Casco Bay breeze. [volume] (South Harpswell, Me.) 1901-1917, 1903-08-06
THRAsHINd A KING
lcopyriGAt. Isoa. by c. B. Lewis.l

tcopyriGht. 1900. by c. B. Lewis.l
We were trading to the Loyalty Is
lands In the brig Louise Of San Fran
cisco and on this particular trip had
anchored In q bay in the kings own
island and opposite his village. The
king was called Tom John, and he pro-
fessed the greatest friendship for trad
erA We had been there for ten dayn
and nothing whatever had occurred to
make us suspect treachery. The cup.
tain and ] bad been ashore several
times, been treated with the greatest
Difference, and the natives who had
boarded US did not need watching.
We soon received q royal visit.
The king was accompanied by three
Of his escort, and We afterward remem-
bered that they appeared to be more
interested In the windlass, cable and
the spare anchor on the rail than In all
else about the craft A pressing invi-
tation was given us to attend a royal
feast on shore thst evening, a sort q
blowout to prove the friendship Of
the islanders, but a. the captain was
not feeling well he declined to accept
Tom John and his friends appeared to
be very much disappointed and upset
that we WIRE not to 20, but when they
left the brig II Was with the under
standing that the feast should come
OF day or two later.
The night came Down very dark, With
the promise. Of a change Of weather.
Every night we had had two armed men
on watch. while the cannon was loaded
with canister AID the muskcts werr
ready at band IN case Of an alarm.
There were thirty csnoes drawn up on
the beach, and tho adult male popula-
ton Of the town cn,,nted up at least
$50. For arms thug had a few old
muskets, bet dependcsi mostly on blow
guns, lancs.s and hows and arrows
knife. We had Al anchor watch set.
with orders to te extra vigilaut. and
this man had moi been OF duty an hour
when he felt. as he afterward explain.
ed II. that something was wrong with
the anchor or c6ble. He aroused tho
man who had eft the deck. bat was
ridiculed for his fears and ordered Ia
return to his station. Ten minutes
later, having heard suspicious noise,
over the btrws. Re ventured to wake n.
up and relate his fears. I went on deck
with him, AMI after listening for a few
minutes became satisfied that some
thing queer was going on and callsi
the CAPITALS. who at once ordered tlr.
sleepers to be turned out.
The black rascals were trying a trick
worthy Of a Yankee. The tide wouli
begin to low at 2 O'clock. Four OF
their largest canoes had padded quiet
~ out to the anchor. divers had gone
down with the rope. and they were lift
ing ii or the ground to let the brig be
drifted ashore with the tide. We
couldn't sce ten fest into the night, but
we came to this conclusion from the
feel Of things. and we didn't reach that
conclusion a minute too soon. went
down into fhe cable tier and softly
knocked out the sbackle pin. while tho
captain saw that the end Of the cab,a
went overheard without noise, being
lowered By a rope. At the same tire
men were sent aloft to loosen the sails,
and We gne steerase way on the brig
just in time to save her. Some Of tlls
fellows must have been nearer than
we imagined. for as we headed across
the basin they raised an alarm, a score
Of torches were lighted simultaneously
and three canoes full Of men came
dashing at our port bow. The captatu
and sailor slowed the gun around and
poured ity contents into the approach
ing crafts, and the discharge was fol
lowed by such shrieks and yells as ]
never want to hear again. We dared
not risk the attempt to leave the bar.
Dor with the darkness so thick around
us and the breeze shifting about so m
steadily. ond for the next two hours we
were boxing about the basin and e.
pecting an attack any moment.
When daylight came the wind set.
tied into the north and was fair for =
run out. The captain wanted to teach
the heather q lesson first, however
There was q feet Of a dozen canoes
coming out for Oh. and the fellows
we're no sOubt pleased and surprised
that we bad Lot escaped to sea. Every
man was told what to do. and W.T.
put the brig directly for the feet
When withfH musket shot, the cnp
tain opened with canister. and later
on we used our uuskets to good adj
vantage. In passing through the feet
the brig ran down canoe with nine
men In ~. and I believe we kilief q
dozen outright. None waited for n
second dose. but made for the sboyp
a. fast as possible. In one OF the
canoes was tie king himself. and ..ns
OF our crew brought n musket to bear
on him ara put bullet into his
shoulder.
We had won q victory, but the oap-
tain was not yet satisfied. We lad
about thirty solid shot in the maya
Zinc. and standing back and forth
across the basins. as near the town as
we dared approach. they were cent
whizzing from the big gun TO knock