Page 63 - Early English Adventurers in the Middle East_Neat

A FIGHT TO A FINISH 63

volley had effectually clone its deadly work. When after
an interval the cabin was entered it was found that only
one of the party of twenty-two survived. The terribly
mangled bodies of the remainder showed the extraordinary
destructiveness of the improvised ammunition.
All the time that this bloody contest was proceeding
on the Tiger the Japanese on the junk were, as far as
opportunity offered, placed under fire. The punishment
they received, though less awe-inspiring in its aspect of
concentrated horror, was equally decisive. All suggestions
of quarter made from the Tiger were scornfully rejected.
The desperadoes, with a courage which extorted the ad­
miration of their foes, elected to continue the hopeless
fight to the bitter end. One by one they were shot down,
until the battered hulk no longer resounded with the fierce
cries of defiance of its defenders. Of the entire band one >
only sought safety in surrender. He swam towards the
Tiger and prayed to be taken on board, an appeal which
naturally did not fall on deaf ears.
When questioned by Michelborne as to the motive for
the attack the captive unhesitatingly said that the inten­
tion of himself and his comrades was to capture the ship
and cut the throats of all on board. After this frank
admission he sullenly declined to answer any further
questions, and when pressed bade his hearers cut him to
pieces as he was ready to die. Michelborne, with, it seems,
a lack of chivalry, the next morning ordered the man out
for execution. In due course he was strung up at the
yardarm, but by a strange mischance the rope broke,
and he fell into the sea. No effort was made to recover
him, and as land was not far off it was surmised by those
on the Tiger that he might after all have escaped. It was,