Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1913-10-03

AAA~of NA0 a0AV AoA ~ lACAAas Tut
they caused the crew of the Pelican
to forget their own coming death in
sympathy with these defenseless be-
ings on the neighboring ship.
Spencer, who was but twenty-five
years old. heard the walls. aud they In
cited his brain to action. But what
could he do to avert the calamity? He
had some armament. but not enough to
protect his own vessel. to say nothing
of the Dole. He had two six-pounder
guns, n on the port. the other IN the
starboard bow, and he had painted his
ships side to represent openings for
ordnance. his object being to make it
appear that he was armed with TWEEN
ty guns instead of two. But the pirate
would soon discover his deficiency. and
with more guns than Spencer feigned
to have and of higher caliber he could
make short work of the Pelican.
"Well eight him, boys" said Spencer
to his crew, land we have one adj
vantage-we won't have to walk the
plank. As 500 as one of her shots
strikes our blasting powder wen got
Davy mes locker
But his active Yankee brain during
the whole of that fearful night W
ceased trying to find some way to cir
cumvent the pirate that he might save
all the lives that were to be sacrificed
on the morrow. When daylight came
all of the crew of the Dole and many
of the passengers were ON deck. There
was a ghost of a hope for them In the
Pelican, for they had been deceived
by her painted ports. The first object
that stirred on the pirate was a man
walking toAthe stern. When he reach
ed 1t he hauled up a ball of bunting
and broke the skull and crossbones.
Those on the Dole shuddered. Then
men appeared here and there. some of
them carrying arms from point to
point. One of them. who appeared to
be the captain. stood OF the poop deck
giving orders.
The Pelican lay perfectly still. but
presently men were seen raising her
anchor. This evidently attracted the
pirates attention. Suddenly a puff of
smoke broke from her bow. and a shot
went skipping toward the schooner. A
gun doomed on the latter ship. Excla-
nations denoting hope came from those
on the Dole. Would there be a fight?
But no. The pirate fired several shots
and ELECTED no reply. The only COM
fort for those on the Dole was that
the Pelican would be first destroyed.
The Pelican's single shot was in ac-
cordance with a plan laid by Captain
Spencer after midnight-a plan yet lit
tie more than a hope. His object in
firing at the pirate was simply to indi-
cate that he had better dispose of the
Pelican before attending to the Dole.
Such was Captain Crocker's decision.
Having got up his anchor and having
failed to elicit any more firing from
the schooner, he prepared to go to her
and take possession.
Those on the Dole saw with agony
that the Pelican must soon be taken. All
on board would be dispatched or forced
to walk the plank. and then the pirate
would do the same by those on the
British ship. Some went below to tell
the others that there was no hope;
others remained to see a slaughter that
would soon be visited upon themselves.
The pirate hoisted a jib and foretop-
sail. which gave her Roadway enough
to take her to her victim. The latter
had raised her anchor. but did not
hoist a sail. The crew stood in a group.
apparently waiting to die without re
sistance. One "a was In the rigging.
Had it not been for the hopelessness
of the situation perhaps his being
there might have excited attention.
Captain Seymour noticed an arm ex-
tending from where the man was To-
Gated. from the outer end of which q
rope dropped to the deck, but SO full
of anguish was he that it made but
little impression upon him.
On went the pirate. like a great bird
on it's way to pounce upon a fish. On
the doomed vessel not a man moved.
On the poop deck stood the captain.
now and again diverting his glance
from his coming enemy to the mar in
the rigging.
Suddenly Seymour gave an order,
and the crew ran to the halyards. Up
went the sails and the Pelican began
to nov
Then for a few minutes followed a
~maneuvering. the pirate trying to get
near enough to his enemy to board
her, the Pelican aiming to keep her
off. The latter had an advantage in
having up more sail. The pirate. be-
ing SUR of its victim. did not add to
its own canvas Presently. when the
two vessels were but half a dozen
yards apart. those on the Dole saw the
arm that has been mentioned by means
of the rope attached swung outward
by men on deck SO that 1t was turned
toward the pirate. Then the man in