Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-08-30

pretty woman, but decidedly pleasing, ant
her composure and quiet, gentle manner
won upon you steadily. Both of then
smoke Chinese fuently, and they gave
favorable account Of the people.
aThey had special pet in Chimes
steward named Tin-Ling, burly, round
faced fellow, who would have passed mus
ter anywhere for an honest man but for hi
eyes. They struck me as treacherous from
the first. He never looked anybody squar
in the face, or encountered steady glanc
without squirming. concluded, however
that his employers understood him, and
anyhow, it was no affair of mine. My &C
quaintance with the Winsars lasted unit
the Captains vessel, small bark named tn,
So Kiang, was ready to sail on one of he
regular coasting cruises. She would b,
away some three months, and would visi
a number of little ports. Iexpected to ge
away about forty eight hours after her
and the evening before she left l took sup
per aboard her with the skipper and We
drank a farewell glass. As | was going
away happened to see Tin-Ling leaning
over the side talking in low tone to some
rough-looking man in sampan alongside
and in half joking way said:
'Winsar, don't you think you trust that
fellow too much? If | were in you,
place, with nobody about me but Chinese,
| should keep a pretty sharp eye upon a
fellow with eyes as shifty as his
''The Captain laughed carelessly and
merely said something about Tin-Ling
being all right, and so we parted.
In due tine / got away on my gun
boat, and down the river we went, the
machinery working smoothly and the boat
answering her helm smartly. We were
armed with two Armstrong guns of small
calibre and couple of Gatlings for close
quarters, besides the usual arms, rockets,
etc.-quite enough to keep off any number
of Chinese pirates, or to give good ac-
my intention to begin by exploring the
hooks and craunies of the Pearl river
delta, and l had taken a pilot IAN old
pirate) who knew those intricate waters
1--WE reached the mouth of the river,
anchored for the night, and next morn
ing at daybreak hove up and began to
thread the creeks and estuaries 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 upon between two islets, and, be-
ing doubtful of the neighborhood, | kept
a boats crew rowing guard all night, for
ii was so dark in there that the pirates
might have surrounded us without being
seen, provided they were quiet enough.
However, we were not disturbed, and the
second day opened without much promise
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 go on, and on we went.
The scenery was interesting enough if l
had cared for that, but / was idgeting
to try the guns on a mob of pirate iunks,
and the idea of being fooled was not
eve were steaming slowly along, dodg-
ing and turning to avoid the numerous
shoals, when suddenly peculiar rapping,
sound broke the silence. l at
once recognized the noise. 1t was the re-
port of matchbox volley, and it of
course indicated fight somewhere, and in
all probability an attack by the pirates on
some vessel. l 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 off in straight line as nearly as l
could Judge, but how far that meant by
water it was quite impossible to tell. My
delta pilot, who had pricked up his ears
like an old charger on hearing the firing,
told me he knew where the fighting was
going on and could take me to it, but it
would require a full hour to get 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 meantime contin-
1ed in a queer spasmodic way, and at
the rattle of the matchlocks was
by much clearer, sharper
sound, which l felt sure was that of
rife or a revolver. This made the case
more serious, for it looked as though the
pirates were attacking foreign Chat is
European) vessel.
at was tiresome work crawling through
shese passages, and | was afraid we should
De too late for help in rescue after all.
But at last we rounded bluff point and
,ame suddenly into sort of lagoon, three
lines as wide as the average passages, and
hen we saw what all the fuss meant.
There lay my friend Winsar's bark, the
So-Kiang, fairly surrounded, and at dis
lance of hundred yards, by vicious look
ing iunks, which were peppering her at
leisure, but not yet venturing to board
her.
Probably they had suffered from Win
,ar's fire and concluded to keep on shoot
ng from a distance until they had killed
Or wounded him and the boatswain, they
being the only white men On the trader.
Winsar's Chinese crew seemed to have
taken no part in the fight; at all events
hey were not visible. The attacking
unks were so occupied in batting poor
Winsar that they did not see the guuboat
for few moments, and had time to give
Them one smashing discharge from both
the Armstrong; and both the Gatlings be-
lore they recovered their scattered wits
and sprang to sweep and sail in desperate
hurry.
81 suppose / ought to have armed my
boats and chased the ruffans, but | was
feeling uneasy about Winsar, Whose rifle /
had not heard for several minutes, and l
too, with fresh misgiving,
The sinister looks of the pet steward, Tin
Ling. So, after driving half dozen
unks ashore, l drew alongside the So
Kiang, piped away the cutter and went
aboard her The first thing noticed was
that the deck was deserted. The next
sign / looked for was marks of blood, bat
there were none. This seemed to indicate
that the crew had not risen upon the Cap
tain, and perhaps also that he had not
been wounded. But, if alive, where was
he? Silence reigned throughout the yes
sci. went down the companionway into
the cabin. There was no sign of life
there. /, of course, knew the position Of
the Captains cabin and fastened toward
it. Coming out of the glare of the sun,
my eyes could not instantly adjust them
selves to the semi-darkness of the cabin,
but by the time l reached the door l
II a