Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-10-18

"You can count on seaman like
the man handling that ship doing the
right thing. sure"
Eyes, fear so. Still we can but
try!"
Meanwhile old Jabez had been steer
ing the brig with consummate seaman
ship. with every appearance Of en-
deavoring to hold her close to the
wind, he had skillfully allowed her to
fall OF, little by little. until she was
quite perceptibly to leeward Of the
French ship. Grafton judged that now
or never things were opportune for his
daring attempt.
"Send the men to the starboard bat
terry, Mr.. Stanhope," he said quietly,
as he realized that he had approached
the supreme moment, and 1t was about
time to try his coup, or give over the
attempt and give up the ship. Get
the stuns'Is ready for setting and sec
that the gear Is all clear. / want smart
work from the sail-trimmers, now!
Slocum, stand by that helm and mind
the orders! Bid the men train their
guns aft, Stanhope. and fire when !
give the word. Now, then! Up with
the helm! Over with it! Hard-a
weather! Tend the after-braces!
Hands ready! Round in forward,
flatten in the head-sheets! So! Stand
by with the starboard battery! Now!
Fire! Let her have It, men! Sway
away with those stuns'ls! Steady with
the helm! Quick, for Gods sake!
Well done, ALI"
Once more the eight six-pounders
barked out. In a. cloud Of her own
smoke the Boxer rounded on her heel
agrin, bringing the wind aft again.
darted away at right angles to her
former course. Covered with stuns'ls
allow and aloft, she leaped along at a
great pace, gaining distance with every
moment. Were they to succeed in es-
Gaping?
But the captain of the liner had fore
seen the skillful endeavor. A less
able seaman might have attempted to
emulate the Engiishman's motions and
followed on the briggs heels; a less
thoughtful commander would not have
been ready for the only move which
would have stopped the daring ma
neuver. With proper judgment, he
chose to crush the audacious English
man with his mighty battery.
In spite Of the promptness with
which Grafton's order had been carried
out, and the advantage gained there
by, the brig was still within easy
range of all but the lightest guns Of
the French ship. Since the weather
was mild, 1t permitted the lower deck
ports to be opened and her heaviest
guns to be used AS the Boxer pre-
sented her stern to her huge antagon.
ist, the latter was suddenly wreathed
with fire and smoke. The thunderous
roar Of her discharge could have been
heard for miles. Her captain took no
chance, every gun that bore was dis;
charged at the doomed vessel.
A tempest of iron came hurtling
aboard the brig. She was like an egg
shell under a trip-hammer, From a
trim and saucy little vessel she was
reduced in the twinkling of an eye to
wreck. The main-mast was carried
away q few feet above the deck, the
foretop-mast was hanging up and
down the foremast, nearly every
shroud and stay had been parted. The
stern Of the brig had been beaten In.
Her boats were cut to pieces, and the
decks were filled with dead and
wounded, poor Stanhope among the
former-a round shot had taken OF
his head. Old Jabez, unhurt, still
clasped the wheel. The foresail,
though almost cut to ribbons, still held
little wind, and the brig wallowed
slowly ahead through the water.
Good God!" exclaimed Grafton,
who had come OF scatheless, dazed at
the failure of his effort and the deadly
price he had paid SO fruitlessly, "how
horrible!"
It had been gallant attempt. In
deed, the only possibility Of escape had
been that he had tried. 1t had failed
owing to the preparedness and good
judgment of the French captain.
There were not ten sailors in France
who could have done so well as he.
With almost any one else opposing
him, Grafton might have escaped. But
now his brig was wreck beneath him.
There was nothing left for him but to
surrender. Throwing bis weighted
bag of dispatches overheard, he drew
a handkerchief from his pocket and
waved It toward his enemy.
Seeing the hopeless and helpless con-
dition of her quarry, the French ship
of the line swept gracefully up into
the wind by the side Of the broken
brig. Her way was checked, her pom
derous yards swung, and she hove-to
a short distance OF. A magnificent pic
ture she presented, with her frowning
tiers of guns. her lofty pyramids OF
sails, her decks crowded with brilliant
ly uniformed officers.
The French could plainly see that
there was no boat left on the Boxer;
therefore, in a few moments, a heavy
cutter was swung from the davits Of
the liner and lowered into the water.
Presently an officer, attended by a sur
geon and surgeons mate, stepped on
the deck of the brig.
"You speak French, monsieur"
asked the officer Of Grafton, who stood
in the gangway to receive him.
eyes, sir" answered the American.
bowing.
"And you are"
Lieut.. Philip Grafton, commanding
his Britannia majesty's late brig
Boxer. And you are-T
Lieut.. st. Andre du Verger, OF his
most christian majesty's ship-of-the-
line LIE Thesee, commanded by M. le
Comte de Kersaint de Kergueien."
'T am at your service, monsieur.
The fortune of war has made me your