Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-01-30

HSszIsy the China sea with cargo
| for London when we caught the tail
end Of a typhoon. We were lying
to and making fairly good weather OF
1t when n Spanish ship, also ~
| ing to, hove into view. She was light
er and drove faster to leeward. She
was about mile to windward of us
when first sighted, and no great atten-
ton was given her until 1t was seen
that she was drifting squarely down
| upon U.S. AS she came nearer we saw
| that her crew were dancing about on
| her decks like a lot OF half drunken
men and paying no attention whatever
to the storm. Her foretopmast was
overheard. and much of her canvas
had been blown away, and she was be-
| ing held in the winds eye by tar
paulin set in the rigging. A sheer Of
the wheel would have sent the Span
ish ship clear Of us by half CABLE
length, but the fellows drifted down
without paying US the slightest atten-
ton, and she did not miss us by ten
feet. AS she rushed past we could look
right into the eyes Of her crew. They
were about twenty in number. and
they yelled and screamed at us like so
many lunatics. Brief as was the time.
we all noticed one popularity about
them. Their faces were as yellow as
saffron, while their eyes appeared I'M
usually large and brilliant. The ship
was the Isobel of Cadiz.
Beyond cursing the Spanish crew for
gang Of idiots we had little to say.
The idea was that fear Of the storm
had made them take to drink, as is
often the case, and that they were
going to Davy Jones with jag on.
Six hours later the storm broke, and
hours we were pitching about on the
troubled sea without wind enough to
ruffle feather. turned In at 8
o'clock that night and turned out again
at midnight for the morning watch.
After midnight the sea began to go
down very fast, and at o'clock there
was only what you might call tumble
on. 1t was then that we family caught
the sound of voices singing and whoop-
ing to the south of us. 1t was thick
night, and nothing could be made out,
but at o'clock we got light breeze
and had not been waited along above
q knot when we had the Spanish ship
again under our eyes. All her topmasts
were gone now, while portion Of her
bulwarks were smashed in and she
looked bad wreck. The storm sail
was still in tho rigging, the wreckage
alongside, and the crew were dancing,
fighting and screaming.
We headed for the wreck at once,
and when we had come within hailing
distance we asked If help was wanted.
The reply was chorus OF screams and
shrieks, while many Of the men shook
their fists at us in defiance. 1t looked
like case Of mutiny followed by a
general carouse, and our captain was
at loss to know what steps to take.
Before he had made up his mind about
1t the Spaniards lowered boat and
pulled for US. Every one Of the crew
piled into the boat, and we saw them
grab up Delaying pins, capstan bars
and whatever else could be used as
weapons. The boat came dashing at
us with every man yelling and whoop
ing, and they tried boarding at once
We had no better weapons with which
to beat them OF. and we were three
less in number, but when we looked
into their fierce eyes and saw murder
there we struck to kill.
They fought like tigers, and they
seemed insensible to blows, but we
beat them off at last. Four Of their
number went to the bottom of the sea