 CHAPTER XIV Captain Condent was a Plymouth-born man, but we are as yet ignorant of the motives and time of his first turning pirate. He was one of those who thought fit to retire from Providence, on Governor Rogers' arrival at that island, in a sloop belonging to Mr. Simpson of New York, a Jew merchant, of which sloop he was then quartermaster. Soon after they left the island, an accident happened on board, which put the whole crew into consternation. They had among them an Indian man, whom some of them had beaten. In revenge he got most of the arms forward into the hold, and designed to blow up the sloop, upon which some advised scuttling the deck and throwing grenade shells down, but Condent said that was too tedious and dangerous, since the fellow might fire through the deck and kill several of them. He therefore, taking a pistol in one hand and his cutlass in the other, leaped into the hold. The Indian discharged a piece at him, which broke his arm, but however he ran up and shot the Indian. When he was dead, the crew hacked him to pieces and the gunner, ripping up his belly and tearing out his heart, broiled and ate it. After this they took a merchant man, called the Duke of York, and some disputes arising among the pirates, the captain and one half of the company, went on board the prize. The other half, who continued in the sloop, chose Condent, captain. He shaped his course for the Cape de Verde islands, and in his way took a merchant ship from Madeira, laden with wine and bound for the West Indies, which he plundered and let go. Then coming to the Isle of May, one of the said islands, he took the whole salt fleet, consisting of about twenty sail. Wanting a boom, he took out the main mast of one of these ships to supply the want. Here he took upon himself the administration of justice, inquiring into the manner of the commander's behavior to their men, and those against whom the complaint was made, he whipped and pickled. He took what provision and other necessaries he wanted, and having augmented his company by volunteers and forced men, he left the ships and sailed to St. Jago, where he took a Dutch ship, which had formerly been a privateer. This proved also an easy prize, for he fired but one broadside, and clapping her on board carried her without resistance, for the captain and several men were killed, and some wounded by his great shot. The ship proving for his purpose, he gave her the name of the Flying Dragon, went on board with his crew, and made a present of his sloop to a mate of an English prize, whom he had forced with him. From hence he stood away from the coast of Brazil, and in his cruise took several Portuguese ships, which he plundered and let go. After these he fell in with a right galley, Captain John's spelt, commander, hired by the South Sea Company, to go to the coast of Angola for slaves, and thence to Buenos Aires. This ship he detained a considerable time, and the captain being his townsman, treated him very civilly. A few days after he took spelt, he made prize of a Portuguese laden with bale goods and stores. He rigged the right galley anew, and put on board of her some of the goods. Soon after he had discharged the Portuguese, he met with a Dutch East Indian man of twenty-eight guns, whose captain was killed the first broadside, and took her with little resistance, for he had hoisted the pirate's colors on board spelt's ship. He now, with three sail, steered for the islands of Ferdinando, where he hoved down and cleaned the Flying Dragon. Having careened he put eleven Dutchmen on board Captain's spelt, to make amends for the hands he had forced from him, and sent him away, making him a present of the goods he had taken from the Portuguese ship. When he sailed himself, he ordered the Dutch to stay at Ferdinando twenty-four hours after his departure, threatening, if he did not comply, to sink his ship, if he fell a second time into his hands, and to put all the company to the sword. He then stood for the coast of Brazil, where he met a Portuguese man of war of seventy guns, which he came up with. The Portuguese hailed him, and he answered, from London, bound to Buenos Aires. The Portuguese manned his shrouds and cheered him, when Condent fired a broadside, and a spart engagement ensued for the space of three glasses, but Condent, fighting himself overmatched, made the best of his way, and being the best sailor, got off. A few days after, he took a vessel of the same nation, who gave an account that he had killed above forty men in the Guarda del Costa, beside a number wounded. He kept along the coast to the southward, and took a French ship of eighteen guns, laden with wine and brandy, bound for the South Sea, which he carried with him into the river of Platte. He sent some of his men ashore to kill some wild cattle, but they were taken by the crew of a Spanish man of war. On their examination before the captain, they said they were two guinea ships, with slaves belonging to the South Sea company, and on this story were allowed to return to their boats. Here, five of his forced men ran away with his canoe. He plundered the French ship, cut her a drift, and she was landed. He proceeded along the Brazil coast, and hearing a pirate ship was lost upon it, and the pirates imprisoned, he used all the Portuguese who fell into his hands, who were many, very barbarously, cutting off their ears and noses. And as his master was a papist, when they took a priest, they made him say mass at the main mast, and would afterwards get on his back and ride him about the decks, or else load and drive him like a beast. He from this went to the guinea coast, and took Captain Hill in the Indian Queen. In Luengo Bay, he saw two ships at anchor, one a Dutchman of forty-four guns, the other an English ship, called the fame, Captain Bowen Commander. They both cut and ran ashore. The fame was lost, but the Dutch ship the pirate got off and took with him. When he was at sea again, he discharged Captain Hill, and stood away for the East Indies. Near the Cape, he took an Austin East Indieman, of which Mr. Nash, a noted merchant of London, was supercargo. Soon after, he took a Dutch East Indieman, discharged the Ostender, and made for Madagascar. At the Isle of St. Mary, he met with some of Captain Halsey's crew, whom he took on board with other stragglers, and shaped his course for the East Indies. And in the way, at the Isle of Johanna, took, in company with two other pirates he met at St. Mary's, the Cassandra East Indieman, commanded by Captain James McCrae. He continued his course for the East Indies, where he made a very great booty, and returning, touched at the Isle of Mascarhanes, where he met with a Portuguese ship of seventy guns, with the viceroy of Goa on board. This ship he made prize of, and hearing she had money on board, they would allow of no ransom, but carried her to the coast of Zangrebar, where was a Dutch fortification, which they took and plundered, raised the fort, and carried off several men voluntarily. From hence they stood for St. Mary's, where they shared their booty, broke up their company, and settled among the natives. Here a snow came from Bristol, which they obliged to carry a petition to the Governor of Mascarhanes for a pardon, though they paid the Master very generously. The Governor returned to answer, he would take them into protection if they would destroy their ships, which they agreed to, and accordingly sunk the flying dragon, and company. Condent and some others went to Mascarhanes, where Condent Mary the Governor's sister-in-law, and remained some time. But as I have been credibly informed, he has since come to France, settled at St. Meloes, and drives a considerable trade as a merchant. End of Chapter 14. Chapter 15 of the Pirate's Own Book. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Melanie Churnick. The Pirate's Own Book by Charles Elms. Chapter 15. The Life of Captain Edward Lowe. This ferocious villain was born in Westminster, and received an education similar to that of the common people in England. He was by nature a pirate, for even when very young, he raised contributions among the boys of Westminster. And if they declined compliance, a battle was the result. When he advanced a step farther in life, he began to exert his ingenuity at low gains, and cheating all in his power. And those who pretended to maintain their own right, he was ready to call to the field of combat. He went to sea in company with his brother, and continued with him for three or four years. Going over to America, he wrought in a rigging house at Boston for some time. He then came home to see his mother in England, returned to Boston, and continued for some years longer at the same business. But being of a quarrelsome temper, he differed with his master, and went on board a sloop bound for the Bay of Honduras. While there, he had the command of a boat employed in bringing logwood to the ship. In that boat there were 12 men, well armed, to be prepared for the Spaniards, from whom the wood was taken by force. It happened one day that the boat came to the ship just a little before dinner was ready, and Lo desired that they might dine before they returned. The captain, however, ordered them a bottle of rum, and requested them to take another trip, as no time was to be lost. The crew were enraged, particularly Lo, who took up a loaded musket and fired at the captain. But missing him, another man was shot, and they ran off with the boat. The next day they took a small vessel, went on board her, hoisted a black flag, and declared war with the whole world. In their rovings, Lo met with Louther, who proposed that he should join him, and thus promote their mutual advantage. Having captured a brigantine, Lo, with 40 more, went on board her, and leaving Louther, they went to seek their own fortune. Their