Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-29
OuFo dE
aA-Bate Knrent the Dark rIngSepel Series

however. had been knocked down with
a knobkerrie and now lay unconscious
in the stern, together with another OF
his tribe. My attempted catch. To-
gether with a fourth man, escaped by
swimming away.
l now heard shouts for assistance,
and directing my boat to get 10 the
scene of action as speedily as possible,
came upon a mass of struggling 1u-
mainly. Two of the enemy craft had
come up on each side of mine, and a
desperate fight was being waged with
knives, knobkerries, oars and any other
weapon that came handy.
When / arrived three out OF the SIX
men on the native boat were hors de
combat. One man was dying, his skull
having been smashed In by an oar: the
other two we're bleeding from desperate
knife wounds. The remaining three.
however, we're still manfully defending
themselves.
M boat crashed headlong into the
melee, and leaping at the nearest half
breed, laid him low with the butt OF
my revolver. A fierce looking, black
bearded rufflan promptly sprang in my
direction. his knife raised to strike, but
the knobkerrie of watching fisherman
brought him down, and he dropped
Imply over the gunwale.
Four more ruffianS remained to be
disposed of, and as my men were hard
pressed climbed on board to help
them. AS did so, something whizzed
past my ear and splashed into the
water. These half-caSteS can throw a
knife with deadly accuracy. and the
action of this rascal showed that they
meant to stick at nothing. I promptly
fired at the thrower. who disappeared
head first into the sea.
+ X Il
MY resort to the revolver appeared
to dishearten the other rogues, and,
although one of them managed to
escape, we soon had couple more dis
abled and tied up. The casualties on
both sides had so far been heavy, and
/ pictured courts of inquiry and end
/ less reports when I got back
! But I wasn't back yet, by any means
| A moment later wells, crashes. and gut
tural curses indicated another "argu-
| ment'' away to our left. A lotion
cutter loomed up through the darkness
| with two of my boats hanging to her
| sides like terriers, and another battle
royal in progress.
/ Round to the other side, Marcus!
! I yelled. and with the old leader and
| two ether men. scrambled on to the
| cutter and dashed across the deck. Its
crew we're too busily engaged to notice
| our sudden arrival, and when, at my
sharp word of command. they turned
it was to face my two leveled revolvers
| They made threatening rush at me
| but the shot fired into the air pulled
them up short and gave the remainder
| - ~
| After that they offered very little re-
sistance. and we soon had them Sc
| cured-seven in all.
| This. felt was good work, and de-
cided to make the captured cutter my
| guard ship, placing all the prisoners
| we had captured so far In her hold
| under q strong guard. Then / set on
again. with eight boats on each side.
| We had not gone far when a whistle
| sounded, followed Immediately by a
| flare about mile away, and by its light
we could discern the mast OF another
/ large cutter. with several others stand
ing by. This was evidently the flag
ship Of the half-casteS' feet. and the
whistle signal for concentration. TAX
ing no chances, called halt and held
short palaver with my shippers, who
having at last tasted victory. were game
for further fighting
My plan of campaign was simple
one. / merely detailed two boats crews
to board each cutter. leaving me and
my own party to tackle the flagship
We approached cautiously to within
hailing distance. and then. all at once
the stiffness was rent by the crash of q
gun, and the air seemed filled with
flying missiles They had fired an ole
brass cannon at us, loaded with bolts
| and pieces of iron! Luckily. however