The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-08-03
AFiight In
Tropical Waters
BY DONALD CHAMBERLIN

|
night near the mouth of the gre'
Yaqui river, in Santo Domingo. ! ha
put in there In obedience to storm sii
nails and was waiting for the storm
come and go. But 1t did not appea
The night | speak of was clear, an
there was a full moon. OF course
was hot. 1t is always hot in tina
region.
There were rumors of negro insul
rections and revolutions in Halt
which is the western part OF the ID
land and not far from where / wa
/ lying. and was not enjoying my stay
for, being at no great distance from
either shore, / did not know when |
party of lawless negroes would COM
aboard for murder and loot.
Unfortunately during the day we hat
heard of dance that was to taks
place at the house of one of the small
planters living In that region, and the
whole crew asked me for leave to go
preferred that none Of them should
leave the yacht, but reluctantly con
scented that half should go In charge
of the quartermaster, leaving me the
other half. They had not been gone
long before l saw boat coming with
a single man In 1t, who told me that
some negroes were looting his house
and begged me to send force to drive
them off. / could not refuse such a
request, and my men all wished to be
five, retaining one man, Erickson, who
was not very well and tn -efore per-
fectly willing to remain with me.
The second detachment had not been
gone long when, pacing the stern deck
dissatisfied with myself for letting my
crew leave the yacht unprotected,
saw boat evidently well loaded with
human beings leave the north bank
of the river and pull directly for me.
smeled danger at once and called to
Erickson. who was in his bunk In the
forecastle. to bring up an armful of
weapons and ammunition
He soon came up the companionway
staggering under his load and distrib-
uted them in different parts of the
yacht. When the approaching boat
came near enough to distinguish her
crew and could see that they were all
blacks, II flashed across me that the
that had been given my
men as to the dance and the story
about the attack on my visitors home
were simply ruses TO get my men away
In order that party might come out
and loot the yacht took position
with repeating rife astern and or
iered Erickson to place himself further
for'ard. IL fired / would pick a man
Ia the bow, and he was to fire at a
man In the stern.
When the boat came within range
ordered the men to keep Off, but they
laid no attention to the order, pulling
light along All but the helmsman had
vas busy with his oar: consequently | |
lad the advantage OF them, for they |
'ould not both row and fight. while |
ould pour lead into them ad lib. The |
,oat was yawl and there were eight |
arsmen In her, each man pulling a
ingle oar
| gave a second order before firing /
nd still not being obeyed took aim
L the bow oarsman as near as could
distinguish him from the others and
red. My shot was followed by one
rom Erickson. We could not see just
that damage we had done, but 1t was
vident that we had thrown them into
onfusion. They stopped rowing and
ONE of them were evidently minister
lg to wounded men, while others were
lhbering at each other In lingo we
i'd not understand. At least we were
OF near enough to do so.
Not wishing to hurt any more men
nan necessary, ordered them to turn
bout and pull away. But the steers.
Inn. who was evidently their leader,
as yelling at them TO pull for the
acht. for most of them gave way. /
red again and saw man fall back.
ard. Erickson duplicated my shot,
Ut apparently did no damage. Seeing
lat our enemy was bent on rushing
], dropped my rife and picked up
couple of hand grenades, calling to
to do the same.
l had scarcely changed my weapon
hen by a squirt the blacks came up
Id rounded alongside Both Erick-
N and met where they touched the
Icht and each tossed hand grenade
to the boat. A terrible havoc was
oduced, but did not stop to see just
hat damage was done. for ] heard
rs pulling with quick stroke on
e other side OF the yacht. Shouting :
Erickson to defend that side, ran
the other side. carrying an armful
weapons with me-
saw another boat coming which I
j not doubt was an auxiliary force
the one had been opposing. with
{ waiting 10 hail them. fred a shot
them. don't think I bit any one.
{ In another moment / heard a hal
and the sound OF oars in another =
'ection. This knew to be some of lT
: crew returning The boat on my
le changed its course and pulled
-ay as fast as IL had come. The
at on the other side In which most
the men bad been disabled had al