The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1912-08-16

mel Pimental whom knew WELL asked me 10
get In with him. as he had orders for me from
Floriano He drove along the shore or the Day
to a new galvanized building at point some
distance beyond the island of the naval scnooi
and near the railway machine shops. On the
way he explained that this building had peen
erected for my and in it was to construct
as rapidly possible, large torpedo Win
which to destroy the Aquidaban
The torpedo I built for this business was
the largest had made.
While Mello had seized all Of the government
vessels in the harbor, there were few tugs
left, which, to prevent his interference, were
flying the British flag. on the pretense that tney
were owned by Englishmen. was to be given
one of these tugs and my plan was to steal
around into Nichtheroy bay at night and anchor
close under the hill at the end of the peninsula,
where | would be hidden from the rebel neet
In the morning l would load the torpedo and
wait the daily exchange of cannon courtesles
between the Aquidaban and the fort An OH
Ger at Santa Cruz was to signal me when MeHo
left his anchorage and then, towing the sub
merged torpedo by wire rope too small to be
detected would steam out across the course
OF the Aquidaban, which would pick up the
towing line on her bow, drag the torpedo along
side and be destroyed by the contact
My tug, in charge Of French engineer
and four Brazilans, was sent down to me on
the afternoon of September % and soon
as it was dark with the torpedo covered with
canvas deck and twelve 50-pound boxes
OF dynamite in the pilot house, We steamed
around to Nictheroy bay To have loaded
the torpedo, before we started would have
been extremely dangerous for any accidental
pressure on one Of its arms would have blown
all of to pieces. We anchored we'll out OF
sight of the rebel fleet and as soon 1t was
daylight 1 unscrewed the manhole of the torpe-
do, and proceeded to pack it full of dynamite.
l was just putting In the last box of the explo-
sive when there was shrill whistle, and
launch from the Sirius swung alongside. The
lieutenant in charge jumped aboard of us and
came aft before l could brush the dynamite
from my arms.
Who commands this craft?" he de-
manded
81 do" replied.
What are you doing with that flag up
there?" pointing to the British ensign.
That flag was there when l came aboard
and took command" 1 said. which was true.
Il am flying 1t for protection from a pirate
fleet just as others are displaying it Rio
bay and In the city. Your commanding Of
ficer has sanctioned that custom by his
silence / am officer Of the established
Brazilian government obeying the orders
of my superiors in Brazilian waters, and 1
claim the right to take advantage of that
done and are doing"
Il think the other different from
yours" replied the lieutenant. What Is
that?' pointing to the dynamite.
Examine 1t for yourself"
'It looks like dynamite"
Probably"
We'll, sir, 1 am ordered by Captain Lang
to take you on board her majesjtys ship
Sirius"
II was no use to make a fight so 1 &C
companied him. with excessive and sarcastic
poiteness He took all my crew with him
leaving a guard the tug. Captain Lang
was on deck waiting for me and was quite
agitated when l was brought before him, but
he was much more heated before we parted
company and 1T day TO begin
with.
Captain Boynton, what does this mean p
he roared.
What does what mean?' / innocently an
swered
Your lying over there in a vessel loadet
with munitions of and flying the British
flag"
.'It means simply that / an officer 1,
the Brazilian army, on duty under the gun
of a rebel fleet, and that / flying tn
British flag for whatever virtue II might hav
IN protecting me from that pirate, Admiral Me
10. That flag has been used as a protectio
by many others and you have silently acqu
esced in such use of it.
But tell you that it is piracy to fly tn
British flag over the ship of another natio
. and carrying munitions OF war;
1T might be just well, Captain Ian,
for YOU to remember that you not no
: on the high An act OF the BIRTHS
, narliament is of effect within anothe
country and il you will consult your cha
Won will find that in the enclose
waters of Brazil Under such conditions I
mandate of yours which affects my RICH
can be enforced unless you have the ner,
~ take the chances that go with your act"
, You may soon find to the contrary shou
cd the captain, who was letting his temp
!, GET the best of him. Il have mind TO sci
: Won TO Admiral Mello a prisoner! You kno
a what he would do to you.
:. "Oh. Captain Lang" | said jeeringly. "Yt
o know YOU wouldn't do that!
o And pray why not sir?"
, Because you dare not do 1t, and that's why
I told him. as l pointed TO the u. s. s. Charlt
: ton which. with her decks cleared for actic
: VAS anchored only few hundred yards OF
mort Il dare you to do it! defy you to do
:, send me aboard the Aquidaban II you dare'
- was making a strong blum. and got aw
- with II. The outraged Britisher sweled wi
- a,gsr and turned almost purple. but he did I
: -a,,v IN INV taunt Instead. he summoned