first adventure was the capture of a vessel belonging to Amboy, out of which they took the provisions and allowed her to proceed. On the same day they took a sloop, plundered her, and permitted her to depart. The sloop went into Black Island, and sent intelligence to the governor that Lo was on the coast. Two small vessels were immediately fitted out, but before their arrival, Lo was beyond their reach. After this narrow escape, Lo went into port to procure water and fresh provisions, and then renewed his search of plunder. He next sailed into the harbor of Port Rosemary. Where were thirteen ships, but none of them of any great strength? Lo hoisted the Black Flag, assuring them that if they made any resistance they should have no quarter, and manning their boat the pirates took possession of every one of them, which they plundered and converted to their own use. They then put on board a schooner ten guns and fifty men, named her the fancy, and Lo himself went on board of her, while Charles Harris was constituted captain of the Brigantine. They also constrained a few of the men to join them, and signed their articles. After an unsuccessful pursuit of two sloops from Boston, they steered for the Leeward Islands, but in their way were overtaken by a terrible hurricane. The search for plunder gave place to the most vigorous exertion to save themselves. On board the Brigantine all hands were at work, both day and night. They were under the necessity of throwing overboard six of her guns, and all the weighty provisions. In the storm the two vessels were separated, and it was some time before they again saw each other. After the storm, Lo went into a small island west of the Carabees, refitted his vessels, and got provision for them in exchange of goods. As soon as the Brigantine was ready for sea, they went on a cruise until the fancy should be prepared, and during that cruise met with a vessel which had lost all her masks in the storm, which they plundered of goods to the value of one thousand pounds and returned to the island. When the fancy was ready to sail, a council was held what course they should next steer. They followed the advice of the captain, who thought it not safe to cruise any longer to the Leeward, lest they should fall in with any of the men of war that cruised upon that coast, so they sailed for the Azores. The good fortune of Lo was now singular. In his way thither he captured a French ship of thirty-four guns, and carried her along with him. In entering St. Michael's Rhodes he captured seven sail, threatening with instant death all who dared to oppose him. Thus, by inspiring terror, without firing a single gun, he became master of all that property. Being in want of water and fresh provisions, Lo sent to the governor demanding a supply upon condition of releasing the ships he had taken, otherwise he would commit them to the flames. The request was instantly complied with, and six of the vessels were restored. At a French vessel being among them, they emptied her of guns, and all her men except the cook, who they said, being a greasy fellow, would fry well. They accordingly bound the unfortunate man to the mast, and set the ship on fire. The next who fell in their way was Captain Carter, in the right galley, who, because he showed some inclination to defend himself, was cut and mangled in a barbarous manner. There were also two Portuguese friars, whom they tied to the foremast, and several times let them down before they were dead, merely to gratify their own ferocious dispositions. Meanwhile, another Portuguese, beholding this cruel scene, expressed some sorrow in his countenance, upon which one of the wretches said he did not like his looks, and so giving him a stroke across the body with his cutlass, he fell upon the spot. Another of the miscreants, aiming a blow at a prisoner, missed his aim, and struck low upon the underjaw. The surgeon was called, and stitched up the wound, but low finding fault with the operation, the surgeon gave him a blow which broke all the stitches, and left him to sew them himself. After he had plundered this vessel, some of them were forburning her, as they had done the Frenchmen. But instead of that, they cut her cables, rigging, and sails to pieces, and sent her adrift to the mercy of the waves. They next sailed for the island of Madeira, and took up a fishing boat with two old men and a boy. They detained one of them, and sent the other on shore with the flag of Truce, requesting the governor to send them a boat of water, else they would hang the other man at the yard arm. The water was sent, and the man dismissed. They next sailed for the Canary Islands, and there took several vessels, and being informed that two small galleys were daily expected, this loop was manned and sent in quest of them. They, however, missing their prey, and being great in want of provision, went into St. Michael's in the character of traitors, and being discovered were apprehended, and the whole crew conducted to the castle, and treated according to their merits. Meanwhile, Lowe's ship was overset upon the Kareen and lost, so that, having only the fancy schooner remaining, they all, to the number of a hundred, went on board her, and set sail in search of new spoils. They soon met a rich Portuguese vessel, and after some resistance captured her. Lowe tortured the men to constrain them to inform him where they had hid her treasures. He accordingly discovered that, during the chase, the captain had hung a bag with eleven thousand moedores out of the cabin window, and that, when they were taken, he had cut the rope, and allowed it to fall into the sea. Upon this intelligence, Lowe raved and stormed like a fury, ordered the captain's lips to be cut off and broiled before his eyes, then murdered him, and all his crew. After this bloody action, the miscreants steered northward, and in their course, seized several vessels, one of which they burned, and plundering the rest allowed them to proceed. Having cleaned in one of the islands, they then sailed for the Bay of Honduras. They met a Spaniard coming out of the bay, which had captured five Englishmen and a pink, plundered them, and brought away the master's prisoners. Lowe hoisted Spanish colours, but, when he came near, hung up the black flag, and the Spaniard was seized without resistance. Upon finding the masters of the English vessels in the hold, and seeing English goods on board, a consultation was held, when it was determined to put all the Spaniards to the sword. This was scarcely resolved upon when they commenced with every species of weapons to massacre every man, and some flying from their merciless hands into the waves, a canoe was sent in pursuit of those who endeavoured to swim on shore. They next plundered the Spanish vessel, restored the English masters to their respective vessels, and set the Spaniard on fire. Lowe's next cruise was between the Leeward Islands and the mainland, where, in a continued course of prosperity, he successively captured no less than 19 ships of different sizes, and, in general, treated their cruise with a barbarity unequaled even among pirates. But it happened that the Greyhound of 20 guns and 120 men was cruising upon that coast. Informed of the mischief these miscreants had done, the Greyhound went in search of them. Supposing they had discovered a prize, Lowe and his crew pursued them, and the Greyhound, allowing them to run after her until all things were ready to engage, turned upon the two sloops. One of these sloops was called the Fancy, and commanded by Lowe himself, and the other, the Ranger, commanded by Harris. Both hoisted their piratical colors and fired each a gun. When the Greyhound came within musket shot, she holed up her mainsail and clapped close upon a wind to keep the pirates from running to Leeward, and then engaged. But when the rogues found whom they had to deal with, they edged away under the man of war's stern, and the Greyhound standing after them, they made a running fight for about two hours. But little wind happening, the sloops gained from her by the help of their oars, upon which the Greyhound left off firing, turned all hands to her own oars, and at three in the afternoon came up with them. The pirates hauled upon a wind to receive the man of war, and the fight was immediately renewed with the brisk fire on both sides till the rangers' manured was shot down. Under these circumstances, Lowe abandoned her to the enemy and fled. The conduct of Lowe was surprising in this adventure, because his reputed courage and boldness had hitherto so possessed the minds of all people that he became a terror even to his own men. But his behavior throughout this whole action showed him to be a base cowardly villain, for had Lowe's sloop fought half so briskly as Harris's had done, as they were under a solemn oath to do, the man of war, in the opinion of some present, could never have hurt them. Nothing, however, could lessen the fury or reform the manners of that obdurate crew. Their narrow escape had no good effect upon them, and with redoubled violence they renewed their depredations and cruelties. The next vessel they captured was 80 miles from land. They used the master with the most wanton cruelty, then shot him dead and forced the crew into the boat with a compass, a little water, and a few biscuits, and left them to the mercy of the waves. They, however, beyond all expectation, got safe to shore. Lowe proceeded in his villainous career with too fatal success. Unsatisfied with satiating their avarice and walking the common path of wickedness, those inhuman wretches, like to Satan himself, made mischief their sport, cruelty their delight, and the ruin and murder of their fellow men, their constant employment. Of all the piratical crews belonging to the English nation, none ever equalled Lowe in barbarity. Their