The true Democrat., 1856-01-22
From Baou's Pictorial An Adventure in the Chinese Sea.
BY SYLVANUS COBB. JR

next story He was stout, bronzed, hard fsted but kind hearted sen of the ocean, fifty years old, and full Of thrilling adventures.- Our pipes were re-hlled, and then Sampson took his turn as follows:
 It's now ten years come next November that took charge of the Yankee She was a noble ship, and l felt proud of the charge. We lay at the wharf, down Peck Slip, (we cleared at New York, you know,) and got the last lot ol duds on board, when felt something touch me on the leg. 1 turned and there stood a boy some fourteen years old, with bundle on his shoulder. He kind O trembled when 1 looked at him, but there wasn't any dishonesty in that tace-not bit. He had great gray eyes, almost dark enough for hazel, and his hair cured over his head like a girl just Ii ,ged for a party. Then he looked so earnestly and steadily at me, that knew, whatever he want ed, he'd be truthful about it.
 What is it, boy?' said l, speaking kindly.
 l want to go to sea with you, says the boy.
 Who says you may go?'
 He pointed up to a store at the head of the slip, and toli me if would only go up there with him, would learn all about it.
 But what use will you be to me?' asked him before we started.
 Any use you put me to, that's honest, and that can do,' he said.
 liked the answer, for saw that he meant 1t, and 1 went up to the store with him. did want cabin boy, but 1 hadn't made arrange ments for any, because just such a one as 1 wanted about me all the time was hard to find. At the store l asked Mr. Want Wart Che was an old friend of minc) about the boy. He told me that the boys father used to be porter in his store, but that he died two months before and that the boy was now an orphan his moth CT having been dead some years. Then he took me aside and says he:
 " If you want the boy, captain, you will find him a most faithful one. He's been with me off and on, ever since he was so high"
 Of course 1 took him. His name was Ed ward Grover though he said twas Ned, and Ned we called him. Two days after that a tug toWed Us out of the harbor, and we stuck oar nose clear of Sandy Hook before dinner tirst he went to Calcutta, and then to Canton; and many and many time did 1 bless my stars that Ned Grover was with me, for aD own child couldn't have been more faithful than he was. And then he was bold fellow, too; aud never was the blow that could shake him, nor the storm that could bianch him. On the royal yard he was like q squirrel on a tree, and he was aS puck of wit as he was of body.
 Well, our business was all done up at Canton, and l only had to touch at Singapore on my way home, unless l chose to heavc to at Bata- via. We had splendid run down the Chinese Sea, making the passage to Nantuuas in just eight days. ln three days from that we were among the Anambus islands--of lIalacca, you know. Most of these islands we left on the siarboard beam, and along toward the middle ot the afternoon Lampang was on the lee bow, and not more than six miles distant. 1 always took tine eastern run of Lampang, because 1 knew the channel. Since mornin. the wind had been light and variable, though lot bafling, and 4ow it had settled down u the west'rd as though to rest itset-for with stud'u's'ls abow and a.oft we diInt run off more than three knots an hour at the outside
 l. was just o'clock when came on deck to see how the land lay and found Lamp pang then just about abeam, but as the wind now came, the isl nd was to the windy ard of us, and four miles 9tant. I had looked at the compass and at the sails, and was then looking out for the land, when the man at the maintop hailed the deck
 What is it?' asked
 A Malay proa!' he answered, 'rtght in ashore by that rock. There, don't you see it?'
 looked, and did see her. sent Ned for my glass, and by the time he came with it the proa had come out in full sight from behind the rock. l leveIled the glass, and I could make out the fellow plainly. Twas one of the larg- est proas 1 ever saw. 1 should say seventy-fve feet long, with bows like an old mans nose turned bottom upwards and stern about the same counted the men in her, and could do 1t pretty surely.
 hat hn rC l-oJ E,1t mate.
 "A Malay proa,' l told him.
 How many men?'
 Seventy five at least
 'A piratcn he uttered
 She isn't likely to be any thing ese, an- Swered, assuming as much composure as I could; but you muy i've sure felt but little of it, for Malay pirate is just about the worst thing in the world-blood.t thirsty as Bengal tiger, with all the wit of a man to back it up. Their very reli1 on makes piracy a holy virtue, and a man Is honored among them forthe many times his knife has found human heart. And they are powerful fellows, too, and trained from chihihooI to the use of arms
 Shes coming after us.'' cried the man at the top. But then ne needn't have told us of It, for had seen that from the beginning.
 The men looked anXouslv towards me, and saw that they were stricken with fear. And our position was not one to inspire a poor chap with very deep joy. The wind was still to the Wcstrd, and three knots was the most the ship could be made to run. The Malay was now within three miles and shooting through the water like inau. lie had twenty broad pad dlcs out-you know the bloody hounds can send those long, narrow, sharp proas fast We were now sure that there were over seventy men Tn the great boat; for we could even see their long knives and clumsy firearms through my glass. My crew, all mustered numbered twenty-nlne, and one of them was only bow. Of swords, or cutlasses, we had only six, but I had thirty brace of good boarding pistols in the arm chest, and a dozen bikes by the mast. It was rather a dubious show, vast it?
 However, 1 resolved to do the best could. for l knew if those Malays captured us, we were simply dead men; so of course there was some ground for resistance First, made my selt as calm as could and then 1 got out the pistols, and had them all loaded. I gave two to each man, reserving two extra ones for n.y. self. The six cutlasses l gave to those 1 thought best qualified to handle them, and then l distributed the twelve pikes Beyond those found four boat hooks, and these also gave out, for they would be serviceable in re- polling boarders when the pistols had all been fred
 "Now, boys said I, "you know what that fellow is after; and if I'd thought of this lull in the wind, shouldn't have run in here. But that can't be helped now. We can't run away, and we all know if those Malays take Us, they'll cut our throa,s every one. 1 fancy you'd all rather fight to the death than to be killed so Will you stand it?'
 Of course they all said "yes;" but then they didn't speak like men that had any hope, and surely didn't blame them, for our enemy was more than double us-almost treble. Yet I saw that my brave fellows meant to fight.
 The proa was now about mile distant. and would be alongside in ten minutes unless we caughta smart breeze. Hooked about but saw ne signs of any such breeze, save single bank ot vapor to the north'd. called after Ned to run to the cabin to get my slippers, for the boots had on were stiff and clumsy. But Ned was not to be found.
 "N Never mind," says to myself as I ran