Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1891-02-04

"Murderi" followed by two pisto
shots and rush of feet, and 1 realized
that trouble was at hand. l rang tn,
bell for the engineer to stop and ther
shut and secured my blinds, and l wa
not moment too soon. The wheeli
had scarcely ceased to revolve, when
heard the patter of feet outside, fol
lowed by exclamations of anger anC
disappointment. Then l used tn,
speaking tube to warn the engineer
and Ss speedily informed me that h
had made himself close prisoner.
My iron shutters were provided with
PORTFOLIOS, and when / looked dowr
upon her bow deck L saw the deat
bodies of the mate and lookout lying
there and covered with blood from
numerous knife wounds. None OF
the natives was in sight, but directly 6
fierce yell arose from the lower deck
followed by pistol shots, and l knew
that the saffron-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 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 posses
sion Of the steamer, had killed all but
two of the crew, and that my life
would be spared if promised to do as
they directed. 1 communicated with
the engineer, found that he was all
right, and he added that the Captain
and some of the crew were in the arm
ory and prepared to hold out to the
last. 1 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 wound
ed another before they could get out
Of range.
There was only gentle breeze blow
ing, and that was at our backs. The
two junks were coming down slowly,
having to make frequent tacks, and
when about mile and half away 1
saw that they were loaded with men.
1t was put-up job between the two
parties, and all the details were thor
oughly understood. The engineer had
been blowing off steam to prevent an
explosion, and [ asked him to hold
fast and give me show to carry out
plan which had suddenly suggested
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 doors shut as they
rushed up on deck to join in the MUIR
derous melee. The boilers were there.
fore making steam at lively rate.
As soon as the engineer understood
what l wanted he started ahead, and 1
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 about
southeast on her tack, the other south
west. They were, therefore, nearly
broadside on to me. We went ahead
at moderate speed, as 1 did not want
to alarm them. The natives ON board
gathered in the bows and began wav-
ing cloths and hats as a warning to the
junks. The people on the latter must
have argued that the 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 quarter of mile
of her rang the bell for the engineer
to go ahead at full speed, and the
steamer started off like a wild locomo-
tive. We were almost upon the junk
before the people OWNED our object,
and they had only time to utter one
shout of terror. 1 held
the steamer for her broadside, and she
divided that junk like the two halves
Of an apple falling away from knife.
expected great shock, but there was
none. 1t was no more than as if we
had run down yawl. I believe she
held at least fifty men.
A great cry went up as we passed,
and when 1 had headed the steamer
around not more than half dozen of
the poor wretches were in sight, and
those were clinging to fragments of
the wreck and tossing about. 1 gave
the engineer information of how we
had succeeded and told him / proposed
to serve the other junk the same way.
The natives aboard the steamer seemed
helpless and terror-stricken at first, but
when they realized my plan they
moved to prevent it. They ran down
and opened the furnace doors to lower
he steam, and gang of six or eight
attacked the wheelhouse. A second
party made an attack on the engineers
-oom at the same moment.
The second junk, seeing the fate of
he first, had gone about, and was
standing due north with all sail set.
The wind was light, however, and we
Gould run five feet to her one. We