mirth and their anger had the same effect. They murdered a man from good humor as well as from anger and passion. Their ferocious disposition seemed only to delight in cries, groans, and lamentations. One day Lowe, having captured Captain Graves, a Virginia man, took a bowl of punch in his hand and said, Captain, here's half this to you. The poor gentleman was too much touched with his misfortunes to be in a humor for drinking. He therefore modestly excused himself. Upon this, Lowe cocked and presented a pistol in the one hand, and his bowl in the other, saying, either take the one or the other. Lowe next captured a vessel called the Christmas, mounted her with 34 guns, went on board her himself, assumed the title of Admiral, and hoisted the black flag. His next prize was a brigantine, half manned with Portuguese and half with English. The former he hanged, and the latter he thrust into their boat and dismissed while he set fire to the vessel. The success of Lowe was unequaled, as well as his cruelty, and during a long period he continued to pursue his wicked course with impunity. All wickedness comes to an end, and Lowe's crew at last rose against him, and he was thrown into a boat without provisions and abandoned to his fate. This was because Lowe murdered the quarter master while he lay asleep. Not long after he was cast adrift, a French vessel happened along and took him into Martinico, and after a quick trial by the authorities, he received short shift on a gallows erected for his benefit. End of chapter 15. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. Read by Morgan Saletta. Life and Adventures of Captain Edward England. This adventure was made of a sloop that sailed from Jamaica and was taken by Captain Winter, a pirate, just before the settlement of the pirates at Providence Island. After the pirates had surrendered to his majesty's pardon and Providence Island was peopled by the English government, Captain England sailed to Africa. There he took several vessels, particularly the Cadigan from Bristol, commanded by one skinner. When the latter struck to the pirate, he was ordered to come on board in his boat. The person upon whom he first cast his eye proved to be his old boatswain who stared him in the face and accosted him in the following manner. Ah, Captain Skinner, is it you, the only person I wished to see? I am much in your debt and I shall pay you in your own coin. The poor man trembled in every joint and dreaded the event, as he well might. It happened that Skinner and his old boatswain, with some of his men, had quarreled so that he thought fit to remove them on board a man of war while he refused to pay them their wages. Not long after, they found means to leave the man of war and went on board a small ship in the West Indies. They were taken by a pirate and brought to Providence and from thence sailed as pirates with Captain England. Thus, accidentally meeting their old captain, they severely revenged the treatment they had received. After the rough salutation, which has been related, the boatswain called to his comrades, laid hold of Skinner, tied him fast to the windlass and pelted him with glass bottles until they cut him in a shocking manner, then whipped him about the deck until they were quite fatigued, remaining deaf to all his prayers and entreaties. And at last, in an insulting tone, observed that as he had been a good master to his men, he should have an easy death and upon this shot him through the head. Having taken such things out of the ship as they stood most in need of, she was given to Captain Davis in order to try his fortune with a few hands. Captain England, some time after, took a ship called the Pearl, for which he exchanged his own sloop, fitted her up for piratical service and called her the Royal James. In that vessel he was very fortunate and took several ships of different sizes and different nations. In the spring of 1719, the pirates returned to Africa and beginning at the River Gambia, sailed down the coast to Cape Corso and captured several vessels. Some of them they pillaged and allowed to proceed, some they fitted out for the pirate service and others they burned. Leaving our pirate upon this coast, the revenge and the flying king and two other pirate vessels sailed through the West Indies where they took several prizes and then cleared and sailed for Brazil. There they captured some Portuguese vessels but a large Portuguese man of war coming up to them proved an unwelcome guest. The revenge escaped but was soon lost upon that coast. The flying king in despair ran ashore. There were then 70 on board, 12 of whom were slain and the remainder taken prisoners. The Portuguese hanged 38 of them. Captain England, whilst cruising upon that coast, took the Peterborough of Bristol and the Victory. The former they detained, the latter they plundered and dismissed. In the course of his voyage, England met with two ships but these taking shelter under Cape Corso Castle, he unsuccessfully attempted to set them on fire. He next sailed down to Witte Road where Captain Labouche had been before England and left him no spoil. He now went into the harbor, cleaned his own ship and fitted the Peterborough which he called the Victory. During several weeks the pirates remained in this quarter indulging in every species of riot and debauchery until the natives, exasperated with their conduct, came to an open rupture when several of the Negroes were slain and one of their towns set on fire by the pirates. Leaving that port, the pirates, when at sea, determined by vote to sail for the East Indies and arrived at Madagascar. After watering and taking in some provisions, they sailed for the coast of Malabar. This place was situated in the Mogul Empire and is one of its most beautiful and fertile districts. It extends from the coast of Canora to Cape Comorin. The original natives are Negroes but a mingled race of Mohammedans who are generally merchants have been introduced in modern times. Having sailed almost around the one half of the globe, literally seeking whom they might devour, our pirates arrived in this hitherto untried and prolific field for their operations. Not long after their settlement at Madagascar, they took a cruise in which they captured two Indian vessels and a Dutchman. They exchanged a ladder for one of their own and directed their course again to Madagascar. Several of their hands were sent on shore with tents and ammunition to kill such beasts and venison as the island afforded. They also formed the resolution to go in search of Avery's crew which they knew had settled upon the island but as their residence was upon the other side of the island, the loss of time and labor was the only fruit of their search. They tarried here but a very short time then steered their course to Joanna and coming out of that harbor fell in with two English vessels and an Austin ship. All Indian men which, after a most desperate action, they captured. The particulars of this extraordinary action are related in the following letter from Captain Mackra. Bombay, November 16th, 1720. We arrived on the 25th of July last in company with the Greenwich at Joanna an eye not far from Madagascar. Putting in there to refresh our men, we found 14 pirates who came in their canoes from the Mayota where the pirate ship to which they belonged, the Viz, the Indian Queen, 250 tons, 28 guns and 90 men commanded by Captain Oliver de la Bouch bound from the Guinea coast to the East Indies had been bulged and lost. They said they left the captain and 40 of their men building a new vessel to proceed on their wicked designs. Captain Kirby and I concluding that it might be of great service to the East India Company to destroy such a nest of robes who are ready to sail for that purpose on the 17th of August, about eight o'clock in the morning when we discovered two pirates standing into the Bay Joanna, one of 34 and the other of 36 guns. I immediately went on board the Greenwich where they seemed very diligent in preparation for an engagement and I left Captain Kirby with mutual promises of standing by each other. I then unmoored, got under sail and brought two boats ahead to roam me close to the Greenwich but he being open to a valley and a breeze made the best of his way from me which an ostender in our company of 22 guns seeing did the same. Though the captain had promised heartily to engage with us and I believe would have been as good as his word if Captain Kirby had kept his. About half an hour after 12 I called several times to the Greenwich to bear down to our assistance and fired a shot at him but to no purpose. For though we did not doubt but he would join us because when he got about a league from us he brought a ship to and looked on yet both he and the ostender basically deserted us and left us engaged with barbarous and inhuman enemies with their black and bloody flags hanging over us without the least appearance of ever escaping but to be cut to pieces but God in his good providence determined otherwise. For notwithstanding their superiority we engaged them both about three hours during which time the biggest of them received some shot betwixt wind and water which made her keep off a little to stop her leaks. The other endeavored all she could to board us by rowing with her oars being within half a ship's length of us about an hour but by good fortune we shot all her oars to pieces which prevented them and by consequence saved our lives. About four o'clock most of the officers and men posted on the quarter deck being killed and wounded the largest ship making up to us with diligence being still within a cable's length of us often giving us a broadside there being now no hopes of Captain Kirby's coming to our assistance we endeavored to run ashore and though we drew four feet of water more than the pirate