The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-06-11
FIGHT CHINESE PIRATES
DESPERATE Encounter on British
Ship Off LULU Islands.
TRY TO SEIZE THE VESSEL
United States Gunboat Appears in the
Nick of Time-Terrible Conflict Be-
low Decks, Several of the
Crew Being Killed.
From the Philadelphia Press.

From the Philadelphia Press.
Hong Kong harbor in the cool season
is a pleasant anchorage, for being land
locked it is we'll sheltered, and were it
not for the dread typhoon a ship might
lay at her moorings in safety until her
cable rusted away.
Early in the '7Os my ship was lying in
the harbor. l had brought her from
Bombay, but here my charter ended,
and 1 had been waiting so long for an
other that I felt determined to accept
the first that offered. even if it covered
only working expenses.
Yeo Chung, the firm of Chinese mer-
chants to whom I had been consigned,
at length made me an offer with which
l closed. and having taken in a general
cargo for Bombay in the lower holds
was ordered to reserve the whole main
deck for coolies, who We're to be landed
at Singapore, from which port they are
drafted inland on the Malay peninsula
to the tin mines On the day of sailing
from early dawn to the time of de-
parture the ship was surrounded by
every variety of Chinese craft, from the
huge unwieldy junk to the smallest
StIlpdll, diSSildl SlHS lISli liflilso liAiShs
on the deck of the steamer.
The scene of disorder almost defies
description. The sallow-faced Celes-
tials brought from all part of the coun-
try were unable to understand the
speech of those not of their own clan,
but a universal method of expressing
contempt, the pulling of their oppo-
nents pigtails, appealed to all. The
hurrying to and fro of bearers, bam-
boo cane across their shoulders, the lug
gage suspended therefrom; the strange
gesticulations and spluttering utter
ances of the head men or Number
Ones as they are called in pidgin En-
sish, together with the WailingS of the
friends of the Voyagers, made up
scene of which one can give the reader
but little idea.
When abreast of Green island, the
southern entrance to the harbor, some
20 coolies took flying headers over the
side, and then ensued exciting races be-
tween sampans Of the contractors who
We're sending the coolies south and of
those who We're waiting to pick up any
who might be bold enough to attempt
SO to escape.
Before dark I took the precaution TO
serve out to my three officers and en-
gineers-who. by the way, were the
only white men on board besides my
self--a revolver and ammunition. The
half dozen rifles and boarding pixies.
which made up the ships sole armory,
were stocked in the wheelhouse on the
bridge.
Never before had I been shipmates
with such dirty. loathsome set Of hu-
man beings as my present freight. The
majority were gambling at 'fantan''
and the remainder smoking opium.
A group numbering about 60 was sit
ting apart from the rest of the fore
castle head. and if physiognomy went
| for anything they were as BLACKBOARD
a set of ruffians as ever were collected
| together.
| On the third day out, between II and
| l. l was dispensing some simple RENE
| dies required by the crew, when a boy
| apparently about Is years old, came uI
to me and explained that he was suf-
fering from a sore kneecap.
me can sabbee muchee English he
said, but me habbee been boy to Eng
! lsh in Canton"
The lad appeared weak, and so l or.
| dered him soup from our own galley
| and gave him some clean rags and also
| IMMINENT for his knee, and he was very
| grateful for this small act of kindness
The day passed without anything O.
Importance happening and at II p. m.
having given the necessary might or
ders," I turned in.
I aWoke with the certain knowledge
that someone was in my cabin, an;
when about to strike light to discove
the intruder a hushed voice addressed
| me:
Hist, you no speakee, captaine.
tellee you heap muchee."
He had come on board, he said, will
party of 60 men, pirates, whose inten
| ton it was to murder the ships com
pany when off the Lulu islands, seiz
the ship. then beach her the cargo t
be transferred to junks which were i,
readiness under the land,
He explained how he came to be wit
them as follows: He, like them, was
native of the Tu district, and when onl
u years old had gone in junk to Can
ton, where he had been employed up t
the present time. When the pirates ha
| passed through Canton on their way t
Join the ship he had been recognized b
one of their number and compelled t
accompany them in case they migf
need an interpreter. The injury to hi
knee had been received in his struggl
! to escape from his captors..
We were but seven white men in al
as already stated myself, three Officer
and three engineers-and our only arm
were six revolvers, six rifles and 81
boarding pixies
Our deck crew was composed of Oh
| neSe ana 1 nluCn reared Ill case u dll
struggle of the kind expected that the
would side with their own countrymel
The engineers gang was composed I
Malays and on these ! knew | could d.
pend but, alas. how few they were.
In the morning I had a council {
war in. my cabin. We were still SON
$50 miles from the Lulu islands, al
these are fully 200 miles from Singapor
, so that we had the whole day befo1
US in which to consider our very unel
t Viable position.
1t was evident that both the engil
room and bridge must be protected, ar
I accordingly apportioned my sma
force thus: On the bridge myself, thr'
: officers. the Chinese carpenter-who hs
been with me for years-and two Mals
5 firemen. In the engine room, the chi
: and his two assistants and the SIEVE
, remaining Malays.
3 At a. m. / went into the engil
2 room and gave my final instructions
1 the chief engineer, who seemed con
dent that he, with his crew, could no
the position against any SO men. The
| returned to the bridge. Most of t