Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1912-06-13

ANoA w bSJ tANS ~
would have made no difference,
for a 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 | selected the Surprise, an
American brig, and the Florence, a topsail
schooner, both stout, fast ships. | put Loren
sen on the Leckwith as sailing-master, George
brown on the Surprise, and old Bill Heather
on the Florence. The Surprise took on a gen.
erai cargo for Japan and was ordered to rem
devious at Hong Kong. while the Florence
loaded for Singapore. Norton and I followed In
the Leckwita,
We reached Singapore more than a 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
Wy 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 an end to their operations,
but the undertaking was a gigantic one. 1t was
not until years after that it was officially an
Hounced that piracy had been suppressed, and
piracy is still being carried on, even to this
day, though in a small and desultory way.
The chief of a large section of the Chinese
pirates was old Moy Sen, a rich Chinaman who
kfved in a handsome home in Canton and posed
rs n peaceful trader.
Norton argued that the pirates were bound
to keep on robbing and burning and numbering
IN spite of anything We could do, and that we
could derive plenty of excitement and large
profits by robbing them. Incidentally, he con-
Nn-EHzI we ur.,1l 1-k - IA 81 H. - . I.-f
ness for good and all, thus contributing to the
end desired by all nations.
II was arranged that l should pose as DR..
Burnet, a 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 30
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 cargoes.
With the Leckwith's bunkers stuffed with
coal. we headed for the islands in search Of
pirates.
Our first experience was a profitable one. When
near the hunting grounds" we lowered the
.ernokestack. got up our canvas and sailed
along, awaiting developments. We were get
ting in among the islands when we met a big
funk which had just looted and scuttled a rich
Iy laden Brazilian barkentine. We made a pre-
tense of trying to get away, but in reality we
aeased our sheets to hasten matters along. When
she was close astern Of us, with the wind
sabeam, We luffed up, got out guns ready for
action in a jify and, as we crossed her bows,
.raked her fore and aft with our carronades,
which were loaded almost to the muzzle with
aslugs and nails.
Taken completely by surprise and with more
than half Of their lumber littering the red
dened deck. the pirates were panic-stricken
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 ~ride-fre, but disdain-
Gng any further use Of our guns. they managed
tn launch a 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 a 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 a number Of wounded men,
and we're back among the Islands, when early
one evening a full-rigged 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. a
AS we closed In w saw a Malay felucca on
each side Of her and the pirates swarming on
her decks, with the crew putting up a brave
fight. Running the Leckwith up on her star
board quarter, we threw our men aboard and
shey went at the pirates ~savagely from the
rear, I led the boarding party.
The Malays outnumbered us more than two
to one, but we went at them with a fury that
was new to them and were slowly forcing then
back toward their one good boat-we had
smashed the other one to bits when VIC
slammed alongside-when a beautiful white
yacht came tearing up on the port quarter ant
sent three boatloads Of men to our assistance
In smart style. They clarnbered over the bows
under command Of a stockily built young office
wearing what looked like the uniform Of 4
naval captain. and we had the pirates be
tween lis. "
I understood later, when | learned who ant
what they were, why these reinforcement
instead Of discouraging the Malays, caused
them to fight with renewed desperation. Blu