Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1929-09-19
COUNT LUCKNER
THE SEA DEVIL


| So. the Whole of Seeadlerfown was
| given over To the prisoners. and the
| schuuner sailed away. She was named
| tie iuiece, bu my men discovered
| TINT she had been the German sfip.
| lie Fortuna. Size had been seized IN
the French during the war. So she
sai her old mime back. She was Ger
man again-a German auxiliary cruis
or. For King fully intended TO 90
right on bnecnneering.
Three days nfter the Fortuna sailed
our former prisoners saw cloud OF
smoke on The horizon StenmIng nj
full speed. her tunnels hplcIing slaoke
tile Japanese cruiser. Usunn, sfpered
to the island On ler bridge the nd
nhral sware In japanese.
"Hy Joe. tile count fooled me all
right. lie told me the truth. There
Is the wreck. and there are his men
Everything except the Manila. lie
tricked me With the tnle about the
Manila"
The japanese found only men OF the
allied nations
'Where nre the GermunsT
I'm sorry replied the French cap
tain, hui they sailed away three days
aga In my ship, the Lntece."
Tie Japanese admiral WIS thorough
ly Disguised Ut That, but uf course he
took the whole crowd aboard and took
them back 10 the Fills. II WIS of no
use to 10 rncing about the immense
spaces Of the Pacific looking for sol
tary sailing sqnare-rigged schooner.
Kings plum was to suil around the
Horn Into the Atlantic. sink a few
through the blockade and get back
home. Ills course took him to Easter
island. small. remote possession OF
Chile. where there was no wireless
hnu the ship, which WIS In bad con
diliun. aud take aboard supplies md
fresh wafer. I'm October 4. they sight
ed the island, but while sailing into
the harbor struck an uncharted, sunk
en- rock. The Fortuna was old and
worm eaten. The rock crashed right
through her plnnks. The ship pound
ed and quickly broke UP. The men
hah#to swim for It.
The lives of some OF them. al least.
were saved In Il curious Way-by two
4igs. These animals we had brought
from Germany nhuard the Seeatller to
serve MS fresh Inrk. They soon he
came pets, however. and we kept
them. They we're quite companion
able and ramped around the decks
with the men Killing had them aboard
the Fortuna. When The ship sank. the
swimmers. Including the two nigs.
found themselves among sharks. These
seemed 10 prefer pork to human flesh
They seized the two pigs and hegan to
fight over them among themselves.
You bet the men In the wnter SWAIN
as hard ns they could They were
quickly picked up by native cnnoes
TINT had put out as soon as the wreck
ing Of the ship had been seen from
shore.
Tile cargo Ut the Fortuna consisted
NJ i'nrisan finerles, silk stockings and
Undertaking, hundkerchiefs. pnrnsnIs
tennis shoes. hrillanIIne. scented
soaps. perfumes. and such Ii had
been destined for the natives Ut the
South Seas. to whom the French bring
truly parisinn elegance. In the
breaking up OF the ship. fnany cases
filled with these swanky trapplngs OF
civilization remained nflnat. The M
tives sn;vared them. and pretty soon
II seemed MS II the whole island had
been on shopping tour through Paris
and had visited the wninen's shops
chiefly. or the Galleries Lafayette
Men and women alike arrayed theii
husky selves In all manner OF silk
and lingerie The population WIS de
lighted. Killing and his men were the
hrIngers Of this treasure. They gra
ciousy told The natives they couIo
have anything they found, and In re
turn they were granted all the hospi
tally fne island could muster The
Chilean governor. IN excellent fellow
placed muse al the disposal Of the
officers. while the sailors were sought
nfter by the natives rs guests In their
nuts.
They remained on the Island for
nearly two months enjoying life and
Surveying the strange monuments
there, huge nlonoliIhs thai tell OF nm
ancient, forgotten civilization OF peo
pie who long since have pissed Into
oblivion On November q. Chilean
steamer that mnde regular trips TO the
island hove In sight When II raised
steam for Its return voyage our men
were aboard. Tile Chilean authorities
on the mainland received them with
friendly hospitality. regarding them rs