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Rh volley had effectually done 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 destructiveuess 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 admiration 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 intention 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,