The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-06-30


fusion we were suddenly confronted by an
additional horror-Williams. badly
wounded in the head by a splinter. stag
gering on deck. closely followed by his
men, with the news that the schooner was
rapidly sinking. and that It was impossi
BILE to free any more OF the blacks.
I ] glanced down the hatchway Merciful
\ Heaven! shall / ever forget the sight
which met my eyes in that brief glimpsel
\ The intelligence was only too literally
true. BY the dim light OF horn lantern
which Williams had suspended from the
beams T could see the black water we'll
ing and bubbling rapidly up from the
shot-hoes below, and the wretched ne
groes still chained below, surrounded by
the mangled corpses OF their companions
and already Immersed 10 their chins, with
their heads thrown as far back as posi-
bic SO as TO keep their mouths and nos
tris free until the last possible moment
their faces contorted and their eyes pro-
truding from their sockets with mortal
fear.
One OF the unhappy creatures was a
woman-a mother. Actuated by that low
ing and devoted instinct which constralns
all animals 10 seek the safety OF their
helpless offspring before their own, she
had raised her infant IN her arms as high
as possible above the surface OF the bub-
bling water and had fixed her dying gaze
with an expression OF despairing love
which II was truly pitiful to see. could
not bear IL. The mother was lost--chained
as she was 10 the submerged deck moth
ing could then save her--but the child
might still be preserved ! sprang down
the hatchway and, splashing through the
rapidly rising water. seized the child, and
as gently as possible, tried to disengage II
from the mothers grasp. The woman
turned her eyes upon me, looked stead
fastly at me for n moment as though she
would read my very soul and then--pos-
sibly because she saw the flood of COM
passion which was yelling up from my
heart into my eyes-pressed her childs
lips once rapidly and convulsvely 90 her
own already submerged mouth loosed her
grasp upon It's body. and with a wild
shrek OF bitter anguish and despair threw
herself backwards beneath the food
My heart was bursting with grief and
tndgnation-grief for the miserable dying
wretches around me, and indigna ton at
our utter inability 20 prevent such whole
sale human suffering. But there was no
time to lose; the schooner was already
settling down beneath our feet and saw
that 1t would very soon be EVERY man
for himself and God for us all;'' so I
passed my charge on deck ana quickly
followed It myself
i was just In time to see Smellie spin
port and lashing II there. Divining In an
instant that he hoped by this maneuver
TO sheer the schooner alongside the brig.
seized the child l had brought IN from
below, dropped II into one OF our own
boats astern and then stood by TO make
spring for the brig with the rest of our
party. Half a minute more and The sides
of the two. ships touched.
Now, lads, follow mel Spring for vour
lives--the schooner is sinking! I heard
Smellie shout; and away we went-Armi-
tage leading one party forward, and Smell
lie showing the way to the rest OF them
aft And. even we made our spring,
the schooner heeled over and sank along
side.
We were met. as before by so stubborn
q resistance, that / believe every one OF
us received some .resh hurt more or less
serious before we actually reached the
deck OF the brig: but our lads were by
this time fully aroused-neither boarding
MEETINGS nor anything else could any lon
ger restrain them; and in few seconds
though more than one poor fellow fell
hack dead we we're I'm possession OF the
brig. the crew. In obedience 10 an order
from their captain, suddenly finging
down their weapons and tumbling head
long into their boats, which for some rea-
soma reason we were soon 10 learn-they
had lowered into the water.
To our surprise our antagonists. Instead
OF taking refuge on board the brigantine.
as we fully expected they would, took TO
their oars and pulled I'm frantic haste up
the creek. In the dense darkness which
now ensued consequent upon the cessation
of firing IL was impossible 20 send a shot
after them with any chance or success;
and 50 they were allowed 10 go free.
The hot pungent fumes which arose
through the grating OF the briggs main
hatchway very convincingly testified to
the presence OF slaves on board that craft
also: and. warned by HIS recent expert
ence on board the schooner. Smellle re
solved 70 ware the brig IN alongside the
bank and land the unfortunate creatures
before resuming hostilities A gang OF
men was accordingly sent forward 90
clear away the necessary warps and 90
on; and was directed 10 go with n boats
crew into one OF the cutters 90 run the
ends OF the warps on shore.
The boats. II will be remembered had
been passed astern OF the schooner. and
there they stlll remained uninjured. that
craft having settled down In water SO
shallow that her deck was only submerg
al 10 a depth OF about eighteen inches.
.och off1ar aida n the boata