The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1907-05-17

BY THE REV. a. HADLEY,
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"SS Formerly Acting Military Chap -"
lain at Trincoma!ee, Ceylon. %
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1t will doubtless come as a SUR
prise to a good many admirers Of Mr..
Thomas Atkins to hear that fish
once put a whole detachment OF Gar
rison Artillery out of action. SO far
as | am aware, the circumstances are
without a parallel, and, as | was an
eyewitness of the whole affair, pro-
pose 10 set the facts down for Wide
World readers. Dear old Putting
Billy" the major of the battery con-
cerned. will be delighted at reading
once more the story of his extraor-
dinary fight with the sunfsh.
And now for my story. It hap
pened at Trincomalee, Ceylon, in
1881, when I was acting as military
chaplain there. The major was very
proud of his battery, and was forever
showing the men off. Stationed as
he was at Fort Frederick, Ceylon,
with men-o'-war of all nations fire.
Ouently calling, Putting Billy" was
often tempted 10 let the foreigners
see what British gunners could do.
Every time a foreign warship came
into the inner harbor her officers
must, il possible, see an exhibition
of the mems skill.
As good luck or i'll luck would have
II, just in the middle of the annual
target practice a Russian man-o-war
came into Trincomalee. The oppor-
tunity was too good 10 be lost, and
the major decided that the captain
and his officers must come and see
the British gunners fire at the float
ing target i'm the outer harbor. Ac-
cordingly the usual structure-a bar
rel resting on beams of wood and
surmounted by a fiag-was prepared,
towed out to sea and anchored about
a mile away from the Mess House
battery.
Firing had proceeded for half an
hour or more, with excellent results,
when the major putting and blowing
as usual, strode up, accompanied by
the Russian officers.
What in the name of thunder are
you up to-" roared the major, an
tIhN lOI al SlOl Idu DteH uIGu anu
gone yards wide Of the mark.
Something wrong with the pow
der, sir" said the captain in COM
mand.
The major was furious-as furious
rs dear old Putting Billy" could be.
But neither fury nor bad language
could mend matters. make the men
60 a L., IL,
grins from the Russians faces. You
must hit that target at all costs"
yelled the major lin tragic tones, TAX
ing up a position by the gun.
He took one peep through his
glasses at the target and then en-
ploded wrathfully. why" he shout
ed, the confounded thing is moving!
Captain L, your point of attack
is anoat. You'll be knocking over the
lighthouse if YOU don't look OUT"
It was only too true; the target
was adrift. and boat manned by
four gunners end q corporal was i'm
mediately dispatched to corral the
runaway. This, however, was more
easily said than done. When the
rowers were within about fifty yards
the flag and barrel-w which had been
floating slowly backwards and for
wards with the suddenly
gave tremendous lurch and started
out to sea as il dragged by steam
tug at full speed. The men were
nonplussed at this curious maueuvre;
they stopped rowing and signalleu
for assistance. As they lay there
staring after the target gunner
yelled out: Look. look, It's
helephant got tangled up in the
tackle
A helephant, you idiot?" retorted
the corporal, shielding his eyes with
his hands as he gazed after the van
ishing target. Where did you go TO
school? Any youngster knows a
helephants q land hanimsl. BY Jove.
though. it's an ippopotamus. Here.
pull away; he's after us. No-stop
her, Lay to. let's view the enemy.
Can you all swim?"
The order to stop was promptly
obeyed. and presently there fioated
placidly by something that looked to
the excited mems eyes like floating
island.
Aiming himself with the boathook,
the corporal boldly made lunge at
the mysterious object. There came
a violent upheaval OF the water. and
the next moment over went the boat
and down into the briny depths OF
the Indian Ocean went the five gall
liant gunners. The boat had run on
to the hack OF the mysterious mon