it pleased God that he stuck fast on a higher ground than happily we fell in with so was disappointed a second time from boarding us. Here we had a more violent engagement than before all my officers and most of my men behaved with unexpected courage and as we had a considerable advantage by having a broadside to his vow we did him great damage so that had Captain Kirby come in then I believe we should have taken both the vessels for we had one of them sure but the other pirate who was still firing at us seeing the Greenwich did not offer to assist us supplied his consort with three boats full of fresh men. About five in the evening the Greenwich stood clear away to sea leaving us struggling hard for life in the very jaws of death which the other pirate that was afloat seeing got a warp out and was hauling under our stern. By this time many of my men being killed and wounded and no hopes left of us escaping being all murdered by enraged barbarous conquerors I ordered all that could to get into the longboat under the cover of the smoke of our guns so that with what some did in boats and others by swimming most of us that were able got ashore by seven o'clock. When the pirates came aboard they cut three of our wounded men to pieces I was some of my people made what haste I could to Kingstown 25 miles from us where I arrived next day almost dead with the fatigue and loss of blood having been sorely wounded in the head by a musket ball. At this town I heard that the pirates had offered ten thousand dollars to the country people to bring me in which many of them would have accepted only they knew the king and all his chief people were in my interest. Meanwhile I caused a report to be spread that I was dead of my wounds which much abated their fury. About ten days after being pretty well recovered and hoping the malice of our enemies was nigh over I began to consider the dismal condition we were reduced to being in a place where we had no hopes of getting a passage home all of us in a manner naked not having had time to bring with us either a shirt or a pair of shoes except what we had on. Having obtained leave to go on board the pirates with the promise of safety several of the chief of them knew me and some of them had sailed with me which I found to be of great advantage because notwithstanding their promise some of them would have cut me to pieces and all that would not enter with them had it not been for their chief captain Edward England and some others whom I knew. They talked of their burning one of our ships which we had so entirely disabled as to be no farther used to them and to fit the Cassandra in her room but in the end I managed the affair so well that they made me a present of the said shattered ship which was Dutch built and called the fancy her burden was about three hundred tons. I procured also a hundred and twenty-nine bales of the company's cloth though they would not give me a rag of my own clothes. They sailed the third of September and I with jury mass and such old sales as they left me made a shift to do like on the eighth together with forty-three of my ship's crew including two passengers and twelve soldiers having no more than five tons of water aboard. After a passage of forty-eight days I arrived here on the twenty-sixth of October almost naked and starved having been reduced to a pint of water a day and almost in despair of ever seeing land by reason of the columns we met with between the coast of Arabia and Malabar. We had an all thirteen men killed and twenty-four wounded and we were told that we destroyed about ninety or a hundred of the pirates. When they left us they were about three hundred whites and eighty black on both ships. I am persuaded had our consort the Greenwich done his duty we had destroyed both of them and got two hundred thousand pounds for our owners and cells whereas the loss of the Cassandra may justly be imputed to his deserting us. I have delivered all the bails that were given me into the company's warehouse for which the governor and council have ordered me a reward. Our governor Mr. Boone who is extremely kind and civil to me had ordered me home with the packet but Captain Harvey who had a prior promise being home in with the fleet goes in my room the governor had promised me a country voyage to help to make up my losses and would have me stay in a company him to England next year. Captain Mackra was certainly in imminent danger in trusting himself and his men on board the pirate ship and unquestionably nothing but the desperate circumstances in which he was placed could have justified so hazardous a step. The honor and influence of Captain England however protected him and his men from the fury of the crew who would willingly have wreaked their vengeance upon them. It is pleasing to discover any instance of generosity or honor among such an abandoned race who bid defiance to all the laws of honor and indeed are regardless of all laws human and divine. Captain England was so steady to Captain Mackra that he informed him it would be with no small difficulty in address that he would be able to preserve him and his men from the fury of the crew were greatly enraged at all the resistance which had been made. He likewise acquainted him that his influence and authority among them was giving place to that of Captain Taylor chiefly because the dispositions of the latter were more savage and brutal. They therefore consulted between them what was the best method to secure the favor of Taylor and keep him in good humor. Mackra made the punch to flow in great abundance and employed every artifice to soothe the mind of that ferocious villain. A single incident was also very favorable to the unfortunate Captain. It happened that a pirate with a prodigious pair of whiskers, a wooden leg and stuck round with pistols came blustering and swearing upon the quarter-deck inquiring where was Captain Mackra? He naturally supposed that this barbarous looking fellow would be his executioner but as he approached he took the Captain by the hand swearing that he was an honest fellow and that he had formally sailed with him and would stand by him and let him see the man that would touch him. This terminated the dispute and Captain Taylor's disposition was so ameliorated with punch that he consented that the old pirate ship and so many bales of cloth should be given to Mackra and then sank into the arms of intoxication. England now pressed Mackra to hasten away lest the Ruffian upon his becoming sober should not only retract his word but give liberty to the crew to cut him and his men to pieces. But the gentler temper of Captain England and his generosity toward the unfortunate Mackra proved the organ of much calamity to himself. The crew, in general, deeming the kind of usage which Mackra had received inconsistent with piratical policy. They circulated a report that he was coming against them with the company's force. The result of these invidious reports was to deprive England of his command and to excite these cruel villains to put him on shore with three others upon the island of Mauritius. If England and his small company had not been destitute of every necessary, they might have made a comfortable subsistence here as the islands abound with deer, hogs and other animals. Disatisfied, however, with their solitary situation, Captain England and his three men exerted their industry and ingenuity and formed a small boat with which they sailed to Madagascar where they subsisted upon the generosity of some more fortunate piratical companions. Captain Taylor detained some of the officers and men belonging to Captain Mackra and having repaired their vessel sailed for India. The day before they made land, they aspired two ships to the eastward and supposing them to be English, Captain Taylor ordered one of the officers of Mackra's ship to communicate to him the private signals between the company's ships, swearing that if he did not do so immediately, he would cut him into pound pieces. But the poor man being unable to give the information demanded was under the necessity of enduring their threats. Arrived at the vessels, they found that they were two Morris ships laden with horses. The pirates brought the captains and merchants on board and tortured them in a barbarous manner to constrain them to tell where they had hid their treasure. They were however disappointed and the next morning they discovered land and at the same time a fleet on shore plying to Windward. In this situation they were at a considerable loss how to dispose of their prizes. To let them go would lead to their discovery and thus defeat the design of their voyage. And it was a distressing matter to sink the men and the horses, though many of them were for adopting that measure. They however brought them to anchor through all the sails overboard and cut one of the mass half through. While they lay at anchor and were employed in taking in water, one of the above mentioned fleet moved toward them with English colors and was answered by the pirate with a red incense. But they did not hail each other. At night they left the musket ships and sailed after the fleet. About four next morning the pirates were in the midst of the fleet but seeing their vast superiority were greatly at a loss what method to adopt. The victory had become leaky and their hands were so few in number that it only remained for them to deceive if possible the English squadron. They were unsuccessful in gaining anything out of that fleet and had only the wretched satisfaction of burning a single galley. They however that day seized a galleyate, laden with cotton and made inquiry of the men concerning the fleet. They protested that they had not seen a ship since they left Go-Go and earnestly implored their mercy but instead of treating them with lenity they put them to the rack