The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1890-03-21
miscellaneous.
How COrean Pirates Captured British
....... Steamer.

How COrean Pirates Captured a British
..t..- Steamer.
In the year 1859 British steamer called
the Fairfax arrived at Shanghai in distress
and upon investigation her damages were
found to be so extensive that she was sold tt
corporation known as "The Golden Tes
Company" 1t was composed of five British
tea houses and it had four coasting vessels il
Its trade. This steamer was wanted to estab
lsh line to the Lioo-Kioo Islands, in the
Pacific Ocean, but more particularly to the
Island of Kiu-Siu, where the company in
tended to establish branch headquarters.
The Fairfax was side wheeler of about
600 tons burden, and noted as being very fast
She was changed about great deal in max
ing repairs, and when went aboard of her as
a wheelsman found several things to excite
my curiosity. The cabin had been done
away with, and in its place was an officers
mess room aft and comfortable dining
room for the men forward. The space be-
tween was used for berths and storage.
noticed that great deal of the interior wood
work was covered with heavy sheet iron
which had been painted to resemble wood
The doors were very heavy, and were further
protected by metal. The engine room was
entirely enclosed, and when l came to the
wheel house was surprised to find it so ar
ranged that iron shutters hung on the inside
could be closed to make little fortress oil
the place. Two rifles and pair of revolvers
comprised the armament. When l came to
ask questions of the mate he informed me
that we were going among lawless and
desperate lot, and were prepared for any
emergency. In addition to what / had seen
he showed me six-pound field piece on the
promenade deck and a score or more of rifles
in a room set apart for an armory.
The steamer made her first and second
trips without adventure. The crew in each
instance was composed almost entirely OF
white men-English, American, German, and
French sailors, who had picked up in Shang-
hal. The cook, stewart, and stokers were
natives, and on each trip we carried quite q
number of native passengers. On the third trip
about one-half of the white crew had to be
replaced by natives, and when we left Shang-
hair We had sixty native passengers. l re-
marked on the singular fact that all were men,
and the mate explained matters by saying it
was a religious body on their way to a
famous temple situated on the island we were
bound for. They looked to me like crafty,
villainous lot, and my fellow wheelsman, who
was an American named White, predict ed
teat we should have trouble with them be-
fore the voyage was over. We had scarcely left
port before we saw to It that all our weapons
were loaded, and we got "the hang" of the
iron blinds 80 that we could shut them quick
ly. One of US would certainly be in the
wheelhouse, no matter at what hour trouble
might come. fs.. 1....
AS the steamer only had small load OF
freight, and that was all in the hold, the party
Of NJ ON rfprod on tho loxu 6oob
The weather was very mild and they did not
need covering. The distance from Shanghai
to Kiu-Siu is about two hundred and fifty
miles. AS we left port at o'clock in the
morning, and averaged about twelve miles
per hour until four the next morning, we were
pretty fairly across the big bay Or straits
created right there by the lay of the coast and
the location of the islands, I came on watch
at o'clock. 1t was then fairly daylight and
the sea was smooth and everything very quiet
My chum gave me the course, reported that
there was nothing new, and went off to turn
in. He had scarcely disappeared when
rose two junks dead ahead, and five minutes
later the lookout on the bows reported them
to Mr.. Graham, the first mate. 1t could moi
have been more than two minutes after this
when heard shrill cry of Murder p fol-
lowed by two pistol shots and q rush of feet
dQu TG6llZ6u ludt tEOuUl6 was dL uauus j
rang the bell for the engineer to stop and then
shut and secured INV blinds, and l was not a
moment too soon. The wheels had scarcely
ceased to revolve when heard the patter Of
feet outside, followed by EXPLANATIONS OF
anger and disappointment. Then l used the
speaking tube 10 warn the engineer, and he
SD eedily informed me that he had made him
self close prisoner.
My iron shutters were provided with port
holes, and when I looked down upon her
bow deck l saw the dead bodies Of the mate
and lookout lying there and covered with
blood from numerous knife wounds. None
of the natives were in sight, but directly q
fierce yell arose from the lower deck, follow
ed by pistol shots, and knew that the saff-
ron-faced wretches were numbering the white
men as fast as they could get to them They
left me alone for about quarter of an hour
Then about a-half dozen of them came up and
demanded my surrender. From their dialect
knew them to be Coreans. They called to
me in that language, saying they had full
possession of the steamer, had killed all but
two of the crew, and that my life would be
spared if promised TO do as the directed. !
communicated with the engineer, found that
he was all right, and he added that the Cap
tain and some of the crew were in the armory
and prepared to hold out to the last. I then
informed the pirates that could not think
of surrender, and as they began battering at
the door with capstan bar l showed the
muzzle of revolver out and killed one and
wounded another before they could get out
of range. ...-..
There was only gentle breeze blowing, and
and that was at our backs. The junks were
coming down slowly, having to make fire.
quent tacks, and when about mile and q
half away saw that they were loaded with
men. 1t was put up job between the two
parties, and all the details were thoroughly
understood. The engineer had been blowing
off steam to prevent an explosion, and l
asked him to hold fast and give me show to
carry out plan which had suddenly sug-
gested itself. Fortunately for US the native
stokers had just fired up before they got the
signal. They had murdered the chief, who
was an Englishman. as also the oiler, who was
German, and had left the furnace door shut
as they rushed up on deck to join the murder
GUS malice. The boilers were therefore MAX
ing steam at lively rate. AS soon as the
engineer understood what wanted be start
ed ahead, and took the wheel and brought
the steamers head in line with one of the
junks. We were headed about north. One
of the junks was headed southeast on her
tack, the other southwest. They were, there
fore, nearly broadside on 10 me. We went
ahead at moderate speed as 1 did not want
to alarm them. The natives on board gather
ed in the bows, and began waving cloths and
hats as warning to the junks. The people
on the latter must have argued that steamer
was in the hands of their friends, for they
fired their jingals and waved their cloths in
reply.
held for the junk headed to the southeast
and she at once lowered her sail to wait for
the steamer to come up. When within a
quarter of a mile of her rang the bell for the
engineer to 60 ahead at full speed, and the
steamer started off like wild locomotive