A Queer Race: The Story of a Strange People — page 88: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

CX Qn A QUEER RACE, CHAPTER XIV. ‘SENGLISH, BY JINGO!’”’ In the meantime Bolsover had brought a couple of rifles and a supply of cartridges, and was now charging the carronades. “What is the use of that?” I said. ,‘*They are mounted on wooden carriages; you cunnot depress them.” ‘Well, then, they'll frighten the beggars, and may be | make *em sheer off. ‘They kick up a devil of a row, these carronades. By | they are not above a thousand yards away. I think I could pick the first fellow off—him as is rowing stroke ”—taking up a rifle. ‘Don’t be a fool, Lom,” I said, quietly. ‘‘It would be the height of folly to make any sort of hostile demon- stration—to show figiit, 1 mean—until and unless we are quite sure that these men mean mischief. For Heaven’s sake, let us make friendsof them if we can. If we make enemies of them we are done for. ‘There are hundreds, perhaps thousands, more ashore, and we might as well try to fly as to get the ship out of the bay.” ‘As you lke, sir. I look on you as my superior of- ficer, and 'lom Bolsover always obeys orders. But keep your weather eye open, for assure as any of them painted devils puts their feet on deck we are dead men.” | made no answer. Ail my attention was concentrated on the boat. When she came within hailing distance the man with the pigtail (who had been steering) gave the tiller to his companion and stood up. He was tall, and wore a sword—so far as I could see, the only weapon {| in the boat. ) | Good!’ Ithought. . ‘‘ There intentions must be peace- maul.’” The man with the pigtail put his hand to his mouth. ‘‘What ship is that?’ he asked, in a loud, clear voice, and with faultless pronunciation. ‘‘ English, by Jingo!” muttered Bolsover. ‘‘ Boy and man, I’ve been at sea two-and-thirty year, and so help ee ‘‘The Diana, bound from Liverpool to Montevideo,” answered. ‘‘ What country is this?” ‘“We call it the Fair Island.” Geom ,00 0)