The Hawaiian gazette., 1881-11-16
Giac.r Pirate.


audacify; he seems to he one Of those bold
bccsoriur men whose talents invest his crimes
with something approaching romance. His
exploits arc Of most daring character. The
history Of the pirate chief is a remarkable
cns. To commence in true dramatic style, we
thould state In the village Of Wang Ye in the
district Ming I'll which is near Nin-po, and
the Chuxan Isles SC renowned for piratical ex-
ploits, stands the castle of pirate chief
named kwans-kinS-msn. he is bead Of n
strong ncs; Of pirates, and he styles himself
King az kiug-man which signifies The King Of
Gold. In many respects. his biography resem-
bles the life and doinEs Of the celebrated Mahrat
"a chief. who was the terror Of India in the time
Ct the Great Arunzche. kwang kug-man Is
= native OF Nin-po, or the Nin. hi district.
He is an unusually powerful man and can lift
with case weights more fitted for Milo than
an ordinary man He j. prof Gle q in the
use Of all waTiike We; ponS, and in sc ths
rise, Is well as the DUw and arr ", with
equal and remarkable eject. His hysical
strength and courage were strung india en- nts
for him to follow an avucation winch should
REQUIRE the exercise a these qualities. Ac-
ooriinsly lie betook himself to the occ patton
Ct brave" and he acted originally l. that
merchants passing Sein-kew and Kwangyi,
which were infested with pirates and robbers
Of all descriptions While IN pursuit Of this
svccatiun be made a considerable amount Of
money, and had also gained great experience
in the life and habits Of those that lived " IN
der the shadow Of the black has." II hap
pened while kwauE- kinc-man was acting rs
a.brave" that MS fstlcr wss arrested by the
Government for some offence. and shortly after
wards belieadrd. hwanS-king man, who de-
clared his father innocent Of the crime i'm
pnied 10 iini. was so enraced At his execution
that be sv0re TO devote his life 10 avenre his
death. and take revenge on the Imperialists.
He shortly put his design into execution. He
established rendezvous and stronghold. and
gathered round him large number Of fol-
lowers who all. or nearly all came from the
NiuEpo district. Many uf his retainers were
men who had fancied themselves agg:ieved by
society. and several wee actual outlaws who
had lifted their hands against society purely
from criminal instincts aud not because they
had any injuries 10 avenge or wrongs to right I
The fret act Of kwang-kiuc Was To capture /
Tuns-chu-shsn. between Ningpo and the Pre-
lecture Of Tai-chuv. This place lac made his 4
arsenal and his operations were at first con- 4
fined 10 acting on tie defensive when attacked, I
collecting arms and making guupuwder. he 1
then commenced the life Of pirate on = small I
scale, and his petty enterprises were con-
Quoted with caution and extraordinary skill. .
But euboldened by success, lie enlarged his /
plan Of operations, and this year commenced ]
piratical transactions on a more ambitions /
scale. On the Sd day Of the 9Th moon Of this 1
year. be suddenly entered the city Of Ningpo 1
with his followers His plan Of action had
been determined by the reports OF his spies,
for he had pui into practice good system Of
espionage. and through this he discovered the
number Of criminals who were confined IN the
Ninsto prisons These be determined 70 liber-
ate, in order TO swell the number Of his re-
tziners. In tie night tine Of the date already
given HE band marched toward the prison,
forced open the doors thereof, and freed the
prisoners, all Of whom joined the pirates
gang The Mandarin on hearing OF this auda-
cious act despatched soldiers against him, but
10 ne purpose, for the military had 10 retire
before the desperate valOr. or rather imposing
appearance uf the robber baud. The next day
tie pirate chief perpeirated = more daring act.
With few hundred men hc descended upon
the Whuopinlekin iSx board, killed the officials
and carried of the money. BE spared, how
ever. the head official, whose nose lie cut of
go that he might return 10 his Superiors and
inform them Of what the pirate chief had done
and what the nature Of future enterprises
would be. His next act was u send 10 a rich
widow and demand loan Of It's 600. and on
this being refused he captured her son and
held him as ransom. The latter was only
liberated after much negotiation for It's 500
This transaction came to the ears Of the village
magistrate who thought II a mos. fitting on
portuniiy for squeezing the rich widow. he
told her that unless she gave him It's 500 be
--fswi~ ip- &C o,
turioas rubber The frightened widow at once
paid the money. The robber king hearing n
this eItoriion descended on tic village
and after reading him a homilv on
the wickedness Of robbing those Of whom he
was bound by MS Office to project, lie took j
from him the money, killed him, his suborlin .
ates, his wife and his son, spariug only his
daughter whom lie carried away with him. I
presumably TO he his wife. Such acts as these
have inspired ali ranks Of people with lively
terror OF this robber chief. and the soldiers
sent out against MIN on many occasions lave .
recoiled from the task.
When the officer Of tie lekin Board reported
10 his superior the outrage that had been con-
niited on him, the latter ordered BODY Of ;
troops TO arrest the pirate, thing more easily
sand Than done. The outlaw was so strongly
10y his followers. that the soldiers
feared 70 attack him, and tho fact that he was ,
a skillful on sea rs un land intensified their .
FEARS kwans-kins-nan Is doubtless most !
remarkable persUnage as regards coul courage S
and physical strength and skill. His exploits
on the wafer are truly marvellous. IL is said
mat he can stop for twenty hours at a time in
The water when either in pursuit of or when !
flying from hIs foes. Last year one uf the naval
officers of the rank Of Captain boosted among
hIs comrades that, although the pirate chief ..
was very powerful aud nobody dared to touch
him, yet he the Captain) would undertake ;
his arrest. His comrades told him If he was
determined on this to speak 10 his superior
nfhcer. BE did 50, and his superior authar- Z
lied the Captain to make the attempt, prou1is- 4
ing him , handsome reward. if he should ]
= pture the pirate king. The Captain, accom-
panied with some jGIiks, containing ihrEs hun Z
fred men, set ont with all speed for the pirates
stronghold. The pirate king was apprised
By trustY spies Of the expedition. and he !
Knew perfectly we'll the object Of the approach
ng feet. BE made no remark as to the !
strength Of the force despatched against
iiu, but grimly SAID = Let the captain come.
shall be delighted to see him" Arrange !.
ueuts were made by emissaTies for meeting i
,etween the Captain and the robbcr chief, :
vhen the former should arrest him quietly 1
Ifier he had detached him from his band.
The pirate, in accordance with the terms Of q
he meeting which was intended BY the Cap c
ain TO be treArherons, set out. on the date .
greed TO, IN his large boat which was an {
enormous dug-Oui carved and gilded in iniita- Z
ion Of dragon When he approached and S
lighted the Captain, he warned him through j,
ume Of his followers 10 return home aud save I
Iis life To this the Captain replied by dis :
barge from ms guns. general engagement :
nsaed il the midst Of which the pirate king =