Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1907-04-17


lower deck. Four Indian watchmen on
guard rushed forward to quell 1t, but
rs soon as they laid hands on the man
who appeared to have been responsible,
they were attacked by the pirates, who
used revolvers and knives with rapidlty
and certainty.
In few minutes the Salnam was In
the hands Of the Chinese, who began a
systematic search for loot. They dis.
covered the $4,000 had not been placed
on board, but they made or with all
the money and valuables they could
find, and broke open doors, windows.
boxes, during their hunt for treasure.
Then they all dropped over the side
into the waiting junks and put off.
Captain Joslin. although seriously
wounded took charge of the ship and
brought her into Canton. There he re-
ported the attack, but the Chinese gun
boats were tardy In leaving. The Chi
nese gunboat commanders always ap-
pear to fear they might catch the pl-
rates. So the British river gunboat
Moorhen was dispatched up the river,
but, as usual, the pirates escaped
But there are other kinds of buccan.
GERS in the Pacific. These are the
"blackbirders," the slavers which still
continue in business among the islands
in Polynesia, Micronesia and the scat
tered and unfrequented spots In the an
tipodes.
One of the most notorious of these
blackb!rders was a certain Captain Ha-
bernick Of the schooner Samoa. The
Samoa, about three years ago, captured
about 1000 natives on one of the ISL
ands In the Solomon group and sold
them to work in Samoa. These island
ers. while not sold into slavery as 1t
once was practiced in this country and
the West indies were practically slaves
just the same. They are not slaves in
one sense of the word, but their chance
Of being freed Is very slight. They
are supposed to be hired for term of
three years. They are paid $1.5O a
month. but they have to take their
wages in trade. The "black birder"
gets S. head for every laborer he OBJ
tains, and MS he generally does lit
tie legitimate freight carrying to dis
arm suspicion and to account for his
frequent presence in these waters, there
Is fair remuneration in the bust
ness.
Piracy in the Philippines.
About two years ago two officers of
the Philippine constabulary, stationed
ut Misamis, Alindanao, started on a
short-lived career of piracy which
equals most anything in the pages of
fiction. Captain Herman and Lleuten-
ant johnson were short in their ac-
counts, and the day for auditing was
close at hand. They had to get money
somehow and decided to raise it in a
good, old romantic fashion.
The steamer Victoria lay at anchor
off the beach, and they decided to seize
1t and make for Borneo. Before en-
barking, they took what money was in
the safe-about $5,O00-and ordered
about fifteen of their men to accom-
pany them. During the night this force
rowed out to the Victoria and silently
crept on board. The Spanish captain
was awakened from his sleep by the
cold barrel of revolver stroking his
face.
We're of for Borneo. savvy," yelled
johnson in the drowsy mans ear, "and
we want steam, and lots of 1t, and
quick, too"
OF course, they got steam. The Vic.
toria with black smoke curling from
her tunnels was soon under way. But
the next morning the Spanish captain
made known the fact that the ship had
run out of coal. But coastwise steam.
er hove into view, and running close,
the pirates ordered their constables to
fire volley. The coaster hove to and
was boarded. AS result all her spare
coal was transferred to the Victoria.