The Washington herald., 1915-08-08
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6[61A

newed the combat with his revolver.
which had yet some charges in It
The fight proved q most desperate one.
for the Arabs were rendered furious by I,
seeing SO many of their number fall and
also at the unexpected resistance they
had met with. Well did they know. too,
that they were fighting. as 1t were. with
a halter around their necks. for the hold
Of their vessel was crammed with slaves.
The little dinghy. which had been I'M
able to render assistance in this hand
to-hand struggle. was creeping up as fast
as she could toward the scene Of action.
the marine on board being afraid to open
fire for fear Of hitting his shipmates in
the pinnace.
Before the fight had ragged many min
utes, nine ruffians of the slaver's crew
had been rendered hors de combat. but
at how great a sacrifice this result had
been obtained the reader will understand
when he hears that three out OF the de-
voted little band of Europeans were ly-
ing in the bottom OF the pinnace. dan
gerously wounded. The lieutenant and
the two remaining seamen. Guys and
Russell, although they were all more or
less wounded. still faced the Arabs I'M
iinchingly. and kept them at bay.
At length. sorely weakened by loss
of blood. Russell succumbed and sank
exhausted into the bottom Of the boat.
still era sping his cutlass in his right
hand.
The lieutenant, with Guys at his side,
still fought on, and to such purpose that
they actually succeeded in checkmat-
ing TIE Arabs In their repeated attempts
m ba mir Nv h1a
to the intense JOY and relief Of the naval
men, they perceived that the slaver's
crew were beginning to flag a little n
their attack Fasteners have not that
logged pertinacity in fighting that is
characteristic of the Western sailor or
soldier who has seen service. At this
moment. too. by great good fortune. L
puff OF wind caught the sail of the
dhow and caused her to forge ahead a
little. The Arabs actually took ad-
vantage of this circumstance to en-
deavor to effect an escape. Their steers
man put his helm over. and .he clumsy
great vessels stern swung round as
she altered her course and stood away
to the northward.
Fegen and his one man. disabled as
they were. determined the SLAYER
should not escape if they could pos
sibly help 1t. Flying to the rine-
FOUNDER gun. they quickly .oaded 1t.
ing jhow. 1t took effect. but only n
a shower of splinters. whereas the
lieutenant had hoped to disable her
With difficulty way was got on the
pinnace. and the gun was once more
loaded. Meanwhile the men in the dinghy
were not idle. and kept up brisk fusil-
lade upon the retiring enemy.
To Fegen's annoyance he now per-
ceived that the noise Of the firing had
| attracted to the shore-which was close
at banda large band of Arabs who.
quickly realizing the state of affairs, and
anxious to assist their countrymen,
| opened desultory but very annoying
fire upon the British boats
However, there is a silver lining to
/ every cloud. and it now revealed itself
to the gallant lieutenant and his men.
A lucky shot killed the dhow's steers
man. and before the panic-strcken
Arabs could rush to the helm the SLAYER
had broached-to in shallow water and
in an instant was among the breakers
Her rascally crew. realizing instantly
the hopelessness of their case. released
the slaves from below, and ordered them
to spring overheard, and make their way
, as best they could to the shore on
which the surf was breaking with a
terrific roar. Then. led by their cap
tain. the Arabs lowered themselves over
the side. and. amidst sheets Of spray
waters. striking out as best they could
for the shore-the majority of them,
needless to say. perishing in the at
tempt.
The greater part Of the slaves. far too
frightened to follow this desperate ex-
ample, slipped over the side. and chung
to the dhow's bulwarks and rigging,
many being washed away and drowned.
The lieutenant at once sent the dinghy
to assist these poor wretches, and
meanwhile peppered the bellicose Arabs
on shore with his nine-pounder. which !
soon had the effect of making these
gentry decamp and seek refuge inland.
At great risk and with infinite skill
and patience. ifty-three half-drowned
and terror-stricken slaves were rescued
in installments. And fortunately. every
wounded member of Lieut.. Fegen's lit
tie band ultimately was none the worse
for their day OF hard fighting against
great odds
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