New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1915-02-24

were at u disadvantage as to position,
for it is not an easy matter to board a
vessel from u boat much lower than
the ship to he boarded. Unfortunately
we We're ut some distance from the
shore or amy other vessel. One or two
ships had been near Sus when we an
chored, but. they had sailed or locked
during the day. ~ a 2Ft Nj. .,3sss /
While ! could not tell who these men
were. 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 We're. Our main
business was to stand them off.
The captain and the purser we're ig-
norant Of what had appeared to me,
and since l had no time to enter into
an explanation in words 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 fire.
| attributed this to their having in
tended a surprise and that they had
not expected to attract the attention
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 a commander
giving orders, but since we did not I'M
derstand the Italian language we were
ignorant of what he said. This con
vinced me that we were attacked by
party Of brigands under competent
leader and would all be murdered I'M
less we could drive them off.
The Pelican's crew had gone down
into their boat by means Of the wood
en- steps roped together, used for tax
ing on and letting off pilots and such
other purposes. 1t was hanging ready
for them when they should return.
would have pulled it up on seeing
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 we'll fight
his way on to the ship, but he was
protected by a man in the boat, who
threw 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 cutlass
down on him which sent him after his
companion. t
Meanwhile l had noticed a man be-
low take to the water and swim to-
ward the stern. I surmised that he
was making for the anchor chain to
climb on board. Captain wainwright
had pulled the knife out of his chest,
and, thinking he might be able to pro-
tect the bow from the swimmer. sug.
gested that he do so, leaving me and
the purser where the principal danger
lay. wainwright said that he was up
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 in the water,
who seized the anchor chain and was
beginning to shin up it when the cap
tain dropped him by shot from his
musket,
Meanwhile the purser and were
lighting at the steps to keep off board
ers. We We're 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
when thought of way to cut off the
ascent. l told the purser to bring an
Ak, while fought on. He did SO, and
when he returned I 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. l looked
and saw another boat rapidly ap'
preaching. That it did not contain re-
endorsements for the bandits was evil
dent from the fact that they pushed
off 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 till we saw them overhaul the
bandits and take their boat in tow.
They pulled back to the Pelican and
loft 90. hinoo,. C,h0 cnol-c e,o,~,<> II,,u