The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-01-23
In the Uasp's Nest
BY CYRUS TOWNSEND BRADY
Copyright. 1902. by Charles scrfbner's sons)
BY CYRUS TOWNSEND BRADY.
CHAPTER XXXu.
The End of the Wasp.

The End the Wasp
b nA MasL was caught. Luck had deserted the
nothing more to escape
O., LADS he said to his lyon ship an enemy
strike our flag? We have chance with her YOU
know once she gets alongside. Or will you stand by
roared Jack Lang p
"Dont give up the ship sir!" cried second man.
LAY. Ay ay' sir that's the talk" yelled another
we ~ stand by you, sir' shouted Billy Bowne
enaa snow the frigate that she can't tackle
Wen give them Reindeer play" Numbered an
The ship was filled with enthusiastic sbouts Of
confident defiance. =
"Wot' continued old Jack when he could be
Het 1--WE up the sassy little Wasp to anythin that
noats! ia ruther sink alongside. En- mates?"
she sinks. = IS ~ Nei Ill
We'll done" Blakeley in triumph at the
battery! Cast loose and provide! Lively! No firing
until give the word!' '-
-, The English ship did not waste any time in pre-
h.liltr1es AS soon as she fairly abreast blaze
of light from long, heavy guns of her broad
side shivered the blackness twenty four pound
snot came ripping over the quarter Of Wasp in the
darkness to leeward. -
THAT'S the way they shoot, lads!" cried Bakeley
cheerlly mo harms done'
but ne had scarcely spoken the before an
entre broadsde came hurting aboard Most of the
shot were badly aimed in the darkness but some of
them found
49,, Keep fast the battery' yelled Blakeley seeing
mat ne was not yet in good working range of his
smaller carronades. "She is nearing us every minute
Avast until we get we'll within range of her!'
ile i1hsnsh snip came up handily and poured
another broadside, which did much more damage
Cod groaned Blakeley '.This is terrible."
. The silence on the Wasp puzzle the Eng
ishman, however he sheered in closer NV, shifti
his helm and hailed.
We're in good range now, sir" said Mr. Carr
looking out into the darkness between ships
~ This is His Brittanic Majesty's frgate Diomede
forty, Captain Philip LEstrange Do you strike vonr
nag? cried the Britisher in the dark.
49, o1and oy lads!' roared Blakeley in a voice Of
The whole broadside of the Wasp was hurled slap
dash into the British ship at close range. 1T was in
stanty answered by another The nine thitry-two-
FOUNDER carronades in the Wasp's battery did much
damage aboard the English frigate but the return
tempest or IRON that was poured upon the devoted
American from the twenty-six broadside guns of
the frigate did terrible execution The heavy hollis
from the forty-two-pound carronades simply smashed
her into bits. The two ships exchanged broadsides
again and again.
After ten minutes of close fighting Mr.. Baury was
killed. Mr. Rellly was severely srane-shot
slluek niue boson III the arm, breaking it and
ing him down where he stood quarter deck
He had been detailed from the top to be the CAPTAINS
aide that night.
Perhaps to useless slaughter of his crew
he might have struck his flag, atho the English could
not nave seen it come down. He would never have
surrendered on his own account however, for no
Drawer man ever lived than Johnston Blakelev Rut
such was the tremendous the battle for the
ships We're enough for arms to be effecve,
used, that no signals would have been seen and no
voice heard He simply could not strike. only
thing that would suffice to notify the other side that
the Wasp had surrendered if she did, would have been
the virtual stoppage of her fire.
But the men at the guns had thought of ston-
ping They loaded and served the carronades as they
had never been served before. broad
sweeping thru the Wasps ports sometimes a. single
one taking off half guns crew. Some the car
ronades were dismounted but those crews left
alive united upon other guns to keep up the battle
But against such disparity of nothing would
avail; gallantry, resolution were useless