Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-12-13

simple you must go to the far east and
live there for a season. Don't go to
Japan, because the people of that
lovely country are extraordinarily hon
est and polite. They wouldn't rob a
man under any consideration, and as
for making poor devil walk a plank,
or Sitting the windpipe of a luckless
captive, they would much rather per-
form hari-kari and pass to another and
better world.
But right across the way from the
Land of the Rising Sun is China
which was a mother of pirates before
the first pyramid was built, and still
produces them in regular harvests
year by year. [ have studied the Chi
nese pirate in his home and native lair
and have heard weird tales of piracy
from the lips Of pirates themselves.
At least that is what they made when
the translator had done with them
For Instance:
In the good old days, when a pira tie
had achieved a certain amount of sue
cess he could come back to his own
country and after a little negotiation
mobiles who before had set price upon
his head. Nor has the practice died out
even today. In 1860 a young man in
:, rtn aua by the name of Ii Yu,
who was noted for his gigantic
strength and ferOcious courage,
started out on the career of crime He
was a thief, burglar, highwayman
murderer and pirate. His name and
fame spread far and wide until the
Chinese government offered a princeIy
ransom for his capture, living or dead.
He defied the officers of the law and
organized a band of men of the same
type and nature as himself. They
adopted the old pirate banner. the
"black flag" and under the name of
"Black Flags became famous or in
famous throughout the Monaghan en-
pire.
When the Franco Chinese war broke
out, the French were at first success
full and drove the Chinese through
Tonquin and across it's boundaries into
two adjoining provinces. When the
Chinese general was in despair, Ii Yu
came forward and volunteered with
all his men upon condition of amnesty,
pay, uniform and rations. His request
was complied with, and the following
week the Chinese army, led by the
"Black Flags" broke the French regi-
ments into pieces and gave them the
worst defeat they experienced in their
Asiatic campaign. When the war
closed the Chinese government made
Ii Yu Il major general with full pay
and Il handsome hOnorarium for his
past services, and gave to each of his
staff officers a lucrative position in the
civil service, army or navy. Even at
the present moment the eX-thief and
assassin is one of the great lords of
the celestial commonwealth.
He visits Canton and the other lead
ing cities in South China from time to
time, and is received with open arms
by the Mandarins, who have been en-
rolled in the book of honor for their
virtues and probity, but whenever he
comes every shopkeeper, merchant and
banker who learns of the fact closes
his establishment for the day and con-
yertS it in a jiffy into a fortress with
every clerk armed for the emergency.
More than one hundred families of
high distinction in China derive their
title and their social and political pO-
sition from some pirate ancestor. Such
examples as these form the staple sub
ject of conversation throughout the en-
pire. They exert profound influence
and lead them to believe that crime,
however reprehensble in n single
transaction, becomes respectable and
meritoriouS when committed wholesale
and that piracy is one of the best call
ings in which to attain fame, fortune
and imperial favor.
HOTBEDS OF BUCCANEERS.
The two great hOtbeds of buccaneers
in the east are the same today as they
have been for centuries and
Canton. In each case the name is not
strictly accurate. The Annoy people
proper, who speak the Annoy language
and live in the walled city, are very
quiet, peaceable and orderly, and have
a pronounced antipathy for fighting
whether on sea or shore. But back of
Annoy is the mountainous district of
Tong-an. 1t is connected with the
ocean by many arms Of the sea. Its
soil is sterile and it's resources are very
few; its people, like all mountaineers
are thin, muscular brave and resolute
Even today they preserve a semi-in
dependence of a military nature.
They are admired and feared by al
their more pacific neighbors. Once
aroused they are perfect demons IL
the fray. In 1891 a new local tax wa:
assessed by a government official, o.
which a large portion was levied upo1
this district Although the eXactol
was unjust and uncalled for, all tn,
other districts paid their share uncom
plainingly and without protest.
The elders of Tong-an, however, sen
word that they would not pay on,
farthfng. The mandarins replied tina
they would go up and collect it Their
themselves. The response was promp
and significa Mt :-"Come and collect
but bring S-dr army with YOU" 4
general was accordingly despatche,
with a regiment, with instructions t
collect the impost and to behead al
the elders who had taken part in tn
refusal He marched into the distric
and met with no opposition until b
reached the leading town. He foun
1t deserted and every house empty
This so enraged him that he burne
and DESTROYED q Dumher of houses an