The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1911-05-02

those that were charged. for the boats
nose struck the ships side, and while
one of the men below used an ordinary
boat hook the leader endeavored to
put his grappler over the gunwale. |
fought 1t off with a cutlass till several
OF the men in the boat jumped into the
water and swan for the anchor chain.
Here was division OF the attack
Ing force which bad dreaded from
the first. ! did what l should have
done as soon as the boat struck the
ship. Selling hand grenade, | threw
1t down on to the boat. 1t struck the
water and did not explode. The man
with the long hook had by this time
got 1t fastened over the gunwale and
was climbing up by the pole hand over
hand. carrying on one arm the end Of
a rope ladder He was an athletic ras-
cal and brave as be was strong. The
/ distance be must climb was not over
half dozen feet. l waited till he had
come within yard of the gunwaIe.
then reached over and Glove his skull
with cutlass. He dropped back into
the boat in which there were but three
others. and saw that his loss caused
confusion and faint heartedness among
them.
Il now had two sets of men to deal
with; but. their leader having been put
out OF the fight. felt more hope than
at any time since the attack. With
out giving the men in the boat time to
recover | seized another band grenade
and. poising it with a deliberate aim.
hurled 1t down on those below. Ii
struck the bottom of the boat, explod-
ed and blew both boat and men to
smithereens.
What ! have told you as having &C.
CURED after he men started to swim
for the bow occupied only a portion
of a minute. AS soon as one party
was destroyed | turned my attention
to the other. Three men were swim
ming forward. and before | had time
to form plan one Of them had swung
himself up on to the chains under the
bowsprit, another was within a few
yards of the anchor chain, while the
third was still some distance away
from anything to cling TO. Selling
cutlass. | ran forward 1t was not my
only weapon. for | had two loaded
pistols in my belt. Running under the
gunwale on the deck that might not
be seen, appeared ON the bowsprit
just as the foremost man was laying a
hand on 1t. With my cutlass dropped
him into the water
Il now realized for the first time that
! was In no further danger. There
We're two men against me, but they
had no other weapon than cold steel,
while had the advantage of position
and loaded pistol | had shed enough
blood. 50 | called to the man climbing
the anchor chain TO let go or | would
shoot him. He dropped into the water
and struck out for the shore, followed
by the man who had Jagged behind.
They bad scarcely swum out of sight
when heard the sound Of oars, and,
turning. there but few hundred wards
away was the boat | had sent on an
errand of mercy. When the crew came
aboard the fugitives had reached the
shore. My men had heard my first
shot. and the planter took to thicket
Fearing trouble. they returned. but too
late to be of service
Il believe | would have concealed
the facts of the narrow escape had
had if could have done so. But since
the boats crew had heard the reports
OF my firearms. and especially the deto-
nation of the hand grenade. was
obliged TO give them the story. There
were some doubters as to the number
of men had beaten off. The tide had
carried away the leaders Of the ne
groes. but the morning brought some
Of them back again to prove my state
ment. A party on shore got wind of
the matter and came ont to hear about
the dispute between one man and a
dozen negroes-as they gave the num-
ber-only two Of the attacking party
escaping with their lives This nut a
different complexion on the matter, and,
the crew being convinced of the truth
OF my version of he story. i found my
self In the position of hero. was
referred TO after that as the man who
had fought twelve. killed eight and
never got seratch Even that leaves
out the two ! might have killed"