The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1897-09-16


in a drum. He made up his mind
that tfere could be no less than a
hundred and fifty of the p1ratical
crew And with this information he
returned to the deck.
William Babson was a brave man,
but his heart sank within him in view
of the prospect before him. Lis pis
tolls were the old-fashioned flint lock
weapons; his cutlasses heavy enaugh,
but little better than 30 many clubs );
the four muskets being the only mod
ern affair at hand. He was brave,
and his men were brave; but what
could they do do against such horde
as was now coming upon them? The
ship now lay with her starqoard side
next to the shore, and it WIS evident
that the Malays would strike in that
direction, They would lay their proa
alongside. cast their grapplings, and
pour in over the rail like SO many ii
gers. And what should keep them
away7 Aye, and when they had once
gained the deck-a hundred and fif
ty of them-with their knotted war
clubs and their cleaning knives, how
long could the crew of the ship stand
against them?
One man alone of the ships crew
appeared to be thinking to a definite
purpose, and that was the cook, a
stout limbed Congo negro, black as
the ace of spades. Only few days
before he had accidentally trodden
upon common carpet tack, which
had stood upon its head upon the
deck, its sharp point upward. His
bowling on that occasion had fright
ened the whole crew. and it had re
quirod stout pair of pincers, with a
strong pair of hands, TO get it out
from the tough hide of the bare foot
"Ho, ho! Mas'r, let 'em come" said
the cook, Joe Pansy by name, exhibit
ing double row of teeth that might
have shamed shark. Il say, let 'em
come! Ha! we's got plenty oh dem
big tacks, sich as stuck in my foot.
Golly! what'll de brack rascals do
when dey Jump onto 'em! Git tar
bucket an fix de deck, an den set up
dem var tacks for emp
The darkey's plan was quickly I'M
derstood, and as quickly resolved up
on. On board were several boxes
a hundred packages in a box of large
headed copper canvas tacks, very
much like the common carpet tacks,
the points sharp as needles, with
broad, fiat heads, full half an inch in
diameter. The men caught the idea.
and sprang to the work with will.
One of the large boxes was broken
ont, and brought on deck and opened
Two men, each with a bucket of tar
and large brush, gave the starboard
side of the deck a carefully Iaid-on
coat of the intensely viscous stuff,
while the rest of the crew-captain
and all-worked smartlv at setting
up the tacks. They were set thickly,
the heads planted firmly in the adhe-
sive tar, with the long, needle like
points standing upright.
The work had been accomplished
before the proa had come within
pistol shot, and the crew were ready
for the result. The question had
arisen: Suppose the pirates should
come up under the port rail?" But
Babson had no fear of that. They
were steering for the side nearest to
them, and would not pull further
without cause.
AS soon as the tacks had been set
up-several thousand of them-the
men were at leisure to take look at
the enemy, and consider what next
should be done.
The proa was one of the largest
Babson had ever seen-larger than he
had at first thought, and capable of
holding more men. When within two
or three cables lengths of the ship,
its savage crew arose and sat up, com
pletely filling the space. AS nearly
as the English man calculated, with
out critical connt, there were hun,
dred and fifty of them at least. each
man armed with knife and a ,lub
: And now dozen more paddles were
added to the proa's motive power
Tom Delaney was strong man, will
,, a stout heart and steady nerve, but as
he raised the telescope to his eye anc
took a nearer view of those blood
thirsty creatures, shudder crept
0 through his frame which he could moi
4 repress. Never before had he seer
anything SO murderous-so horribly
t ugly and frightful. They were al
= Malays; tall, muscular, and deep
d chested, naked, every one, saving onl,
o the breech clout, with h ere and ther'
i, an adornment of feathers upon th'
t head
o The question was asked: "Shal
IL 1 A.,
II in the negative. 1t was settled tha
g the proa was coming under the star
board chains, and Babson made hi
IS men reserve their bullets and thei
" energies until they had the enemy i
r their power. The crew was mustere'
e in the port gangway, each man wit
e a pistol and a cntlass, while hand
e spikes, hatchets, and other weapon
K, of like character stood within cas-
le reach
rs 1t was while Delaney had the glas
'e in hand that one of the men near th
wheel uttered a cry of satisfaction
s and when Capt Babson looked fo
lie the cause he was pointed to distan
he ripple Oh the sea. Aye, a breeze wa
at coming too late to enable them I
avoid the proa; but it might hel
e. them. nevertheless
Id As the proa came up to the quartz
sd and began to round to, with half I'll
ry paddles taken in, Capt Babson haile'
SIS With loud ''Ialloor' he demande
he TO know who they were, and VIII,
he they wanted A terrific yell was Il
d. only answer; and in a moment mo-
be the proa's bow touched the ships sid
,e, under the mlzzen chains, glidiI
ID. quickly alongside: when grapplin!
in were thrown, and secured. after whit
ID with howling and yelling utter
= frightful. the Malays mounted to Il
ne rail. They came up like so maj
in cats, their light bodies and powerf
IT muScles rpakipO fhom Dorfoef cliT