rly. It was the Australian cruiser
_Sydney_."

According to the account of the Englishmen who saw the first part of
the engagement from the shore, the _Emden_ was cut up rapidly. Her
forward smokestack lay across the deck, and was already burning
fiercely aft. Behind the mainmast several shells struck home.

"We saw the high flame," continued Captain Muecke, "whether circular
fighting or a running fight now followed, I don't know, because I
again had to look to my land defenses. Later, I looked on from the
roof of a house. Now the _Emden_ again stood out to sea about 4,000 to
5,000 yards, still burning. As she again turned toward the enemy, the
forward mast was shot away. On the enemy no outward damage was
apparent, but columns of smoke showed where shots had struck home.
Then the _Emden_ took a northerly course, likewise the enemy, and I
had to stand there helpless, gritting my teeth and thinking; 'Damn it;
the _Emden_ is burning and you aren't aboard!'"

[Illustration: The Cruise of the "Emden" Landing Party.]

Captain Muecke, in relating his thrilling adventure, then explained:
"The ships, still fighting, disappeared behind the horizon. I thought
that an unlucky outcome for the _Emden_ was possible, also a landing
by the enemy on the Keeling Island, at least for the purpose of
landing the wounded and taking on provisions. As there were other
ships in the neighborhood, according to the statements of the
Englishmen, I saw myself faced with the certainty of having soon to
surrender because of a lack of ammunition. But for no price did I and
my men want to get into English imprisonment. As I was thinking
about all this, the masts again appeared on the horizon, the _Emden_
steaming easterly, but very much slower. All at once the enemy, at
high speed, shot by, apparently quite close to the _Emden_. A high
white waterspout showed amidst the black smoke of the enemy. That was
a torpedo. I saw how the two opponents withdrew, the distance growing
greater and greater between them; how they separated, till they
disappeared in the darkness. The fight had lasted ten hours.

"I had made up my mind to leave the island as quickly as possible. The
_Emden_ was gone; the danger for us growing. In the harbor I had
noticed a three-master, the schooner _Ayesha_. Mr. Ross, the owner of
the ship and of the island, had warned me that the boat was leaky, but
I found it quite a seaworthy tub. Now provisions for eight weeks, and
water for