Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1904-08-18

Ills Britannia maiesty's sloop OF
war Southampton, Captain Sir James
Yeo. What ship is that?"
1.-The transport Mellish.'
Every well; you are the one We want
l have a message for you. The Yam.
KEGS are about, and the admiral has
sent us to look up the convoy. Where
is the Acasta?"
Gin the van. Sir James. about two
leagues ahead. The corvet is about a
mile forward there, sir"
VERY good. Heaye to and send a
boat aboard and get your orders. Look
sharp now. | must speak the corvet
and the frigate as WE'LL
AYE, aye, sir" replied the English.
man as his main yard was promptly
swung.
Immediately the Ranger was hove to
as well, and on her weather side,
which was that away from the trans
port, two well manned boats, their
crews heavily armed. one command.
ed by Seymour, who had Talbot with
him. and the other by Philip Wilton,
accompanied by Bentley, had been ST.
lantly lowered into the water ana
were pulling around the Ranger with
mufied oars, making a large detouT
not only TO avoid the boat Of the cap
tain of the Mellish, but also 10 en-
able one of them to approach the I'M
suspecting ship on the lee side. The
night was pitch dark, and the plan
was carried out exactly as anticipat-
ed. The utterly unsuspecting captain
Of the Mellish was seized as he came
or deck and nearly choked TO death
before he could make an outcry. then
sent below with the rest. His boats
crew were tempted on deck also by an
invitation to partake Of unlimited grog
and treated In the same way, and the
two boats of the Ranger reached the
Mellish undiscovered. The watch on
the deck of the transport, diminished
by the absence OF the boats crew.
was overwhelmed by the rush of arm
ed men from both sides Of the ship,
and after q few shots from two or
three men on the quarter deck, some
yelling and screaming, and a brief
scuffie, in which one man Of the Mel
lish was killed, the ship was mastered.
The matches were at once secured be-
fore the watch below scarcely knew
of the occurrence. A company Of sol.
diers, about se~venty-fve in number. of
the Seaforth highlanders, found them
selves prisoners ere they awakened,
the only resistance having come from
the mate and two or three Of their Of
fcers, who had not yet turned in.
slave you got her, Mr.. SEYMOUR"
hailed the Ranger.
Eyes, sir"
"What is she?'
'She's the Mellish right enough, sir"
"Good! Anybody hurt?"
"One of the enemy killed, sir. All of
ours are all right"
whats her crew.
Fifteen men, they say, and seventy
five soldiers. We have the matches
battened down, and I think with the
men we have we can manage her all
right"
Every well, sir. I congratulate you.
I am sending the second cutter off to
you with the mems dunnsge and your
boxes. You have your orders. Pre-
sent my compliments to General Wash
ington, with that ship as a Christmas
present if you bring her in. God grant
you get in safely! Goodby. Better
put out that light. We will take your
place in the feet and see what hap
pens"
"Goodby, sir" cried the young lieu
tenant. "A prosperous cruise to you"
In a moment the boat from the Ran
ger was alongside, the bags and boxes
were speedily shifted, and the cutter,
with the other two boats in tow, drop
ped back to the Ranger, which by a
shift of the helm had drawn much
carer. Then the Mellish filled away
and presently, wearing round on her
heel, went off before the wind and, all
her lights having been extinguished,
faded speedily away in the darkness.
The boats were hoiSted on the Ranpar.