The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1897-06-03
THE FIELD OF ADVENTURE.
THRILLING INCIDENTS AND OAR
ING DEEDS ON LAND AND SEA.

THRILLING INCIDENTS AND OAR
ING DEEDS ON LAND AND SEA.
A Fierce Battle With Ruthless Chi
nese Pirates-A Tale of Disaster
at Sea-A Cowboys Nerve.
TN the year 1860, writes W. L.
Merton. in the New York Ledger,
piracy had become crime of so
frequent occurrence on the east
coast of China that, upon the suppli-
cation of body of ship owners in
Hong Kong, the British Admiral upon
that station resolved to take strenuous
measures for its suppression. A
strong, teak-built bark, the "Rajah,
was lying in port, waiting for char
ter; . she had been an East IndIaman,
and though anything but fast sailer,
was sturdy old vessel that would
stand any amount of battering from
the Chinese trading junks OF those
days. The Admiral saw the captain
and consignees of this ship and made
arrangements with them that she
should ostensibly be placed on the
berth for Shanghai. receive fictitious
cargo of apparently great value, be
secretly armed and equipped, and sent
out to be preyed upon by the pirates.
A large quantity of rice was first
sent on board; then many long, heavy
cases, supposed to contain machinery,
but really Armstrong guns and Mimic
rifles; flour barrels hall filed with
powder, and lastly, under a strong
guard, fifty treasure boxes, duly
marked as specie from well-known
bank; the dollars, however, we're
spherical shot and she'll. The blue
peter was hoisted, the vessel duly
cleared and towed through the Ly.ee.
moon passage by small steamer, one
rather foggy afternoon. The last and
most necessary thing now remained to
be accomplished, viz, the shipment
of crew of "blue-jackets, and that,
Of course, had to be performed under
cover of darkness, and when the
"Rajah" was fairly out of harbor.
Twas one of the few in the secret OF
the expedition, and after much per-
suasion the captain of the bark per-
mitted me to accompany him. Two
days prior to our departure several
heavily armed tai-mungs Grading
junks), of most suspicious appearance,
left port, and we had but little doubt
these would prove our adversaries.
We anchored at given spot near the
entrance to the Ly-ee.moon, and, OBJ
scured from sight by the fog, two
boats, with muffled oars, containing
forty men-of-war's men and two off,
GERS, came of to us, and, silently as
possible, We proceeded to the work
of mounting the guns, and getting
everything ready to give warm re.
ception to our foes. Before morning
broke all this was accomplished; we
weighed anchor. and stood out to sea.
The morning breeze lifted tho mist
which had enveloped us, and as We
sailed in, on the port tack, towards
Mrs Bay, we deserted feet Of five |
large iunks lodging about under easy
sail, and evidently edging towards us. |
We let few ropes hang slack, and
four men laboriously hoisted a fore
topmast studding sail, to give us an
appearance OF being short-handed |
ana slovenly ship; then hauled it
down again as it would not stand, and |
sailed along most unsuspectingly. |
Presently the FIVE iunks managed to
hem us in circle, and q .heavy shot
hurting through our mainsail bespoke |
the real character of our erstwhile |
consorts. We Immediately tackled ship |
and pretended to flee, but before We
were well out of stays-for the
"Rajah" was slow on her heel-the
junks ranged right alongside, and, af-
ter delivering q heavy volley, COM
menced to board us. Then our ports |
few open, a crashing brosdside was
poured into the vessels Of our assail.
ants, and the tight began in earnest.
Up went the st. Georges ensign to
the peak, and ringing British cheer
drowned the cries and imprecations
of our enemies, as terrific hand-to-
hand fight ensued. The tsrs were III |
their element, and how they did fight
Steady and sure was every blow struck,
and every death.dealing gun fired.
Our decks were bestrewn with the +!
cozpses of our foes; three junks went
down beneath the ruddied waves,
bearing the living and the dead; but
still the battle was not ended. The
other two tried to steal of in different
directions. but We followed up the one
and sank her with our heavy metal
the other would have outsailed us, but
her main-mast had been shot away.
and we ranged up to her. We called
on her to surrender, but she tlrnei
like tiger at bay, snarling her rage
and hatred till she too succgmbed to
Neptune.
Lieutenant Mainwaring, our COM
mander, was a brave, kind-hearted
sailor; he had the boats lowered and
sent to pick up many Of our foes who
were swimming around. They would