Argosy, Vol. 1 (December 9, 1882) — page 77: what you’re looking at

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

70 THE ARGOSY. Just then the boat began to vibrate, showing that the starting lever in the engine room had been pulled. Edwardes threw the wheel over and exclaimed: ‘* Better go down to the engine room, Crenshawe, and see how the bos’n is getting on.” As Crenshawe left on this errand, three or four men came running along the end of the pier. Evidently they were from the sailing vessel and were in much wonderment at the sudden departure of the steamer. They made no attempt to interfere, being unarmed, for the little steamer was already fur- ther from the pier than a man could jump. Crenshawe took in the situation on board the gunboat with a good deal of satisfaction. He saw that the sailors had overcome such members of the crew as they found, driven them into the cabin, and were holding them there at the muzzle of rifles and revolvers. Seated on the steps leading into the engine room he found the boatswain pointing his revolver at the engineer. Taking one of the sailors with him, Crenshawe made a tour of inspection, in the course of which he examined every part of the boat, with a view to rout- ing out any of the crew who might have escaped the sailors. It proved that the capture had been complete, and there was nothing to do, therefore, but to compel the engineer and the stokers to keep at work, and to guide the vessel as ‘best they could through the darkness and across an unknown sea. When the harbor was cleared, a new distribution of duties was made. The boatswain, as the only approach to a skilled navigator they had, was put in charge of the wheel. Two sailors were placed in the engine companionway, with instructions to shoot if engineer or stokers showed any signs of relaxing in their work. Crenshawe and Edwardes took turns in patrolling the vessel and seetng that everything was going as it should. After a short consultation, the boatswain was instructed to make for Manila. Not one in the party could guess what dire penalty would follow the capture of a Spanish gunboat, and it was deemed advisable to make no bones oi the matter, but sail straight into Manila harbor and surrender themselves to the Spanish authorities with a true statement of what had happened. “The American and British consuls,” said Edwardes, “ will see to it that we get fair play at least.” It was nearly noon of the following day when the steamer entered the channel of Manila Bay and passed Corregidor Island. “ By the way, Crenshawe,” said Edwardes, “ have you any idea what day oi the year it is?” “Yes,” was the reply; “ I have managed to keep my count, though if I had been twelve months on the Isle of Night it is likely I would be mixed. I do know, though, that this is the first of May. Hello, what’s that? ” Across the water came a succession of dull booms. “ The forts must be firing a salute,” suggested Edwardes. “It sounds too continuous for a salute,” said Crenshawe, “ but it is can- non, and a good many of them, too. Isn’t that smoke that-is rising?” He pointed to a cloud visible beyond the eastern end of Corregidor. “Tt sounds as if they were having a hot time at Manila,” remarked Edwardes. ECOMmicooolkKks CO