White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1929-06-21
CHAPTER "
We Capture the Gladys Royal
and the Lundy Island


and the Lundy Island
"All hands on deck!"
Aloft my boys few, into the rigging
and up the ratlines like monkeys.
"Loose the fore-taupsll" doomed up
from the quarter deck.
GALL gone, the fore-tauspn," they
sang out.
"Loose the ga'ntsls and stays'ls !"
The sails were sheeted home and
were filling out. We didn't lose much
time in getting her, away. Lying over
on her beam ends and running before
the wind. we set our course for Ma
delra.
We knew that just off Gibraltar
would be one Of our best hunting
grounds, so we cleared away the re-
mains of our Norwegian camouflage,
and after few days we were as
spick and clean and orderly as a Ger
man auxiliary cruiser should be. We
were the Irma no longer, but the See
adler now, although felt pang Of
regret at letting go the name that had
served us so well and brought US luck.
There was constant labor on the
motor. The lubricating oil we had
was of poor quality. Oil, like many
other things, had become scarce In
Germany. Our enterprise had the en-
thusiastic support of only few of the
officials at the admiralty. The others
thought it certainly foredoomed to fail
ure, and did not want to risk too much
on it. Among these we're the heads
of the department that supplied us
with oil. A sailing vessel under the
pressure of sail nearly always lists to
one side. The work of the motor was
hainpered by leaning position. We
sailed most of the time throughout our
cruise with the motor dsmantled and
under repairs.
We had only two guns, and only one
at time could be brought into action
against an enemy. Our orders were
to attack sailing ships only. Wind
TANNER against steamship was con-
sidered ridiculous idea. We would
not need great broadsldes of cannon In
capturing sailing vessels. We tried
to make up for our lack of gun power
by skill and precision in handling the
guns we had. Our gun crew worked
necessarily at drill and target prac
tice, and schooled themselves to such
quickness and accuracy of fire that
the power of our armament, in effect,
was doubled.
Our lookout posts were excellent.
We had crows nest with comfort
able seat high up on the mast Only
man at ease watches we'll. sec.
ond lookout was on the foremost.
where petty officer was perched.
offered ten pounds sterling and bot
tie of champagne to whoever should
report ship first. A jealous rivalry
grew up between the lookouts. In
each ragged a tremendous thirst for
that bottle of champagne. All day
long eager eyes swept the horizon.
On January 8, off Gibraltar, the
shout rang out:
"Shfp ahoy."
On our larboard side was "a large
steamer heading toward us. Flying
our Norwegian cOlors, we turned tc
meet her. She flew no flag and car.
ried no name. The British were the
only people who sent their boats out
without names. She looked of Brit.
lsh build, too. Our orders were not
to tackle steamers. Well, you can
promise a lot We raised the signal :
"Chronometer time, please"
A sailing ship long away from port
rarely has the correct time. Our re.
quest was reasonable enough. The
steamer signaled that she understood
US, and came to the windward so that
we could heaye to. wore my great
coat to conceal my uniform. Those Of
the crew that had rifles hid themselves
behind the ratings.
The steamer came near, ready to
give the sleepy old Norwegian the
time.
"ShaIl we tackle himT asked one
of my sailors VINO was crOuched next
TO me peering through loophole.
"Sure, let's take him. He's an Eng.
lishman"
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