The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1897-01-28
THE SHAPING SAL
BY CONAN DOYLE.

deck guns. Brace back the yards, Mr..
and stand by to go about
when she has way enough. r"
Round the curve Of the estuary was
coming huge vessel. Her great yellow
bowsprit and white winged igurehead /
were jutting out from the cluster of 4
palm trees, while high above them tow 1
cred three immense masts, with the tri- 1
color flag floating superbly from the |
mizzen. Round she came, the deep blue /
water Dreaming under her forefoot, I'M
til her long, curving, black side, her line
of shining copper beneath and of snow
white hammocks above and the thick
clusters of men who peered over her
bulwarks were all in full view.
Her lower yards were slung, her
ports triced up and her long guns run
out all ready for action. Lying behind
one of the promontories of the island
the lookout men of the Gloire upon the
shore had seen the cul de sac into which
theaPritish frigate had headed, so that
CAPTAIN de Milon had observed the
Leda as Captain johnson had the Slap
ping Sal.
But the splendid discipline of the
British service was at its best in such a
crisis. The boats flew back, their crews
clustered aboard, they were swung up
at the davits and the fall ropes made
fast Hammocks were brought up and
slowed bulkhaads sent down, ports and
magazines opened, the fires put out in
the galley, and the drums beat to quar-
tiers. Swarms of men set the headsails
and brought the frigate round, while
the gun crews threw off their jackets
and shirts, frightened their belts and ran
out their IS Founders, peering through
the open portfolios at the stately French
man. The wind was very light. Hardly
a ripple showed itself upon the clear
blue water, but the sails blew gently
out as the breeze came over the wooded
banks The Frenchman had gone about
also and both ships were now heading
slowly for the sea under fore and aft
canvas, the Gloire 1000 yards in adj
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 a silence that the ringing of
the ramrods as the French marines
drove home their charges changed quite
loudly upon the ear.
mot much sea room, Mr.. Wharton, F"
remarked the captain.
81 have fought actions in less sir"
"We must keep our distance and trust
to our gunnery She is very heavily
manned, and if she got alongside we
might find ourselves i'll trouble"
Il see the shakos of soldiers aboard
of her, two companies of light infantry
from Martinique. Now we have herr
Hard a-port and lei. 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 tc
dart across behind the big Frenchman
and to rake her with every gun as he
passed. But once past her the Leda hac
to come back into the wind to keep ou
of shoal water. The maneuver brough
her on the starboard side of the French
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 wer'
swarming aloft to set her topsails ant
royals, and she strove to cross th
Gloire's bows and rake her again. Tn
French captain, however, brought hi
frigate's head round, and the two rod
side by side within easy pistol shot
pouring broadsides into each other il
one of those murderous duels which
could they all be recorded, would mot
tie our charts with blood.
In that heavy tropical air, with S
faint a breeze, the smoke formed a thic
bank round the two vessels from whic
the topmasts only protruded. Neithe
could sec anything of its enemy say
the throbs of fire i'll tho darkness, an
the guns were sponged and trained an
fred into dense wall of vapor. o
the poop and the forecastle the marines
in two little red lines, We're pouring
their volleys, but neither they nor I'll
seamen gunners could see what effet
their fire was having. Nor indeed coul
they tell how far they were sufferir
themselves, for standing at gun OF
could but hazily see that upon the rigl
and left, But above the roar of the cal
non came the sharper sound of the pi
ing shot, the crashing of riven planl
and the occasional heavy thud as sp
or block came hurting onto the dec
The lieutenant paced up and down b
hind the line of guns, whilo CAPITA
johnson famed the smoke away wi
his cooked hat and peered eagerly out
''This is r..re, Bobby, said he as Z
lieutenant Joined him, then sudden
restraining himself, What have Y
lost, Mr.. Wharton?
"Our main topsail yard and our ga
sir.
where's the fiag?"
"Gone overheard, sir. "
"They'll think we've struck. Lash
boats ensign on the starboard arm
the mizzen cross backyard. p"
eyes, sir.
A round shot dashed the pinnacle
pieces between them. A second knock
two marines into n bloody, palpitatil
mass. For moment the smoke ros
and the English captain saw that
adversary's heavier metal was prodr
ing a horrible effect. Tho Leda was
shattered wreck Her deck was strey
with corpses. Several of her porthol
were knocked into one, and one of b
10 FOUNDER guns had been thrown rig
back onto her breech and point
straight up to the sky. The thin line
marines still loaded and fired, but hi
the guns We're silent, and their Gre
were piled thickly around them.
"Stand by to repel boardersp' yell
tho caOtain