The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-02-08

of the family to which the Jersey
Pells belong had many seafaring MEM
bers, among them John B., Willlam and
| William w, who sailed from the port
of New York in the first years OF the
century TO many foreign countries, in
| GLIDING Spain, India and emma. Their
| soings and comings. with the names OF
| their ships, We're recorded on the mar
| gins OF "Hutchins' Amanack, ana the
| frequency OF the entries Indicate that
| they never remained long in port, while
| their voyages Were prolonged, on one
| occasion extending over period Of A
| months.
The paper of greatest interest relates
| to another Captain William Pell, sup
posed to be the father of one of the fore
going. He achieved distinction by an
act of daring Characteristic Of the
American sailors in all ages. In this
particular case the daring was IN the
interest of the Spanish corporation
known as the Royal Company OF the
Philippines. The narrative, presuma-
bly, written by Captain Pell, shows that
he commanded the company's ship Co
lumbus, which left Bordeaux on May
20, 1877. After a successful cruise, and
when returning with a cargo stated to
be worth more than S25O,o0o, ne was
captured by the British prlvateer Vul-
ture. A prize crew of an officer and
nine men was placed in charge OF the
Columbus, with instructions to take her
to Gibraltar. The Yankee skipper
writes:
Il did not enjoy the position of a
prisoner on my own ship, and 1t was
my constant desire to regain that lib
erty that had been 50 forcibly taken.
But it was manySdays before an avail
able plan was hit upon to outdo the
pirates who were in possession Of our
hl
was lost and we must be taken to Glib
raltar in ignominy, the chance fell to
US most fortunate, one sailor freeing
himself from an imperfect iron, which
in Providence enabled him to aid in
freeing the others. Thus it came about
that we fell upon the guard in body
and placed him hors de combat before
ere he could cry out. My men said they
would not waver for the grand final act,
and right bravely they kept faith. Se-
curing the weapons of the guard and
such other means of attack and de-
Tense as could be found, we overpoWer-
ed the prize officer by surprise in his
cabin, and having thus gained posses
sion of ample arms the men on deck
were forced to surrender after a scrim-
mage that was well fought, with two
lives and some wounds as the penalty.
1t was by the clock in the morning
when my men did this creditable work.
and they did so handsomely that l gave
them just praise such as wisdom i'm
pels, and also served them with full
measure of grog. We forthwith chang
ed course, rejoicing in our great for
tune to recover our noble ship and
wealthy cargo
The modesty of Skipper William
Pelrs narrative of his fight with the
privateering prize crew was in a meas
ure compensated for by the Royal Com
pany of the Philippines. which not only
gave the captain and crew substantial
recognition of their fidelity to duty
but presented to the Yankee captain
a written testimonial. A copy of this
document, in clear penmanship, was
found with the other paners. 1t was
evidently translated by Spaniard who
had not acquired a complete mastery
of the English. but he discharged his
task with sufficient distnctness to con-
vey the purpose of the Royal company
in expressing its appreciation of Cap
tain Pell and its regret as losing his
further service.