Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1893-05-13

our cargo was opium, which we had
taken in at Rangoon and intended to
work off at some of the northern ports
where we had safe customers, but as
both our captain and craft were well
known to the trade, we had to take ex-
ira precautions so as to avoid the pro-
hibitivc people and keep clear of the
pirates Us well, who infested these wa
ters.
Our ingenuity was taxed in order to
outwit the government party, and many
pretty devices were hit upon, to conceal
this dangerous portion of our cargo,
which need not enumerate or describe
just at present. Our captain, having u
regular talent for mechanical con-
trivances, spent most of his spare time
inventing covers for the precious drug;
indeed often wondered why he wasted
his splendid gifts in this way when he
might have made fortune ashore by
taking out patents for his inventions
and serving a grateful government in
stead of cheating it. But as he said
himself, he had once tried to pass
through the circumlocution offices in an
honest fashion, and preferred ever after
to devote his abilities to steering clear
of them as the most profitable and the
manlier game.
The pirates were different consid-
Grafton, however, and kept us all lively
and anxious about the wind; with fair
breeze we were pretty safe, for our YES
sci was n good sailer, and in n running
fight we could hold our own with our
decll-guns and small arms, rs we'll as
other projectiles to keep off and swamp
the cut-throat boarders, but when the
wind fell, then also did our spirits, for
small mercy would the savage hortlcs
l show to their captives once they got II
footing on board ship.
We knew them of old, for many II
| tussle we had had with them in the
| past, so that their Internal coura ge
| and ferocity were not Il matter of mere
| surnlise on our part; and we did not re-
| quire to be kept to our duty of watch
ing, for each night we lay down with
our weapons ready, and little incliua-
ton for sleep, with the expectation of
being called up to action at any mo-
ment.
was acting as supercargo on board,
and this had been my third voyage to
Chefo, our furthest port of call, and
having gone through one fight already
could listen with the greater interest
to the tales told 10y those on board OF
more experience, for our men were most
ly veterans in the illicit traffic, auC
could spin yarns CORY enough to color 6
good-sized city.
Shi-Hwang-the devil mandarin, anG
his gang-was the vague impersonatior
OF all the piratical vices; whom we hat
heard about, but as yet no one on boarC
| had met.
His notorious name was q common
enough theme and his qualities almos
supernatural in their vague atrocity, 81
that he was properly regarded as thu
dreaded scourge of the sea. We hat
met natives at different places who haC
seen him and had come upon his trace
acknowledges laid waste and the in
habitants massacred almost to a man
, after being tortured in the most diabol
ical way; but hitherto the ocean hat
covered up his secrets, for it was salt
that no one ever escaped his clutche
when afloat, and thus we could onl,
guess at his plan of action.
We should know him when he came
they all said, as we must know death
a single experience not to be repeate
or spoken about afterward, for his CON
ing was death and destruction.
This was the mythical parsonage VIII
occupied our thoughts morning, moo
and night, after we left Foochow an
bore up toward the Yellow sea, an
whom on this third voyage I wa fate
| to meet
We were two days sail from Nagasal
and at the most critical part of our voy
age when what we had dreaded came t
pass. Hitherto we had been favore
with a steady wind and an ocean pei
Il Il. IL.