The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1912-06-21

O3v uIo uOI huOW 1utO JUST WuaL
NN was being led when EN-.
w barked in this new enterprise,
w but l am frank to say that it
would have made no difference,
for free translation of the
word piracy" is .adventure of the first order"
and that was what was looking for.
Frank Norton, who had interested me in the
China sea- said we would need the Leckwith
and two ships to carry on the business to the
best advantage, SO l selected the Surprise,
American brig, and the Florence topsail
schooner, both stout, fast ships. put Loren
sen on the Leckwith as saiingmaster, George
Brown on the Surprise. and old Bill Heather
on the Florence. The Surprise took on gen.
eral cargo for Japan and was ordered to rem
devious at Hong Kong, while the Florence
loaded for Singapore Norton and followed in
the Leckwith.
We reached Singapore more than month
ahead Of the Florence Our scheme was to
prey on the pirates who infested the China
sea- and particularly that part of it lying be-
tween Singapore, Sumatra and Borneo, which
was dotted with islands and beautifully suited
by nature to their plundering profession, and
many were the good ships that ended their
cruises there, along with their passengers and
crews The British government had been try
Ing for years to put end to their operations,
put the Undertaking was gigantic 1t was
not until years after that 1t was officially an
nounced that piracy had been suppressed, and
piracy is still being carried on, even to this
day, though in small and desultory way.
The chief of large section of the Chinese
pirates was old Moy Sen, rich Chinaman who
lived in handsome home in Canton and posed
peaceful trader.
Norton argued that the pirates were bound
to keep on robbing and burning and numbering
In spite Of anything could do, and that we
could derive plenty of excitement and large
profits by robbing them. Incidentally, he con-
tended we would put lot Of them out of busi-
ness for good and all, thus contributing to the
end desired by all nations
It was arranged that I should pose as DR..
Burnett, rich English physician who was cruis-
ing In his private yacht for his health. The
Florence and Surprise were to carry some
general cargoes from port to port among the
islands, but were so to shape their cruises that
we could keep closely in touch with them.
They were to be given large crews and so
heavily armed as to be safe from piratical at
tacks. The Leckwith was to do all of the prey
ing on the pirates, and the loot we took from
them was to be turned over to the other ships
at the meeting-places. 1t was arranged that
the bulk of our loot should be sent to a firm Of
Cinnamon at Singapore, who dealt largely in
dishonest carKoes.
With the Leckwith's bunkers stuffed with
coal, we headed for the islands In search of
pirates.
Our first experience was profitable one When
near the hunting grounds" We lowered the
smOkestack, got up our canvas and sailed
along. awaiting developments. We were get
ting in among the islands when we met big
junk which had just looted and scuttled rich
ly laden Brazilian barkentine. We made pre-
tense of trying to get away, but in reality we
eased our sheets to hasten matters along. When
she was close astern Of US, with the wind
abeam. We luffed up. got out guns ready for
action in fifty and, as we crossed her bows,
raked her fore and aft with our carronades,
which were loaded almost to the muzzle with
slugs and nails.
Taken completely by surprise and with more
than half of their number littering the red
dened deck. the pirates were panic-strtcken.
Before they could regain their senses we came
about again and gave them another broadside.
which put them at our mercy. AS We ranged
alongside. keeping up a rfe-f1re, but disdain-
ing any further use of our guns, they managed
to launch couple of boats, and all who could
get into them pulled for the nearest island.
We took out Of the junk fully one hundred
thousand dollars worth of specie, silk, tea,
porcelain and drugs, and then set fire to her,
leaving her to bury her own dead.
After that easily won victory We trapped
and and sank half dozen proas and feluccas
In the same way. though with more spirited
resistance in some cases.
We had turned our cargo over to the Flor
ence. along with number of wounded men.
and were back among the islands, when early
one evening a fulrigged ship hove in sight
She passed us. but was not more than six
miles away when We saw flashes that told us
she had been attacked, and We lost no time In
going to her assistance.
As we closed In we saw a Malay felucca on
each side of her and the pirates swarming on
her decks. with the crew putting up brave
fight. Running the Leckwith up on her star
board quarter. We threw our men aboard and
they went at the pirates savagely from the
rear. l led the boarding party.
The Malays outnumbered US more than two
to one, but We went at them with fury that
was new to them and were slowly forcing them
back toward their one good boat-we had
smashed the other one to bits when we
slammed alongside-when beautiful white
yacht came tearing up on the port quarter and
sent three boatloads of men to our assistance
in smart style. They clambered over the bows
under command of stockily built young officer
wearing what looked like the uniform of
naval captain and We had the pirates be.
tween us.
I understood later when I learned who and
what they were, why these re-enforcements.
instead Of discouraging the Malays, caused
them to fight with renewed desperation, but