The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1909-01-02
WOMAN PIRATE BAD
AS CAPTAIN KID

In mourning such as no great
nation of the earth has known for
centuries, because no other great
nation, except Russia, has for CEN
turtles existed so completely under
the sway of monarchy. the teeming
millions of China are now paying
their last tribute to the abject
abasement to which they were
brought by the inflexible will, the
tireless diplomacy and the unscrup-
ulous chicanery of the slave girl
who rose to be empress.
The world is still acclaiming the
extraordinary qualities Of that ex-
ceptional woman. and opinion
seems to be unanimous that only
in Catherine of Russia and Eliza
beth of England is 1t possible to
find her peer among women for all
the attributes that go to make the
ruler.
But in her own empire, on the
seas, there was. century ago, a
woman whose career paralleled
that of the late dowager empress
of China so closely that 1t is hard
to refrain from the suspicion that
the more famous ruler whose end
came recently did not find her in
SEPARATION in the wonderful exploits
of mighty Mistress Ching, queen
of all women pirates.
For there have been women
pirates. as vertically as there roved
and robbed such men marauders as
Captain Kidd and the buccaneers
Of the Spanish Main.
The Chinese pirates In 1900 DOM
mated the empire of the. southern
seas, capturing cities, leving trib-
utes, defying and defeating all the
forces the vast kingdom Of China
could bring against them, ruling
the coasts they controlled with the
same arrogance as II they were
princes of the blood.
Their domain extended from Ton
Quin to FOochow and their base of
operations was among the islands
at the mouth oAtsne Pearl river and
along the shores of the southern
province of Quang-Tong.
There We're six squadrons Of the
pirates, the most powerful Of all
being the Red Flag, which was I'M
der command of Mistress Ching.
widow of Ching Yih, famous
pirate leader who had persisted In
a hurricane. Among the pirate cap
tives was a lad named Chang Paou,
the son of fisherman, handsome
and intelligent. whom the dead
chiefs widow chose as her lieuten-
ant
In the years that followed the
name of Captain Paou was des-
tined to become word of dread as
far as Europe and America. But
the true terrors, with the true
power, lay In the delicate hands Of
Mistress Ching, whose name was
one of such dread and awe that her
subject pirates themselves scarcely
dared utter it aloud.
In 1908, in a great sea battle, the
pirates sank three government
ships and captured Is. with the
commander. Immediately after
ward General Lin was defeated and
half dozen of his best war ves-
sells were added to the pirate fleet.
Tn
gave Admiral Tsuen 100 ships to
wipe out the power of Mistress
Ching. Captain Paou was permit
ted to meet that mighty force, and
prisoners. The Chinese admiral.
elated, prepared for a second bat
tie.
But now. with her prestige i'm
paired by the first serious repulse
she had ever encountered, the
pirate queen resolved that her IA
vorite's daring could be effective
only when directed by her genius.
She assumed supreme command
of the pirate fleet. and, like Cleo
patra, sailed forth to meet the foe.
Within few hours the great Ad.
miral Tsuen and his vast squadron
were overwhelmingly defeated, and
ii of the ships were in the hands
OF the pirates.
An English prisoner of the pi-
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