White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1929-10-25
CHAPTER xvII-continued

By seizing motor launch and leaving In
The darkness.
CHAPTER XVII-Continued
~
We lay off an isolated bay of Red
Mercury island, northwest Of the Bay
of Plenty, for two days, during which
we had a couple of narrow escapes
from searching boats. A. government
cutter had almost sighted Us when she
damaged her propeller on the rocks
and had to limp back home. The third
day we put out to sea, and as we
bounced about on the waves l swore
In the cadets as regular midshipmen
of the Imperial navy and promoted
Vice Corporal Won Egidy to the rank
Of naval junior lieutenant. AS com.
mander of a war vessel, even though
she was only the colonel's motor boat,
had the authority to 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 after
the 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
messed. 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 in my
hand, 1 ordered the captain and crew
herded below. the captain, an excellent
old salt, growing:
.You're escaped prisoners, eh? Our
boys are doing their bit in France,
and at home they can't even guard
prisoners"
The Moa was fine craft but as fiat
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. storm blew up, and we
scudded before the wind. The Moa's
captain rushed up bristling with ex-
citement. His boat, he protested, was
cot adapted for sailing on the high
sea, much less through storm. We
| we're risking our lives, he expostu-
lated. We should take down sail.
1--WE are sailing for our lives. by
Joe" responded, and kept all can
vas up.
The skipper stayed on deck all night
and poured out Off to quiet the waves.
We went on our watches, undisturbed
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 bobbed up and
down. She had deckload of lumber.
4 Overheard with 1t. We started to
work and were ably assisted by q
breaker that crashed over US and in
an instant swept most of the lumber
into the sea. We were towing the
motor boat we had taken from the
commandant at Motuihi. A wave
swamped her, and she tore loose from
the towline and sank.
!. We steered to the Kerpadec is.
lands, an uninhabited group where
the New Zealand government keeps
cache of provisions for castaway sail
OFFS. Curtis island, one Of the group.
came in sight on December 81. 1t ap-
peared In cloud of smoke, q land OF
volcanoes and geysers. Presently we
spied the sheet-iron shed where the
provisions were stored. Kircheiss and
four men landed on the inferno-like
coast and In due time returned. their
boat 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, oars. sails, fishing
tackle, blankets. bacon. butter, lard
canned beef-in short, everything. We
had intended to leave our prisoners on
Curtis island but that den of steam
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 aid for them.
"Smoke to the north, behind island
sang the lookout
Two men were still on the island |
sent hastily for them. The Moa 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 as
the New Zealand governments cable
steamer, Iris, an auxiliary cruiser
She had cannon, and we had none
Our goose was cooked
We still tried hopelessly to run
away. She gained on us, and signaleo
us to STOP We kept on. A fash, a
distant roar, kissing In the air.
splash In front Of US. She was firing
on as.
"Heave to-" commanded, and We
were prisoners once again.
The Iris wus manned. not BY naval
men. but by q nondescript crowd that
put pistols to our backs as we came
aboard. and searched us to the soles
Of our shoes Then these gentry
robbed Us OF our personal possessions
They were wildly jubilnnt over their
victory. gathered from them that
the ship that had escaped Us having
brought the news of our capture of the
.IOa to Auckland. the authorities there
had surmIsed that we must be headed
for the cache OF supplies at Curtis
island. When we arrived at Auckland
the New Zealunders had their own
little victory celebration. Siglitseers
In all sorts Of boats came out to have
| = t....t, 90 tho frfe uft n thu Ms,o In s..,x