New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-05-17

80 been made by American ana european
o-,,sors 10 wipe these corsairs OF the far east
- ,s,o off the face of the globe. But no practi-
-, res,,;ts have been attained in this direction
end to-day there is not single sailing vessei
,or.rg those seas that does not include an
.,ock ny pirates among the risks which she is
-.w.a unon to face Sometimes the pirates will
.,os IN board the ship al Hong Kong, at Shang-
-, Annoy. Saigon and Singapore in the guse
.,trrocsnt and guileless Chinese passengers and
.s.r when the vessel is two three days out.
~. will be a sudden outbreak among the deck
sna storage passengers at night. the crew and
c,n,aIn will be taken by surprise, and before
r.nrripg not white man will be left or board
o. tell the tale no trace of their fate existing
cave in the bloodstains marking the spot where
their threats had been cut with those murder
ous curved creeses or knives which are TO the
,eaiaring men of the far east of Asia what the
machete is TO the Cuban.
AMONG PIRATE FLEET
II was only few years ago. while was on my
way I'D the coast from Hong Kong to Shanghai
on board one of the big Peninsular and oriental
CLEANERS that we ran right through fleet OF
nitrate junks lying becalmed. l had come up
early on deck to find out why the engines were
moving so slowly and found that we were CROP
ing our way through impenetrable FOG. II
was one Of those fogs that would almost pear
cutting with a knife, and that seemed to lie on
the top Of the water like some heavy pail SUD
denly as stood there on deck looking over the
taffrail the ship emerged from the mist. when
we left behind us looking for all the world IKE
some lofty gray wall or cliff, and we found our
selves without the slightest warning in the very
midst Of fleet of Chinese junks. manned by the
l1. 90 |
have ever seen Whether it was to take ad-
vantage Of the lifting Of the fog. or possibly 10
get away from the Junks, the officer on the bridge
shouted down into the engine-room to increase
the rate Of speed. At the same moment there APP
peared on the deck Of a junk. which we were
nassinp AT q distance of less than stones throw,
a whit. man stark naked. Knocking down with
his fists a couple of Cinnamon who were en-
deavoring to stop him, he raised his hanos I'M
ploringly toward US and shouted In Engnsh thai
had an unmistakable New-England twang, For
Gods sake helpv' With flashke rapidity al
least a dozen Cinnamon jumped upon him and
bore him down into the hold. He disappeared
from sight but moment later. when the junk
was already several hundred yards distant and
beyond the reach Of the voice, / could see him
struggling up on deck again. his face and body
streaming with blood. At this precise minute we
ran into another impenetrable fogbank. as dense
and as thick as the last which concealed every
thing from our view; and then. quite as suddenly,
me engines slowed down again
Much concerned, ! fastened to the bridge and
communicated TO the ofHoer of the watch what
had witnessed. urging him to stop the vessel
and to attempt to rescue the unfortunate captive,
for such took him TO be. from the hands Of the
ruffians. The officer. who acknowledged that
n n had and heard his for
help. went to the length of stopping the engines
and Of going down to the captain to report and
to ask for Instructions. couple Of minutes
afterward ne returned to the bridge, and without
vouchsaing any information. gave orders to
steam ahead at rate of speed which appeared
70 ne terribly dangerous in view Of the fog. 1t
was not until later in the day, when chatting
with our skipper In his cabin after tlffln. that 1
had an opportunity of discussing the matter and
Of asking for an explanation.
THE CAPTAINS REASONS.
'There is no doubt" said ne, that the white
man Of whom you caught sight was the sur
v!vor Of the crew Of some American or English
ship plundered and sunk by pirates and who. for
reasons which we cannot tell. has been spared
Hom the general massacre which these blood
thirsty devils carry out on such occasions. 1t Is
~~' Hic HIbt time INal L nave huOWu tHcii W O'N
white men. white women and little children. pas
sengers Of come Inflated ship, captives In their
possession, and may God help the poor creatures!
but am equally sure that those junks through
winch We sailed were pirate junks. and any at
tempt that We might have made TO rescue their
prisoner would have been attended by risks Of
Tue sravest character l have on board here. as
'ou Know, nearly 800 Chinese passengers. ana
WHY small number Of white sailors the major
iy OF my crew being Lascars. For all know
more than half of my Chinese passengers may
"e confederatcs Of the pirates we just fell In
"ith' and would have taken advantage or any
a''empt we might have made TO rescue the man
IN order to rise against and to assist their
trends on the junk. We not prepared for
any such emergency. and II Is only by dint OF
TIE sternest discipline on board that we manage
70 Keep our Chinese passengers under control
and In proper subsection. Before we could have
got that man out Of the hands OF those devils,
even If everything had been In our favor they
sould have cut his throat to prevent him from
disclosing any of their secrets. and there was
quite sufficient force Of men on board that feet
OF junks to have got the best Of us in any con-
nict. even without their having the advantage
OF the cooperation Of those Cinnamon we have
tween decks Remembering the large amount
o. specie that have on board--and mind you. the
Character OF my freight is well known at the
port from which we sailed-rememberng. too
mat am responsible for the lives OF my white
passengers who include number Of women and
children. did not hesitate when the second
onicer came to tell me the morning Of what
mad taken place to order him to 60 ahead at
tuil speed without paying any attention to the
log, and Indifferent as to whether or not we
might run down and sink any OF the pestentia
5unks"
rne captain was veteran Of these China scar,
man Of tried courage. who bore on his breast
Two medals which he had received for jumping
from his quarterback into shark-imested waters
20 save sailors from drowning. could, there
tore. only bow 10 his sune-ior xdsdorr, and ex.