in order to extort farther confession. The following day a fresh Easterly wind blew hard and rent the galleyate's sails. Upon this the pirates put her company into a boat with nothing but a tri-sale, no provisions and only four gallons of water and though they were out of sight of land left them to shift for themselves. It may be proper to inform our readers that one Angria an Indian prince of considerable territory and strength had proved a troublesome enemy to Europeans and particularly to the English. Calaba was his principal fort situated not many leagues from Bombay and he possessed an island inside of the port from whence he molested the company's ships. His art in bribing the ministers of the great mogul and the shallowness of the water that prevented large ships of war from approaching were the principal causes of his safety. The Bombay fleet consisting of four grabs the London and the Kandwa and two other ships with a galleyate having an additional thousand men on board for this enterprise sailed to attack a fort belonging to Angria upon the Malabar coast. Though their strength was great yet they were totally unsuccessful in their enterprise. It was this fleet returning home that our pirates discovered upon the present occasion. Upon the sight of the pirates the Commodore of the fleet intimated to Mr. Brown, the general that as they had no orders to fight and had gone upon a different purpose would be improper for them to engage. Informed of the loss of this favorable opportunity of destroying the robbers the governor of Bombay was highly enraged and giving the command of the fleet to Captain Mackra ordered him to pursue and engage them wherever they should be found. The pirates having barbarously sent away the galleyate with her men they arrived southward and between Goa and Karwar they heard several guns so that they came to anchor and sent their boat to Reconoiter which returned next morning with the intelligence of two grabs lying at anchor in the road. They accordingly weighed, ran toward the bay and in the morning were discovered by the grabs who had just time to run under India-Deva castle for protection. This was the more vexatious to the pirates as they were without water, some of them therefore were for making a dissent upon the island but that measure not being generally approved they sailed toward the south and took a small ship which had only a Dutchman and two Portuguese on board. They sent one of these on shore to the captain to inform him that if he would give them some water and fresh provisions he might have his vessel returned. He replied that if they would give him possession over the bar he would comply with their request but suspecting the integrity of his design they sailed for Laka-Deva islands uttering dreadful implications against the captain. Disappointed in finding water at these islands they sailed to Melinda Island and sent their boats on shore to discover if there was any water or if there were any inhabitants. They returned with the information that there was an abundance of water that the houses were only inhabited by women and children the men having fled at the appearance of the ships. They accordingly hastened to supply themselves with water used the defenseless women in a brutal manner destroyed many of their fruit trees and set some of their houses on fire. While off the island they lost several of their anchors by the rockiness of the ground and one day blowing more violently than usual they were forced to take to sea leaving several people in most of the water castes but when the gale was over they returned to take in their men and water. Their provisions being nearly exhausted they resolved to visit the Dutch at Cochin. After sailing three days they arrived off Telashere and took a small vessel belonging to Governor Adams and brought the master on board very much intoxicated who informed them of the expedition of Captain Makra. This intelligence raised their utmost indignation. A villain said they to whom we have given a ship in presence to come against us he ought to be hanged and since we cannot show our resentment to him let us hang the dogs as people who wish him well and would do the same if they were clear. If it be in my power said the quartermaster both masters and officers of ships shall be carried with us for the future only to plague them. Now England we mark him for this. They proceeded to Calicut and attempting to cut out a ship were prevented by some guns placed upon the shore. One of Captain Makra's officers was under deck at this time and was commanded both by the captain and the quartermaster to tend the braces on the booms in hopes that a shot would take him before they got clear. He was about to have excused himself but they threatened to shoot him and when he expostulated and claimed their promise to put him on shore he received an unmerciful beating from the quartermaster. Captain Taylor to whom that duty belonged being lame in his hands. The next day following they met at Dutch Galliott laden with limestone bound for Calicut on board of which they put one Captain Fox and some of the crew interceding for Makra's officer Taylor and his party replied if we let this dog go who has overheard our designs and resolutions he will overset all our well advised resolutions and particularly the supply we are seeking for at the hands of the Dutch. When they arrived at Cochin they sent a letter on shore by a fishing boat entered the road and anchored each ship saluting the fort with eleven guns and receiving the same number in return. This was the token of their welcome reception and at night a large boat was sent deeply laden with liquors in all kinds of provisions and in it a servant of John Trumpet one of their friends to inform them that it would be necessary for them to run further south where they would be supplied both with provisions and naval stores. They had scarcely anchored at the appointed place when several canoes with white and black inhabitants came on board and continued without interruption to perform all the good offices in their power during their stay in that place. In particular John Trumpet brought a large boat of Eric and sixty bales of sugar as a present from the governor and his daughter the former receiving in return a table clock and the other a gold watch the spoil of Captain Makra's vessel. When their provisions were all on board Trumpet was rewarded with about six or seven thousand pounds was saluted with three cheers and eleven guns and several hands full of silver were thrown into the boat for the men to gather at pleasure. There being little wind that night they remained at anchor and in the morning were surprised with the return of Trumpet bringing another boat equally well stored with provisions with chests of peace goods and ready-made clothes and along with him the fiscal of the place. At noon they aspired to sail toward the south and immediately gave chase but she out sailed them and sheltered under the fort of Kochin informed that they would not be molested in taking her from under the castle they sailed towards her but upon the fort firing two guns they ran off for fear of more serious altercation and returning anchored in their former station. They were two welcome visitants to be permitted to depart so long as John Trumpet could contrive to detain them. With this view he informed them that in a few days a rich vessel commanded by the governor of Bombay's brother was to pass that way. That government is certainly in a wretched state which is under the necessity of trading with pirates in order to enrich itself nor will such a government hesitate by what means an injury can be repaired or a fortune gain. Neither can language describe the low and base principles of a government which could employ such a miscreant as John Trumpet in its service. He was a tool in the hands of the government of Kochin and as the dog said in the fable what is done by the master's orders is the master's action or as the same sentiment is perhaps better expressed in the legal axiom, key facet per allium facet per se. While under the direction of Trumpet some proposed to proceed directly to Madagascar but others were disposed to wait until they should be provided with a store ship. The majority being of the latter opinion they steered to the south and seeing a ship on shore were desirous to get near her but the wind preventing they separated the one sailing northward and the other southward in hopes of securing her when she should come out whatever direction she might take. They were now however almost entrapped in the snare laid for them in the morning to their astonishment and consternation instead of being called to give chase five large ships were near which made a signal for the pirates to bear down the pirates were in the greatest dread lest it should be captain Mackra of whose activity and courage they had formally sufficient proof. The pirate ships however joined and fled with all speed from the fleet. In three hours chase none of the fleet gained upon them except one grab the remainder of the day was calm and to their great consolation the next day this dreaded fleet was entirely out of sight. Their alarm being over they resolved to spend the Christmas in feasting and mirth in order to drown care and to banish thought nor did one day suffice but they continued their reveling for several days and made so free with their fresh provisions that in their next cruise they were put upon short allowance and it was entirely owing to the sugar and other provisions that were in the leaky ship that they were preserved from absolute starvation. In this condition they reached the island of Mauritius refitted the victory and left that place with the following inscription written upon one of the walls left this place on the 5th of April to go to Madagascar for