Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-01-25
THE PIRATES;
Or. q Ladrone Adventure In the Canton
River. .

Often has our youthful imagination gloated
over the daring deeds and hair breadth escapes
of bandits and pirates, traced in glowing colors
by the pen of the poet or the novelist. Fasci-
mated by the halo of romance thrown around
their career, the deeds Of freebooters rose up
before Us as the achievements of the purest he
roism-their failure or fall, as an unmitigated
evil-the more to be deplored on account Of the
nobility Of the victim. These ideas, however,
have been thoroughly diSpelled. Practical ex-
perience has broken the colored glass through
which the deeds and the men were seen and
pirates on the seas robbers on the highway,
banditti among romantic mountains, and 9th
ers Of similar class, now stand much on a level
with housebreakers, pick pockets and garoters
at home. For the benefit of those readers
whose imaginatiOns are still spell bound in the
tolls OF romance, we propose to narrate the in
cident which first opened our eyes wide enough
to see these things in their true light.
1t was a dull day in October 1852, that
four of us-namely, our three friends. cksOn,
Whymper, Lee, and ourselves who am Jones, at
your service-made up party for an excursion
from Canton down the river. Two of the party
were on business, and of course paid expenses
The others were glad to accept Of the two re-
manning bertbs in the fast boat, in order to en-
joy n couple of days relaxation from the routine
of business life in Canton. We each carried
double barrelled fOwling piece, as snpe and
other wild fowl were to be found down the river
and we anticipated that our Ieisurely sail might
be eniivened with good sport. As for personal
danger, that WIS out of the question. 0cca-
siOnal murders, it is true, had been committed
on foreigners by the native fishermen down the
river, but these were rare; and nobody had
heard of an attack when more than a couple of
Englishmen or Americans had to be met.
fast boat, which was to be our means of con-
veyance, is a large decked boat with a house
or cabin half sunk in the deck. At each end
of the cabin there is door which leads up by
two or three steps to the level of the deck, and
inside there are two beds or bertbs, ranged on
each side and dining table in the centre. Be-
sides this cabin there is another in the fore part
of the vessel, entirely below deck, in which the
Chinese crew, who man the boat, find narrow
quarters. We also provided ourselves with
pair of punts each capable Of carrying two peo-
pie, which are useful in landing crossing
creeks, and other coast service
Late in the afternoon, we dropped gently
down the river now and again trying our for
tune on some unhappy victim, whose flight
brought it within reach. The sky was dull aud
threatened rain. A dinner. as comfortable as
could be enjoyed on board on a fast boat and a
social evening passed rapidly away, and we
turned in for the night Next morning we
found ourselves at our destination-the Bosue
Ports-where Jackson and Lee had business to
transact, which occupied them during the great
er part of the day; while Whymper and our
selves found what spsrt we could
Towards evening, We anchored off Tiger Is
land, to await the turning Of the tide and IA
vorable wind to carry US back to Canton. As
night drew on, ii became intensely dark and
cold, and we were fain to shut out the chill air,
by closing both doors and windows all round
the cabin. We were thus seated enjoying some
of Jackson's famous Burgundy, when we were
startled by a sudden shock as il some other
boat had come in collision with ours, and the
haor . tha 80 G.
which exploded ON the forepart of our deck
Weihad heard no alarm from our crew, but the
truth at once flashed across our minds that we
were boarded by gang Of Chinese pirates, and
should have to fight for our lives.
Whymper, who sat nearest the door leading to
the front-deck, Immediately jumped out to re-
conpoitre; but he had no sooner shown his head
above board than he was assaiIed by half doz-
en- frepots, thrown by as many men, who had
scrambled over the stern of our boat, and who
were followed by as many more. In a moment,
ne was back In the cabin for his gun but he
had looked long enough TO see, by the light of
the MUSCLES which had been thrown at him.
that our assailants numbered from thirty to
forty men, and that they had lashed their boat
at right angles across the stern of ours, in the
evident expectation that we should be certain
If not an easy prize.
Whymper was again on deck and had bis at
tention at once arrested by a stout fellow who
was COulinS over tDe CABIN rOOl, Wlthln SIX
yards of where he stood. The pirate had
lighted fire pot in his hand ready to discharge,
which revealed the dim outline Of his figure as
he advanced; and Whymper, who WAS now
joined by Lee and ourselves took aim and fred
Owing to the dampness of the powder, the piece
missed fire and the Chinese was within three
PAGES OF where we stood, with his arm uplfted
TO launch his abominable missile, when the
second barrel fortunately did its duty and the
man fell heavily on the cabin roof
Five or SIX men, each with a lighted fire. pot
were now advancing over the cabin roof while
many more were tumbling over the stern into
our boat One, two, three Of our pieces were
hired In rapid succession among them; each
brought down its man, and effected moment
AIRY check; but we only now discovered that in
our hurry % face our antagonists, we had
omitted to furnish ourselves with ammunitien
beyond what our artillery was charged with,
We had, therefore. to make hasty expedition
into the cabin for our TASKS and shot pouches
and there found TO our dismay that several fire
pots had been thrown into it and exploded, and
were now showering sparks in all directions,
aud emitting their odorous smoke in volumes
Fortunately, the berths had previously been
prepared Tor Immediate occupation, and the
WOODEN coverlets spread over them, protecting
the wooden frames from the burning sparks or
We should probably have had our citadel burned
under our feet.
la the midst OF this smoke and lre we groped
our way to the further end of the cabin, where
our supply of ammunition was deposited, and
there spear thrust, aimed at Jackson, made
US aware that the door at that end had been
burst open, and thus exposed US to the danger
nf double attack. jackson was accordingly
deputed to defend this point and, as we after
wards found, received a very severe burn on
the back Of his hand in the discharge of this
duty: Having furnished ourselves with fresh
supplies, which we carried through the cabin
with the agreeable idea that a single unlucky
spark might send US through the roof, we re-
gained our first position on the front deck. and
were immediately greeted with perfect shower
of hre-pots, shot and spears. These with the
help OF a little dodging, We fortunately es-
capped, the only effect being the lodgnent of
spear head in the stock of the gun we carried
but We found the odds fearfully increased, and
the rascals, taking courage from the temporary
iull In our FIRE, were coming in numbers over
the cabin roof to attack US. If they should
get near enough to grapple, our lives were not
worth an hours purchase, and, even as it was
the chances seemed tremendously against us ;
but we knew that surrender was as hopeless as
defeat, and our British blood boiled at the bare
lQcd OF SuCcumbipo "A crew of Chinese In