The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-07-12
Ruth ST Denis dancing Miss Martha


Get two of the boats away" ordered
the captain. Wen try to tow out of
this. If we can't make it, well stay and
lick them. Much as I'd like to fight
and so would the men-it's up to us to
run no risks with this cargo if we can
help it,"
Two of the whale boats were put
over the side, lines were passed and
the men fell to on the oars with will.
The Apamana scarcely hudged. Two
more boats were launched and the men
bent the sturdy oars as backs and arms
were thrown into the work. The
schooner forged very slowly ahead. but
she did not gather way enough To slide
along between the strokes, and each
time the men put their backs on it was
almost like starting her all over again.
The junks being light and propelled
10y oars Of their own were overtaking
us rapidly.
We can't make "A go of it, said Rem
.nSton. and | knew by the CLEAN in his
eyes that he was not sorry at heart.
"All hands on board" he shouted
through the megaphone.
The men in the whale boats scrambled
over the sides and made ready their
rifles and the revolvers which had been
supplied to them the night before.
This is going to come to close quar-
ters,' said the captain. land well have
need for small arms. | don't see that
breeze | predicted"
lie scanned the sky, but it was leaden
and gave no promise of relief from the
calm. \ rifle shot crashed on one of
the junks. \ bullet struck our main
mast and sung an eerie tune as it bored
into the stout wood
Use your heads" ordered Reming-
ton to his men. land fire as you think
1t Will do good Don't waste any car
ridges"
Crouching behind the rails, hidden by
coils of rope or any other available
shelter. the crew of the Apamana be-
gan To h.azr away at the pirates.
We heard men yelling with pain,
and sometimes a Chinaman would leap
into the water or tumble over the side
Of "A junk. Still they bore down ON
us steadily, with apparently no con-
sideration for their losses.
They We're on all sides of us by the
time they were within pistol range, and
We had only small group of men
| 10 fight off each junk, | was at the
port rail. Suddenly | felt "A slight
shock to the vessel. the air was filled
with wild yells. and | knew that one
of the junks had fUulcd US and that
the pirates would lie pouring over the
! side.
The junk on my own side was 50
close that We dared not run to help
our mates. Some Of the pirates We're
| fairly dancing in a mad frenzy of i'm
| patience at the prospects of boarding
| They made easy targets, but there were
50 many of them We could not hope to
hold them off.
There was "A great shouting from
our men in the stern.
zone Of the junks has sunk" man
ar me said
There was no time to investigate
| then, but later | learned that the small
/ est Of the pirate craft had been 80
riddled and was in such dlapdated
condition to begin with that 1t had
foundercd. There were few men left
alive when it swamped, and the cap
| tain and those with him annihilated the
crew in the water.
Termination and his men then ran
| To the relief of the other defenders,
most of them To the starboard side
| whore the Chinese had boarded. In
another minute yellow skinned men
were scramblng for a hold on our side
| Of the Apamana.
The first head that jutted over the
rail was smashed by revolver butt
in the hands Of a big Swede, Some
of the men dubbed their rifles and
hammered down over the side at the
pirates as they swarmcd out of the
junk. Many were battered into the
sea. and as fast as We could We picked
them off with our revoIvers,