The Dickinson press., 1896-09-05

He Ran the Fellow to the Bulwarks
willing to run considerable risk. More
over, knew and loved my beautiful
steed. felt that she could show a
lively pair Of heels to the fastest war
junk atiOat, and as for the smaller
craft, she carried guns enough to blow
them clean out of the water.
My chief mate was an American, a
sturdy young fellow, Tom Hawkins,
who hal been in my service q consid-
erable time. My second mate was a
tall, powerful Frenchman, whom we
called Joe" Then there were six
Manila men, and twenty-five Canton
ese, differed by my father-in-law, A
Choong. Se-she, my pretty little Chi
nese wife, was also on board, for al
though she tried hard to dissuade me
from this perilous voyage, she would
not consent to stay behind. And it
was exceedingly lucky for me that she
wouldn't.
The Marie mounted two pivot guns,
long eighteen-pounder amidships and
a carronade of the same caliber in the
bow. In each Of her broadside bat
teries We're three nine-pounders, and
besides these she carried a goodly sup
ply OF small arms and also number
of those terrible suffocating hand
grenades common to Chinese naval
warfare.
Everything being in readiness, we
weighed anchor and started up the
river. 1t was n delightful morning,
and Se-she and sat on deck drinking
In the soft, sweet air and enjoying the
sweet air and enjoying the beautiful
sunshine that danced and fiickered
upon the ripping water. Along about
o'clock We passed the Boca Tigris,
and two hours later reached the
mouth of the channel which l had been
advised to take. AS the darkness was
approaching, however, l dared not en-
ter the narrow stream, so determined
to anchor where ! was until the next
morning.
Scarcely had our sails been dropped
when boat came alongside and there
scrambled up to our deck a yellow
skinned, bony, squirting and altogether
Misunderstanding Chinaman, who made
his way aft and inquired whether or
not we wanted a pilot.
"Chi loh! (be OffD YOU ugly sinner" I
answered roughly, for the fellows
countenance almost turned nv stom.
ach.
The intruder did not bulge, however,
but gabbled away, Offering to supply
any need we might have, from that of
fruit and vegetables to that of gang
Of coolies to work the cargo on our
reaching port. AS he talked noticed
that his horribly squirting eyes roamed
around, as though taking survey Of
our vessel and her armament.
"Look here, Hawkins" said l, satis-
fled that our ugly visitor was q spy,
"this fellow is no more pilot than
am. Give him a lift over the side"
Tom was only too glad of the chance.
Selling the Chinaman's pigtail close
up with one hand, and the ample
bosom Of his ineXpressibles with the
other, he ran the fellow to the bull
warks, and. amid the laughter of the
crew, pitched him unceremoniously
into his boat.
Never shall forget the frightful ex-
preston of malice on the Chinaman's
countenance as he looked up at us
from his position below. He shook his
fist at Tom, and chuckled to himself
with q ffendish sort of glce, as though
reveling by anticipation in some awful
revenge. Presently he seized his oar
and sculled hastily up the channel.
Leaving strict watch on deck, re-
tired to the cabin and Joined my wife
at the supper table, where we INDUCED
In hearty laugh over what had hap
pened.
was just finishing a good cigar
when the face Of Joe, the Frenchman,
appeared suddenly in the skylight.
Captain! Captainw he yelled ex.
citedly, "come up to de deck! Vite!
Quick! quick. De Chinois-de manda.
rims are coming
Rushing on deck beheld two biz
war junks sailing out from an ambus.
eade formed by a projecting point Of
land little way up the channel ahead
of us.
up anchor, there, joe" I shouted
taking in our chances at a glance
"Clap the sails on her, Hawkins. We
must run for it. That Internal pilot is
at the bottom of this!"
While my orders were being carried
out the ti-mungs bore rapidly dowr
upon us. Seeing that we were liable
to escape, they fired several shots al
us, one Of which came crashing through
| our topsails.
, We replied to this with q broadside
which swept the deck of the foremos
junk, and must have killed dozen o.
her crew.
How long our men seemed liftin.
that anchor. On came the two wa
: 5unks, their proYs showing huge, hide
= GUS carven faces, with great gogglin,
eyes, gongs beating tnd crews yelling
!. as though they expected to terrify Vi
by their horrible din. At the mast
, heads of both were stationed men witt
! "stinkpot" grenadcs, ready, when the,
: came close enough, to cast the sufTocat
!. ing things down upon our deck.
ri Beside me stood my plucky littl
wife, carrying in er hand light rifl
= which had given her and taught he
how to use.
3 "se-sher' said I, "pick those fellow
of the masts, yonder."
Without moments hesitation sh