The Southern herald., 1918-10-25
CHAPTER XVI.
captufed by the Moewe.
~

WAille we naO dropped our pll0L,
said to myself: "Now we are off, and
it's the States for me-end Of the
line-far as we gO-IF-" But the
III" did not look very big to me,
though / could see II with the naked
ego all right.
l got up about four O'Clock the next
morning, which was Sunday, Decem-
Der 10, 1864 date do not think /
will ever forget.
AS soon as l was dressed l went
down to the fCAecastle peak and from
there into the paint locker, where |
found some rope. Then back again on
deck. and made myself a hammock.
which / rugged up on the boat deck,
figuring that / would have q nice sun
bath, as the weather had at last
turned clear.
AS soon as had the hammock
strung went down to the baker and
had a nice chat with hlm-and stole
few hot buns, which was what / was
really after-and away to the galley
for breakfast. l was almost exactly
amldships, sitting on an old orange
box. had not been there long when
Old Chips, the ships carpenter. stuck
shls head in the door and sang out
''ShiD on the starbOard bow" l did
not pay any attention to him, because
ships on the. starboard bow were
no novelty to me, or on the port
either. Chips was not crazy about
looking at her, either, for he came in
and sat on another box and began
Scoffing. He said he thought she was
+ tramp and that she few the British
flag astern.
ate all could get hold Of and went
out on deck. stepped out Of the gal
ley Just In time to see the fun. The
ship was just opposite us when away
went our wireless and some of the
boats on the starboard side, and then,
boom boom and we heard the report
Of the guns. l heard the shrapnel
iwhizzing around US just as had many
time before. / jumped back In the
galley and Chips and the cook were
shaking so hard they made the pans
rattle.
When the firing stopped I went up
to the boat deck. l had on all Of my
clothing, but instead Of shoes I was
wearing a pair Of wooden clogs. The
men and boys were crazy-rushing
around the deck and knocking each
other down, and everybody getting In
everybody else's way. We lowered our
Jacobs ladders, but some Of the men
and boys were already In the water.
Why they jumped / do not know.
Then the German raider Moewe
headed right In toward US and I
thought she was going to ram US, but
she backed water about thirty yards
away. She lowered a lifebOat and 1t
made for the George, passing our
men in the water as they came and
crashing them on the head with boat
hooks when they could reach them.
l noticed that there were red kegs In
the German boat.
When the lifebOat reached the ia.
cob's ladders went over to the port
side of the George and then the Ger
mans came over the side and holsted
up the kegs. The Germans were
armed with bayOnets and revolvers.
Some Of them went down into the en-.
gine room and opened the sea cocks.
About this time some Of the Llmeys
came up from the poop deck and
told them to stay where / was and
that the Germans would take us over
in lifebo0ts, Another squad Of Ger.
mans hoisted eight Of the dynamite
kegs on their shoulders and down into
No. 5 hold with them.
Mean time the Germans saw us up
on the boat deck and came up after
US. And over went the Limeys. But
l waited and one or two more waited
with me. When the Germans came up
to us they had their revolvers out
and were waving them around and
yelling, "GOtt strafe Englandl" and
talking about "sehweInhunde." Then,
the first thing knew, l was kicked of
into the sea. / slipped of my trousers
and coat and clogs, and, believe me, It
was not case Of all dressed up and
no place to gOl
Then I~swam hard and caught up to
she Llmeys who had jumped first. They
we're asking each other If they were
downhearted and answering, "Not
bit of 1t, me lads" and trying to sing,
Pack mp your troubles In your old kit
Bag" only they could not do much
singing on account Of the waves that4
slipped into their mouths every time
they opened them. That was just like |
Limeys, though.
Some of the boys were just climbing
up the Jacobs ladder on the Moewe
Ehen the old Georgic let out an awful |