Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1915-03-03

tage over us in numbers, while they
were at disadvantage as to position,
for it is not an easy matter to board
vessel from boat much lower than
the ship to be boarded. Unfortunately
we were at some distance from the
shore or any other vessel. One or two
ships had been near us when we an
chored, but they had sailed or locked
during the day.
While | could not tell who these men
were. l presumed that they were Ital-
ianS who had heard the crew. talking
in Naples about the treasure in the
ship. Quite likely some members Of
the crew had been heard talking about
the practicability of boarding the Peli-
can, Selling the gold and making off
with it. There was no time to con-
lecture who they were. Our main
business was to stand them off.
The captain and the purser were ig
norant of what had appeared to me,
and since l had no time to enter into
an explanation in words l decided to
do so by shot. [ put a ball in among
the men huddled together in the boat.
That hit some person or persons was
evident from the fact that there was a
commotion aboard. But the rowing
was not long interfered with. A jab-
bering in the Italian language follow
ed, but they did not reply to my Ere.
I attributed this to their having in
tended a surprise and that they had
- he
Of the police by the sound Of firing.
My companions were by this time
convinced by ocular demonstration
that there was mischief in the boat
near us. and both blaZed away. But
the boat was under the bulwarks. and
We were obliged to lean over to see
her. We heard one clear, composed
voice, evidently that Of q commander
giving orders, but since we did not uR-
derstand the Italian language We were
ignorant Of what he said. This con-
WINGED me that we were attacked by
party Of brigands under competent
leader and would all be murdered un-
less we could drive them OF.
The Pelicans crew had gone down
into their boat by means Of the wood
en- steps roped together, used for tax
ing on and letting OF pilots and such
other purposes. 1t was hanging ready
for them when they should return.
would have pulled it up on seeing a
suspicious boat approaching, but had
not time. The brigands began to climb
it. Captain wainwright claimed the po-
sition to receive the first man who
came up. The bandit must use his two
hands and could not very well fight
his way on to the ship, but he was
protected by man in the boat, who
| threw a knife at the captain, which
struck him in the chest. l pushed him
away and took his place. A knife
WhiZzed by my ear so close as to clip
off enough Of it to draw blood, but |
| succeeded in landing a blow on the
head Of the top man on the ladder with
the butt Of my revolver that dropped
him.
His fall disconnected the man be-
| low him, and before he could reach the
top step the purser brought a cutlass
! down on him which sent him after his
companion.
! Meanwhile l had noticed a man be-
low take to the water and swim to-
/ ward the stern. | surmised that be
was making for the anchor chain to
climb on board. Captain wainwright
| had pulled the knife out Of his chest.
| and, thinking be might be able to pro
/ tect the bow from the swimmer. l sug-
! ho Il,
the purser where the principal danger
! lay. wainwright said that he was I'D
| to the job and started forward with
! musket, stanching the blood flowing
! from his chest at the same time. He
| was not seen by the man i'll the water.
who seized the anchor chain and was
beginning to shin up it when the cap
tain dropped him by a shot from his
musket.
Meanwhile the purser and | were
| lighting at the steps to keep off board
ers. We were somewhat protected by
| the bulWarks from those in the boat
and after the captains mishap kept as
well below as possible. But | believed
the battle would at last go against us
| y
! ascent. | told the purser to bring an
! ok, while | fought on. He did so, and
when he returned | cut the ropes that
held the steps. There were three men
on them at the time, all of whom tum-
bled into the boat or the water.
Hearing the sound of oars, | looked
and saw another boat rapidly ap-
preaching. That it did not contain re-
endorsements for the bandits was evi-
dent from the fact that they pushed
OF and pulled away as fast as they
could. They were chased by the other
boat and were fired at. AS the latter
passed near the Pelican | could see in
the moonlight that the men in it wore
the snowy uniforms of the carabineers
or national police Of Italy. We watch
| ed them fill we saw them overhaul tbo