The San Francisco call., 1910-10-09

schooner. When 800 yards from the
shore I saw five puffs of smoke break
from the top of the cliff, for the fog
had suddenly lifted. A bullet hit the
boat between Hansen and me. Soon
they were whizzing around us like an
CRY bees from an overturned hive. Our
boat, the Anastasia eastman, was lying
500 yards off shore, and toward her we
pulled while the bullets hit around US.
"The captain and cook shot back from
the ship to the cliff. Later we learned
that three Russians had been killed on
that cliff at that time. But for while
there were 15 Russians shooting at us
from the top. of the cliff. We made the
schooner and went below, the bullets
ripping into the rigging and piercing
the woodwork Eighty-seven struck the
ship.
but first we covered the name of the
vessel and the hailing port with can
vas.
After while 1t became tiresome
down there in the forecastle. with moth
ing to do but dodge the bullets that
came through the ports.
Well surrender, just like the DEVIL,
said the captain.
'One of the men took a tablecloth
and went on deck and waved 1t. The
firing on the cliff ceased. The Russians
SO that they could capture us. coniscate
our ship and our seals; and it would be
us for Siberia-yes?
But our captain had no such fate In
store for us"
OF this Kipling's sea1ers sang:
And loss 1t is that is sad as death to lose both
trip and ship
And lie for a rotting contraband on vladivostok
slip.
No sooner" Bush continued, had
the marksmen started to descend
than we were manning the wind
lass, raising the anchor and break
ing out the rigging. The foresail and
the jib were the only ones we could
make, for the wires on most of the
sails had been shot away. But we
made it all right. and before parting
volley Of shots we sailed for the south
ern point of Bering island.
There we struck another pirate ship
with four Europeans and a crew OF
Japanese But no sooner had we set
about to start our work than the Alaska
commercial company's steamer, the St
Paul, which was later wrecked off
Cypress point, Monterey, hove in view.
You could not see us for canvas. Our
sails had been repaired by this time
and we put I'D everything that could
hold the wind. It was almost dark and
the wind from the north pole was blow
ing in fury.
Fortunately for US, we saw the St
Paul before it sighted us, although 1t
had been looking for us on account OF
the Copper island adventure.
But we and the European set sail
The ST. Paul was within four miles OF
us when darkness came down early in
that arctic afternoon. The sea became
merged with the plackness of the sky,
save where the teeth of the breaking
waves cleaned ghoulishly out of the
dark
Far off across the turbulent sea and
through the mist we could see the
lights of the ST. Paul, and when the
lights were hidden from view we could
hear the strain of the engines which
We're hurrying the vessel toward US,
and us toward Siberian prisons. But as
soon as the darkness was SO intense as
to swallow us we put out every light
and stripped every mast With bare
poles and dark decks we waited in the
fury of the night while the engines OF
the st Paul drew nearer and nearer
By a chance the steamer passed US,
We were safe again, to go unhanged for
some little while at least. We waited
until the sound of the engines had died
away in the darkness. Then we put VI