The Press., 1915-07-28


 brandishing their weapons and by their looks indicated that they were ant.ci- pating an easy prey. The crew of the ship showed no signs of what they felt within, which was that in case they were captured every man of them would either be cut down in cold blood or forced to walk the plank. Naturally every man felt that it was incumbent upon him to fight to the death. Every available weapon was brought into reuuisition, even to caldrons of boiling water. There were but twenty-six men in all for defense, including the officers. The ship and the dhow were converg- ing to a meeting. As soon as the latter got within range she opened port, there came a puff of smoke, anl a round shot went tearing through the bowsprit chains. Captain Wainwright had ordered his carronades to be placel on that side of the ship and replied, sending a shot into crowd of copper colored villains standing against the gunwale This opened the fight, the pirate craft edging constantly nearer, and men could be seen from the Mary Robinson getting grappling irons ready to use for boarding purposes.
 This the white men dreaded on ac- count of the superiority in numbers of the pirates. They might kill as many Chinamen as themselves and double the number would remain. Captain Wainwright would have sheered off if possible, but his ship was as close haul ed to the wind as she could get without going about. However. when the pi- rate came within a cables length the tiller was put hard down, and the Mary Robinson swung round and stood off at right angle with the pirates course.
 The dhow followed this maneuver, though not at once. For awhile she kept on her course and since she was a faster sailer than the other gained leeway. It was evident that she would grapple the Mary Robinson on the next tack. Having made what gain she required, she swung round and sailed on a course to head off her en- emy. Captain Wainwright, seeing that when the two met his ship would be boarded, called the crew aft and said to them:
 "Men, if those cutthroats board us we are all doomed. See to it that the first man doesn't get aboard alive"
 When the two vessels met their prows formed a right angle. Every man on the Mary Robinson was on the forecastle armed either with a cutlass or a loaded musket Gf 1t were within reach) except Jim Butterworth, who preferred an ax. He took position as first man and waited with his weapon high in the air to cut off the hand or boarder. A powerful Malay stood at the head of the pirates ready to jump the moment the ships touched.
 Suddenly the advanced pirate was seen to shrink away ns though he had seen something to take the stiffening out of him. Jim saw at once that 1t was his glass eye. Lifting hand he removed it and made motion to throw 1t at the Chinaman, who shrank back, pushing his followers to tho rear. Jim returned the eye to the socket. Others among the Chinamen by this time had become impressed with what they considered the evil eye and those in front crowded to the rear.
 "Give em a volleyr' roared Jim.
 Every white man dropped his cutlass and seizing musket poured couple of dozen bullets into the throng of pirates crowded on the forecastle of the dhow, dropping a goodly number of them. A cry was raised by the pirates which was not understood by the white men, but in English 1t meant:
 'The evil eye!
 Jim unloosened grappling iron that had been fastened to the ships for ward gunwale, and slowly the dhow sheered off, Jim staring at the pirates with his glass eye while every man of them was trying to hide himself from its evil influence.
 The two vessels became separated and the pirates did not return. As soon as it was evident that the crew of the Mary Robinson was saved all hands crowded around Jim, those nearest to him embracing him. Then all gave way to Captain Wainwright, who, talk ing Jim by the hand, said:
 Men, the first man who cracks joke at Butterworth's glass eye will receive punishment to the full extent of what maritime law allows me as master of this vessel. That eye has saved every mothers son of us from death at the hands of the yellow varmints. He will hereafter be third mate and in future will be addressed as Mir Butterworth, and don't you forget it."
 Cheers greeted this speech and grog was served to the crew.