Among Malay Pirates

arried was ranged along the deck, and the men told off for the various work there was to be done, some being allotted to carry stretchers and surgical requirements for the wounded. The first lieuten

order that, if the Malays succeeded in landing, they might meet with a hot reception. It was deci

lve, and the vessel gradually backed down the river. All lights had been extinguished, and no sound from the forest showed that the movement had been observed. A mile lower down the ship was turned, the screw began to revolve more rapidly, and at half speed she ran down to the junction of the two branches of the river, and steamed up the other arm until within half a mile or so of the village a

he path; the rest of the marines and the bluejackets then landed, each carrying, in addition to his arms and ammunition, a gun cartridge, or a box of rifle ammunition, and a couple of empty sacks. As fast as they landed they proceeded

an incessant jabber being maintained, and voices rang high in excitement as the men discussed the destruction of the town and the orders that had been received for a portion of them to land on the following morning and take part in the annihilation of the whites if they entered into the forest. As s

re employed in constructing chevaux de frise, ten paces on each side of the spot where the battery was being constructed. The bamboos were set diagonally a foot and a half into the soft earth, and bound together by being lashed to str

water, with two embrasures for the guns, four feet high on the sides covered by the chevaux de frise. The front face was twenty-five feet in length, the sides forty. Morning was breaking as th

ors climbed over the front wall and with their jackknives cut away the boughs in front of the guns. There was silence on board the prahus, where the Malays had dropped off to sleep a couple of hours before daylight. Mr. Ferguson himself superintended the laying of the guns

the success of the shots. Almost instantly the two craft struck began to settle down, and in a minute disappeared, the water being covered with the heads of the crew, who were swimming to the other prahus. The guns of these had evidently been kept loaded, for before the tw

s, Ferguson," the doctor, who

resent; they are going to make a dash at us. They can still

en boats, crammed with men, sh

s and seamen, who had hitherto been silent, opened fire from under the bus

harge of the grape; but the others, wi

hem another round be

f the battery, and a desperate conflict was presently raging here and along the bank, the Malays, swarming up, striving to force their way up through the embrasures, or to climb the sandbags; but as fast as they did so, they were cut down or bayoneted by its defenders. Those trying to land at other points w

ily, regardless of the fight that was going on on either flank. Here the little brass guns did good service; each time they were fired the recoil sent them tumbling from the top of the sandbags, only, however, to be seized, sponged, and loaded, by

s getting serious. Do you think that we could make our way back to the boats without great loss? We

operation; but it might

y which they had come. Evidently a number of the newly arrive

ir stock of ammunition, and can keep it up for some hours yet. You see, the sailors have not had to

the attack by boats had ceased entirely, and the destruction of the prahus was of less importance than the defense of the little fort from the attacks on its flanks. The operation began just as the Malays made one of their retreats, and by the time they returned, the guns were placed in their new

path through the jungle to our

t on well enough until they arrive within twenty or thirty yards of us

the fort. Loud yells of rage and alarm rose from the Malays, while a hearty cheer broke from the defenders of the fo

tain knows that we have shelter, and will sweep the Malays out of the forest round us. That

for some distance round with shell, and pouring volleys of gra

said; "after the first five minutes we have not

ped. If they are within hail go on board, and report to the captain that we have sunk two of the prahus, and that for the present the Malays who have

as before, with their little guns. A very few minutes later a shell flew overhead, and fell in the water near where the craft were anchored. Another and another followed

rry; they think it better to run the gauntlet of t

ued from the pool, than the

ive them more than one broadside as they pass. If the ship is aground, which is likely enough, for the cap

d cries followed; then came shouts of triumph and defiance; then all was

they would not have done so if the Serpent had remained at the mouth of the creek; but I suppose the captain became anxious at the continuation of the heavy firing here, and so came up to our help. It i

embrasures, or by kris or lance wounds, and twenty-eight others had been more or less severely wounded. A quarter of an hour after the firing ce

t; "it has been a very hot affair, and by Mr. Morrison's report it was just as well that I decided

ank two of

. Certainly we had not hit her, so that the honor of accounting for three out of six of the cra

is much less than might have been expected from attacking such a host of p

probably have killed him. Lieutenant Somers of the marines is more badly hurt, a spear having gone through the thigh. It cut an artery. Luckily the doctor was close to him at the moment, a

the creek; and it was well they did, for many of the Malays came down through the path you cut, and would have riddled them with their spears had they been within reach. The boat keepers acted very wisely; al

the sailors can march down to the landing place and bring up the boats and take the guns and what ammunition you have l

sir; he did not report it. I should

ty of specially recommending him for promotion in my report. The ass

afloat

put on a full head of steam and drove her two or three hundred yards through the mud before she fin

ut it was not until after some hours' exertion that the Serpent was again afloat. She was at o