The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-08-06
SLAVE SQUADRON
A THRILLING TALE OF ADVENTURE
By HARRY COLLINGwOOD
CHAPTER XIX.

=
Taking fresh courage perhaps. at our
tied number. and possibly also feeling
re at home in fight on dry land than
en- I'm their canoes. the natives now
sed in upon us on all sides. effecting
ding on the island and pressing for
.rd. with loud cries and much brand
Eng OF spears, to attack the battery.
Is battery, IL may be well TO explain,
3 small equilateral. triangular af-
built OF sods, and measuring about
feet on eachSpf its sides. IL mounted
nine-pounder' brass guns, tive TO each
,; and its walls rose TO a height Of
but seven feet above the ground out
ID, ledge about three feet wide on
inside being raised some three feet
round the interior OF the walls. thus
bling those on the inside TO fire over
low parapet. The guns were mount
on ordinary ship carriages and were
provided with tackles. being placed
Pn wooden platforms slightly slop-
forward, so that when loaded
v could be easily run out by hand.
recoil OF the discharge sending them
* up the slight slope into loading po-
ON. The three angles Of the battery
Re, as has already been intimated. oc-
led by the magazines.
he natives advanced boldly to the at
k and for the moment ] must confess
Id felt almost dismayed as | looked
Kund me and got clear idea of their
rwhelming numbers. However, there
no escape-we were completely
nmed In on every side, and II we were
Idle. thought we might as well die
hitting; so waiting until they were
Thin few yards only of the walls, |
be the order 10 fire. and the report OF
Pn the evening air Each man then
ked mis- loaded musket, saw that his
led cutlass was ready to his hand, and
ted breathlessly for the inevitable
he round shot plowed six well-defined
les through the approaching phalanx;
our persevering foes had apparently
Kome accustomed TO the effects of ar
kry fire by this time, seeming TO re-
Ed II as a disagreeable concomitant to
struggle which must be faced, but
tch, after all. was not so very formida-
They had already acquired the
Kwledge that the guns. once fired,
re perfectly harmless until they could
reloaded, and that the operation of
bading required a certain amount of
he. The moment. therefore. that they
Ieived our fire they charged down upon
battery, evidently feeling that the
Rst was over. and that Ii now amount
Ito no more than an ordinary hand-to-
Nd fight.
Here they come. lads. with ven
nce" ! exclaimed. Take your mus
) and aim low--make every bullet do
BILE or treble duty If you can. Keep
a
shot away"
bis was excellent advice 10 give, es-
ally as the giver thereof needed II
haps more than any OF those around
:, but Il was spoken with a calm and
|sdy voice, and the lads responded to
With hearty and inspiring cheer.
fy leveled their muskets carefully, and
idily N6r the top of the sod parapet.
fcting a particular mark and firing
when they felt sure OF their aim,
In nf mo a aln
Epears came flying into the battery.
he next Instant our foes were upon
and then commenced furious hand
band fight which lasted fully ten min
s-the blacks leaping upward or as
ling each other In their efforts to sur
|int the parapet. and we cutting and
hing right and left without a moments
athing space In an equally determined
Irt 10 keep them out.
uring the very thick OF the fight light
b Jets OF smoke were seen to issue
|n the joints and crevices In the
bden walls OF the huge barrack-like
icture TO windward OF US, the Jets. ra-
~ growing In numbers and volume
being speedily succeeded by thin. ar
~ tongues OF flame which shot into
w for a moment. disappeared. and
n appeared again darting along the
iact OF tne WOOD ana uniting WIN otn-
until the entire building became COM
ely enveloped I'm the flames, which no
bt the Spaniards had kindled on their
-eat. In order TO make assurance doub-
sure as IL were, and I'm the event OF
r little scheme for the destruction OF
battery miscarrying. 20 deprive US OF
ht would have afforded us an excel
retreat in which to have withstood
ege.
be smoke. thick. pungent and suffocat-
from the tar and pitch with which
roof and sides OF the building had
III from time 10 time literally coated,
ted down directly upon us in. such
Sc volumes that Il was difficult TO see
arms length ahead. making the act
resthing next 10 an impossibility. and
sing our eyes TO stream with water.