Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1904-01-06

The ship herself was so old and rot
/ ten that she was not even tit for an
/ ordinary merchant cruise, much less
! prepared for the shocks of battle.
, Through an unfortunate combination
/ Of circumstances. all of her senior OFF,
GERS We're absent except Dale. the first
/ lieuienant, Stacey. the sailing master.
and Measc. the purser. Among thar
/ half Of her crew who were soldiers
many had scarcely yet acquired their
sea legs" and some OF them we're
actually seasick during the battle The
Scraps, with which they were about
10 engage and to which they We're
rapidly drawing near. was IA brand
new, double banked frigate, mounting
I fifty guns on one uncovered and two
covered decks, twenty Is Founders,
twenty 9's and ten 6's. She was man
ned by $50 well drilled able soamen
and commanded by one of III, best Of
ficers IN the English navy who was
ably seconded by full quota Of capa-
bic and experienced subcrdinates.
! Pearson had no more doubt OF win
ming the victory than he had OF the
rising of the sun next morning. I.eav-
! ing one factor out of a comparison Of
the opposing forces. his confidence was
absolutely warranted. But Jones had
no more doubt of winning the victory
than Pearson had Pearson knew him.
, He was the unconscious factor which
yitiated Parsons conclusions. When
a man like the little Scotch-American
captain makes up his mind 10 do a
thing there Is only one thing to pre-
vent his doing II, and that Is to re-
trlove the man. Jones intended 10
conquer, There never was a man VINO
had more of the spirit OF absolute de-
termination, of unconqueraDle, unshak-
able unbreakable pertina2ity in con-
tinuing conflict. than he. He never
knew when he was beaten. perhaps be-
cause he mover was. There was some
thing in the sheer determined. persist
ent pugnacity OF the man which abso-
lutely compelled success. lie wrenched
victory from overwhelming odds. SUI
rerior force, fortuitous chance-eyery-
thing.
! The men understood this TOO. There
H. nothing that your real hard bitten
daredevil. your imprudent rutfian. likes
! so much as man who Is not afraid Of
him ana who will be his master. Your
rufiian curses and swears at your man.
plots against him. rebels. mutinles.
conspircs, und in the moment of action
| follows him like a devotee The little
man standing at the breal: of the poop,
cool, calm, thoughtful. with his stu
Gent face and somewhat poetic.
dreamy smile. did not look like the iron
handed. iron wIlled. indomitabe mas
ter OF the motley rufiian band which
had been dumped uDon his deck
which he certainly was. With the
dainty manner snf Frenchman, the
courteous Difference OF gentlemen
o! the oldest and best school the calm
ness of an ancient philosopher, there
was in his appearance no outward evil
Gence Of the tremendous qualities in.
herent in the man save In the spar
Hing, flashing, piercing eye, which
plunged through and through those
upon whom its glances were fastened
with the keenness Of a sword blade.
His men were wont to say that he
could look even a frigate into striking
her colors II given an opportunity.
| The hardest rufiian cringed HE n cur
/ before him, and this when he was
peaceful and quiet, When he grew
angry, which was rare, his passion
Twas like Washingtons, blasting and
, appalling. He was perfectly quiet now,
however, and he stood by Dale's side
at the break OF the poop looking over
the bows Of the ship toward the en-
envy.
As she swept forward through the
peaceful sea fragrance of balm and
spicery and myrrh, which seemed 10
suggest the many voyages Of the old
ship in the distant tropic la,itudes,
! chung about the decks and peryaded
the gentle air already redolent with
the sweet scent OF new mown hay
from the not distant shore. II was as
calm and sweet AN autumn night as
ever falls across the tired earth. The
land breeze blew softly across the
decks. The bright radiance of the glo-
r!ous moon Of harvest sparked and
wavered and tiickered with slnuous,
Irestless brilllancy on the tossing water
ahead. All the busy notes OF prep
grafton had died away. There had
come over the hearts OF all in that
moment before the approaching crisis
q little silence which bespoke a recog-
milton of the gravity Of the impending
conflict. The mellow toned bell for
ward was striking the time-two,