The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-04-15
FROM ORIENTAL CHIMES.
The Namoa Pirates Make Very Merry
With Their Ill Gotten
Money.
Starved Herself to Death out of
Grief for Her
Mother.
Rice Spectators Left High and Dry-The
Legend Of the Bridge of
KaO LianS.

kaO LANG.
SAN Francisco, April 1o.-(By Pacific
Mail from Hongkong n Yokohama. -
Recently q party of cattle-dealers who
make Hongkong their headquarters, were
passing through the town of Sum Chun
after securing the country in the neighbour
hood of Deep Bay in quest of cattle for the
Hong Kong market. They dropped across
a number of men who were dressed in the
height of fashion and living on the
fat Of the land whom they had
previously known under very different
circumstances. The change in the fortunes
of their friends naturally aroused
the curiosity of the drovers, and in reply
to inquiries they were informed that it was
due to the fact that they had made e big
haul by their wits, and would be glad if
their friends would come and join them in
a 'siamboree,' then in course of prepare
tion. The drovers willingly assented, and
speak in high terms of praise of the law
ish hospitality shown them by their gen.
erous entertainers who paid cash down
for everything. After the nights revel
the cattle dealers took their leave and
proceeded on to Hongkong, whore they
heard of the Namoa piracy case, and
putting two and two together came
to the conclusion that the men whom they
had met at Sum Chun were a part of the
gang of pirates, and without loss of time re-
ported the matter to the police. Detectives
were dispatched to Sum Chun with written
instructions from Canton to the authori-
ties at that place to aid the police in every
way in their endeavors to capture the sus-
pected men. So far no information has
been received as to the success of the force
sent to Sum Chun.
The daughter of an assistant magistrate
living in the Chow district OF Chilli, is re-
ported by the officials of the district to have
died of starvation through grief at her
mothers death. Her father had been sent
away on river work duty. During his alb
sence her mother became very iii and was
nursed night and day by the devoted girl.
Her prayers for her mothers recovery be-
ing unavailing, she one day cut Oft
and mixed it with hor mothers med
icine. Two days after the magis-
trate's return, however, the mother died.
After that, whenever the father was alb
sent the daughter starved herself. only
eating to please him on his return. In spite
of his remonstrance she continued firm in
her resolve to join her dead mother, and
suceumbed to starvation after four weeks,
during the last eight days of which she
touched absolutely nothing. Thu vice
roy asks that an honorary tablet may
be bestowed i'll recognition of her hlial
piety.
A knot of Chinese spectators who aimed
Mt profiting by scarcity of rice at Surabaya
have come to grief. When once it became
known that the rice crops in the neighbor.
ing districts were likely to fail, a famine
was expected. Chinese syndicates lost no
time in importing heavy stocks of grain
from Siam, in the hope of high profits from
the starving people, but disappointment
befel them owing to the tapioca crops in the
stricken districts proving abundant enough
to meet the scarcity of food. TIL import
ers now find all this foreign rice on their
hands. with every chance of losing largely
b. the speculation, as the Siam rice, for in
stance, deteriorates with long keeping.
Da Cruz, who was sentenced in Hong
kong to seven years. penal servitude for CO.
operating in a theft of $4,000 by forging
the name of the Spanish consul, was lib
Grated recently after having scarcely COM
man, and the Jail authorities mercifully did
not keep him longer to die on their hands.
Advices from Batavia say that in Acheen
the Achinese have been busying themselves
moe with throwing up Notifications than
with firing upon the garrisons OF the forts.
IA tiiCou" WIZ GU U Nv EulGh . SoutU az
envoy from the Netherlands authorities
was waylaid on his return by the evil-dis-
posed, who gave him several sword cuts as
mementoes. He reached the Dutch lines
with the loss OF three fingers and with a
slash across the back.
told as follows: During one of the early
dynasties the people of Picking having
somehow offended the wife of the Water
Dragon, she determined to bring about a
drought which would kill off the whole
population. In order to effect this she re-
and river water in and around the capitol,
IN barrels, to be placed on a water barrow
which she would then wheel away. A mill
tary governor of that time named kao
Liang, was, however, warned by a good
fairy IN a dream of the Threatened
lowing morning the goddess, under
tho disguise of an old woman, would pass
over the bridge wheeling a water barrow.
Next morning by the fai1y's advice, kao
Liang mounted a fast horse, armed him
self with a spear and took up his post on
the bridge. After Il time the old woman
appeared trundling her barrow at "a great
pace towards it. kao Liang thereupon
grasped his spear and galloping alongside
pierced all the barrels with successive
thrusts. when the released water flowed
back to the rivers and wells, the wicked
toNNo5o SoAASACA' duo VIC CuplIdl WIS
saved,
To stop the prevailing epidemic of
grippe the Pwan-yu, China, magistrate has
had a copper drum brought from the Polo
temple and has ordered it to be carried
through the streets in the hope that the
demon of influenza will be driven away
thereby.
During the stay of the steamer Menmuir
at a port in Tlmor, the islanders opened
negotiations with the chief steward for the
purchase of a sheep. The steward declined
to sell straight out, but signified his willing
ness to take trade for the wool-producer.
and the natives agreed. In fnlillment of
this agreement the natives handed up three
proa loads OF sundrIes. comprising a goat.
several pigs. dozens of poultry of ali de-
scrlptions. and fruit enough to keep the
steamer supplied for a fortnight or three
weeks. All for one insignificant sheep. AT
the same ratio a flock of fifty sheep would
about purchase the whole settlement.
Phoebe Holds the Fort.