The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1876-03-30
pieur You LiFK


Some ftw years ago was resident !
Hong Korg, and there became acquAnieI
with the following circumstances Th
story itself was related one winter
evening srouoa $ g;owipg Gre that %
onc Ia H,ibd of home. The conversation
during dinner bad turned upon dreams
aud some very curious theories were aj
yauoed in support Of The interpretation
Of them. Our number consisted Of eigb
persous: and after protraoied discus
sion, in which the number for and agains
there being any truth in dreams stoo'
about equal, Capt. Tophsm proposed {,
settle The question BY telling u . stor,
of what actually happened 70 himself !
few years previously The cloth wa
rtanosed, aud at the invitation Of oui
host we each drew chairs round the fire
liz our cigar or pipe, and the captain re-
LATED tbe following tale as nearly as car
remember:
4 II Is now, gentlemen. some ten years
since ! was first mate Of the plum sehoon-
eF Wild Dayrell. We were laying 10
Hong Kong hsrbor at the time, prepare.
I tory for sailing the next morning for
Formosa. Then there was great deal
smuggling done In the beautiful island OF
the Chinese. Our cargo consisted Of
$4,000 10 Syce, $50 chests Of Malvan
opium, besides 3 few sundries, which
could be brought cheap enough in Hong
Kong or Sbanghae, but upon which we
turned good round sum. Capt. Wilkes
commanded ber, and had made many a
voyage and run many risk for his own
ers to the same place. At about four in
the afternoon the captain left me to so on
shore, but just as he was stepping into
the boat he cried OUT
Topham! Upon second thought, |
.han't stay on shore tonight as intend
ed. 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 at about eleven
O'Clock.
Very well, sir, answered; and turn
ed to see that everything was a II right
for the morning.
At six O'Clock | and the second officer
had tea; and, after tea, be and ! had
quite confidential chat about the voyage,
the value OF our cargo, and the immense
risk thst was run IN not shipping Eng
lishmen, IN place Of the mougrel crew we
then had. Our crew consisted, by the
way, Of fourteen persons, including the
captain. The captain, myself, second
officer, and two sailors we're Englishmen;
a Lascar, two Manila men, two Malays,
and two Cinnamon, as seamen; Chi
nese cook and Chinese steward-in all,
fourteen souls.
At about eight O'Clock the second off.
Ger had retired for the night, and had
left me alone on the poop. revolved in
my mind the conversation that | had
with Mr.. Spencer, the second officer, re-
specting the immense value Of our cargo,
and the risk that we ran, both from our
crew, should they turn traitors, and also
from the hordes of pirates that continu-
ally infest the China seas, notwithstand-
ing our gunbosts, and the havoc that
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 a letter by the last mail,
and who was then IN very delicate
state of health, had answered her letter
only that very morning.
! must have been on the poop about
three-quarters of an hour after Mr.. Spen-
Ger bad left me, and was thinking Of re-
turning TO the cabin to look over some
papers connected with the ship, when
observed sampan, or Chinese boat,
lowering round the stern ! called ont 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 hsrbor.-
Their movements | did not at all like,
aud leaning on the taffrail, | watched
them until they were lost in the great
darkness.
suppose must have remained iu this
position--that is, with my arms on the
ten minutes, when, with
out warning, felt myself lifted off my
legs, and some one behind me endeavor-
ing to throw me overheard. | was by
no means light weight; but the person
evidently depended upon the suddenness
OF the attack to accomplish his purpose.
| struggled violently, holding on by my
hands to the rail, and letting fy right
and len with my feet; and in the end ]
was successful The ChinAman tripped,
and lay upon the deck In my power
Without thought, or 3 moments delay,
| laid hold Of him by the trousers With
one hand, and took couple of turns Of
bis piglail by the other, and threw him
overheard. AMER had accomplished
this | made for the cuddy. Arrived
there, at once went TO Mr.. Spencer's
cabin, bat npon trying the door found it
locked. gave one or two good kicks,
a, the same time calling out TO him TO
open the door He sprang from his berth,
and called out 10 reply that il was locked
from the outside. told him 10 stand
clear, aud with good one, two, three,
from The shoulder, burst the door in.-
There Is no doubt looked very pale aud