The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1923-11-28
XpTAIN
W Rafael SabafintI

fixed. and then had sped. himself. TO
the starhoard gunwalc. Thence he
flung his flaming torch down tho
nearest gaping souttlc into the hold.
aud thercupon Owed overheard IN his
turn. TO be picked up presently by
the longboat from tho Arahella. But
before that happened the sioop was
thing OF fire. from which explosions
were hurting blazing combustlblcs
aboard the Encarnaclon. and long
tongues Of flame were licking out TO
consume tho gnllcon, beating back
those daring Spaniards who. too late,
strove desperately 60 cut her adrift.
And whilst the most formidable
vessel OF the Spanish fleet was thus
being put out OF action at the outset.
Hood had sailed in TO open firc upon
the Salvador. First athwnrt her
hawse he had looscd broadside that
had swept her decks with terrific cf.
feet. then going ON and about. he had
nut n second broadside into her hull
AZ short range. Leaving her thus
half crippled. temporarily. at least,
and keeping TO his course, he had be.
wildered tho crew OF the fnfanta by
a couple OF shots from the chRsers on
his heak'head. then crashed alongside
TO Erapplo and board her. whilst Hing.
thorpe was doing the like by the san
Felipe.
Aud in all this time not a single
shot had the Spanlards cnntriycd to
fire, so completely had they been
taken by surprise. and so swift and
paralyxing had been Rlood's stroke.
boarded now aud faced by the cold
steel OF tho buccaneers. neither the
san Felipe nor the Infanta offered
much resistance. The sight Of their
admiral in flames, and the Salvador
drifting crippled from the action, had
so utterly dishcaFtensd them that
they accounted themselves vanauish.
ed, and laid down their arms.
II by resoiute stand the Salvador
had encouraged the other two INDIAN.
aged vessels 10 resistance. the span
iarsis might well have retrieved the
fortunes OF the day. But IL happened
that the Salvador was handicapped
In true Spanish fashion by being the
treasure ship OF tho fleet. with plate
on board 90 the value OF some 50 900
pieces. fnten, above all upon saving
this from falling into the hands OF
the pirates. Don Miguel. who. with
a remnant of hts crew. had mean.
white transferred himself aboard her.
has a.
and the fort that guarded tho pass
age. This fort tho admiral. In those
days % waiting. had taken the pre-,
caution secretly 90 garrison aud ~.
am Eer :he purpose he had strip.
ped the fort Of coJcro. farther out on
the gult Of SIS entire armament.
which included some cannou.royal OF
more than ordinary range and power.
with no suspicion Of this. Captain
Blood gave chase. accompanied By
the Infanta. which was manned now
by Il prize crew under the command
OF Ybervillc. Tho stern chasera of
the Salvatore deauitorily returned
the Furnishing fire Of the pursuers:
but such was the damage she. herself.
sustained. that presently. coming uu.
der the guns Of the fort, she began
10 sink. and finally settled down In
the shadows with part VI her hull
above water Thence. some IN boats
and some by swimming. the admiral
got his crew ashore on PaiOmas ~
best he could.
And then. just as Captain Blood
accounted the victory won. and that
his way out Of that trap 10 the open
sea beyond lay clear. the fort sud.
denly revealed its formidable and ut.
tcriy unsupported strength with a
roar the cannons royal proclaimed
themselves. and the Arabclia stag
gcred under blow that smashed her
bulwarks at the wals, and scattered
death and confusion among tho sea.
men gathered there.
Had not Pitt. her master. himself
seized the whipstaff and put the helm
hard over 20 swing her sharply off
to starboard. shc must have suffered
siili worse from the second voiley
that followed fast upon the first
Meanwhile Il had Jared even worse
with the frazier Infanta. Attic hit
by one shot only, this had crushed
her larboard timbers on the water.
line. starting leak that must pres.
entity have filled her. but for the
prompt action OF the experienced
! YbrviIIs In ordering her larboard
guns 10 be flung overheard. This