Romance and Advanture on the High Seas.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXV, Issue 250, 19 October 1904, Page 9

Romance and Advanture on the High Seas.

(All Rights Eeserved.) j

A PAMOUS RED DUSTER FIGHT. , B y Walu-r Wood.) j ' I thor "' "Famous Briti-'.i Warship.-, j their ' ■iiiunaiidcrs," ''With the Qcroo -lay :1 U! ' lU " f Z<iA] :Uul I, ' i ' urc -" et 1,.' work I • lell 'h<: story of the •.B.Tnul.tVr/ , He wiiriud "° bciriUfrinj: w-alth nf n ja t.-rial. Miesi- deed- "T u'.lii.uil aml re- : :. WJ roem! traJinj: thore stands | Sny •">■ t! r "t; , , ,, : {irmiu \ b ; r 111(ir ,. ,!„,„ .. liiuidrr.l .'-cars ago •[-•„,■ ••Uriffin ' v •'- ■' 1,1 i,, sclioouei- ot j ~„ ~.ii-. -l-.i- ni.i<tiT. James j C;. C o *ii ilw'ig"'*- :i:! ' : ' : '''"* °' v:l >'O-t.' •;' , vi . nl f . H .|<.iiug in southern -ens. \ :';;.,. vova?l . ~\u-ndc«i m.-v itsh; to i:ns, | j,j\vai in vi cxtrayrdiTiiiry in-j ",,.,, s1 LoiT-in "' !, " i :l laiuil'iUy humane Z-M. wi:7. ircai.d h - crow >v well -l, a t they plorii-l mutiny, meaning to ioon him and the mate, and seize I , ne rhip. LrfTJn « I!,J v- as ot a scienti-! aiiii eS'terinieuiui turn ot mind, had j i.'ituleu a strong spirit fro'in some '■j aßt v <; ]■■■■<■. v ''iir!i -iyw on . KeuIsian.l. ''-■ v..i- \\\\,\c the ui-.-w j r iTre drank wlf., :'- . ; .--u.lation-.av-; .-- tapped a burn i on h.'ur I m Logan - j '^^'--r; 1 ; ~T.. lr- u .\^^ c^\ "yujseli anil '■'"■•' c.mra*':. Logan r»>-| ■Xa • ' ; '- '■'>•■ '■ - 1 ' '■■'■- \"'- [ ( '- !<w ! clJtl j ;„. -; '. i iul -■ iiiuins. and , !.,' ".).nad;n_''.v w.-u; mi , --.».-<: ii - iu-laiu- | :.- b,' H'izcl si' I i ■'•'• into iron?. 'The '.na _ c remained '■■'■ -h»iv. dis- j -niatful aikl ii : *:.s:-bi-;. lit: had not [ Vim alone i«t ■ >:'- v.-hi-;: ■< i-juple of j •rieniUy uii-tuh I him that a| lux, was in sight. Lai'iU-ri hunicd to | .;, c ' tu',) of t'.if l.iil. and >'.ire ouough. -i-x a Ur_-" t'irf-«?-m<i.-to.l -hi['. about , •'site unit's away, living tiic beloved 3ritir-Li ou.-i-.n at ■:'!<• lor.-. By signal-j ■■Hi: with •• red handkerchief "ii the end * c: i bamboo >t:c'» he gained attention.! ;iad on a boa: comiau to the beach he : stepped iv. an.l w.i- rowed to the <M>. This hr found to be the trans-1 ;.jr: Melville. Captain White. with! troo(is and emigrants tor Port -Taeksou. j Lambert rxpiaine.l !iow things stood. I add the captain promptly placed his . ship vritkin gunshot of the? (irifliu. L:imb«rt v-as tSien sent ~:i the Mel-1 ville'a lauiiv-'i vith .i deta -hmeu; of in- \ fictn - tv jc-p how thing- were going i vith the l.lriflin. Logan \\a- found j i:> 2. terrible -tato from iiis irons an.l his | t'airst, and the strange distilled spirit | :.ij -H3.lt , the crew iieipi-'ssly drunk, i The officer i'oni!iiandin,u *^ r d'-tachment i t-at Ti!' , mnn tn iht- Mc v v.-hri.-c , rjptain sertied 'he case by fiilinpr off i xith them, 'caving in rxrhanire a niitn- i «r ii? mm ■•; inferior quality. This •■is done '.viiii the approval of T.ogan. j t;h. v.l i t his discontented and j dusrrrnus subordinates, put m ?ra | tain, though «ifb n suhilurd enthusi-| ismfor fa' The •r.