The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent. [volume] (Broadus, Mont.) 1919-1935, 1919-10-24

Number One. tell them to stand by
the searchlight," said the captain to
the first lieutenant. "Signalman. tell
him to place his navigation lights"
Very promptly in response to the sig.
nal the lights appeared upon the
strange ship.
Nov make. Remain where you are.
will board you ut daylight
What the searchiight Revealed.
When the distance between the ships
had been reduced to about a mile the
order was given to switch on the
searchlight. The great white streak
shot across the sea until it settled on
the mysterious craft. In large letters
across her stern ran the legend, "Tur-
ritella, London"
II believe I have been fooled after
ALL" said the captain to himself. The
searchlight also revealed a party SHOW.
ing off in boat, presumably contain.
ing the irate skipper. wanting to know
what the blank blank all this business
! meant, for in the eastern waters they
were not accustomed to it. Presently
there came u strange voice through .
megnphOne from the strangers bridge:
"Switch off that damned search
light"
HE seems to he getting a bit ratty.
Shall switch off,"
| The order was given. and darkness
prevailed once more. Some minutes
! later the eastern sky began to glow.
feehly at first. casting kind Of half
light over the face Of the seas--a mere
glimmer in which objects appeared
without shape. Out Of this gloom
there arose such babel of sound as
brought us all to the ships side. Dimly
we could discern two boats. one on the
! port and one on the starbOard side of
us. both crowded with occupants. who
were jabber:ng in some strange tongue
like lot Of excited monkeys.
Germans Sank Their Own Ship.
Just as we came abeum of the
strange ship we saw Il cloud Of smoke
shoot up from her. which was followed
by the heavy thud of an explosion.
Next moment there came another
heavy thud, and we saw that the Tur-
ritella was beginning to sink by the
head. We steamed past her and began
to circle round her at respectful dis
lance, for ships which carry explosives
may carry them in the form of tOrpe-
does. Gradually the eastern sky began
to flush red: the hue was reflected by
the sea. until one could have fancetl
that the stricken ship was staining the
waters with her blood And then we
saw Il third boat rowing away from
the wreck in the direction Of the other
two. We swung round to return and
,ick them up.
AS we approached the first two boats
we realized why we had failed to un-
lerstand the language. They were full
Of Cinnamon all talking ut once. in a
state Of hysterical agitation. We wait.
ed eagerly for the third boat As 1t
drew up alongside one gangway two
officers stepped briskly up the ladder
and were followed by twenty-six men
each wearing Il round blue cap with
two black ribbons falling down behind
Across the front of the cap ribbon was
printed in gold letters "Kaiserliche
, Marine" We had not been fooled
after all.
The Turriteiia's Story.
The story Of the Turriteila is brief.
this. She had been captured from the
Germans early in the war. In Febru
airy. 1917. she sct out from Shanghai
with a Chinese crew and British off
GERS: she put into Rangoon to pick II.
; cargo. and again into Colombo. where
she spent some days loading up. SHE
, left Colombo on Feb. %, 1917. and fOul
days later walked straight into the
jaws of the Wolf Her British officer.
and men were taken aboard the raider
as prisoners. hut the Cinnamon re
manned in her. \ German prize crew
then took possession Of her: she wa!
loaded up with mines. and sent off t.
Alden to lay her eggs just outside thu
harbOr. Her subsequent movement.
had all been carefully planned to fit IL
with the program revealed by thu
ships papers. On March 6 she was
due In Prim. where she intended II
| CdltI. OONtuS NS lupOCCut as luutt'
with her Chinese crew on the uppe
deck and her German ratings stOwet
below. Thence she was to proceed I,
the Red sea to lay more mines. ant
afterwartl to rejOin the Wolf at rem
devious.
Could she have carried out this pro
gram If she had not happened to fal
in with us? There was Mt least
sportin. chance. Her second office
spoke English as fiuently as his Ow,
language. and without any trace of III
accent. He had spent eight years il
our merchant service. and had tn
manners and bearing of an Englisl
officer. but the weak spot in the com
pany was evidently the signalman
That signal "Why did you not stop M
when was passing Aden:" was bril-
liant. 1t showed real genius. Bu
/ ~ 81, 4