limos. This they did lest any visit should be paid to the place during their absence. They however did not sail directly from Madagascar but the island of Muscarius where they fortunately fell in with the Portuguese of 70 guns lying at anchor. The greater part of her guns had been thrown overboard her masts lost and the whole vessel disabled by storm she therefore became an easy prey to the pirates. Condé de Airisara, vice-eroi of Goa who went upon the fruitless expedition against Angria the Indian and several passengers were on board. Besides other valuable articles and species they found in her diamonds to the amount of four millions of dollars. Supposing that the ship was an Englishman the viceray came on board next morning was made prisoner and obliged to pay $2,000 as a ransom for himself and the other prisoners. After this he was sent ashore with an express engagement to leave a ship to convey him and his companions to another port. Meanwhile the pirates received intelligence that a vessel was to the leeward of the island which they pursued and captured but instead of performing their promise to the viceroy which they could easily have done they sent the Ostender along with some of their men to Madagascar to inform their friends of their success with instructions to prepare masts for the prize and they soon followed carrying 2,000 negroes in the Portuguese vessel. Madagascar is an island larger than Great Britain situated upon the eastern coast of Africa abounding with all sorts of provisions such as oxen, goats, sheep, poultry, fish, citrons, oranges, tamarins, dates, coconuts, bananas, wax, honey, rice, cotton, indigo and all other fruits common in that quarter of the globe ebony of which lances are made, gums of several kinds and many other valuable productions. Here in St. Augustine's Bay the ship sometimes stopped to take in water when they make the inter-passage to India and do not intend to stop at Joanna. The pirates now divided their plunder receiving 42 diamonds per man or in smaller proportion according to their magnitude. A foolish jocular fellow who had received a large diamond of the value of 42 was highly displeased and so went and broke it in pieces exclaiming that he had many more shares than either of them. Some contended with their treasure and unwilling to run the risk of losing what they possessed and perhaps their lives also resolved to remain with their friends at Madagascar under the stipulation that the longest livers should enjoy all the booty. The number of adventurers now being lessened they burned the viceroy, cleaned the Cassandra and the remainder went on board her under the command of Taylor whom we must leave for a little while in order to give an account of the squadron which arrived in India in 1721. When the Commodore arrived at the Cape he received a letter that had been written by the governor of Pondicherry to the governor of Madras informing him that the pirates were strong in the Indian seas that they had 11 sail and 1500 men but adding that many of them retired about that time to Brazil and Guinea while others fortified themselves at Madagascar Mauritius, Joanna and Mahilla and that a crew under the command of Condon in a ship called the Dragon had captured a vessel with 13 lax of rupees on board and having divided their plunder had taken up their residence with their friends at Madagascar. Upon receiving this intelligence Commodore Matthews sailed for these islands as the most probable place of success. He endeavored to prevail on England at St. Mary's to communicate to him what information he could give respecting the pirates but England declined thinking that this would be almost to surrender at discretion. He then took up the guns of the Jubilee sloop that were on board and the men of war made several cruises in search of the pirates but to no purpose. The squadron was then sent down to Bombay was saluted by the fort and after these exploits returned home. The pirate Captain Taylor in the Cassandra now fitted up the Portuguese men of war and resolved upon another voyage to the Indies but informed that four men of war had been sent after the pirates in that quarter. He changed his determination and sailed for Africa. Arrived there, they put in a place near the Spiritosancto on the coast of Manomitapa. As there was no correspondence by land nor any trade carried on by sea to this place they thought that it would afford a safer treat. To their astonishment, however, when they approached the shore it being in the dusk of the evening they were accosted by several shots. They immediately anchored and in the morning saw that the shot had come from a small fort of six guns which they attacked and destroyed. This small fort was erected by the Dutch East India Company a few weeks before and committed to the care of 150 men the one half of whom had perished by sickness or other causes. Upon their petition, 16 of these were admitted into the society of the pirates and the rest would have also been received had they not been Dutchmen to whom they had a rooted aversion. In this place they continued during four months refitting their vessels and amusing themselves with all manner of diversions until the scarcity of their provisions awakened them to industry and exertion. They, however, left several parcels of goods to the starving Dutchmen which mine here joyfully exchanged for provisions with the next vessel that touched at that fort. Leaving that place, they were divided in opinion what course to steer. Some went on board the Portuguese prize and sailing from Madagascar abandoned the pirate life and others going on board the Cassandra sailed for the Spanish West Indies. The mermaid man of war returning from a convoy got near the pirates and would have attacked them but a consultation being held it was deemed inexpedient and thus the pirates escaped. A sloop was, however, dispatched to Jamaica with the intelligence and the Lancaster was sent after them but they were some days too late the pirates having with all their riches surrendered to the governor Portobello. End of chapter 16, read by Morgan Saletta. Chapter 17 of the Pirates' Own Book This is a LibriFox recording. All LibriFox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriFox.org The Pirates' Own Book by Charles Alms. Chapter 17 Account of the Lynn Pirates and Thomas Phil who was buried in his cave by the Great Earthquake. In the year 1658 there was a Great Earthquake in New England. Sometime previous on one pleasant evening a little after sunset a small vessel was seen to anchor near the mouth of Saugus River. A boat was presently lowered from her side into which four men descended and moved up the river a considerable distance when they landed and proceeded directly into the woods. They had been noticed by only a few individuals but in those early times when the people were surrounded by danger and easily susceptible of alarm such an incident was well calculated to awaken suspicion and in the course of the evening the intelligence was conveyed to many houses. In the morning the people naturally directed their eyes toward the shore in search of the strange vessel but she was gone and no trace could be found either of her or her singular crew. It was afterwards ascertained that on the morning one of the men at the ironworks on going into the foundry discovered a paper on which was written that if a quantity of shackles, handcuffs, hatchets and other articles of iron manufacture were made and deposited with secrecy in a certain place in the woods which was particularly designated an amount of silver in their full value would be found in their place. The articles were made in a few days and placed in conformity with all the directions. On the next morning they were gone and the money was found according to the promise. But though a watch had been kept no vessel was seen. Some months afterwards the four men returned and selected one of the most secluded and romantic spots in the woods of Saugus for their abode. The place of their retreat was a deep narrow valley shut in on two sides by craggy, precipitous rocks and shrouded on the others by thick pines, hemlocks and cedars between which there was only one small spot to which the rays of the sun at noon could penetrate. On climbing up the rude and almost perpendicular steps of the rock on either side the eye could command a full view of the bay on the south and a prospect of a considerable portion of the surrounding country. The place of their real retreat has ever since been called the Pirate's Glen and they could not have selected a spot on the coast for many miles more favorable for the purposes both of concealment and observation. Even at this day when the neighborhood has become thickly peopled it is still a lonely and desolate place and probably not one in a hundred of the inhabitants has ever descended into its silent and gloomy recess. There the pirates built a small hut, made a garden and dug a well the appearance of which is still visible. It has been supposed that they buried money but though people have dug there and in many other places none has ever been found. After residing there some time their retreat became known and one of the king's cruisers appeared on the coast. They were traced to their Glen and three of them were taken and carried to England where it is probable they were executed. The other whose name was Thomas Phil escaped to a rock in the woods about two miles to the north in which was a spacious cavern where the pirates had previously deposited some of their plunder. There the fugitive fixed his residence and practiced the trade of a shoemaker occasionally coming down to the village to obtain articles of sustenance. He continued his residence till the great earthquake in 1658 when the top of the rock was loosened and crushed down into the mouth of the cavern