-retf of potent I nlaat. The (Jrifrin was now toj iifere a triumph which iin-i lieen ' Ofliied even to oi the Royal J JIVT. I '■OUT OF THE FR.VYrXG-PAK." j Semiring the Indian <'.-can at thi-? '.:e '«- an nil! French Corvette named ! 'i the Erivolmionaire. funnerly La Pncelle. had Ih.-h =-oid at Toulon ' nnseniceable. and had b: j en aciiuir-' f- by Adolyh Bnuiin. v i-iurageoui an.l ' promising ofli/t-r. whose early training j aid been in the H.ivrl X.ivy of France.' Despairnj: nf eniuloyment under the | r"w regiirif Baudin bough- the ccrvett;-. ' "dre-tarred life a- a privateursuian. | Tae rorsair- oi Fran.c Hi-re then ;. t the i fo'-ghz nt t ; irir gory. r.« a<. »■ may gat'uer , i"om th" :.i.r :!iat .-■• nuiuTou- '.ht. , tiir-v thai Jurin.u , ''i" «ar> from IT , '" ;,« ■ I'SIS. Briti.-h -hips i-jptur»»u Hiol Kwu-ii j fru\LU~T--. i..iri-\ !;■■_' :-40d gun*, and ; u-t. i Dnder 70.00») u';er.. I Tp ;.,u -~,._,. , ;l j )ai .jt_v Baudin wrought "• p i; misrj-i'-i tv til,- ir-r v.an: -hips O ; | Britain, .md r-ould nm hr captured. :•!- taough ~?vrra! cruL-i-r- were specially ■ despatched in -o.i-..-!i <•: him. <>i:e .": i •liese-the TbetU-had urTually got j within ran;-p nf the FrtTiriiman -,\ v io:i a: i-ripp!r I her. l::i; pa**ed Lai Pueollf -Aithnir }\rv. After i •I! her :iil\eiirurp- and Ps-ape- the enrTo tre '.tu-. ;n fa!! h victim ro ore of the j most astonishing >':'okns of hick re-j corded in r.u\ :il anna!-. ' Tfe' , }.a] left Kentrtielin I- . fen , ! a buui eijrhi I'.ny, ui;en .' -trang/e i i ftree.tna.-n..! -'li , . v.,- - ( ~ii. ThN wa. I : &.■ \\hi<-li lieing :> ■ '■'■' ■ - : - roiten. siiip, ha I done j I »i=<-uiff ;.. t' ; ,- i, a-iini;- nt Ccv- I »n an.! Malabar. Her i-vi! rleeds. how- j ""■ '■ re ij.it known tv cither Logan What they did kuov was *|wt England wa- at war with France mm litre Has what 10.-ked like n -wift treni-h ship ~i Ma , n ul Ihy . !f .. irCall ,. e | *a$ imp, 1,,,, aMi | L . a; , ln . P rcrtuiu. for j '' Revi.lnntiunain.' got through i\u> ! ahno-r twice a> .[uickly a= the ' ( 'nfim. V\";th l,ea\y hearts the ma.- ' °rand mat.- lonferred a- tv what tliev ; »«tWluo. Their -de armament was one and h.-i crew **i twpnty.flir,.,. , 110 ., , i:ill |.. Ji; . i>,., aaj UniN-r( resolved to Jα all J»at w a , op ,. u l 0 ,(-„.;,. _ Mil( , ~n P . hur ; om tn, -.vivd-gun i,,- -he honour rf ; J"«r oouiirn-. iL nd then haul down the "f ; " T " L "" ■" -wnemicr. .«n :iiui.-,ii 1,. ),- ~ ,::,•,!,;.;., -.Mhian \ : : - "f jj • ' ■•> ni" it ■■' i;-ii lie could Z\'X- ■tr' I 'w!an. J n n i , )i I t"c ! - Wrfc. "Ihc-.r . :., ~.u very! 2**-i.«.i n,,-.i i,.,;;, ;;,; lllk ,, !; ,, o 1( , r -..;i Moil a. a -Aaniin-. Tlse "Criilin" p-id j . «•?■• tv i:,,. signal-. Not until the i 2 s w^- only .-,»,, yard< apar. did Lo.ii- I &f'r w t!^hp J 1..10HW1. and the ! T -- , Il ap ~U 1, ,. ~.,t u. ri UK d11 ,v,,. 16 -m, u ,. ~,0 . ,„,„.,: ,: u , lrom m . uiv ■ W" ' v: ""• (iriflin n-niaioed miZ » i Or " onif " '»"'"' •!"■ Knglisli Z ■ 'l l ""ii> .hi the v.at.-r. expecting i I lP T^ r, " nt - ,nM,, V,,,, . ,1! taL: ° I,PV ]~-, ' llu y i ? ".I- :h->ricetl that no ■ in,w ""■ Revolution.aire. j feinr, ' r !,oo f ,! " w «"e in re;H c,in - ! W e L **?* l r '" w =™ hurriedly aud ' lulle, i away, aud upon this *»s_seen that the corvette was sink- " hOt ° f th ." had fida r rotten si,i e. and so swifthr timp * S f a pour ia tliat li,Gre was onl^ «th L° T cr the and get away a ias*. bare liie.

