The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1879-09-17
Pirates of the Chinese Coast.

Of all the dangers that beset the mari
ner, whether it be from storm, fire OF
the hidden reef. none have such terrors
| for vessels trading in the Pacific ocean
as the pirates that infest the Chinese
coast. With ordinary skill and vigi-
lance the former dangers may be guarded
against, and it is seldom that some one
does not survive to tell the tale, but an
attack by these pirates is conducted
with such cunning, treachery and skill,
that if it is successful, it leaves a mys-
terry far harder to bear than a known
misfortune, for those who watch and
wait for the ship that never returns to
port. Every year adds to the list of
stately vessels and gallant crews that
leave port forever, and are eventually
placed among the missing" How
many of these are captured and destroyed
on the China coast can never be known;
their assailants show no mercy, and the
ocean tells no tells"
The quaint junks that leave the
Chinese ports at night-fall, are to all APP
pearances the peaceful traders that they
profess to be; but if an unprotected
vessel comes in view, the scene changes
as if by magic; deck loads of mercban-
disc are thrown into the holds, and can
non take their place; the crews are
marvelously REINFORCED by men who
have been hidden below, and the former
lazy coasters glide swiftly along, pro-
PEELED not only by their sails but by
long and powerful oars.
The doomed vessel is quickly sur
rounded by the pirates, and q cannonade
soon brings her masts and yards crash
ing to the deck. Her crew may defend
themselves as well as they can, but they
are outnumbered fifty to one. Nearer
Loose the pirates, who throw rockets and
'sjingals" that leave an unquenchable
ire and a.stupefying smell wherever they
| fall; the defense grows more feeble, and
now, running alongside, the pirates
board, and Stay al of the crew that may
survive. By the busy hands of the blum
derers the cargo is soon removed, hole
is bored under the water-line of the cap
tured ship, and as the pirates sail away,
the scuttled vessel slowly sinks from
view, and after weary months of waiting
her name is placed on the list of &c miss
ing" The pirate coasters repair their
damages, send the guns below, divide
the booty and disperse. If the battle has
been heard by cruiser, she hastens in
it's direction and meets with two or three
easy going traders who are apparently
unconscious of any such thing as piracy
near them. If any sign of the conflict
remains about them, and an explanation
is required, some plausible excuse is
always ready in which they are repre-
sented as the real sufferers. Complaints
against all robbers are intermixed with
cunningly invented directions to the man
of war, which is soon in hot chase of an
imaginary foe.
If caught, these pirates meet with
prompt punishment, which is always
death. Knowing this, they will fight
fiercely, if discovered by a man-of- war
while attacking a vessel, and many in
stances are recorded where all the mem
bers of q pirate crew haze destroyed
themselves in preference to an ignomini-
Gus death, which they knew they would
meet if captured.
A voyager on the waters of the East
often finds it difficult when he sees the
Chinese trading vessels sailing peacefully
around him, with their gay streamers
and picturesque sails and their gong
sounding a salute as his vessel passes
them, to imagine that many of them are
pirates, and that if a suitable opportunity
were offered them to make an attack the
vessel he is on would never see port
again But if he should happen to i'm
agine such Il thing his fears would prob
ably be well founded, for the records OF
the Chinese coast service are filled with
accounts of vessels which have been at
tackled and destroyed by pirates that
were cruising about in the guise of just
such harm less-looking traders as he sees
about him.-S. Nicholas.