Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1898-08-05
SAVED THE SPANIARD
DESPERATE BATTLE WITH PIRATES
OFF THE ISLE OF PINES.

~ 49, W. "S@0s E
Glow an American Man-of-war, the En-
terprise, Slaughtered the Isl~oodthirsty
Black Flags and Rescued the spanish
Gunboat Toridor.
In the beginning of tho present century
she gulf of Mexico swarmed with pirates,
preying on tho of every nation.
In 1924 IN English brig from Jamaica,
bound home, was taken off Cape St. An
soine, her crew massacred and tho vessel
beached on tho coast of Cuba. Her cargo
was valued at over 100000. Tho British
government started an Investigation, and
1t was found to be tho work of q Spanish
1rishman named Cain, who had afast top
crew of 200 men of all nationalities. It
was also found that in disposing Of the
plumber a Spanish coastguard vessel had
conveyed most Of it to Havana for sale
and that many Spanish officials were in
terested in tho affair, getting a share of
the plumber.
Tho British government went for tho
Spaniards in a vigorous manner, demand
ing indemnity for the past and security
for tho future. The Spaniarts yielded and
agreed to-equip q force to cruise on tho
south coast and search the keys for ma
rauders. A fast sailing brig of war, Ell
Toridor, carrying ten guns, was put in
commission under Captain Hermann. At
this time the United States had u fleet of
small vessels doing police duty i'll tho gulf,
one Of which, the Enterprise, commanded
nv T ,iO,,tn,,o,>t W'H;to 1ol oo,>%,,ool ,,,,.~.1
pirate craft and cut up their crews. It
was on the same station as the Toridor,
and Lieutenant White arranged with Cap
tain Hermann to cooperate with him and
If III want of assistance at night to show a
light at tho mainmast head as a signal.
! Information had come to tho Spanish
captain hat a consort of tho Esmeralda, q
fast sailing schooner called the Bonita,
commanded by q negro named Pinto,
would try and get into the Largo key ut
night. She had been on u cruise away
south and was reported full of plumber.
Tho negro captain was a bloodthirsty ruff
ttan, about so, and was badly wanted by
the Spanish authorities, as he had muir
dered u brother of Captain General Galviz
in II of his raids ashore. So the Toridor
lay out about three miles away from tho
pass between tho isle of Pines md Cnyo
Largo. On tho night of Aug. 10, 1892,
the man at the wheel was tho only ono Oh
the alert. Suddenly from tho northwest
camo o bright flash and then tho boom of
q gun, and q shot whistlcd through the
rigging, and then u cry from the helms
man: "Ahoy, there! Here's two boats
alongside!"
In those days muskcts were kept in
racks under tho break Of tho poop over
head, covered with tarpaulin, and tho
boarding pixies were dashed to the main
boom. To these tho startled crew rushed,
and the sides were alive with men coming
aboard yelling, "Kill, KILL" There is no
want of courage among Spaniards, and
the crow fought desperately. The captain
was on deck II at once sent Il man to the
masthead to light the signal lantern, and
with his officers and marines pitched in,
but the shore party had got first blood,
and they fought like tigers, while tho
heavy shots from a big schooner not over
800 yards away came fast. The Toridors
rctreatcd to the quarterback and, cncour-
aged by their officers, made Il desperate
fight, but it was evidently u losing game.
The schooner had her sweeps out and in u
few minutes would board the brig with a
crowd Of fresh assailants.
: 4OIouA1ilc1J cllC 1IlltciEiISc WIS uOo mOrO
than 10 miles away, III tho southwest. The
watch had been changed, and tho new
lookout had just gonc aloft when he called
out: deck ahoy! There goes u gun right
nor'east off tho starboard bow"
In u minute all was in commotion. Ono
of tho officers sprang into the rigging with
a night glass and hailed: "Thcro it goes
again! I hear tho boom!"
I Tho commander was on deck. "Thanls
fortune, hero comes tho wind from the
west. Mako all sail, Mr.. Hamilton. We'll
run down and sec what it is. That's q
heavy gun. The Toridor has only IS
Founders. They would not make a flash
like that. Beat to quarters and cast off
the starboard battery. Ram in a round
shot over grape!"
Tho breeze had freshened, and the En-
terpriso fairly walked. The flash of guns
was now seen from the deck, and the look
out hailed that ho saw a masthead light.
A tropic dawn is something to remcm-
Der. Long before the sun rises there comes
q beautiful rosy light, making tho sci. a
sheet of gold, and thus everything was
made plain to the Enterprise and her crew.
Tho Spanish brig was cnveloped in smoke,
! and tho noise Of tho conflict was plainly
heard. The schooner was sweeping up to
board her deck, alive with men.
Tho American was 200 yards away,
right across her bows, and then came the
order, 'Give her two divisions-rake her
fore and aft"
The effect wa tremendous. A chorus
Of yells and screams from the pirate and
down calne her foremost and maintopmast.
"eivo 1T to 'em again." and her decks
were clear. Backing her mainsail, in a
minute more tho bowsprit of the Enter
prise was forking over tho bow of the
Toridor and the cry was, "Boarders away!"
Tho man-o'-war's men made short work
Of tho pirates in the waist, and, all escap.
ing, got into their boats and pulled for
shore. Printing q carronade with a pistol
cartridge, tho Yankee sailors discharged
1t, cutting n boat in two, and in a mo-
mont the water was alive with sharks
taking care Of the crew.
The schooner was at once boarded by
three boat crews. The decks were desert
ed, but all at once there came q deadly
\ ~>1Y-, "a H. g. -SNNs--