The Red Cloud chief., 1888-07-27
A TREASURE CAVE.
A Wrecked Sailors Adventure on
Penang Island.

For two weeks, upon q certain occasion. I.
Jaskv Tar. able seaman. belonging to the
port Of Plymouth, and having scarcely been
taught to read and write, was worth my
millions. l had more clear treasure under
nv hands than would have bought the
Astorx, the Goulds, and the Vanderbilts
combined. 1t is = curious story. and though
I can tell il only in a plain, sailor-like fash
ion, il may be Of interest
The Straits of Malacca, as o all know,
Is that narrow body Of water between the
island OF Sunatra and the Malay peninsula
Beyond are the Java Sea. the islands Of Java
and Borneo. and if you sail far enough you
will bring up At New Guinea. As you enter
the Straits from the northwest you have
4Acheen Head on the right, being the butt
.,nd of Sumatra. a1d Penang Island on the
left, this latter lying OF the Malay coast.
and being for years the rendezvous OF
pirates. Up TO 1859. at which time British
cruisers shelled his island so often and so
vigorously As to kill of even the monkeys.
from $50 to LOO Malay pirates lived on
Penang. and preyed on the commerce pass
ing through the Straits. They had . sort
Of government Of their OWL, a feet OF fifty
light craft. and they often sailed q hundred
miles out into the Indian Ocean in search Of
merchant vessels.
In those DAYS nearly every merchant YES
sci carried an armament and extra men,
and a tussle with pirates was counted on
with as much certainty as a change OF
weather. Between 1865 and 1858 no less
thar thirteen English vessels were cap
tured within fifty miles Of Penang Island.
Include in this list those taken from the
Americans. French and Germans, and the
total number would be at least twenty-five.
In 1856 the pirates attacked a Russian cor
vette which had anchored in the Straits to
repair damages, and although she finally
bea; them OF. il was only after a conflict IN
which she los. half her crew. They became
so bold before they were driven out that
nothing was too big for them TO attack. and
they were utterly reckless as TO danger.
Well. sirs. in the summer OF 1875 l was q
foremost land on b e Liverpool ship Castle
Groat. bound through h Straits and be-
yord. and we came within sight Of Acheen
Head without having noted a suspicious
craft. We had six cannon, plenty Of small
arms, and a full crew aboard. and for the
last two DAYS we had been ready for any
thing which might turf up. l a remem-
her that we rather hoped for ascrimmage. for
we knew what q murderous set they were
and wanted revenge. but it was III opinion
OF the officers that we should go through
without a she The pirate feet seemed to
be away on some expedition. and the best
classes aboard failed to make out any thing
OF a suspicious character
We came up with Acheen Head about
four O'Clock in the afternoon, and the wind
all a. once died away. The tide was against
Us. and the ship was allowed TO drive over
within a mile Of Penang Island before being
brought up with the anchor On a sort OF mid.
die ground, which gave the iron q good hold
in ave fafhoms. 1t was proposed TO wait
here for the tide to turn and for q ~favoring
breeze, as the channel was not then thor.
ouehly surveyed: but in less than half au
hour the clouds began to rank up. and il
was seen that a storm was At hand. Jus;
before shutdown we got it from dead ahead
and il came with great fury. The heavies,
gale could not have kicked up much of q Sea
in that spot, and as We had every thing snue
aloft. no one felt any u~neasiness. Ten min
utes after the storm struck US, and while
everybody but the watch on deck was undel
shelter from the %downpour Of rain, I was or
dered out on the jibboom to secure tho 6y
ing iib, which had been carelessly slowed
felt as safe as I do this moment sitting il
my chair, butt had not Yet performed n,
task when q sudden heaye Of her bows, &C
companied by q shake to starboard and port
asi il the ship was an angry horse, l0osene,
my hold and dropped me into the boilin,
sea. One can never tell how these thing
OCCUR, but personal carelsssness l. q Ii