The Sun.
London, England, 1846-08-22 00:00:00

PIRACY.-CASE OF THE PRIVATEER.

Minutes of Investigation taken before me at Victoria, this
21st day of June, 1846.
Hector Munro Todd is sworn—l am a seaman on board
the Privateer ; I joined her last Sunday. Wednesday,
the 17th instant, at daylight, got under weigh for
Cumsingmoon, with 202% chests of opium. On
leaving Hong-Bong we had on board fifteen souls—viz.:-
1 captain, 1 mate, 1 European passenger, myself, 7 Manilla-
men, Chinese steward, cook, boy, and a woman belonging to
the captain. At three P.M., in passing to the northward of
Lintin some four or five miles, we saw apparently a fishing
boat standing the same way as ourselves, with lines over on
his weather side. I saw but one man in the boat ;he waved his
hand for us to go to leeward of him, edging his boat gradually
down upon us the whole time. We were going about three
knots. On passing to leeward of the boat, the captain, seeing
the sails were becalmed and the boatstill dropping down on the
schooner, hailed her to keep off. A waive of the hand for
us to keep off was made by the man on board the , boat.
Our helm was hard up, but being to leeward of the China
boat, the schooner had no steerage way. Seeing the boat
every momeut coming closer, the captain took up his rifle
and fired; a shower of spears, at least fifty, were instantly
hove into us. The captain called out for muskets. I went
below with two others to hand them up ; passed up one, which
the captain fired. Before I could get up any more, stink-
pots were thrown into the cabin, filling it with smoke. I
was nearly suffocated, and rushed to the hatchway. The
Chinese cook was before me. Saw a Chinaman make a eat
at the cook's head with a cutlass. Observed the ves-
sel was in the hands of pirates. I crawled into one of
the berths of the cabin. There were four of us in the
berth the Chinese cook, the European passenger,
one Manillaman, and myself: As we were in the
berth, the pirates pricked us with long bamboos from
the deck. The cook went on deck. The pirates
afterwards came down in force ; they threatened to
murder us ; one spoke very good English. I went on deck
to work the schooner. The captain was missing; the after
locker on the starboard side was covered with blood. Oar
Chinese steward and captain's cock-eyed boy were laughing
and talking to the pirates—both were dressed in the cap-
tain's clothes. The boat of the schooner was gone. The
Chinese cook of the schooner and the captain's woman
appeared frightened. The pirate boat had left us ; she
was standing towards Lintin. The schooner was in
charge of 40 men. An English boat hove in sight.
I was shoved below. I heard the boat hail
the schooner. The reply was—" Captain down below
a-sleep." Whilst I was below the second time,
the Chinaman who spoke English said to me " if you pro-
mise not to take the schooner to Hong-Kong till the morning,
I will spare your lives." We promised. A few minutes after
this conversation I heard a heavy crash, then another. Two
boats had come alongside. I think the hour was between
five and six. During this time we were guarded by one man
with a cutlass. Suddenly he dropped the point, and jumped
On deck. The noise then ceased.
We looked through. the skylight and found the pirates bad
shoved off, taking with them the Chinese steward, cockeyed
boy, cook, and captain's woman. The guns, too, were gone,
two four-pounder!, one six-pounder, and one one-pound
swivel. The rigging was much cut; we contrived to get the
stay foresail on her, and steer to Cumsingmoon. About nine
p.m., a schooner from Cumsingmoon hove in sight, and she
took us into Cumsingmoon.
Francisco Antonino states as follows :—I am a native of
Manilla, and a seaman on board the Privateer. After break-
fast in the morning we left Hong-Kong. I was ordered to
draw and clean the guns, three large and two small. I did
so, and oiled them. They were not reloaded. [The evidence
of this witness corroborates the statement of the deponent
Todd, with the exception that he saw two boats instead of
one at the time of their capture near Lintin. ]
Investigation resumed on this date :-
22d of June, 1846.
Rynaldo Gonsalves sworn—l am a native of Manilla, and
gunner of the schooner Privateer. Was on board when at-
tacked by pirates on the 17th instant. Between two and
three o'clock on the afternoon of that day I saw two boats
astern of us. They were standing the same course as
ourselves, and overhauling us fast. I told the captain
they were bad. " No, ray," he said, " only fishing
boats." The Chinese steward belonging to the Pri-
vateer also said, " Never fear ; only fishing-boat."
One boat was far ahead of the other, she came within
fifteen fathoms of our larbour quarter. We kept the
schooner away, the boat did the same, outtailing us. On
getting abreast of us the captain sung out " Wylo,
wylo,"—then came the spear, then came the fire (from
stink pots), then came the atones on our deck. The boarding
immediately followed on the fore part of our deck. The
captain was aft, he fired his own musket into the boat, and
I saw him opposing the entrance of the Chinese into the
after part of the schooner. He had a cutlass. A spear was
thrust at him from the boat, it entered his side, and he fell.
They afterwards threw me overboard.
The pirates then boarded in force. Ido not know what
our own boat which we had towing
be-
came of the captain after be fell. I was wounded with a stink-
potfound the mate and three Manilla-
in the face and fell down. I saw the pirate throw the
a quarter of a mile only, when the
All hands. were put in separate places
pirate, two in one place, two in
mate
astern.
wasetorn opvccarkbeotdahreud .pb
obayt
below the poop—five in number.
Manilla-
men. The painter was cut, we pulled away in the boat;
deck; my
pabhadnierloaottwheperiroonvcpeelt
arehtdceoee:dkht
oahulbedso.
oun
mate
at e
the
It was between three and four o'clock in the afternoon. I
do not know what took place after this, until some time in
the night—it might be twelve o'clock. The Manillaman
with whom I was confined was ordered on deck by the
pirates; shortly after I heard a splash in the water. Ten
arms, above
he d calledlie h iPund my back. I was also
tied at the wrists. . This cam
•-• pleted, I was told to
sit down on the rail; I did so. In broken Eng-
mthienuetelbs
lish and Portuguese they said " now you can
drink so much water as you like," and launched me over-
board. I floated nearly upright. owasft,erwelrewlaass
I succeeded in releasing
one of my hands, opened my knife with my teeth, and cut
the lashing off my arms. At six o'clock in the morning I
landed at a spot outside Macao, and was taken thither in a
Chinese boat. At Macao I met John Nacito, Manillaman,
one of those retaken with me in the schooner's boat, but con-
fined in another place on board the pirate boat from which
I was thrown overboard. The Governor of Macao put John
Nacito and myself into prison ; we were released at the inter-
cession of Heerjeebhoy. There were 100 men on board the
pirate.
John Nacito sworn—l am a Manillaman, and a seaman on
board the Privateer. On our late trip to Cumsingmoon
from Hong- Kong were attacked by pirates near
Cumsingnoon. To avoid the spears and save my life I
ramped overboard, and gained our boat towing astern.
There were five of us in the boat—mate, gunner, two
Manillamen, and self. We cut the painter, and pulled
away from the schooner; were pursued, taken, and put
below in the hold of the pirate boat. My companion in
confinement was a Manillaman, named Sadio. I do not know
what became of him. He was taken on deck before I was.
About midnight I was called up, and asked if I would have
some water. On replying in the affirmative, I was told in