Connecticut western news., 1872-05-10
The Indian Archipelago.


 Amongst the numerous industrious races inhabiting the Twelve Thousand Islands of the Indian Archipelago some twenty five years ago, there were whole tribes devoted to the exciting pursuit of piracy. It must not be supposed that they constituted handful of men, whose haunt was some secluded or unknown isle, whence they issued occasionally on a piratical expedition, but vast and or ganized body, who boldly put forth to sea at certain periods of the year in large boats, we'll manned and armed, and with cruel determination, spread like vast web through the intricate channels of the Eastern Seas to attack and plumber every vessel that came within their reach. Not satisfied with cruising in the immediate vicinity of their haunts, they set sail on long voyages during several months in the year, after which they returned laden with rich stores to their homes. Incapa- ble of fear, they scorned to envelope their movements in secrecy, but in the face of day lay in the open sea in wait for the first trading vessel, no matter to what nation she belonged, when, sometimes to the sound of music and yells of defiance, they bore down upon the richly-laden ship, surrounded her, massacred the crew, and after rifing her of her stores, sank or left her drifting tenantless upon tho sea. Sometime the pirate fleet, with it's swift, noiseless boats, stole stealthily down through the tree-shadowed waters of the narrow channels, and beneath the shelter of the jungle rested it's oars until the dead of night. A peaceful village had been seen in the evening light clus- tering upon the beach on it's raised plat forms. The labor of the day is over, the song of the Dyak maiden floats on the air, the voice of children at their play makes 8 low murmur, the father leans from the long balcony running across the front of the little community of houses ]; groups are busy here and there. Early they retire to rest, and perfect silence broods over the scene. The bright moon- beams play upon the waves, dotted with isles as far as the eye can reach ; an un- dulating surface of jungle stretches inter- minably away in the background. Scarce ly has the serenity of sleep stolen upon the spot, when the waters around the shore are disturbed by the movement of many keels, that cut the waves and pro- duce rippling murmur, unheard, save | by the cruel marauders intent upon their prey. A hundred krisses are unsheathed as they set their foot on shore, and 8 loud yell of triumph bursts from their lips, as they find themselves secure upon the village platform. In hopeless fear, the wretched victims fly to arms-the cry of despair from the mother, who, in dying, perceives her little one borne away from her arms-the shriek of the maiden struggling with her captor all mingle confusedly with the groans of the dying, and the loud yens of the pirates, who, kriising the aged, carry away into hope less captivity the maiden and the child. As last act, @ burning brand is applied to the frail tenement, and soon @ mass of forked flames rise into the air, while the buccaneering fleet again puts to sea, and steer away before any alarm is given to the surrounding country. The morn. ing sun rises upon heap of black and smoking ruins.
 Such scenes were of frequent occur renee in the Indian Archipelago twenty five years ago. The burning of villages, the massacre of women and children were the constant practices of the freebooters, who dwelt not on some obscure island, but whose homes were scattered far and wide over the Archipelago. No one coming abruptly upon the rude built and strong villages inhabited by these men could for one moment imagine the in- !. habitants to be the same who, at certain periods of the year, secured the seas on expeditions of depreciation and murder. The utmost taste presided over the dis. position of their gardens and houses
 the height of rude luxury was displayed, and many of the productions of Europe were found scattered in their dwellings
 standing sometimes on perches raised forty feet above the ground. Their wives and families were decked with every say age ornament and while they remained at home, the freebooters appeared to forget the daring exploits of the sea, il ; the peaceful enjoyment of domestic com
 forts. The life of these pirates, if inves tigated, would be found to be one of sin ) gular romance and variety but that O. , the less ferocious sea gipsies, sBimmins
 by day with their white-sailed prahus 7 over the ocean, and clustering by nigh
 near the shore, possess in the highes ) degree the attributes of romance. It i' 8 satisfaction to know, however, tha since the period of which we have beer } speaking, Sir James Brooke and his as 5 sociates have swept the seas of these vas buccaneering hordes, and have put stol 7 to the inhuman barbarities which wer,
 formerly of such frequent occurrence