—INTO THE FIRE" The -Griffin'" ha 4 lain to. If it had not been tor this Lojbh, could have escaped ti-om the extraordinary fate which now threatened him—the fate of fallin" captive to an enemy whose ship he had I destroyed and sunk. But he was too \ humane, a man to take advantajro of any , -• ; -eh desertion of fellow creatures in I distress, and submitting to his luck, al- i 'owed the crew of the Revolutions re i — 1-fa m number—to eomo on board. I Hie. oorvette s;ir.k almost as soon t's ! the last boat had left her Five hundred miles from the nearest ■and, becalmed on the Southern Ocean— [or the hree Ze had died j round himself with a host of unwelcome j People to raven the Griffin's scanty | storagi- I hat single shot had worked j a world or mischief— sunk a shipload of I plunder, store-, and drink, and foisted i upon him a little regiment of himgereda; '_ -f!" be * ide "- I!is '-le him and his crew Baudin swore and fumed when he o-ot j on board the "Griffin." and realised what j mischief Una been dove. but he choked ! down his wrath, and consulted Logan I a< to what should be done in view ot the fact that the wind had died away. and that even it placed on the shortest allowance instautly the food and water on board would be totally consumed in I «:v days. * j Tiie solution of the piigiit .seemed i hopele-rt, and the counsellors separated j plooniily. In the night, however, there • were several puffs of wind, ami when the day broke a heavy Dutch brig wa-s seen about a league off. There was again a stitiinj; palm., but couuuunicatiou with the foreigner was established by means of a boat. *he was found to be the (jroningen. a Dutch East Indiaman. which had been driven greatly out of her course by bad weather. Th'o milijckv Eng-lishnirn and Frcr.chrarn— enemic- who had bc?n n-.ade friends by cnnipuhion—liad .i simple, want—v m>-- \ thing ru eat and drink. Tiie criually j unlucky Dutchman sutfprrrl from the J ¥i!'ui' i-muplaint—h«- ■■vn'. really \ n; things himself; and*B« the French ttepub"ic. Hal deolar-'d w:i-, "•raiuit the Dutc'.i Republic, he wa; not disposed t.> lend a helping hand to Frenehtiif-n. T[e, however, spared a fpw bag- of bread and two or three casks of water. Beyond rh.it he vowed he would r.ot s"On the return to the Griiiin another '■otihuitation took plaw aud Baudin. Wmrr satisfied that the Dutchman could, if ho would, spare food and drink enough, determined th.it the Groningen should be as-ailed and eapuirej. Tne promised water And bi.<eui«-s were =ent for. and it was then observed that the cautious Dutchman was distrustful, and was quietly making reedy to repel assault. The French captaiu planned his at-t.u-k for tiira niirht. While not asking Luyau to join in the enterprise, ho made ."rue Use of the small arms and ammunition on board the Grifha. Amongst the tilings appropriated in tlii- way was the now celebrated fcwivel-srun. which iva< hoisted into the bows ot' the biggest of the boat- or tiie Rovolutionaire, the operation being so managpd that the Diitchmau should not see it. Circumstances favoured this strange and \iarin:: exploit. Thr nijrht was intensely dai!;. and the lights of the j (;r<>nina?:i were. '.