The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-04-17


grson,' the doctor, who was standing
/ beside him, said.
Yes, but / fancy they have no
thought of giving it UP at present; they
are going to make q dash at us. They
can sill work their guns and spare any
amount of men to attack u.s."
The next minute. indeed, a dozen
= boats, crammed with men, shot round
from behind the prahus.
Grape now" the lieutenant ordered,
while, at the same moment, the marines
and seamen, who had hitherto been 81
lent, opened fire from under the bushes,
beneath which they were enabld to OBJ
tain view of what was going on.
Two of the boats were struck by the
discharge of the grape; but the others,
without checking their course, pushed
on.
Quick, lads. give them another round
before it is too late"
The guns were loaded with incredible
quickness, and two more of the boats
were shattered, their swarthy occu-
pants striking out for the shore max
ing for the most part toward the bat
terry, as did the boats Twenty of the
sailors and as many of the marines
were at once called in from the ba2k
TO aid in the defense of the battery
and a desperate conflict was presently
raging here and along the banks, the
MalayS Swarming up, striving to force
their way up through the embrasures,
or to climb the sand bags; but as fast
as they did so they We're cut down or
bayoneted by its defenders. Those try
ing to land at other points were i'm
peded by the bushes, and numbers were
killed; but they pressed on so furiously
that at last Mr.. Ferguson, who had
been moving backward and forward
along the line, thought q best to call
the men in, and in a minute or two the
whole party were collected in the fort,
and ranged along the sides.
With furious yells the Malays came
on, and although swept by volleys of
muSketry, reached the bamboos. which
they strove in vain to pluck I'D or
climb In the meantime the 1S-pounders
had never ceased their fire, the sailors
working them stee Oily, regardless of the
nght that was going on on either flank
Here the little brass guns did good SER
vice; each time they were fired the
recoil sent them tumbling from the top
OF the sand bags, only, however, to he
seized. sponged, and loaded, by the four
sailors in charge of each, and then lift
cd to their places again, crammed with
bullets to the muzzle, in readiness to
check the next charge of the Malays.
Suddenly their yells redoubled and
we're answered by similar shouts from
The forest.
The rajah's troops have come up"
the first lieutenant said to the marine
officer; 'out position is getting serious.
Do you think that we could make our
way back to the boats without great
loss? We have sunk two of their craft,
nave badly damag ed the others. and in
hicted very heavy loss on them
1t would be d very risky operation,
put It might be done, Ferguson.
Listeni"
There was fresh outburst of shouts.
this time on the path by which they
mad come. Evidently a number of the
newly arrived Malays had struck into
1t by some other track from the town.
That settles it the lieutenant said
shortly; I'VE must fight it out here. II
IS lucky we have a fair stock of am
and can keep it up for some |
hours yet. You see the sailors have NOT |
lad TO use their pistols yet, and they
VIII astonisn those fellows if they do |
manage 10 scale the sandbags."
For another half-hour the fighting
continued. Again and again the MaIavs
ell back, but only to return to rhe
lttack with fresh fury, and the de-
enders had been obliged to betake
themselves more than once to their nis-
OILS. Two heavy guns were now re-
moved from their positions to the sides
or the attack by boats had ceased
ntirely, and the destruction of The nra
lus was Of less importance than tbe
efence of the little fort from the at
acks on its hanks. The duration he
an just as the Malays made one Of
heir retreats, and by the time thew
the guns We're placed in their
ew positions. their muZzles DeeDing
ut from among the sandbags. while
he embrasures of the water-face had
oil.
pper line. The effect of the fire at
lose quarters was TO drive the Malavs
wing into the forest. Shortly after
ards the sound OF chopping was
card.
me beggars are trying to cut path
through the jungle to our rear. Dick"
larry Parkhurst said.
obstinate bi utes, But don't think
luch of that Harry: they will get on
ell enough until they arrive within 20
r 80 yards of us, when we can pepper
lem so hotiy that they viii soon get
elk of it,
At this moment there was a report
heavy gun. and a shell chasbed !
trough the forest 80 yards in the rear
the fort. Loud yells OF rage and
iarm rose from the Malays, while a
eaIty cheer broke from the defenders
the fort. Closely following. came the i
,und of another gun, and then a rain
grape, some of which whistled over ,
le fort.
Keep yourselves well down behind I,
le sandbags men," Lieutenant Fergu- !
n shouted; the captain knows that ;
e have shelter, and will sweep the ,
alsys out of the forest round US. That !
lot must have done great execution
nong the Malays on the path between
and the BEATS :
The guns of the ship kept up a heavy :
e. searching the wood for some dis J
nee round with shell, and pouringl !
,lleys of grape into the trees near the I !
ittery. Presently the fire ceased.
Il fancy they have all boited. Dick" J
s comrade said: after the first five !
inutes we have not heard a sound I !
oDder what the prahus are doing?" Z
A minute later the lieutenant said: G
II. Morrison, take a dozen men and /
AXE your way along the path until G
III get to the boats. l hope they have :
capped. If they are within hail go [
board and report to the captain
at we have sunk two of the prahus. I
Id that for the present the Malays q
no have been attacking US have made q
+. say that large numbers of them /
I've gone on board the four prahus. I
Id that am about to open fire upon !
EN- again.
As soon as the mate had left, parties S
men were set TO work to Shift the a
ms to their old positions. and fire
as again opened on the piratical pra- e
is. who replied as before, with their s
shell flew overhead, and fell in the