Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1890-10-25

Pearl river delta. and I had taken a
pilot ian old pirate) who knew those
intricate waters thoroughly.
"Wereached the mouth OF the river,
anchored for the night, and next
morning at daybreak hove up and
began to thread the creeks and estu-
aries Of that region, Of course with
due caution and the lead always
going. The first day brought no
grist to my mill, and that evening ! |
brought up between two islets, and,
being doubtful of the neighborhood,
! kepta boat'screw rowing'guard all
night, iorit was so dark in there that
the pirates might have surrounded
ns without being seen, provided they
were quite enough. However, we
were not disturbed, and the second
day opened without much prospect
OF excitement. Probably the pirates
had got wind of our expedition and
had made themselves scarce. In any
case there was nothing TO do but to
go on, and on we went. The scenery
was interestingenongh If had cared
for that, but ] was idgeting to try
the guns on a mob of pirate junks,
and the idea OF being fooled was not
smoothing.
We were steaming slowly along,
lodging and turning TO avoid the
numerous shoals, when suddenly a
peculiar ripping creaeking sound
broke the silence. lat once recogniz-
ed the noise. II was the report OF a
match lock volley, and it Of course
indicated n fight somewhere,andi in all
probability. AN attack by the parties
on some vessel. ! waited for the
smoke to rise, and thus ascertained
the scene OF the difficulty, whatever
it was. The white smoke showed
above the trees about four miles of
in a straight line as nearly as !
could Judge. but how far that meant
by water ii was quite impossible
to tell. My delta pilot, who had
pricked up his ears like an old char
ger ON hearing the firing, told me be
knew where the fighting was going
on and could take me 10 IL, but il
would required tull hourtoget there.
There was no help for it. of course.
We could not straighten or shorten
the winding channel. nor could we
clap on full speed. The firing mean
time continued in n queer spasmodi.
way, aud nj intervals the rattle o
the mhtchlocks IA p~unetuated by
n much clearer, sharper sound, which
felt sure was that OF a rifle or a re
volyer. This made the case NOR
serious, Tor il looked rs though tn
: pirates were attacking IA toreigr
, THAT is, European vessel.
1T was tiresome work crawling
through these passages, and wa
: afraid we should be too late for hell
in the $ after all. But at las
9 we rounded n bluff point and cam
suddenly into q sort OF lagoon, thre
} times as wide as the average pass
b nges, and Their we saw what all tn
r fuss meant. There lay my irien
! Winsar's bark the So-kiang, fnirl
! surrounded, az a distance Of n hur
! dred yards. by vicious looking iunk'
e which were ~peppering her at leisure
0 but not yet venturiug TO board her
Q Probably they had suffered iroi
r Winsnr's fire and concluded TO kee'
i ON shooting from "a distance unit
they had killed or wounded him an
g the bnat-swain, they being the onl
n white men ON the trades Winsar
Chinese crew seemed to have take
no part in the fight; at all event
= thew were not visible. The attackin
iunks were SO occupied in baitin
!, moor Winsar that they did not s.
IS the gunboat for a few moments, an
had time TO give them one smas
ing discharge from both the Arr
r, gtrongs and both the gatlings b
| fore thev recovered their scatter'
b. wits and sprana 80 sweep and SAL
\ desperate hurry.
X II suppose | ought to have nrm'
nv boats and chased the rutfians, b
y was feeling uneasy ahout Winsa
q whose rifle | had not heard for sevC
Te nj minutes. and ] remembered, to
IN with fresh miegiving, the sinist
e looks OF the pot steward, Tin-Liu
a. Sd after driving halt q dozen jun
ashore l drew alongside of the )
Kianr. piped away the cutter a
Y, vent aboard her. The first thiut
We noticed was that the deck was desc
Cd The next sign ] looked Tor W
,k marks OF blood, but there were MOI
10 This seemed to indicate that {
in crew had not i.Sen upon the capita
~ and perhaps also that he had n
n bcen wounds4. But, if alive, witt
~ -rr5ea"Glo: " ncDithet,
Ch%aplain-E. b. York.
Guard-Chas. Bergman.
I'll Sentinel-Nellie Sweet.
m.