Year: 1875

ing tnat, IN desperation, some OF then
would be hardy enough to try and forcs
, their way into the cabin. But they
were far too cunning for that. Two
} Of them now got upon chairs, but TAX.
; ing care to keep out Of the line Of Gre oi
our revolvers, and by side-thrusts-by
!. which they showed that they were
adopts in the use Of the weapon-com.
PEELED us to kneel and crouch behind
the chest Of drawers one moment, into
the herths the next, AID. 30 1SxS xxr1sx


the bottom of them, where we were


for some time comparatively safe. But,


emboldened by their success, they now


faced the broken panelling; and we


could plainly see that, in another min
ute or two, the matter would end by


our both being speared like wild boars.
whispered to Spencer to fire at the
first head that showed itself at the pan
elling, and l would do the same-he to
take the right, and the left, so that
we should not waste ammunition
through both of W. firing at the same
person. remember as il it happened
only five minutes ago, two heads sud-
denly appearing, and myself and Spen-
Ger in the act of presenting our revol-
vers at them, when, as a fash of light
ming, two spears were suddenly thrust
through the aperture, and the next
instant felt twinge in the right
side.


Here the narrator paused for a few
moments, and after good stiff pull at
his punch continued:


remember no more until six weeks
afterwards, when 1 was lying in bed in
a strange room very weak and very faint.
There was my servant keeping me nice
and cool with large fan, while on nv
forehead was cloth stepped in vinegar.
BY degrees some slight recollection
came back to my mind of the events
that had happened on that fearful night;
but when 1 interrogated my Chinese
nurse, I could only obtain from him
such replies as Me no sabby; doctor
berry angry me talkee that pigeon Bv
which he meant that he knew nothing
about the matter; and that if he did,
he was enjoined by the doctor to ST.
lcnce, otherwise he would be very an
CRY with him. However, with a good
constitution and careful attention, I
was soon able to leave my room; and
then. and not before, gathered from
my old friend, Charles Lawrence, one
quiet afternoon, th9A following rather
ras6'fiFng acc fIfnt O: Sle q III. 80


y have no occasion, said Charley, to
ask y"u to remember the 9th of March.
for that you will do to the end of your
days; but have also reason to remem-
her it; for on that day, as | learned
from a letter from home by the last
mail, an only brother was killed on the
Great Western Railway, in the collision
, that occurred near Recalling. Well, if
v"u remember that evening. we were to
have great spread ut Douglas
Thompson, Wilkinson. and some twen-
ty others We're invited, including Capt
Wilkes. Of course, you know what a
jovial fellow Wilkes is, good for a story
or a song. and can take his part in an
argument with the best Of them. Ev.
erything went off very well during the
dinner; and after the cloth had been
removed, and one or two songs had been
given, the call was for Wilkes. He.
however, who is usually so ready and
willing to oblige, made some excuse
about hoarseness. which, however. was
so pa'pably fictitious, that we all burst
out laughing; and upon being pressed
again by some of us, including old
Douglas, he positively refused, and in
timated his intention of going on board
at once We could see that something
had occurred to irritate him, but for
the life of us none of us could guess
Before leaving the room, however, Doug
las called him to one side, and asked
him the cause of his going away so
early. He replied that he was uneasy
in his mind; that depression of spir-
its such as he he had never felt before,
had come over him within the last half
hour, but for which he could not ac-
count; and asked Douglas kindly not
to detain him, as be wanted to 90 on
board to see that everything was all
right; and if he felt better, they might
expect to see him in the course of an
hour or so. And in an hours time he
uid return, not to join our party, but to
horrify us with the details of what had
occurred on board the Wild Dayrell. DIR.
Anderson. who was one of our party.
went on board Immediately. to attend to
you; and Capt. Wilkes and two or three
of us proceeded to the police station to
report the matter. The police took the
matter up vigorously; and thanks to
large reward offered by the owners. one
of the gang turIed Queens evidence:
and in the course of three or four davs
the whole gang were safely lodged in
the Victoria Jail. They were brought
up before the magistrate, and remanded
until You are able to appear against
them"


But I asked: "What time did
Capt Wilkes arrive on board the Wild
Dayrell; it was some time after 10
o'clock-of that / am sure


Yes he replied; Il believe IL wa.
just half past ten when be pulled along.
side, FOR Eve bells were struck from all
the other ships lying alongside of him.
but not from his own. which at the
time he noticed as very singular. As
he approached the ship he saw two
boats coming FROM the direction of her.
but at the time be took no notice of
them; but there is no doubt. he thinks.
that these very boats contained the
gang


But did they succeed in obtaining
any of the treasurer Iagain asked.


Nc; not cent Of it, thanks to Chubh,
The. had tried to pick the lock; and