enclosing the unfortunate inmate in its unyielding prison. It has ever since been called the pirates dungeon. A part of the cavern is still open and is much visited by the curious. This rock is situated on a lofty range of thickly wooded hills and commands an extensive view of the ocean for 50 miles both north and south. A view from the top of it at once convinces the beholder that it would be impossible to select a place more convenient for the haunt of a gang of pirates. As all the vessels bound in and out of the harbors of Boston Salem and the adjacent ports can be distinctly seen from its summit. Saugus River meanders among the hills a short distance to the south and its numerous creeks which extend among thick bushes would afford good places to secrete boats until such time as the pirates described a sail when they could instantly row down the river, attack and plunder them and with their booty return to the cavern. This was evidently their motive procedure. On an open space in front of the rock are still to be seen distinct traces of a small garden spot and in the corner is a small well full of stones and rubbish. The foundation of the wall around the garden remains and shows that the spot was of a triangular shape and was well selected for the cultivation of potatoes and common vegetables. The aperture in the rock is only about five feet in height and extends only 15 feet into the rock. The needle is strongly attracted around this either by the presence of magnetic iron ore or some metallic substance buried in the interior. The pirate's glen, which is some distance from this, is one of nature's wildest and most picturesque spots and the cellar of the pirate's hut remains to the present time as does a clear space which was evidently cultivated at some remote period. End of Chapter 17. Chapter 18 of the Pirate's Own Book. This is a Librabox recording. All Librabox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit Librabox.org. The Pirate's Own Book by Charles Elms. Chapter 18. History of the Ladrone Pirates and their depredations on the coast of China with an account of the enterprises and victories of Mistress Chang, a female pirate. The Ladrones as they were christened by the Portuguese at Macau were originally a disaffected set of Chinese that revolted against the oppression of the Mandarin's. The first scene of their depredations was the western coast about Cochin, China where they began by attacking small trading vessels in rowboats, carrying from 30 to 40 men each. They continued this system of piracy and thrived and increased in numbers under it for several years. At length, the fame of their success and the oppression and horrid poverty and want that many of the lower orders of the Chinese laboured under had an effect of augmenting their bans with astonishing rapidity. Fishermen and other destitute classes flocked by hundreds to their standard and their audacity growing with their numbers, they not merely swept the coast but blockaded all the rivers and attacked and took several large government war junks mounting from 10 to 15 guns each. These junks being added to their shoals of boats, the pirates formed a tremendous fleet which was always along shore so that no small vessel could safely trade on the coast. When they lacked prey on the sea, they laid the land under tribute. They were at first accustomed to go on shore and attack the maritime villages but becoming bolder like the buccaneers made long inland journeys and surprised and plundered even large towns. An energetic attempt made by the Chinese government to destroy them only increased their strength for in their first encounter with the pirates 28 of the imperial junks struck and the remaining 12 saved themselves by a precipitate retreat. The captured junks fully equipped for war were a great acquisition to the robbers whose numbers now increased more rapidly than ever. They were in their plenitude of power in the year 1809 when Mr. Glasspool had the misfortune to fall into their hands at which time that gentleman supposed their force to consist of 70,000 men navigating 800 large vessels and 1,000 small ones including row boats. They were divided into six large squadrons under different flags, the red, the yellow, the green, the blue, the black and the white. These wasps of the oceans of the Chinese historian called them were further distinguished by the names of their respective commanders. By these commanders a certain Cheng Yu had been most distinguished by his valor and conduct. By degrees Cheng obtained almost a supremacy of command over the whole United Fleet and so confident was this robber in his strength and daily augmenting means that he aspired to the dignity of the king and went so far as openly to declare his patriotic intention of hurling the present Tata family from the throne of China and of restoring the ancient Chinese dynasty. But unfortunately for the ambitious pirate he perished in a heavy gale and instead of placing a sovereign on the Chinese throne he and his lofty aspirations were buried in the Yellow Sea. And now comes the most remarkable passage in the history of these pirates. Remarkable with any class of men but doubly so among the Chinese who entertain more than the general oriental opinion of the inferiority of the fair sex. On the death of Cheng Yi his legitimate wife had sufficient influence over the freebooters to induce them to recognize her authority in the place of her deceased husbands. And she appointed one Pao as her lieutenant and prime minister and provided that she should be considered the mistress or commander-in-chief of the United Squadrons. This Pao had been a poor fisher boy picked up with his father at sea while fishing by Qing Yu whose goodwill and favor he had fortune to captivate and by whom before that pirate's death he had been made a captain. Instead of declining under the rule of a woman the pirates became more enterprising than ever. Cheng's widow was clever as well as brave and so was her lieutenant Pao. Between them they drew up a code of lord for the better regulation of the freebooters. In this it was decreed that if any man went privately on shore or did what they called transgressing the bars he should have his ears slit in the presence of the whole fleet. A repetition of the same unlawful act was death. No one article, however trifling in value, was to be privately subtracted from the booty or plundered goods. Everything they took was regularly entered on the register of their stores. The following clause of Mistress Cheng's code is still more delicate. No person shall debauch at his pleasure captive women taken in the villages and open places and brought on board ship. He must first request the ship's persa for permission and then go aside in the ship's hold. To use violence against any woman or to wed her without permission shall be punished with death. By these means an admirable discipline was maintained on board the ships and the peasantry on shore never let the pirates want for gunpowder, provisions, or any other necessity. On a piratical expedition, either to advance or retreat without orders was a capital offence. Under these philosophical institutions and the guidance of a woman, the robbers continued to scour the China Sea plundering every vessel they came near. The great war mandarin, Kuolang Lin, sailed from the Bokka Tigris into the sea to fight the pirates. Pow gave him a tremendous drumming and gained a splendid victory. In this battle which lasted from morning to night, the mandarin Kuolang Lin, a desperate fellow himself, leveled a gun at Pow who fell on the deck as the peace went off, his disheartened crew concluding it was all over with him. But Pow was quick-eyed. He had seen the unfriendly intention of the mandarin and thrown himself down. The great mandarin was soon after taken with 15 junks, three were sunk. The pirate lieutenant would have dealt mercifully with him, but the fierce old man suddenly seized him by the hair on the crown of his head and grinned at him so that he might provoke him to slay him. But even then, Pow spoke kindly to him. Upon this he committed suicide, being 70 years of age. After several victories and reverses, the Chinese historian says our men of war escorting some merchant ships happened to meet the pirate chief nicknamed the Jewel of the Crew cruising at sea. The traders became exceedingly frightened, but our commander said, this not being the flag of our widow Cheng Yi, we are a match for them. Therefore we will attack and conquer them. Then ensued a battle. They attacked each other with guns and stones and many people were killed and wounded. The fighting ceased towards evening and began again next morning. The pirates and the men of war were very close to each other and they boasted mutually about their strength and valor. The traders remained at some distance. They saw the pirates mixing gunpowder in their beverage. They looked instantly red about the face and the eyes and then fought desperately. This fighting continued three days and nights and suddenly, at last, becoming tired on both sides, they separated. To understand this inglorious bulletin, the reader must remember that many of the combatants only handled bows and arrows and pelted stones and that Chinese powder and guns are both exceedingly bad. The pathos of the conclusion does somewhat remind one of the Irishman's dispatch during the American war. It was a bloody battle while it lasted and the sergeant of Marines lost his cartouche box. The Admiral Ting River was sent to see against them. This man was surprised at anchor by the ever-vigilant pow to whom many fishermen and other people on the coast must have acted as friendly spies. Seeing escape impossible, and that his officers stood pale and inactive by the flagstaff, the Admiral conjured them by their fathers and mothers, their