Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1904-07-29

Immediately the Ranger was hove to
as we'll. and on her weather side. which
was that away from the transport, two
we'll manned boats, their crews heavily
armed, one commanded by Seymour.
who had Talbot with him, and the
other by Philip Wilton. accompanied
by Bentley. had been silently lowered
into the water and were pulling around
the Ranger with muffled oars. making
a large detour not only to avoid the
boat of the captain OF the Mellish, but
also to enable one of them to approach
the unsuspecting ship on the lee side.
The night was pitch dark. and the plan
was carried out exactly as anticipated.
The utterly unsuspecting captain OF
the Mellish was seized as he came ON
deck and nearly chokcd TO death be-
fore 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 armed men
from both sides of the ship, and after
a few shots from two or three men on
the quarter deck. some yelling and
screaming, and a brief scuffle, in which
one man of the Mellish was killed, the
ship was mastered. The matches were
at once secured before the watch be-
low scarcely knew of the occurrence
A company of soldiers, about seventy
five in number of the Seaforth high
landers, found themselves prisoners
ere they awakened, the only resistance
having come from the mate and two or
three of their officers. who had not yet
turned in.
Have you got her, Mr.. Seymour
hailed the Ranger.
yes, sir"
what is she?"
shes the Mellish right enough, sir. -
Good! Anbody hurt?"
"One of the enemyskilled, 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 / think with the
men we have we can manage her all
fright"
VERY wep, sir. | congratulate YOU.
am sending the second cutter OF TO
you with the mems dunnage and your
boxes. You nave your orders. Pre-
sent my compliments to General Wash
lngton, with that ship as a Christmas
present IL you bring her in. God grant
you get in safely! Goodby. Better
lput out that light We will take your
place in the fleet and see what hap
lpens."
"Goodby, sir" cried the young lieu
Tenant. "A prosperous cruise to you. -
In q moment the boat from the Ran
lger 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
nearer. Then the Mellish filled away
and presently, wearing round on her
Iheel, went of before the wind and. all
her lights having been extingushed
faded speedily away in the darkness.
The boats were hoisted on the Ranger;
she braced up on the port tack and took
the place vacated by the Melllsh But
these things had not happened without
ATTRACTING some attention
The captain of the vessel next ahead
OF the Melllsh had heard the pistol
lshots and shouting. LUlling up into the
wind to check his own Roadway, he
made out a second ship in the darkness
alongside his next astern. In doubt
as to what was happening, but certain
that something was wrong, he acted
promptly and caused blue light to be
burned on his forecastle. This was
the agreed signal of danger, and 1t i'm
mediately awakened the unsuspecting
fleet into action. Several of the ships
at different intervals in the long line
repeated the signal, which was finally
answered by the frigate, hull down
lahead. The corvet, half mile away
perhaps, responded Immediately and
wearing short round, came TO on the
Iother tack and headed for the last Of
the line. beating to quarters the while
All the lanterns of the Ranger were
Iagain extinguished and the men sent
quietly TO their quarters. with the
strictest injunctions not to make Q
sound or fire a gun until ordered under
rain of death. Every other prepare
tion had long since been made for ac'
ton, so the officers slipped on theil
boarding caps, loosencd their swords
in their sheaths and looked to the prim
ing Of their pistols; then, receiving