Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-03-14
PIRATES OF CHINA.
Continued from Ninth Page.

rerrorIze certain districts ana levy
blackmail, which all boats have to pay
unless they carry sufficient force TO
make bold fight. 1t is no uncommon
thing to see heavily laden junk going
up or down stream flying as many as
three pirate flags as sign that she
has paid blackmail and received safe
conduct. The writer once saw a large
| timber raft floating down which had
not only taken the precaution TO hire
a special guardboat for its protection,
but had also hoisted flags belonging to
no fewer than four pirate chiefs.
1t is now some ten years since the
Namoa was pirated outside Hongkong,
but her case shows that the Chinese pi-
rate still has some of the pluck of his
ancestors. The Namoa left Hongkong,
bound to Swallow, Annoy and Foochow,
Mt about 8 o'clock one morning. She
had among her passengers large num-
bed of well to do Cinnamon.
All went well until lunchtime, when
in descending into the saloon TO that
meal one of the passengers, pointing to
the arm rack in the companionway,
asked the captain why rifles were car
ried and was laughingly told that they
were relics of the old days, when Chi
ma coasters were wont to be held up
by pirates. The meal had hardly COM
menced when 1T was interrupted by re-
volver shots fired down the skylight.
Captain Pocock sprang from HIS seat
and commenced parley with the pi-
rates, who promised not to harm him
If he would come on deck and make
terms with them; but no sooner had he
come up the ladder than he was shot
and mortally wounded. The passen-
gers and other officers were taken and
locked into the captains cabin with
the wounded man, and there they
found the rest of the Europeans on
board. with the exception of one pas
senger, who had been left on deck, sea-
sick, and the engineer, who was on
watch and who managed to find a hid
ing place.
1t seems that the pirates had come
on board disguised as passengers and
with revolvers concealed about them.
They divided into two gangs, one Of
which attacked the saloon and held the
after part of the ship and engine room,
while the other took charge forward
and held up the officer on watch on the
bridge. Two Malay QuartermasterS
who offered resistance were promptly
shot and dropped overheard.
The ship was then kept nearly on her
course, the pirates forcing the Chinese
greasers to work her engines, and, al
though another vessel of the same line
was passed shortly after, nothing sus
picious was noticed. The pirates pro-
ceeded to small bay behind an island,
and there they anchored. Junks came
alongside, tie Chinese passengers were
relieved of their money, and the vessel
was ransacked for valuables. Then in
the true old Spanish main style the
mainbrace was spliced, and they had
fine carousal.
The refreshments having been made
short work Of, the ships boats were all
stove in, her remaining anchor was
dropped. her lights, signals and rockets |
were dropped overheard, and the winch
es were disabled so that the anchors |
could not be raised. The pirates hav-
ing departed probably never to return, !
the engineer, who had concealed him |
self in some out of the way place of |
the engine room, came out and released |
the other Europeans. who got up steam |
again, slipped both cables and brought |
the vessel back to Hongkoug.