ing 10, 600 feet below us in the sun
light. 1 turned my eyes at the great
cylinder overhead, shot holes in two of
its alright compartments-and what
fall! But there were other things to
think of.
Admiral, gasped, if we go much
higher, we shall die for want of air.
Mr. Swash, replied the grand old
salt, duty before breath always-re-
member that, sir. I'm afraid the ship
will not carry much higher. Well get
over them, don't you think, Captain
Howitzer?'
"Howitzer gazed anxiously at the
enemy, who were now within 10 miles,
and replied:
"'Close call, sir.
"Then to the men:
"'Stand ready to drop a ton of dyna.
mite on them if we get over them'
"As he spoke there was puff on the
enemy's flagship, and solid shot came
singing half a mile below us. Old Wad
laughed and ordered the bow gun to re-
turn the fire when we We're within five
had then reached as high an altitude as
it was possible for the ships to float, and
then we reduced speed. They approached
to within two miles and stopped and be-
gan to circle about us, evidently intend
ing to subject our balloons to a cross
fire. Higher than we they could not go,
and the discovery Of this fact brought
jeers and cheers from our crew.
For some 10 minutes there was ter
rible suspense. Each vessel circled wa
rily around its chosen opponent, banging
away with its machine guns i'll vain en-
deavor to puncture the enemy's balloon.
But the distance was too great and the
movements of the vessels too quick for
any successful gun work. Suddenly
Howitzer seized my arm and pointed
toward the Lightning. Her crew had
Just thrown overheard her whole cabin,
her two guns and a great quantity Of
dynamite bombs.
"For a moment we were speechless
with establishment We're they going to
| take to flighti Admiral Wad seized a
flag to signal Commander Blower, but he
| lust got as far as -, when he stopped
| Slowly the great vessel was mounting
| in the air A cry of dismay was heard
from the hostile ship with which she
was engaged. In five minutes she was
| 400 feet above them. The British crew
| madly threw overheard all the weight
| they carried-guns, bombs and every
| thing-but they were too late-the
| lightning was above them; then Il
| Il, Z,
| deafening roar followed, with rush OF
wind that hurled the Swallow a mile
out of her course. And when we looked
toward the Lightning she was alone,
but slowly sinking toward the sea, fol
the conclusion had torn off the end OF
her balloon cylinder. We could see hel
crew at the rail cheering wildly.
admiral Wad at once ordered that
we pursue the same tactics, Everything
went by the board-guns and all ammu'
milton but five bombs. We loosened
some rivets in the floor and let the cabin
fall; then we, too, began to rise But
the British admiral was not to be out
witted, for he had been busy at exactly
the same work, and when we found
ourselves 1000 feet higher. he lay 9
mile away at the same altitude.
admiral Wad swore. Our guns were
gone and we could have lain there fol
eternity and not harm each other, unless
we closed For long time he paced the
deck in silence. At length he called the
men together, and in a neat touching
speech asked for one volunteer for a for
lorn hope.
"'Au that can be done, he said, ii
to ram the enemy. One man and myself
can handle the ship, and 1T would b'
useless for you to stop on board simply
to lose your lives
"Every man volunteered; every MAJ
offered to stay in their commander
Mace. He chose me for his companion
since I alone of all the crew was unmar
ried, and he positively refused to accept
a substitute. He would go down with
the old ship, he said.
"The scene that followed was mos
touching. The men wrung the brave ole
mans hand in last parting One by
one they took their parachutes, SWUNG
over the side and went sailing away int
the blue.
"'The last man was gone and old Wa'
turned toward me and embraced me
Between his emotion and the extrem
ratification of the air he could not speak
This show of feeling lasted but a min
utes, for we were brought to our sense
by a great cheer from the enemy 8 crew
They believed the ship deserted an
were bearing down toward us. mstantl