River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1912-06-13

ceIV0 an inquiry from
him as to whether we ~
had surgeon on board
Taking him aboard the
Leckwith, / dressed his
wound on the cabin table.
I then saw that his uni
form was that Of a captain, but not of a naval
officer He told me his name was DeyerelI. but
when asked him the name of his ship he an
swered evasively, and l had learned the ways
of the China sea too well to press the question
At Singapore, where We discharged our cargo,
our agents reported that Moy Sen was vowing
vengeance on US for the loot we had wrested
from him and the havoc we had spread among
his fleet We worked our way back to the
rendezvous and after consulting with Norton l
took my interpreter, All Fen, who was half
"Chinlie" and half Malay, from the Leckwith
and went to Hong Kong on the Surprise to see
just what was going on.
"The Beautiful White Devil" woman pirate
whom | at first regarded as a purely fanciful
being, came into my life on this visit to Hong
Kong in the early day of 1876
White waiting for All Fen's report lounged
around the hotel. Soon l began to hear weird
stories of woman pirate who, while never mo-
Testing honest merchantmen, preyed merciless-
ly and successfully on the Chinese and Malay
pirates, just as Norton and l were doing.
1t occurred to me at once that If such wom-
really did exist 1t might have been her ship
whose captain had attended, but l could not
make myself believe the tales that were told
me.
Then man called at my hotel one evening
and asked If an English physician was stopping
there, and I recognized Captain Deverell, but
he was as formal stranger and did not
indicate that knew him. He asked If he could
consult with me and | took him to my room,
where he assumed much more cordial air.
81 called. he said, ito invite you take
cruise with me SO that we may get better &C
quainted and can show you my appreciation
of your kindness"
packed my bag and turned it over to man
whom Deverell summoned from the street.
I was given the cabin of the surgeon, who
had died recently. Deverell took me to his
room and we talked until midnight
1t was considerably after eight bells before
retired, but my sleep was not long or heavy.
At breakfast time DevereIl wearing a smart
uniform escorted me aft to the private quar-
tiers of the queen.
In a moment the queen appeared AS she
parted the curtains and paused in the doorway
with air of dif1dence, l was transfxed by
her marvellous beauty
Il already know DR.. Burnet" she said
she swept toward me with superb grace and in
finite charm of manner and extended her hand,
small and soft.
1--WE are headed for my retreat" she explain
ed. II should like to have you stay with us as
long as you can. will put you down in Hong
Kong or Singapore on three or four days no
tive"
I assured her the prospect was delightful.
On the afternoon of the third day out from
Hong Kong we ran into group of islands, off
to the eastward of the regular course to Sing
apore. Just as dinner was announced flag
was waved from the bridge and I made out an
answering signal on the steep side of a small
tell s,cA 0f h,,&a 81
of either landing or an opening. Then mes
senger brought word that the queen was wait
ing dinner for me. The ship slowed down
while we were at dinner and finally the screw
stopped. Immediately the queen led the way
to the deck
This" she said SIS my kingdom-without
a king. Isn't 1t beautiful"
assured her that 1t was the most beautiful
place had ever seen, wherein, when day
dawned, I found had not exaggerated. We
were at the head of an oval lake. perhaps
mile and half long, with mountains rising
crescent-shaped around 1t. There was a small
village of English cottages and native huts On
three sides of the lake was a narrow beach;
the fourth side, toward the sea, was perpen-
dicular bluff, sixty feet or more high. search
ed 1t for the passage through which we had
entered the lake, but nothing could 1 see but
a bare wall of dark rock. The queen smiled
at my perplexfty. wait until tomorrow" she
laughed. I'VE will go ashore at sunrise"
She appeared with the sun, accompanied by
Dyak woman whom l had not seen before and
we landed at little stone dock in front of the
village All of the inhabitants, consisting Of
about fifty English and Scotch men and women,
some with silvered locks and bent backs and
some of them crippled by the pirates, and near
ly as many natives, crowded the pier to meet
her their manner one Of the greatest affection
and Difference. We walked through the vii