Weekly Chillicothe crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1878-19??, 1879-08-28

OF all the dangers that beset the mar
iner, whether it be from storm, fire, o
the hidden reef, none have such terror
for vessels trading in the Pacific Ocean a
the pirates that infcst the Chinese coast
With ordinary skill and vigilance the for
mer dangers may be guarded against
and it is seldom that some one does no
survive to tell the tale, but an attack b,
these pirates is conducted with such cum
ming, treachery and skill, that if it is sue
cessful, it leaves mystery far harder t
bear than known misfortune, for thost
who watch and wait for 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; theil
assailants show no mercy, and the oCear
tells no tale"
The quaint iunks that leave the Chinest
ports at night.fall are to all appearances
the peaceful traders that they profess t.
be; but if an unprotected vessel comes il
view, the scene changes as if by magic;
deck loads of merchandise are thrown mt
the holds, and cannon take their place;
the crews are marvelousiy re-enforced by
men who have been hidden below, and
the former lazy coasters glide swiftly along
propelled not only by their sails but by
long and powerful oars.
The doomed vessel is quickly surround.
by the pirates, and a cannonade soon
brings her masts and yards crashing to her
deck. Her crew may defend themselves
as well as they can, but they are outnum-
bered fifty to one. Nearer close the pi-
rates, who throw rockets and "jingals'
that leave an unquenchable fire and a
Supplying smell wherever they fall; the
defense grows more feeble, and now, rum
nlng alongside, the pirates board, and
slay all of the crew thot may survive. By
the busy hands of the plunderers the cargo
is soon removed, a hole is bored under
the water.line of the captured ship, and
as the pirates sail away, the scuttled yes.
slowly sinks from view, and after weary
months Of waiting her name is placed on
the list of missing"
The pirate coasters repair their damages,
send the guns below, divide the booty and
dispcrse. II the battle has been heard by
cruiser, she hastens in its direction and
meets with two or three easy.going trad
ers 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 story is always ready in which
they are represented as the real sufferers.
Complaints against all robbers are inter-
mixed 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 tiercely, if
discovered by a man-of.war while attack
ing a vessel, and many instances are re-
corded where all the members of pirate
crew have destroyed themselves in prefer
ence to an ignominious 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 streamels and
picturesque sails, and their gongs sound
ing salute as the vessel passes them, to
imagine that many of them are pirates,
and that if Il 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 imagine such a
thing, his fears would probably be well
founded, for the records of the Chinese
coast service are filled with accounts of
vessels which have been attacted and de-
stroyed by pirates that were cruising about
in the guisc OF Just such Misunderstanding
tradcrsas he sees about him.