Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1907-03-12
A TASTE OF BLOOD
[Original.l

command of one of them, the Pelican
The old man decided to make voyage
with his son on the Pelican and had d
stateroom fitted up for him.
The voyage to China was unevent
full. Jonathan Greenwill, who was
Quaker of the mildest type, sat much
on deck, looking over old oceans
bosom, which throbbed gently; the
clouds above, which rolled peacefully
and the sea birds, which sailed grace.
fully. Nothing could have been more
conducive to a deepening of the old
mans noncombatant principles.
The voyage out finished and goodly
cargo of silks, tea and other valuables
having been taken aboard, the Pelican
started for home She was sailing
southwark one afternoon on the China
sea midway between the Malay PENN
sula and the island of Borneo when
low, rakish looking vessel appeared on
the eastern horizon that especially ar
rested Captain Robert Greenwilrs at
tention The old man sat on deck in
his chair, absorbed, as usual, in the
peacefulness of the scene. The captain
went below, and when he returned
strange noises We're heard underneath
what are those sounds, Robert?'
asked the father.
"Guns being hauled into position be
hind masked openings. Do you see
that vessel? She's a pirate"
But, Robert" exclaimed the ole
man, rising in great trepidation, what
is thee going to do"
Eight
The father said nothing for some
time, then spoke earnestly:
Robert, thee knows my principles.
If thee fight, cannot help thee
"You can go below, father, and await
the issue there"
what arms have thee?'
"Tve always carried three guns on
each broadside, and l have a plentiful
supply of muskets and cutlasses."
II never knew that, or / would not
have allowed it."
THAT l knew very well, father"
An hour later the situation was as
follows: The Pelican and the pirate
were within a mile of each other. both
heading for the strait. The owner of
the Pelican was in his stateroom. To
enable him to keep his principles he
had locked himself in and thrown the
key out through a portfolio. In doing
80 he caught sight of the pirate just as
she "broke" the skull and bones from
her peak, and a few moments later she
fred a shot across the Pelican's bows
Mr.. Greenwill was expecting to hear
some response from the Pelican's guns.
but he did not. Since this was in &C
cordance with his professed views he
should have been pleased. but he was
not. He started to go and see what
occasioned the delay, but found the
door locked. A profane word was on
his lips, but he repressed it. Mounting
q stool, he called through an opening
above the door:
why doesn't thee fire, Robertr'
But Robert was too far away to hear,
besides being otherwise engaged. JON
athan got down from the stool and
went to the portfolio just In time to
see the pirate fire gun that struck the
Pelican within twenty feet Of the open
ing through which he was looking. The
pirate was now near enough for him to
see the deck swarming with the ugliest
lot of yellow cutthroats he had ever
looked at.
Again forgetting that the door was
locked. he tried to open it, At that mo-
ment there were three simultaneous
boomings in his own ship, and he ran
back to the portfolio to get a view. He
saw activity on the pirate and new
guns run out.
The tight was now well on, and be-
tween the booms were heard sounds of
the old mans boot against the door of
the stateroom, which finally yielded,
and Jonathan Greenwill rushed on deck
with cutlass that he had picked up
as he ran.
"Give 'em-more balls, Robert! Why
don't thee fire fasterY
"All hands ready to repel boarders!'
was the captains only reply, seeing
that the pirate was hauling in toward
the Pelican.
Ten minutes later the pirate had
graphing irons on the Pelican and q
lot of tiends were climbing aboard. The
Pelican's crew were fewer in number.
but of a superior race. The Pelican's
deck was higher than the pirates, and
as the pirates put their hands on the
gunwale they were chopped off by the
cutlasses of the Pelicans men. Never,
theless number of them got aboard,
and both sides fought desperately.
Finally, wheR half of those who had
boarded were killed, the pirate sheered
Off and left the rest at the mercy of
the Pelican's crew.
Then for the first time Robert Green
will got a view of his father. The old
man, covered with pirates blood, his
eyes giaring, was hacking away at the
remnant of the yellow fiends who had
sought to take his ship.
"IInld IN fafharl Wa,ll +oI-o 49,,