Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1920-05-13
The Nurse and the Pirates.


who for many years commanded 2
steamship in Chinese waters wherr
pirates still ply their trade. Unrecog-
nized, Nun Kui, one Of the worst of
the old pirates, and twenty of his band
came on board Capt. Uttmark's ship
at Hongkong Nothing had been heard
OF Nun Kui for two years, and he look
ed and acted like any ordinary pas
senger.
The Chinese object to buying tickets
Before they will pay their money they
must be aboard a ship that has started
toward its destination. The pirates,
knowing this, simply wait until the
purser has collected all the fares; then
they intimidate the passengers and crew
by yelling and shooting and raid the
purser's Office.
We were five miles at sea, says Capt.
Uttmark, when old Nun Kui showed his
hand. was alone in the pilot house.
when the door behind me opened and
a man stepped in. Thinking it was
the second officer, asked him to tak>
the wheel. Then came a command ir
Chinese to "shut-up"
Turning, saw Nun Kui and recog
nized him for the first time. He had
a long scar on his right cheek, which
extended from the ear to the corner of
his mouth, and his right eye was puck
cred in a peculiar way. A momen.
later my second officer came in and was
Knocked down by two coolies who had
followed on Nun Kui's heels. Threat
ening me with revolver, the pirates
ordered me to keep quiet and keep the
boat going. At my elbow was speak
ing tube to the engine room, but dared
not use it. The first officer was sleep
ing in his stateroom just ahaft the
pilot house, and hundred people were
within hail, but knew that if called
out | should be killed Then on the
upper deck twelve feet from the pilot
house saw young Chinese woman in
the garb Of a trained nurse.
There seemed to be a fair chance that
she could speak English. But how
could get a message TO her? Sudden
ly an idea came TO me. | began tC
sing Home, Sweet Home, in yer,
low voice, which | raised a little at 2
time, until | was singing loud enough
for the nurse to hear me. Then sud
denly changed the words Of my song
1t was no longer Home, Sweet Home
but Nun Kui, who could not understan
English, suspected nothing.
missionary nurse girl" sang ir
English. The girl evidently was con-
nected with some missionary hospital.
and that was the only way could think
of to address her. She did not move.
missionary nurse girl; missionary
nurse girl sang |, still louder.
AT that she half turned her head,
if puzzled.
Don't turn your head; don't turn
your head" | sang. "Pirates are in
here with me; don't look this way"
At that the girl turned back and look
ed directly ahead of her, and knew
that she heard and understood.
Nurse girl" sang, go tell the en-.
gineer that pirates are here. Go tel
the engineer"
For another three minutes or mo-.
sang instructions to the girl; then
turned 10 Home, Sweet Home. Withou
looking behind her, the nurse rose
from her seat.
Nun Kui, while the nurse was on be-
way TO the engine room, blandlv in
formed me of his plan. He and h
men would rob the vessel and ther
compel me to run her almost ashore
They would jump of into small boa,
aiter having taken all our firearms. an
could turn the boat and continue p.
Journey or put back to Hongkong. Th
purser BY this time had finished col
iectlng fares, and Nun Kui eft two me-
10 guard me, and, with revorvors
drawn, led the way to the purser's Of
flee. "
Meanwhile the nurse had warn,s
'he engineer, an American, who ha
VII 10 me purser's Office, had discon.
hected the radiator pipe, and had con
"eetea the heating plant with III,
steam boiler by adjusting a valve b.
me engineers Instructions, Gin Sum,
inc purser, fec. without resistance an
Ieit Nun Kui and his gang in the %,
fee
Then down in the engine room the
engineer turned a valve and poured al,
the live steam in the boilers into -.
Ieating pipes so thai ii burst ont into
the Office from the open end of the rad