The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1888-07-20

vessels hanging in the headquarters
Office. While we had kept our move
ments as secret as possible, We had no
doubt that Government officials had
given us away, and that the pirates
would be on the watch for us. To de-
ceive them as far as possible, we ran
to the south for three days, and spoke
and reported to four ships bound for
Canton. Then we ran over toward the
Philippine Islands until we had good
offing, when we headed up for Formo-
sa to get acquainted with old Chin
Lung.
During the next three days we did
not sight vessel of any sort. Then
early one morning we fell in with a lot
of wreckage which showed us that a
trader had been overhauled and burned.
We were now to the east of Formosa,
and fifty miles off the coast. Men were
set to work TO give the schooner the
appearance of vessel in distress, and
under light breeze we made slow
Roadway toward the island. 1t was
about four clock in the afternoon be-
fore any thing approached us, although
we saw a number of native craft at a
distance. Then a small junk came out
from bay about five miles off, and
headed directly for us. Every thing
aboard of us seemed to be at skies and
sevens. A man was dashed to the main
mast, to represent the captain, every
thing aloft was askew, and the seven
or eight men on deck were seemingly
d1 INK and having a high old time. We
had q man aloft to play part, know
ing that we should be hailed in English.
Both of these boss pirates had Amer
leans and Englishmen with them
rascals who had deserted their ships
and voluntarily adopted the life of a
pirate-and one of them was always
put forward to hail ship. The junk
came steadily forward to within hailing
distance before she came up into the
wind. This was proof, whether she
was honest or not, that our appearance
had deceived her. The men on deck
yelled and shook their fists, as drunken
men might do, but at the first oppor-
tunity voice hailed us.
Schooner ahoy! What schooner is
thatp"
1.-The Revenge, Captain Thatcher,
bound to Shanghai" answered the
man aloft.
"What is the matter aboard?'
Screw in state of mutiny for the
last three days. They have dashed the
Captain to the mast and driven me
aloft."
whats your cargo?"
General merchandise. !"
"Any arms aboardp"
"Only few muskets."
There were dozen men aboard the
junk, but they dared not attempt to
board. They chartered away among
themselves for while, and then the
spokesman called out:
every we'll, we will bring you
help"
With that the junk headed back for
the bay, accompanied by the yells and
curses of the apparently drunken crew.
We had native aboard called Shin
Lee. He had been in the headquarters
office for several years, and could be
depended upon. He gave it as his
opinion that the junk was spy boat
sent cut by the pirates, who never at
tackled a vessel by daylight without
taking all due precautions. He said
we would see the pirate fleet come out
in case no sail appeared on the horizon,
and his words were speedily verified.
We had been gradually edging inshore,
and were not over five miles from the
land, when we caught sight of five
iunks coming out after us. There was
a good working breeze, and now, as
was only natural, we began to claw off.
By seeming to want to get away very
badly, but by carefully manipulating
the helm, we were seven miles off the
land before the fleet reached us. We
were satisfied of their intentions long
enough before. 1t was not to help a
vessel in distress, but to take advan-
tage of one almost helpless.
The Junks kept pretty well together,
and when within rife shot each one
raised Chin-Lung's flag and uttered a
cheer. Each had couple of howitzers,
with which they opened fire upon the
schooner, but no harm had been done
when we were ready to spring the trap.
At the word of command every man
was on deck, the gun crews jumped to
their stations, and things aloft were
in moment. Then we wore
round to get between the pirates and
the bay and opened fire. A Chinese
junk is mere shell. One solid shot
went through them as if they had been
paper. The poor devils were unnerved
as soon as they saw the trap into which
they had fallen, and devoted all their
energies to getting away. We could
outsail any of the junks, but it was
quick work with four of them. They
were sent to the bottom one after an
other, and as we came up with the fifth
we ran her down. Our stem struck her
on the starboard broadside and cut her
almost in two. She had at least thirty
men aboard, and there was one long,
shrek as they went down
to watery graves. A few came up to
clutch at the wreckage and beg to be
taken aboard, but not one of them
would the Captain lend a hand to. Such
as the sharks did not get hold of drifted
out to sea with the tide. 1t was a fear
full retribution, but these men were
monsters. Inside of thirty minutes
from the time we opened fire the
fleet was at the bottom and at least a
hundred pirates had paid the penalty
of their crimes.
Our captain was lamenting the fact
that he had not picked up one or two
in order to secure information when
there was a row forward, and it was