The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-04-10

resistance to the advance speedily
ceased, and dropping fire took the
place of the sustained roll of musketry
which, five minutes later. broke ut
gain at the edge of the town facing
the wood, and the fire of the guns were
now directed against the edge of the
forest, to which the Malays had evil
IDENTIFY fled. In a few minutes smoke
began to rise ali round the pla e. show
ing that the men with port fires were
at work, and in a quarter of an hour
the bluejackets and marines were seen
issuing from the houses and coming
down to the shore. The place was by
this time sheet of fire, the lightly
built huts, dried in the heat of the
sun, catching like finder, and blazing
up in a fierce fame, that in few
minutes left no vestige behind it.
The ships fire had by this time
ceased. and the sailors. as they looked
out of the portfolios, cheered as the
boats came up. Their appearance was
far less orderly than it had been when
they put off from the ship, every man
having carried off some sort OF loot
sarongs. spears, krises. and other
articles, some obtained from the huts,
others thrown away by the Malays in
their flight. There were, too. some
articles of European manufacture,
which had been carried off from the
palace before the flames had OBJ
tanned entire possession. These were
in themselves strong proofs that the
rajah's prahus had been engaged in
piratical attacks upon European
craft. for they consisted of bales OF
silk, thermometers, watches, double
barrelled guns, mirrors. and other ar
ticles which had evidently formed por-
ton of a ships fittings.
ANY casualties. Mr.. Ferguson? the
captain asked, as the lieutenant stepped
on board.
Half dozen spear wounds, sir. but
only one of a serious nature: our fire
was too hot for them to face.
What do you suppose their loss mas
been?"
AS far as l can judge. sir, some so
or 80 were killed by our fire, and at
least as many must have fallen in the
battery. the place was choked UP with
dead I have brought the eight guns
off. they are only four-pounders."
They may be useful for the boats. l
see the men have brought off "A good
deal of rubbish You had better give
orders that whatever there is, is to be
fairly divided among all hands. Any
articles more valuable than the rest
had better he put up at auction. and
whatever they fetch also divided
among the men. Were the Malays in
force?"
THE place swarmed with them. sir.
but they were evidently demoraliZed by
the fire Of the guns. and their attacks
were really feeble. The only trouble
We had was that some would shut
themselves up in houses. 1t looked at
first as if they really meant to fight.
but directly the shells began to fall be-
hind them, and fire broke out. they lost
heart altogether. and made bolt for
the forest"
well. the work has been thoroughly
done. Mr. Ferguson. and Sehi has had
a lesson that he won't forget. Now We
have to tackle his feet"
Everything is ready. sir. We have
got the sledges made for the two guns.
and a store of long hanboos fer the
carriages and anything else we may
want to take with us"
This will be a more serious bust
ness by a long way" the captain said.
THE men had better take 1G0 rounds
OF ammunition with them. and it would
be as we'll to take a few boxes of spare
cartridges; and the men not occupied
in dragging the cannon and carrying
the carriages must take up as many
rounds of shell as possible. and eight
or ten rounds of grape for each gun.
You have got the sacks ready for form
ing the battery; that win be absolutely
necessary for the protection of the men
firing. Each of the prahus has prob
ably got at least half dozen small
guns. and it would be hardly possible
to work our pieces unless the men were
protected from their concentrated fire.
Tell the chief engineer that steam must
be got up by O'Clock. In the mean
time. let slow FIRE be kept up toward
the edge of the forest. just a shot every
five minutes, which will be enough to
show them that we are still here. and
have not done with them yet. When