Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-06
Crew at BAY on Grounded Steamer, Armed With {

| Of the A. BIS, who had had former
experience in that part of the Paciflc
cheered US up with blood-curdling &C
counts of other vessels that had some
ashore in those wild and lonely lati-
| tudes. and whose crews had been at
tackled at nightfall by Dyak pirates
from the jungles. who ruthlessly
butchered the stranded mariners and
| looted the vessel unless the sailors
were numerous and we'll armed
enough to beat them off.
Our crew numbered only % all told.
and the only firearms aboard were
small bore sporting rifle belonging to
the second engineer, and half dozen
cheap German revolvers the old
man" had bought as a speculation and
that were more dangerous to the
| shooter than the shot-at.
We prepared a bit of strategy. how
ever. which we hoped would greatly
| increase the dificulties of any pos
sible attempt to board us, and strict
watches were maintained day ana
| night.
Nothing was seen during the day to
alarm us, and when night came on
brilliant Pacific moon arose, giving
splendid visibility. 1t would be about
10 pm. when the lookout reported
some movements on the beach about
a mile away. All hands were soon
aroused, and through the glasses We
could see a crowd of figures making
for the edge Of the beach from the
tunsles. They appeared to be carry
| ing some long objects. which were.
presently DISTINGUISHED as canoes and
| RATS.
Not a single light was to be seen
anywhere among them and no sound
could be heard. In a few minutes we
counted nine of these canoes and
RATS being launched into the water.
some with half dozen men aboard.
others with three or four, and so on.
They came steadily son toward the
ship with no splash Of paddles and not
so much as murmur of voices. Their
intentions were clearly hostile.
lust to let them know we were not
to be caught mapping. the captain
| told the second engineer to flre his
| rifle over the heads of those In the
nearest canoe The second did 50, but
evidently miscalculated the elevation,
| for his bullet hit the bow paddler OF
the leading canoe. He dropped his
paddle, sprang upright. and then
toppled backwards into the water.
This casualty checked the others for
brief spell: then, letting out a
chorus Of fierce yells, they all pulled
at top speed toward our starboard
trunk.deck, which was now nearly
submerged and, offered easy access
for boats or RATS, or even to a
swimmer.
All hands but three were already
down on the trunk deck, ready to repel
boarders and armed with al sorts of
makeshift weapons. OF the three men
t-Ek l. ALL <rx,ss xxyAv- 81
toned at the bows, with long boat
hooks, to be used as spears in case
any of the Dyaks tried to throw ropes
| around the fiukes OF the anchors and
climb aboard that way,
| The six imitation revolvers had been
distributed by the skipper between
himself and the other officers, includ.
| ing the bo'sun, a Dane.
The latter Aired his first round while
| the canoes were still about so yards
away. and Immediately jumped back
swearing in Danish and wringing HE
right hand. The wretched revolver
| had burst at the breech, badly damag.
| ing couple of his fingers.
This put an effective damper on our
| hopes of using the pistols for defensive
| purposes. and the whole six of them
| were promptly thrown up on to the
| upper deck, their would-be wielders
| taking to more desirable weapons
such as fire.bars, spare stanchions and
SO on. -.
Remembering earlier boyhood skill
I in dropping marauding crows with q
sling and stones, l had during the
| afternoon amused myself by nanufac
| turing such weapon from a piece OF
soft leather and a couple of lengths of
| fine wire. My ammunition was main.
| ly made up of heavy steel screw nuts