The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-12-26

there begins another chapter that is
even more fascinating to the lover OF
adventure and stirring deeds than
anything the plucky little German
cruiser had done. The story or the
40 men and two officers will live In
song and story wherever the Rhine
land songs are sung or wherever
brave men honor true courage and
initiative in other brave men. The
Emden sailed away to be driven
ashore and destroyed.
"And so the great naval duel passed
from our sight" wired an eyewitness
land we could turn our attention to
the portion OF the German crew that
had been left behind. These men
had put off in their boats, obedient
TO the signal of the siren, but when
their ship steamed of without them
they could do nothing else but come
ashore again. On relanding they lin
ed up on the shore of the lagoon, evil
IDENTIFY determined to fight to finish
II the British cruiser sent party
ashore. but at o'clock p. M, the
German raiders embarked on the old
schooner Ayessa, which belongs 10
Mr.. Ross, the 'uncfowned king or the
islands. SEEKING quantity OF cloth
ing and stores, they sailed out and
nothing has been seen or heard OF
them since"
II was all as fine and colorful as in
more reminiscent old days when men
fought with smooth bore guns behind
the walls OF their bandbox ships, their
gunwales dashed to those OF the en-
envy, and the personal dash and BRAY.
cry of the men az they fought with
cutlass and knife, breast to breast and
face to face, decided the victory. One
sees the big blond Germans, some OF
them probably nothing more than
bows. but every one anxious to do and
dare, watching silently and grimly as
their ship sailed away from the trop-
ical island with its cocoanut trees and
it's hinterland OF jungle. and then
their hasty consultation with the
three lone officers left to them
This group .of coral islands in the
Indian ocean furnished Charles OAR
win with the typical example OF an
atoll or lagoon island, A dense veg
citation OF ironwood and other trees
and shrubs, together with forests OF
cocoanut palms decorates some OF the
islands.
AS the lone little party Of 40 stand
staring out at sea and listening to the
diminishing sound OF the battle they
look back at the employees OF the
cable station. the few British inhabi-
tants, all OF whom they have treated
with respect. Myriads of sea fowl,
frigate birds, boobies and terms from
the neighboring uninhabited Islands
wheel and scream challenges in the
air. The afternoon wanes and there
is no return of the Emden or the men
Of the Sydney. BY now the little par
ty begins to fear that the victory had
fallen to the Australian ship with its
longer range guns. They will be
coming back-but the 40 men cannot
fight the crew OF big cruiser. They
must get away But where? How?
True seamen feel safest with the
tossing deck under them--no matter
what sort of a deck. AT the shore, her
keel hung heavy with tropical sea
weed and her weather bleached rig
ging almost as white as dead mems
bones was the crazy old schooner
Ayessa, perhaps relic OF the pearl
fisheries, perhaps worn out in the
cocoanut trade. With extrtme polite
ness. doubtless, the young officers in
ouire and learn that she belongs to
Mr.. Ross, the ''uncrowned king"
They have heard OF Mr.. Ross. as
what sailor man of these seas has
not? He Is a descendant OF the Scotch
man. ], Ross. who two or three years
after Alexander Hare, the English adj,
venturer, came In 1923, settled on the
southern island Ross had command
ed brig during the English occupa-
ton OF Java. He settled here with
his family (who continued the occu-
pation) on Direction Island. and his
| little colony was soon strengthened by
Hare's runaway slaves. The Dutch
government had. in an informal way,
claimed possession OF the islands since
1929: but they refused TO allow Ross
TO hoist the Dutch flag. and accord
ingly the group was taken under
British protection In 1856. In 1873 II
was attached to the government OF
Ceylon. and in 1882 placed under
the authority OF the governor OF the
Straits Settlements The ownership
and superintendency continued in the
Ross family. to whom George Clunies
Ross died in 1910. and was succeeded
iby his son sydney.