Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1904-02-05

Pearson tUGs standing alone as If ddzcd.
mans deck were dazed and driven from
their stations by the conclusion. The
clothes Of many were actually ripped
from their bodies, 30 that they stood
naked and wondering. though they
were otherwise unhurt. A long mo-
ment Of CHASTITY silence succeeded this
accident on the Scraps. Men every
where paused with bated breath to
wait the issue. The Scraps, dragging
the Richard, reeled and rocked under
the shock. 1t was a last catastrophe
which broke the strength of Pearson's
endurance and ended his resistance.
He could fight no more. Was 1t the
devil himself who commanded the 9TH
er ship7 The English captain sprang
aft to the mizzenmast. A great Eng
lish standard had been nailed to the
timber Of the spar. With his own
hands he tore it down. The battle was
over! At the same moment the main
mast Of the Scraps, undermined and
eaten away in its heart by the gnawing
attack OF the quarter deck guns Of the
Richard, came crashing down. a hope
less ruin, carrying some Of the Amer
leans into eternity as 1t fell.
'They have struck their dagw cried
Jones, who had sprung upon the rail
at the moment Of the explosion and
had witnessed Parsons action. cease
firingr'
His voice rang through the ship with
such q note of proud triumph as has
rarely been heard within the fought
over confines Of the narrow seas.
"They have struck! The ship Is
ours!" ran from man to man among
the Americans. Wild cheers broke into
the night in an ever increasing volume
of sound.
"Send Mr.. Dale to me-" said Jones to
young Brooks as the flag came down.
The midshipman had been wounded,
but still kept his station.
As Dale came running toward his
captain Jones cried:
Muster a boarding party and take
charge Of the prize. The fight Is overr'
But, no, the battle was not over. A
few moments before an English ship
captain among the prisoners had sue
ceeded in escaping through the rents In
the shattered sides Of the two ships
and had told the plight of the Richard
to the first lieutenant of the Scraps
With this information tho men on the
gun deck had been rallied and, led by
their officers, had returned to their
quarters and resumed the battle. They.
too. were heroes. Mayrant, who ran
aft from the forecastle as he saw
Pearson strike his flag, jumped on the
rail by Jones' orders and followed Dale
upon the deck Of the English ship.
Such was the confusion of the moment
that as Mayrant leaped ON the deck he
was actually run through the thigh by
pike In the hand Of a wounded Brit
1sh sailor. Pearson was standing alone
as If dazed, on the quarter deck of
his ship, holding one clinched hand
against his breast, with the other
grasping his trailing flag. In his face
was that look of defeat and despair
which Is the saddest aspect of baffled.
1mpotent humanity.
"Have you struck, STRIP cried Dale,
stopping before the English captain.
YES" was the grim reply. His voice
was broken whisper indicating in the
tones his mental agony.
Il am come to take possession"
VERY good, sir" said Pearson bitter
", as before, and dropping the flag.
Then he reached for his sword.
just at this moment Pascoe, the first
lieutenant Of the Scraps, came bound.
Ing up the hatchway from the deck
below.
"a few more broadsides, sir, and
they are ours" he cried impetuously.
'They are in sinking
The ship has struck. sir, and YOU
are my prisoner" interrupted Dale
quickly. seeing the necessity OF