The Washburn leader., 1915-08-27
PENlllED
IN
By WILLIAM CHANDLER

| vessel running from San francisco
among these islands, trading by the
way. The captain, Simpson. was then
quite an old man and had sailed
among them for number of years.
He knew the character Of the people
of the different islands and told us
that, while most Of them were ap.
proachable, there were few at which
he would not care to touch unless with
q numerous crew and with plenty of
arms and ammunition.
During one of our voyages we had
had luck from the start. Our crew
was q small one when We left San
Francisco. Two men were taken i'll
within week after we left, and both
died. Another fell down an open
hatchway, and still another was wash
ed overheard and lost.
We had passed the Hawaiians and
crossed the equator not far from the
international date line when we struck
a northeaster that drove us on to a
point directly north of the Fijfs. Dur
| ing the storm we shipped sea that
drove one man headforemost against
the bulwarks and washed another one
overheard. This left us the captain,
the mate and three seamen. Hardly
had the storm blown itself out when
something about the firebox gave out
and we were obliged to let the fires go
down in order to find out what it was.
We had sail enough to keep steerage
way, but no more.
Just before the captain gave the Or
der to put out the fires noticed him
looking intently at an island lying on
our port bow and heard him tell the
mate that he believed it to be one
from which on a previous voyage he
had narrowly escaped with his life.
Having found the natives bent on plum
der and ready to strike any weak crew
that came within their reach, he did
not relish the idea of putting out the
fires in that locality.
However, there was no choice In the
matter and when the firebox had cool
ed down one of our number went into
It for an examination. Unfortunately
the wind was blowing straight toward
the island. Presently we saw a num-
ber of canoes coming out from the
shore. The captain looked grave. Un-
der sail we couldn't make four knots,
and we were too few to defend our
selves against the swarm of dusky
men who were coming for us. The
mate suggested that they were only
coming out for trade or to beg and
wouldn't harm us. The captain said
he knew better; they would murder us,
take what they wanted and either get
the ship to the shore or sink her.
The only chance there seemed to be
for us was to hide. We all went down
and got into the firebox, where man
was working, and closed the door. The
latch fell and could be opened only
from the outside. But this didn't trou-
BILE US, for the man who had been at
work had his tools, and when we want
ed to get out 1t would be possible for
him to bore hole near the latch 60
that it could be lifted.
The furnace room was pretty dark.
and since we all packed ourselves In
the far end Of the firebox we were
not likely to be seen except by pair
of first rate eyes. We waited In sus-
pense till we heard men tramping
about above. They must have been
surprised to find the vessel deserted,
but delighted as well, considering that
there was much plunder for them. We
heard them everywhere, evidently col
lecting what they wanted. The door
Of the firebox was opened twice. but
whoever opened it shut 1t again with
out taking the trouble to make an ex-
animation.
The visitors remained on board till
we began to feel the vessel rolling con-
siderably; then the sounds suddenly
ceased. 1t was evident that the sea
was getting rough, and they did not
dare stay longer. Then Captain Sim
mons directed the man who had been
repairing the firebox to drill a hole so
that the latch could be lifted.
Boring hole in wood and iron are
two different things. The one can be
done in seconds: the other may take
hours. The man had been drilling
some time when we began to feel wa
ter on the firebox floor. Bringing the
light the workman had with him, and
by which he was drilling, to bear on
the noor, we saw water trickling In at
several points.
Every man of us paled. The ship
had been scuttled, and We were pen
ned in to be carried to the bottom.
The man who was drilling had splen-
did nerve. He did not lose his head.
but kept steadily on. conscious Of the
fact that he must make an opening
before the ship sank and not knowing
how soon she would sink. When he
was nearly through, removing his drill
and putting in steel implement. he
hammered It through. In few min
utes he inserted his fingers and lifted
the latch.
The water had made considerable
headway, but not 80 much but that It
could be seen pouring through an au-
ger hole In the side. We plugged II
and. rushing on deck, saw that we had
been blown past the island and were
drifting aWay from It, Then we man