The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1921-12-22


thunder Is English. Well. we've got
all sail on. Now, make ready the ship
for fightingi"
"She's almost ready, sir"
An hour later the light mist had
risen, and almost suddenly the Ariadne
seemed to come into the field of bat
tie. NDyck Calhoun could see the strug
gle going ON. The two sets of enemy
ships had come to close quarters, and
in some cases we're locked in deadly
conflict. In other cases ships, still
apart, fired al polnt-blank range, and
all the horrors of slaughter were In
full swing.
From the square blue flag at the
mlzzen topgallant masthead of one OF
the British ships engaged Dyek
realized that the admirals own craft
was in some peril. He saw with salts
faction that the way lay open for the
Ariadne to bear down upon the French
ship, engaged with the admiral's small
ship, and help To end the struggle sue
ccSsfuly for the British cause.
While still too far away for point
gan upon the French ships distinguish
able by their shape and thcir cOlols.
Before the first shot was fired, how
ever, Dyck made tour of the decks
and gave some word of cheer TO the
men. The Arindne lost no time in get
a., a. Al, Al. 1a.,
scamcn were stripped to the waist,
and black silk handkerchicfs were
tightly bound round their heads and
over their cars.
What the French thought of the
coming of the Ariadne was shown by
The reply they made presently to her
firing The number of French ships
In action was greater than the British
by six. aud the Ariadne arrived juS
when she could be of greatest service
The holdneSs of aier seananShip, anl
the favor of the wind, gave her an ad
vantage which good fortune helped To
justify.
As she drew in upon the action, she
gave herself up to great danger; she
was coming in upon The rear of thu.
French ships. and was subject to iierce
attack. 10 the French she seemed
like a fugitive warrior returning t.
camp just when he was most needed
az was indeed the case Two of her
shots settled one of the enemy's YES
sells; and before The others could con
verge upon her. she had crawled slow
~ up aga inst the off side OF the French
admiral's ship, which was closely en-.
gagged with tire Beatltude. the British
flagship. on the other side.
The canister, chuin-shot and langrel
of the French foe had caused much in
jury to the Ariadnc, and her canvas
was In a sore plight. Fifty of her sea
men had been killed, and a hundred
and fifty were wounded by the time
she reached the stavboard side of the
Aqultaine. She would have lost many
more were IL not that her onset de
moralized the French gunncfS, while
phe cheers of the British sailors aboard
the Bcatlltldc gave confidence TO their
mutineer comrades.
On his own deck, Dyck watched the
progress OF the battle with the Joy OF
natural fighter. lie had carried the
thing To mn almost impossible success.
There had only been this in his favor
that his was an unexpected entrance
fact which had been worth another
ship ut least. He saw his boarders
struggle for The Aquitaine. He saw
them discharge their pistols, and then
resort to the cutlass and the dagger !;
and the marines bringing down their
victims from the masts of the French
flagship.
Presently he heard the savagely
buoyant shouts of the Beatitude men,
and he realized that, by his coming,
the admiral of the French feet had
been obliged to yield up his sword, and
TO signal to his ships-such as could
to get away That half of them sue
ceeded in doing so was due to the fact
that the British fleet had been heavily
handled in the fight. and would have
been defeated had it not been for the
opportune arrival of the Ariadne.
Never, perhaps in the history OF the
navy, had British ships clamped the
enemy as the ,Aquitaine was clamped
- the Ariadne.