The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1875-11-25
A REMARKARLE DREAM.

III AAShS hpASs anu tntEc Dttduic az
quainted with Capt. Topham, who re
lated the following story:
1t is now, gentlemen, some ten years
ago since / was first mate of the opium
schooner Wild DayreIl. z Wewere living
in Hong Kong harbor at the Ime, pre-,
paratory to saiiing the extn1or1ing for
FormOsa. Then-and, for the matter OF
that, nowhere was a great deal OF
smuggling done in that beautiful island
of the Chinese. Our cargo consisted OF
100000 in syce, $50 chests of Patna
and 200 chests Of Malwah opium, be-
sides a few sundries, which could be
bought cheap enough in Hong Kong or
Shanghae, but upon which we turned a
good sum. Capt. Wilkes-whom |
think you all know, gentlemen-com-
manded her, and had made many Voy-
age, and run many risk for his owners
TO the same place. At about four in the
afternoon the Captain left me to go on
shore; but just as he was stepping into
the boat he cried out
"'ToPhaml Upon second thoughts,
Ishan't stay on shore tonight, as in
tended. am going to old Douglas
TO dine; and as, in all probability, it
will be a noisy party, | shall slip away
early; so you can look for me about
eleven
"'Very well, sir I answered.; and
then turned to see that every thing was
ell right for the morning. .-.... sf-TsTs
CAT six O'Clock and the second of
fcer had tea and after tea he and /
had quite a confidential chat about our
voyage, the value of our cargo and the
immense risk that was run in not ship
ping Englishmen. Our crew consisted,
by the way, of fourteen persons, includ-
ing the captain. The captain, myself,
and second officer and two sailors were
Englishmen; a Lascar, two Manila
men, two Malays and two Cinnamon,
as seamen; a Chinese cook and Chinese
steward-in all, fourteen souls. At
about eight O'Clock the second officer
had retired for the night, and had left
me alone on the poop. Iwell remem-
Der how my thoughts then ran. re-
volved in my mind the conversation
that / had had with Mr. Spencer, the
second officer, respecting the immense
value of our cargo, and the risk that we
ran, both from our own crew, should
they turn traitors, and also from the
hordes of pirates that continually infest
the China seas, Notwithstanding our
gunboats, and the havoc they make of
them whenever they come within range.
"Well, gentlemen, upon that evening
my thoughts were especially turned
upon home, and TO dear mother from,
whom / had received letter by the
last mail, and who was then in very
delicate state of health. had answered
her letter only that morning.
al must have been on the poop about
three-quarters of an hour after Mr.
Spencer had left me, and was thinking
of returning to the cabin to look over
some papers connected with the ship,
when observed a sampan, or Chinese
boat, lowering round the stern. /
called out TO the men in the boat, and
inquired what they wanted there; but
their only answer, when they found they
were observed, was to pull away from
the ship in the direction of the middle
of the harbor. Their movements did
not at all like, and, leaning on the taft
rail, watched them until they were
lost in the darkness. | suppose / must
have remained in this position-that is,
with my arms on the taffrail-about ten
minutes, when, without warning, felt
myself lifted off my legs, and some one
behind me endeavoring to throw me
overheard. am by no means a light
weight, gentlemen, as you can see,
weighing, ] should say, then something
over zoe pounds; but the person evil
IDENTITY depended upon the suddenness
of the attack TO accomplish his purpose.
/ struggled violently, holding on by my
hands to the rail, and letting fly right
and left with my feet and in the end L
was successful. The Chinaman tripped,
and lay upon the deck in my power.
Without thought, without a moments
hesitation, laid hold of him by the
trousers with one hand, and took cou-
pie of turns of his pigtail by the other,
and threw him overheard. After had
accomplished this, made for the cud-
dy. Arrived there, at once went to
Mr.. Spencer's cabin; but upon trying
the door found it lockedi / gave one
or two good kicks, at the same time
calling out TO him to open the door. He
sprang from his berth, and called out
in reply that il was locked from the out
side. told him to stand clear, and
with good one, two, three, from the
shoulder, burst the door in. There is
no doubt | must have looked, very pale
and very excited, as his first question to
me was:
"'Why, Mr.. Topham, what in the
name of goodness is the matterp You
look as pale as death.
al told him all that had happened,
and likewise my suspicious that we had
not seen the end of the affair, and that
our best plan would be at once to arm
ourselves. | told him 10 dress himself,
whilst | went on deck 10 rouse our two
English sailors, whom we could depend
upon, and bring them to the cabin. |
had planted one foot in the saloon, the
other being still in Mr. Spencer's cabin,
and had my eyes directed to the stairs
of the companion way, when, in the
shade, / thought l deserted a China
man. Thinking that it. might be the
steward, called out 10 him by name,
"A Tong but no reply came, when /
felt pretty certain that ii was not the
steward; in which belief / was not long
left in doubt. ] had turned my head
into Mr.. Spencer's cabin to tell him of
lily cuSptCloHs, Nucu httOdSShl ucdI0
steps stealthily approaching nae. l gave
rapid glance, and there, not four feet
from where / stood, were some five or
six as villainous looking Cinnamon as
had ever beheld, armed, some with
bamboos about ten feet long, and 9TH
ers with swords. In an instant had
sprung into the cabin and closed and
bolted the door. With veil the whole
ofthe gang made one simultaneous
rush toward the door; but they had
missed their mark by a second. l had
planted my back against the door, and,
thanks to my weight and the bolts, it
resisted their combined efforts to force
it. Other measures, however, l knew
must be at once resorted to, and that
instantly. Calling upon Mr.. Spencer to
move his chest of drawers against the
door, and placing two trunks on the top
of them, we patiently awaited the COM
ing events. Spencer very fortunately
n Co1t g