The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-06-18


oyerhaued Dutch man-of-war becamed.
The galleys pulled UP, firing from their
long row guns, and when they drew near
the slaves. raised their appalling chamade,
or cry of battle. Three hundred naked
men simultaneously rising, and falling,
yelling and shaking their chains. formed
q. sight TO make any stranger shudder.
The Dutch crew were SO dismayed that
they. ran below, and the ship, which was
of fiftyfour guns, was easily boarded and
taken by the soldiers of the galleys.
The year 1907 was one Of great hardship
for the galeys, as they we're constantly
cruising in the Channel. The next year,
l70S. the galeys were actively employed
much combustible material and an extra
force Of soldiers, they put to sea on Sept.
5, with smooth waters and everything
favorable, and reached the mouth of the
Thames the same evening. While lying by
an. and waiting for darkness the sentinel ai at
merchant ships, escorted by a frigate,
making for the river A hurried consulta-
ton Of the officers took place and 1t was
determined to attack the convoy. Two
OF the galleys Of which Marteihe's was
one, we're to attack the frigate and the other
the convoy.
Marteilhe wa. badly wounded during the
fight by one of the frigate's guns. To his
bench were chained five convicts and Turk
ish slave and when they ran alongside the
Of fire OF one Of her guns, and 1t was evident
that they would all be killed n the gun was
fired. Five Of them lay down fiat upon the
bench, but Marteilhe stood up as far out OF
range as his chain permitted He saw the
gunner apply the match and he was thrown
unconscious upon the coursier, over the
dead body of the lieutenant OF the galley.
At dark he recovered consciousness, and
feeling no pain he crawled back to his
bench. saving: Get up lads the danger is
Tho Turk uhn had hes.p a JapiSoprv
and boosted that he had never felt fear, did
not reply, and when Marteilhe tried to
raise him by the arm the limb came of In
his hand-indeed all five of his bench mates
had been literally torn to pieces
Marteilhe now began to feel something
cold and wet upon his naked body, and
discovered that he was wounded in three
or four places. The other galleys had come
up and were assisting the disabled one to
reach an ottng, as well as towing the, cap
for fear of pointing out their position to
the English men-of- war, which had come
out Of the river on hearing OF the engage
ment Seventeen out Of eighteen OF the
had teen killed 10y grape from one gun of the
frlgate and killed and wounded enculn-
hcrcd every part OF the galley. The coursier,
four feet wide. WAS completely covered
with the dead, and among the benches
dead slaves, soldiers and sailors were all
piled together. After obtaining an ofing
they began to throw overheard the dead
and place the wounded bciow. Marteiihe
narrowly escaped Icing thrown over;
board for dead, for he had tainted
unchain him the pain revived MIN and
he was thrown pellmell with the other
wounded on the cooled cables below.
Here they remained for three days until
ment and with all the filth and vermin
incident to their forlorn condition. No
wonder that gangrene set in and that the
wounded died like flies; AT Drnquerque
the wounded slaves who remained allve
we're hoisted out by ropes about the body
and placed in the hos ital, where they
were chained to the beds by the neck,
Marteilhe had secret friend in the town,
who recommended him to the head sur.
geon, who. although he usually only ordered
himself, but reprmanded the galley sur
geon for having neglected him. Owing
to this care he got well, but he says that
at least three-fourths of the wounded died.
left there sleek and fat but with GER
ticate that his injuries would prevent
him from rowing. He was chained to his
old bench again, however. and remained
there all winter But when the galleys
were fitted out in 1903 he was lucky enough
to have a change of labor. There were
six slaves to each oar. The largest and
strongest were strokesmen, having the
hardest work and being nearest the
comites whip. The weakest were p!a ced
near the side Marteilhe had always been
stroke of his oar, but now his arm was
so weak that he could hardly lift IT. In
such cases the comite usually logged until
the man was half dead to see II he was
shamming. and Marteilhe expected moth
ing else ,,o ,,-hou tho oo,u;t.
connned the galley out until she was clear
and then came aft along the coursier, see
ing how the rowers were classed and using
his whip freely, When he came to Mar
teihe's bench he yelled out. Dog of
Huguenot, who ordered YOU to row. He
replied that he was doing his best with one
arm. Disgusting his kindness under rough
language the comte called the ,argousln
to "unchain the incapable dog and put HIM
in the storeroom" II those who were
wounded were not released, at least they
should not row in his galley Poor, Mar
teihe had served seven years at that bench
and would have been released after he
was wounded if he had not been HUI
comite excused himself for his ienienccy
by saying that "as he tMarteilhel would
suffer for his religion in the other world
he should suffer less m thl'. Aller 'his
our slave was made clerk TO the captain
of the galley, and was allowed to wear the
convict, red coat and cap all the time.
His hair was allowed to grow and he car
red only an iron ring about his ankle,
without the chain to which he had so long
been accustomed. "a,
In l7l2 peace was concluded with Eng
land. with the disgraceful stipulation that
the English should occupy the town and
Notifications of DunquerGue till they could
demolsh the forts and fill up the port. The
English accordingly toe possession with
5,0G0 troops in September. The French
navy was so reduced that they could not
fit out the galley feet and an agreement
was entered into by which those vessels;
their crews and gangs Ct slaves should
remain in the harhor during the winter
and no boat seaman, or galley slaves
should leave the port without the permls-
sion of her Majesty Of England.
Az soon as the English troops took posses
sion they ran in crowds to gazo at the terrible
paIleys. of which such hea rtrending tales
we're told. Among them were some officers
who were French refugees. and these sym
patbized with the Huguenot slaves, sitting
on their benches to talk with them, in spite
OF the filth and vermin and stencil which
they encountered There were then twenty,
two of them remaining in the galleys. and
the English soldiers became much excited
nv their miserable condition and swore.
that they should be released. The Admiral
and the chaplains tried to prevent them
from coming on board, but it was found
to he impossible, and so the plank to the
o,,av remained open to all visitors. At last
IL, ,tlht hat thf,