The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1900-01-30

go 20 r.. ".T Gazette.
&C.. j.. t.e Ear South Seas, less than I
..-.- years ago. Eugiishmen were
..-. IA do. good old OoaTding-piht
....- -.. Dutch. The Frpn"S, and tie
-...-.. as they were hghung them
..-. and here is q ,rue story, tell
4 ..E an unknown whaling sNIpp.r
.,... .rE I.al-a story that Is uuTec1rd-
..r. brief mention IN the SyGrey
...-......f D..oU.r. $50. Very Jew people
... .-.rk % going through the time
..... ..-r- o. his forgotten colonial
r the nrst that was printed ID
-. ts find an account OF sea
EN-. ~ .a the beginning Of the century
g.. .E Wales was only thought of as
...r H.r. The place where they send
o.. ... thieves. YOU know
. ... tEe pages Of the old Sydney
..-..-. .f-m with the records Of heroic
.. r r.. face OF death and danger
Ann. a. Unknown British seamcn, such as
-...... .r Hra.ers or transports; ~ mutt
-.. ... r.-acias. ~ attacks by the Wild
.... u .l. South Seas. OF discoveries
..f .s.. r.t.uuz by sea and land, and or
..-.....s agony. and thirst upon the
..- sea .r. along the shores OF the then
.r..- ..EuaWu mainland. In those Gays
-..-.. was The headquarters Of the South
. BIRTHS. whaling fleet Ohe Americans
...,r.n...rad them ten 10 one), and nearly
...-. uEsIa- then carried a '1etter Of
-s" and often made good use Of
..r a.-horl,y 20 fight its country's enc
.... D.. whalemeu using their boarding
-..,.a..h as much dcxterlty and no less
..y than they did their harpOons
al. .a..s.
Buichman Harrassed Nhalers.
n.. Wednesday in October. 1895. there
arrive. n Sydney Cove Cas Port Jackson
.ss Then called the brig Commerce, or
.-rauv from London. but then returning
.-.u twenty-five months whaling vOy-
.s. "SEs last comes" says the Gazette,
...u King Georges Sound. and has COO
barrels NJ OH. From Capt. Wilkinson We
.u the following particulars Of an
action between the Iris, wlaler. and a
9Th EatIylan. In February last"
With "a few explanatory words, what
follows IS very much as IL was reported in
lire nov. forgotten Sydney newspaper, and
t.r conduct Of the unlucky whaling skip
pr. N.... nowadays would have earned
t.r Him page obituary notice in a daily
r.rpr. was then disposed Of i'm a few pro-
safe sentences.
The Iris. capt William Clarke, was
cruising on the sperm-whaling ground OF
T.mor when she one day spoke the Policy.
uU..ar NJ London. Capt Charles Foster,
and ~. latter told Clarke that he had
received Information Of the INTENDED sail
ir- from Batavia for Banda OF a rich
Eafavian ship.
Just before this Foster. in the Policy,
bal engaged and captured, after a short
AM sharp fight. the Dutch privateer Swift
and remaining her the Sophia, he put an
officer and some hands on board 10 navi-
safe her 20 Sydney. The Swift had for
n,rly been noted French privateer, and
Dr. company with La MOuche and La
Brave had inflicted an immense amount OF
damage upon British merchantmen. After
I'D exciting career sha was sold and fitted
out by a Dutch merchant at Batavia, eX-
YrrssIy TO harry the Sydney whalers in
The M0lucCas.
Clarke was deeply interested when he
heard Of this, and laughingly said 10 Fos-
Ter: 81 must nave a hand, too, in this
ptme Where do you think | I'm likely to
come across this fat Dutchman?"
Foster .dyised him TO wait off the island
Of Omba. as he believed that that would
De- the most likely place where the Iris
would fau i'm with the fat Dutchman."
Then wishing Clarke good luck, he re-
turned to the Policy, and a few minutes
later Clarke squared his yards and stood
away for Omba.
That evening some of his crew. who
fa1 heard OF the strength in men and
metal Of the ship their captain was seek
in came aft and respectfully pointed out
GO Clarke that the Iris only mounted ter
s-IoIuders and that the Batavian Dutch
man Was q ship Of very superior force
carrying several long cignteens and TWEEN
U-lyuIs.
Fighting the Privateer.
"Nousause lads" replied the rockies:
Commander, what has that got to d.
with IS? She hasn't a crew Of English
men"
And so the sailors demonstrated no fur
Their for they knew thar when the Policy
made the Swift haul her coIors down
Capt Foster had but ten sound men Oh
to.rl-aIl the rest We're i'll with fever
and Do. Dutchman was one of the hes
armed and manned privatears IN the east
s. they save a cheer and from tina
time were only anxious for the attack"
Iu due course the Dutch ship was sight
,a. and Clarke at once bore down for her
AMI she nothing 10th, cleared for actor
a.a awaited his coming. But Clarke an,
Lz men soon saw that they would have n
chance in an artillery engagement, for tn
la'.aman's long tWenty-iOUrs made hal
dozen holes in the hull Of TIE Iris jus
above WateT-mark, and as the two ship
drew nearer To each other the euem
Io-r.l i'm yolleys Of muSketry mCessanl
. which swept over her decks. Tn
ships company of the Iris was but sma
-..8lt IhirJy-tive all told-and c1use
-atg unable 10 work her ten small gun
... maintain a musketry fire as vel
'"r.. therefore determined 10 run he
aboard the enemy, and ordering his me
@. cease firing. told them 10 stand by Wit
f..|r .utasses and big, old-fashioned pjs
... ta board. then he put his helm dow
ana ='seF.d straight for his Antagonist
-.ry uan lay ready 10 spring upon IN
t...E- deck. crOuching under the bu
Marks OF their own ship 10 get cover fror
.as ulrrhmaU's heavy muskctry fire.
..rk. alone stood il an exposed pos
tom. erect and calm, upon the wheel graf
ir -r.~uIuE the spukcs his eyes fiXe
...n ... .uemy's ship, and needless Of th
l- which splutered the wOvjW0r
t....- him.
|i- mat, called out to MIN from N
ILL.,. Desk. Captain. captain, you vi
d.. .f- ta.yll pick YOU OF, sir"
>,..r fear for me-" he answered; "yo
t .g ro board when / lay her alonl
s Look oHt. lads"
d. never finished the sentence. 4 70
BE-. .. musketry ratified, and Clarke thrc
s hands and then sank upoI N
'. dead. and blthed Ia blOoC. Six bu
- l.4 pierced his body
JILL. mate -lrsus 60 TIE wheel and n
Gre Go OBJ, braces. The death Of CLARA
'...t fa. night. and ihe Iris. badly mal
Oh ag.-l, stood away, the enemy seuGiE
sl.. after shot into her until she was {,
o.. rar-. And so closed this episode
Tie uLHrl,loa sea story OF AUSTRALIA.
This RuK L.. nna pgi-Ou.