Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-12-03

snd hsd scarceiy 80 At co shoss s<nsn
vs keard tks report ~ nreaxa1k
Kaowing tbs islas1d % BE uflahabsed.
Ne a. first thoashf : trsliing ezaif 81 .
vhaisr migbt Be sneh0cpd In thss by on
tie east sile. C.rsasa Hope 0Esleresi the
twoef g o. reznsin by tas boat sale hs
entered ths wo1fs 10 investigstt. Tass
Was about sandssn. a. the eotirss II
an hour he returned and regartsd that
tie lorcha q tbs piraticai gang w.s
anchored IA tbs Bag ani tee crlss max
Ing merry ASHORE he could not sss
Williams, aad two q our sailors who
hsd joined were also missing. Every
thing went "a show that tie men ashore
meant 10 stop there sll night. There
were nine of then. and they were feast
ing and drinking BY the nght o. . bsg
fire.
bad not yet told Captain Hrps Of the
weapons had slowed away In the yswL
When be observes. IAat II he had couple
Of men with him he would try 10 capture
TIE lorxhs. brought oct the weapons
and offered my assist nee. The cook also
volunteered. and within rs minutes we
had determined os plan. We launched
our boat and padded her around to the
bay, which was about three miles dis
tant The bay extended inland for
mile, and We found the lorcha anchored
within 30 feet of the beach. IL was 10
o'clock when we sighted her. and the men
ashore were still awake. We hung of
and on for them 10 get quiet. and il was
after midnight before we novel They
had gone ashore in boat. and our first
move was To secure IL.
We landed the,cook half a NILE away.
and he crept along the beach &c the boat
and set her aGoat just as the tide turned.
When We had picked him mp again. we
headed FOR the lorcha and made fast to
her bows without being challenged. Re
moying our shoes and the captain lead
ing, We boarded J er. To find she was TAX
ing care of herself There WIS no one
in the focastle. bat lying fast asleep on
the door Of the cabin were two men who
had been left as anchor watch. They
were not made prisoners, but were killed
by the captain and cook where they lay
and speedily consigned TO the waters Of
tins bay. Oar next step was to look for
the barrels. We found them IN her hold
Just as they had been transferred
The three OF MS were enough 10 man
age the craft after fashion. and the
hen.pen cable by which she was anchored
was severed, and she went drifting down
the bay. When we made sail ON her, e
beaded 10 the west End before dayh {
were well out TO sea. Captain Ho q
plan was TO speak craft and obtai a
couple OF men to continue the voyag, TO
Kelung. but things happened better q n
he hoped for. AT o'clock we sigh d
an English man-of-war on her way p
from Formoss, and In her company e
ran back TO the bay.
A landing was made, but only one Of
the gang was captured. He stated that
Williams and two Of our sailors had
been murdered before the lorcha entered
the bay. the object being to make a
larger divide with the rest Of the gang.
They also intended TO kill two others.
They intended to land and bury the
money next day, and remain on the
island for several weeks before making
any further moYe. The fellow went up
To the yardarm as soon as his story was
finished, and the island being covered
with dense growth Of forest, which at
that season was dry as finder, the cap
tain of the man-of-war contented him
self with starting a coufagration, which
swept the island as bare as rock.
The flames must have driven every
man Of the gang into the sea and to his
death. We got two men from the naval
vessel to make up our crew. and the spe-
Gle was safely landed at Kelung. The
firm lost about $1,000 on the difference
between the value of the brig and the
lorcha, but there were no complaints.
Captain Hope was made a hero Of for a
year or two subsequently. and though
heard him relate the story twice and have
read portions of it dozen times in the
papers. 1 never could hear OF find any
name but his own. The cook and
shared his misfortunes, but when il
came TO the glory we were referred to as
the cook and boy"