The Forrest City times., 1891-04-24
ORIENTAL SMUGGLING.
A NEFARIOUS BUSINESS IN THE
 CHINA SEA.
Enormous Quantities of Opium seld to the Natives and Immediately Stolen From Them-Record
 of an Exciting Cruise.

dollars in my pocket. Times were hard, wages low, and, tired of haunting the "go downs or merchants offices day after day in search of berth, I had almost made up my mind to ship before the mast.n The boarding-mas- ter had given me some pretty strong hints that ''it was about time I shipped" so l was not in very good humor as l strolled along the water front that day. was carelessly watch ing big junk which was just hoisting sail when smart, white painted gal ley, pulling eight oars and manned with a crew of Malays, wearing red turbans and gaudy sarongs, came dash ing up to the landing place, and tall, sailor-like man, who had been steering her, jumped ashore. As he spoke to his boats crew in Hindoostanee, l stepped forward and asked him if there was any chance for a second mates s billet on board his ship.
 Not at present, my man, said he but what employ have you been inp"
 Il told him the name of my last ship and the reason 1 had left her. adding that l was anxious to get to sea as soon as possible.
 Well. " said he, T want a gunner and I guess you'll suit ne as you've been used 10 lascars; you'll have $50 a month and commission on every chest of opium. l suppose you know the trade. What do you say?n l was net long making up my mind, so we went up to the shipping office, where signed the articles as gunner of
 THE BRIGANTINE ARIEL,
 And, with months advance in my pocket, I started of to the boarding house, paid my bill, bought some to- bacco, etc., called a couple of collies to take my traps down to the wharf, and then, jumping into sampan, I put of for my new vessel which, as the captain told me, was ready to sail with the next tide
 When I stepped on deck a stout built, sun-burned young fellow, in a blue silk jacket and Panama hat, who was the officer in charge, met me with a pleas ant nod. Il suppose you're the new gunner. Here, quartermaster. take a couple of iascars, show the gunner his cabin and have his traps carried there at once"
 I followed my guide through the poop cabin, and having slowed away my belongings in the berth pointed out to me. l returned to the deck. At day break we weighed anchor, and steered westward until we sighted the land of angling. a little to the north of Foo Chow. There we hove to and the supercargo went ashore and bargained for the delivery of a hundred chests of opium. When he came on board all hands were set to work at once, yard ropes were rove and led along, strips of canvass painted white were made ready. the guns shotted and cast loose. while cutlasses and boarding-pikes werc ranged in readiness about the masts.
 Just before dark smuggling boat came of and the opium was tran shipped. When the last chest was de- livcred and the silver in exchange therefor had been duly received. our skipper shouted in Hindoostanee: Hands clear boat" and in an instant the Manillamen and Malays, headed by the second officer. jumped aboard the smuggling craft and. before her astonished crew could offer any resist ance, the lately purchased opium was passed up again to the Ariel, our men sprang up the side, and in a moment we were slipping off the land at the rate of six knots an hour. It did not take very long when all hands were at work to send down the yards, so, be- fore morning, Q smayt ''fore-and- aft '' schooner had taken the place of the brigantine.
 We repeated this performance at Chin Chew. and then, having resumed Suatow, where the remaining opium was duly sold and delivered. Then we returned to Hong Kong for fresh car %, but on arriving there, we were ordered 10 proceed at once to Calcutta and take in opium there. According 1 ly we sailed in company with the Sylph, which was bound to the same port and GAlKlCQ fsOOttVO III SllNCI. yG btOOu to the southward, keeping close to the shore to avoid the full force of the monsoon, but when he had passed be- tween Hainan and the mainland into the Gulf of Tong King, we were for two days enveloped in dense fog and were obliged to lie to, firing guns and ringing the bell to acquaint the Sylph with our position. On the third morn- ing the weather cleared and we found ourselves in the blight of the gulf with the Sylph inshore of us, while to sea- ward was quite largo squadron of war-junks flying the Dragon flag. We thought this might be division of the imperial fleet. but were soon undeceived as they began to bear down on us and opened fire at once.
 Our captain was not to be caught mapping. Sheets was hauled aft additional canvas spread. and we rushed along on course nearly parallel to the hne of junks which came down before the wind, firing occasionally and with their crews beating gongs as they stood crowding the decks. On board the Ariel all hands were lying down but the man at the wheel, with the captain standing by the weather main-rigging, while the enemy's shot came whistling around us, but fortunately we received no damage except . few holes in our sails and the cutting of some unimportant ropes aloft. The smoke from their gums drifted down on us in clouds. but