Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1929-10-03
CHAPTER XVII-Continued


from searching boats. government
cutter had almost sighted us when she
damaged her propeller on The rocks
and Ind to limp back home. The third
lay we put out to sea. and as we
bounced about on the waves ! swore
n the cadets as regular mdshipinen
IL the Imperial navy and promoted
Vice Corporal Won Egidy to the rank
II naval Junior lieutenant. AS com
mander OF war vessel. even though
she was only the colonel's motor boat.
had the authority 10 do this. Then
each helped the other cut his hair
short In naval fashion.
Two sailing vessels came by. We
decided to seize them both. sink one.
and keep the other. We went aiteI
he first one. but sudden puff of wind
carried her along AT great rate, and
We could not catch her. This was very
unfortunate. for she reported our cap
ture of the second boat. which she wit
nessed Bombs poised, machine gun
pointing, and German flag raised. we
swiftly approached the Moa.- She hove
TO. My boys and clambered on deck.
With Colonel Turner's sword 10 my
hand, ordered the captain and crew
herded below, the captain, an excelien.
old salt, growing:
you're escaped prisoners, eh7 Our
boys are doing their bit In France,
and at home they can't even guard
prisoners
The Moa was fine craft but as flat
as a match box. Intended for coast
wise trade, she had no keel and drew
| only three feet OF water. but SHE had
| huge masts. A storm blew up. and we
| scudded before the wind The Mons
captain rushed up brIstllng with ex
element His boat he protested was
not adapted for sailing on the high
sea, much less through storm. We
we're rsking our lives, he expostu
lated We should take down sail.
1--WE are sailing for our lives. By
J.e." responded, and kept alI can
vas up.
The skipper stayed on deck all night
| and poured out oil TO quiet the waves
we went on our watches. unasturbed
/ Ordinarily, we would have been some
/ what worried, but the storm was TAX
Ing us along swiftly-away from pur-
suit The waves began to break over
| our stern, and the Moa bobhed up and
down. She had deekload of lumber
/ Overheard with It. We started tu
work and were ably assisted by q
| breaker that crashed over US and in
i an instant swept most of the lumber
Into tie sea. We were towing the
motor boat we had taken from the
commandment al MotuihI. A wave
swamped her, and she tore loose from
the towlne and sank. y
We steered TO the Kermadec IS
lands, an uninhabited group where
the New Zenand government keeps u
ors Gurus island, one OF the group
came In sight on December 81. II ap
peared In cloud of smoke land OF
iv0lcnnoes and geysers. Presently we
spied the sheet-iron shed where the
| provisions were stirred. Kircheiss and
four men landed on the Inferno-llke
coast and In due time returned. their
bont loaded deep with provisions The
New Zealand government was kind
enough TO provide many useful things
for shIpwrecked sailors and some
times for escaped prisoners Of war
There were tools. Ours, sails. fishing
Tickle, blankets. bacon, butter. lard
canned beef-in short. everything. We
had intended to leave our prisoners on
Curtis island. but TINT den OF slealn
and sulphur fumes seemed unfit for
anyone So we decided to take. them
ashore with supply of provisions.
| and send wireless message to sum
mon MD for them
"Smoke to the north. behind Island.
sang the lookout.
Two men were still on the island
sent hastily for them. The Mua raised
sail and ran before the wind The
steamer was In sight now She sailed
toward us We changed our course
She, too. changed her course The
skipper of the Moa recognized her ms
the New Zealand governments cable
steamer, Iris. an auxiliary cruiser
She had cannon. and we had none
Our goose was cooked
We still tried hopelessIy 10 run
away. SHE gained on us. and signaleC
us to stop. We@kept on. A flash. a
distant roar, kissing in the air. a
splash In front of us. She was firing
on us.
"Heave to-" | commanded, and we
were prisoners once again.
The rffs was manned not by naval
men. but by nondescript crowd thai
put pistols TO our backs us We caine
aboard, and searched lis to the soes
OF our shoes Then these gentry
robbed us Of our personal possessions
They were wildly juhiant over their
victory. gathered from them that
the ship that mad escaped us having
brought the news of our capture OF HE
Moa to Auckland. the authorities there
had surmsed that we must be headec
for the cache of supplies al t'urti.
island. When we arrived III Anck land
The New Iemlanders had their owr