The Monte Vista journal., 1899-09-02
CHINESE PIRATES.
rERR,sLE CRIMES AND PUNISH.
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1.-THE Scourge Of the Eastern Geas''
are the pirates that infest the China
sea aud the. Philippine Islands. John 8,
Sewall relates several thrilling storIes
OF the Chinese vikings crimes and their
punishment In tho salt Water" Cen.
tury-the September number:
Some Of the exploits OF these red row.
ers are curiously interesting. II any Of
my readers have sailed up the Canton
river they will recall the Chinese fort
ress Of the Boca Tigris ut Its mouth,
on the starboard side as you enter
Down by the waterside long white
parnpet stretches along the shore; at
each end a wall of masonry reaches up
the hill and disappears over the crest.
Whether there is a fourth wall out Of
sight, joining the two and completing
the square, l do not now remember:
but certain British tars could tell you-
II they have lasted from 1912 till this
present year Of grace. During the
opium war the fortress was attacked; !;
but the storming party pulled quietly
around the headlaud. and forming ON
the beach. clambered up over the hill,
and the first thing the Celestials knew
their foe was rushing down upon them
from the rear, and within the inclosure.
There was nothing for 1t but to surren-
der, which they did, bristling with
wrath at such q breach Of military
manners. "Hiyah! Why you no come
front side? More better fight where we
make ready for your
But this Is n depression What we are
after h the pirates. 1t was an earlier
cOmmandant OF this same fortress who
met with equally bad luck. One Of the
fleets appeared in his neighborhood.
and he sailed out to attack 1t. The pi-
rates surrounded him. and after a fu-
rious engagement. which lasted all day,
and with such havoc as may be left to
the Imagination, captured him and
whntever fragments OF his feet were
still anOat This disaster was partly
avenged the next year. when the Chi
nese admiral. with hundred junks.
atta"t2L another fleet on the same
q utsing ground. Great numbers OF the
pirates were destroyed and some two
hundred taken prisoners. Those who
are familiar with Chinese methods can
easily Judge how long the two hundred
were kept from joining their bloody
comrades In the shades below.
In another encounter not far from
the same place. before the combatants
could close upon one another. II fell
dead calm. whcreupon crowds Of the
pirates leaped into the sea like saw
ages. swan to the enemy with their
knives In their teeth. and attacked
them 80 fiercely that they could not be
beaten OF. and actually cut out sever
al junks from the imperial feet.
The fortunes Of war varied. With
provoking impartInlity. and apparently
with no ethical preference. victory
would perch on the standard Of the pi-
rate quite m often as on the banners
Of the righteous defenders Of their
cOuntry's commerce.
We read OF whole fleets engaged,
hghtlng oil day and all night, two days.
even three days At q time. two or
three hundred punks on q side, and .
drawn game At the end. No chiId's
play this. At one time the admiral II
lying quietly At anchor among the Isi.
ands. when sudslenly two hundred pk
rate craft sllp around the headlaAd,
and pounce upoa him With an easst %
furtoas that. h spite of q viesrsos a.
fenae. twenty-five of hi neet are gsoo
with their captors before be can est
up biz anchors aud chase them. These
encouuters were not conAped to the
SEA. There were frequent raids ON IL
villages that lined the harbors and
rtyera,