- -onit- fatal nvr>i.riit. left burnixva , - Logan and his people, watehim? through night s.n , / nothing nt the outsp , .. Their sympathies he says, wen' with the Dutchman: and personally hfi hoped that the seventy or eighty u*en on board the • ironimreu. with their four gun-s. t\-r>uld be more than a match for the assailant;., especially as the Dutchman".* I hoarding-nets hail been triead up. Ho lioped, roo. thnt the GrifHrfs twenty-four pounder, shipped by unhandy fellows. would d«i inor-- dmuajre to the t'rencVij men than to the Uutcbmou. ENGLISH, FKEXCH. AND DUTCH. i An hour of intense suspense had pass- i cd when the four carronades flasaed Ln i tiie darkness, followed by the ttaiue of | , ihe swivel-gun The aim of the carro:iade- was bad. or the Frenchmen could i not have lived to j-warm on to the Dulciiman'i deck, as the musket and pistol lire -howed that- they had swarmed. For twelve or fifteen minutes there was a ; furious struggle: then i; was ~eert that the liidiamun was on tire. >-he speedily hccaiiis- :t nia-.s of flame, and by the teri rible li_'ht on ir the watchers on th<Grillin saw the combatants. French and Dut ■'). furiously fieitting to gel to > boat* in i ■"• water. Whiie watching i i breatbl.'.-sly this awful *cene an appal- , \ ling hurst of tire was uotk:?d: then came j ibe dull roar or a tremendous explosion. ! followed by perfect silence. After that ■ came the inten-i , darkness again—.l ■ blar-kne-s which had no light whatever jin it. ; When the shock of the tragedy had, i passed, t/i* . Griffin, now moving slowly J : v.-itli a tit fill bre-zr. burned blue lights. and sipered for the -po: where the. van-i-hfd Dutchman had floated. It was not j until sunlight again gleamed upou ihe ~ea that anything wa-, found: then three ! empty boats of the corvette were picked ! up. beyond these sil?nt witnesses there i was no trace of the Ir.diainnn, the ! Dute.iinen or the Fr?nohmen. The r>b- | literation wa« complete, and satisfied that nothing inorr was left for him to do. Logan steered for the Polynesian oroup of island-. Here he remained uuTii tiie (iiifrin had been made tit for sea I airain. when the mate's r,tern tre;itin°nt lof the crew caused them to make off ! with the -iiip- leaving Logan and the mate in the bland of their adoption. 1 For six or -even weeks the two. who ' were now in danger of falling victims to cannibalism, were almost without, hope of salvation, when they were rescued by the sloop Archer. Captain Kepstow, who was .rui-iuc in Southern sea;, and had ! heard that a couple of white men were :in the power of the savages. Six month, l:itiT Lo-ian and the mate landed at ! Plvmouthof the Griffin Logan wrote that Tip ; n( >ver a™aiii heard of her. "Foundered lat -ea 'uorhap.-: v re.koj. re-l>aptisee~ : heaveu vnow,! Ido r.ot and scarcsl.v ~,f.- Thi< hardy nierehantman dieJ ion" January 17th. 1537. and «a 5 buried '2r <idniuuth. Devon-hire.