Ensign Merrill — page 119: what you’re looking at

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

al r - , F | 114 ee “BRIEF » pur D. . tins ; ae PIE ~ ~ se am Ce Se pees o ts Ae nts ¥ hock, range, the two nity oaks sheila: "had: worked | : awful havoc. Looking through the telescope, Mark — beheld a scene of indescribable confusion on the junk’s © : deck. Both masts were gone, their débris hanging over the starboard side, and the tangled mass of rigging and sails heaped up in every direction. The forward bulwarks were torn sheer from the planking. The waist was filled with splintered fragments of boats, and piled here and there were little heaps of bodies bathed in their own blood, all distinctly revealed by a fire which had burst forth in the after cabin. It was not necessary to dispatch a messenger tbelow with orders to cease firing. Nedand Watson, who had aimed the guns with their own hands, were enabled to see the results from the open portholes. They thought, with Merrill, that victory was theirs without further labor. An involuntary cheer broke from the men when the red light of the conflagration became visible. There was no time for rejoicing, however. A messenger appeared on the gun deck with orders for the after division to man the boats. The crew - tumbled up the hatch as eager now to save lives as they were to take them a few minutes before. There is no measuring the vagaries of Jack Tar. The second officer was instructed to stand by the pivot rifle with his division, in case of further trouble. But the middy rushed on deck, and took charge of the rescuing party. In an incredibly short time three boats were in the water, manned and equipped in readiness to depart on receiving word from the commanding officer. | By that time the burning junk had drifted some dis-. tance away. The wind and tide were fast carrying her toward the beach, which gleamed with faint, wavering lines just beyond. It was.doubtful now whether the ©