The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-10-31
In the LDasp's Nest
BY CYRUS TOWNSEND BRADY.
Copyright 1902, by Charles scribners sons)
BY CYRUS TOWNSEND BRADY.
CHAPTER XVI.
The Wasp Takes the Frolic.

J.. - :. r.
. The Wasp Takes the Frolic
OR perhaps five minutes the furious exehange Of
the English fired two shots to their their fire
by Captain being very deliberate, great
being taken on the part officers
the guns were carefully aimed and that every
shot hit, with what effect, of course could yet be
ascertaned. Meanwhile the veterans on the Wasp re-
that they had experienced rapid
fierce fire. The air filed with hurting screaming
shot Ropes cut above heads, parted,
braces shot away ribbons and the masts
wounded The casualties were happily very few and
the hull of the Wasp received very little punishment,
but the damage aloft surprising. 49,. "a.
-. Presentysthere was a tremendous crash overhead
and the main opmast of the Wasp, pierced by shot
just above the cap, weakened thereby to be
unaoie 20 carry te san IN the FURIOUS "n
fell the foretop-sa braces rendering
it impossible for the Americans to swing their head
yards Ordering the sail trimmers aloft to clear away
the wreck, Captain Jones held grimly still pouring
in his fire the brig AS his got the
securely, their fire increased in rapidity until
mad with excitement They SO close to each
other that their pointblank Again and again
ship. Mingled carronades
the of the long was the continuous crackle
of the small arms = ~
Fortunately the wind blew the smoke away, that
each ship was plainly visible to the other the whole time
of the action Indeed long trail of black smoke blew
away leeward after the struggling ships, they
along great seas, splitting destruc
ton at another Three minutes after the loss of
the Wasp's main topmast her spanker gait shot
and the torn sail whipped into ribbons in the
of the mizzen topmast came crashing down into the
top. ~~~--4.-.>'......= .r"''.f
Meanwhile the fire of the enemy seemed to be keep
ing unabated vigor.
sort appeared have been done to her. Every spar
still standing and she looked as fit as when she
first came sweeping CALAMITY into the action Captain
Jones and his officers could not understand it, The fire
the Wasp apparently delivered carefully,
and it mystery to them why her shot had not done
damage SO far as they could judge in the con-
fusion Of the action they believed that of their
shot had struck the the brig
emily unharmed Captain Jones began to feel anxious
ships had been gradually closing with each
other, the action continued and after twenty min
fighting they within sixty of
another At this juncture lucky shot from Boston's
long gun carried away the head braces of the brig IN
swing her headyards after sail forced her
up into the wind At the same time the loss of the
spanker on the Wasp the head sails on the foremost
being held rigid by the of the main topast
the braces threw the head of the Wasp to star
board. -.-.- .... -. T.. .-- - j.. ~
bowsprt Of the brig thrust the deck of
the between the main mizzen masts fouling
the wreck Of the nizzen gallant mast Foreseeing
the opportunity the ships swinging, Jones' after
broadsde of solid shot, which beat the English bows
in had directed his to load with grape and
AS the two shps=cane together entire broad
side the Wasp discharged at contact range into
the helpless enemy She ra1ed from stem to stern
with perfect hail of bullets. It as if mighty
comb Of death had been dragged the ship The
English could make reply. So close the two
vessels hatthe American hammers had struck the
of the British ship as the men loaded the guns before
they poured in their awful discharge. :.
Boston, the forecastle, from his elevated posi-
ton depressed his gun the shot from the long
twelve had ripped thru the deck of the hapless English
ship. At the time Lieutenant Biddle and his
boarders mustered in the waist
enemy They running to the point of attack with
out being called away and without orders-in fact in
despite them. Not yet knowing the condition the
enemy, Captain Jones would fain have poured in
other raking broadside before boarded.
the excited would not be denied. -
Old Jack Lang, bleeding in the face from slight
wound caused by musket bullet, for the bow
spirit of the English ship, grasped drew himself
an scrambled a brave Of
sailor alone the deck of the English ship Lieu
tenant Biddle instantly jumped the hammock cloth
and strOVe to follow him. AS he gained the rail
the bowsprit he pulled violently
that he fell the deck.
Captain Jones' seeing that it impossible to stop
the men, had called away all boarders Ned Boston
with the heetness of deer had leaped from the
and in along .gangway
place where the two ships ground and beat
another in the awful like two animals locked
in a deadly embrace tearing furiousy at