The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1911-06-15
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| Lucy UWppOO GVWA0Bs 00O y ~
| gro's voice called ont
"'Cap'n. can't w give % q little
! liquor? We hain't had hothln' to
drink 10 long sreil.. = 7;
".You keepoff ori'!l give yonhoi shot.
II heard u discussion III low tone
in. the boat, then ever; oac dipped in
the water Sas once. and they made. IA
squirt. straight for the shil. dropped
the man NJ the tiller with a tnusket
ball and fired anntller shot among the
oars,nen. The loss of their coSswain
and the wo;inding of two mei, Al the
oars Occasi"ned the check hoped for.
The two, wounded men were both seat
ed on the port side Of the boat. and
when they were disabled the others
pulled the boat around to the star.
board. exposing a brondside.
"a man in the bow holding long
pole with an enormous hook on the
end was evidently the lender of the
party. and he made an efficient chief.
l heard him tell his men III negro
dialect that there was only one man
aboard the ship. that there was
enough loot there to buy the freedom
of every one of them and that 1t
might be possible for them to take
the ship" and sail away with her.
Then he ordered the places Of the dis.
abled men filed. equaliztng the crew
on both sides. and under his direction
the boat was headed for the ship.
Il felt that my life depended on pick
ing of that man standing in the bow
with his graphing hook. aimed.
straight for his head. but at the mo.
ment the boat lurched. and l missed
him. | fired again and saw him stag
ger. but could not have wounded him
severely. for he maintained his post.
my stock of loaded muskets was
now half exhausted, and l did not
from the first calculate on reloading.
But ] hadn't even time to use one of
those that were charged. for the boats
nose struck the ships side, and while
one OF the men below used IN ordinary
boat hook the leader endeavored to
put bis grappler over the gunwaie.
fought 1t off with cutlass till several
of the men in the boat jumped into tho
water and swan for the anchor chain.
'"Here was division of the attack
ing force which l had dreaded from
the first. l did what I should have
done as sOOn as, the boat struck the
ship. Seizing q hand grenade. 1 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
rope ladder. He was an athletic ras-
cal and brave as he was strong. The
distance he must climb was not over
half a dozen feet. waited till be had
come within a 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.
II 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 hand grenade
and. posing 1t with deliberate aim,
hurled It down on those below. 1t
struck the bottom Of the boat, explod-
ed and blew both boat and men to
smithereens.
what have told you as having oc.
CURED after the 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 j 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
gunwaie on the deck thatfI might not
be seen. l appeared on the ,bowsprit
Just a. the foremost man was laying I
hand on It. With my cutiaSs dropped
him into the water.
II now realized for the .arst time that
was in no further danger. There
were two men against me. but they
had no other weapon than cold steel,
while ! had the advantage Of position
and q loaded pistol. I had shed enough
Blood. 90 I catledstos the man Climbing
the anchor chain to- ietf 60 ior / would
shoot him. He dropped into the water
and struck out for the shore. followed
By the man who had tagged behind. d!
'They had scarcely swum out Of sight
when ! heard the sound OF. oars, and,
turning, there but few hundred yards
away was the boat I had sent on an
errand Of mercy. When the crew came
aboard the fugiuves had reached the
shore. My. men had heard my first
shot. and the planter took to a thicket.
Fearing trouble. they returned. but too
late to be Of service.
II believe I womb have roucoo lo1