wives and children, and by the hopes and brilliant reward if they succeeded and of vengeance if they perished to do their duty and the combat began. The Admiral had the good fortune at the onset of killing with one of his great guns the pirate captain, the jewel of the crew, but the robbers swarmed thicker and thicker around him and when the dreaded pow lay him by the board without help or hope, the Mandarin killed himself. An immense number of his men perished in the sea and 25 vessels were lost. After his defeat it was resolved by the Chinese government to cut off all their supplies of food and starve them out. All vessels that were in port were ordered to remain there and those at sea or on the coast ordered to return with all speed. But the pirates, full of confidence, now resolved to attack the harbors themselves and to ascend the rivers which are navigable for many miles up country and rob the villages. The consternation was great when the Chinese saw them venturing above the government forts. The pirates separated. Mistress Cheng plundering in one place, pow in another, and opotai in another. It was at this time that Mr. Glasspool had the ill fortune to fall into their power. This gentleman, then an officer in the East India Company's ship, the Marquis of Ealy, which was anchored under an island about 12 miles from Macau, was ordered to proceed to the latter place with a boat to procure a pilot. He left the ship in one of the cutters with seven British seamen well armed on the 17th of September, 1809. He reached Macau in safety and having done his business there and procured a pilot, returned towards the ship the following day. But unfortunately, the ship had weighed anchor and was under sail and in consequence of squally weather accompanied with thick fogs, the boat could not reach her and Mr. Glasspool and his men and the pilot were left at sea in an open boat. Our situation, says that gentleman, was truly distressing, night closing fast with a threatening appearance blowing fresh with a hard rain and a heavy sea. Our boat very leaky without a compass, anchor or provisions and drifting fast on a lee shore surrounded with dangerous rocks and inhabited by the most barbarous pirates. After suffering dreadfully for three whole days Mr. Glasspool, by the advice of the pilot made for a narrow channel where he presently discovered three large boats at anchor which, on seeing the English boat, weighed and made sail towards it. The pilot told Mr. Glasspool they were the drones and that if they captured the boat they would certainly put them all to death. After rowing tremendously for six hours they escaped these boats but on the following morning falling in with the large fleet of the pirates which the English mistook for fishing boats they were captured. About 20 savage looking villains said Mr. Glasspool who were stowed at the bottom of the boat leapt on board us. They were armed with short swords in either hand one of which they laid upon our necks and pointed the other to our breasts keeping their eyes fixed on the officer waiting his signal to cut or desist. Seeing we were incapable of making any resistance the officer sheathed his sword and the other immediately followed his example. They then dragged us into their boat and carried us on board one of their junks with the most savage demonstrations of joy and, as we supposed, to torture us and put us to a cruel death. When on board the junk they rifled the Englishmen and brought heavy chains to chain them to the deck. At this time a boat came and took me with one of my men and an interpreter on board the chief's vessel. I was then taken before the chief. He was seated on deck in a large chair dressed in purple silk with a black turban on. He appeared to be about 30 years of age a stout commanding looking man. He took me by the coat and drew me close to him then questioned the interpreter very strictly asking who we were and what was our business in that part of the country. I told him to say we were Englishmen in distress having been four days at sea without provision. This he would not credit that said we were bad men and that he would put us all to death and then ordered some men to put the interpreter to the torture until he confessed the truth. Upon this occasion a ladrone who had been once to England and spoke a few words of English came to the chief and told him we were really Englishmen that we had plenty of money adding that the buttons on my coat were gold. The chief then ordered us some coarse brown rice of which we made a tolerable meal having eaten nothing for nearly four days except a few green oranges. During our repast a number of ladrones crowded round us examining our clothes and hair and giving us every possible annoyance. Several of them brought swords and laid them on our necks making signs that they would soon take us on shore and cut us in pieces which I am sorry to say was the fate of some hundreds during my activity. I was now summoned before the chief who had been conversing with the interpreter. He said I must write to my captain and tell him if he did not send a hundred thousand dollars for our ransom in 10 days he would put us all to death. After vainly expostulating to lessen the ransom Mr. Glasspool wrote the letter and a small boat came alongside it and took it to Macau. Early in the night the fleet sailed and anchored about one o'clock the following day in a bay under the island of Lantau where the head admiral of the ladrones or acquaintance Pau was lying at anchor with about two hundred vessels and a Portuguese brig they had captured a few days before and the captain and part of the crew of which they had murdered. Early the next morning a fishing boat came to inquire if they had captured a European boat. They came to the vessel the English were in. One of the boatmen spoke a few words of English and told me that he had a ladrone pass and was sent by our captain in search of us. I was rather surprised to find he had no letter. He appeared to be well acquainted with the chief and remained in the cabin smoking opium and playing cards all the day. In the evening I was summoned with the interpreter before the chief. He questioned us in much milder tone saying he now believed we were Englishmen of people he wished to be friendly with and that if our captain would lend him $70,000 till he returned from his cruise up the river he would repay him and send us all to Macau. I assured him it was useless writing on these terms and unless our ransom was freedily settled the English fleet would sail and render our enlargement altogether ineffectual. He remained determined and said if it were not sent he would keep us and make us fight or put us to death. I accordingly wrote and gave my letter to the man belonging to the boat before mentioned. He said he could not return with an answer in less than five days. The chief now gave me the letter I wrote when first taken. I have never been able to ascertain his reasons for detaining it but suppose he dared not negotiate for our ransom without orders from the head admiral who I understood was sorry at our being captured. He said the English ships would join the mandarins and attack them. While the fleet lay here one night the Portuguese who were left in the captured brig murdered the ladrones that were on board of her cut the cables and fortunately escaped through the darkness of the night. At daylight the next morning the fleet amounting to about 500 sail of different sizes weighed to proceed on their intended cruise up the rivers to levy contributions on the towns and villages. It is impossible to describe what my feelings at this critical time having received no answer to my letters and the fleet underway to sail. Hundreds of miles up a country never visited by Europeans there to remain probably for many months which will render all opportunities for negotiating our enlargement totally ineffectual as the only method of communication is by boats that have to pass from the ladrones and they dare not venture above 20 miles from a cow being obliged to come and go in the night to avoid the mandarins. And if these boats should be detected in having any intercourse with the ladrones they are immediately put to death and all their relations though they had not joined in the crime share in the punishment in order that not a single person of their families should be left to imitate the crimes or avenge their death. The following is a very touching incident in Mr. Glasspool's narrative. Wednesday the 26th of September at daylight we passed in sight of our own ships at anchor under the island of Chungpo. The chief then called me pointing to the ships and told the interpreter to tell us to look at them but we should never see them again. About noon we entered a river to the westward of the bog. Three or four miles from the entrance we passed a large town situated on the side of a beautiful hill which is tributary to the ladrones. The inhabitants saluted them with songs as they passed. After committing numerous minor robberies the ladrones now prepared to attack a town with a formidable force collected in rowboats from the different vessels. They sent a messenger to the town demanding a tribute of $10,000 annually saying if these terms were not complied with they would land, destroy the town and murder all the inhabitants which they certainly would have done had the town laid in a more advantageous situation for their purpose and being placed out of reach of their shot they allowed them to come to terms. The inhabitants agreed to pay $6,000 which they were to collect by the time of our return down the river. This finesse had the desired effect for during our absence they mounted a few guns on a hill which commanded the passage and gave us in lieu of the dollars a warm salute on our return. October the first, the fleet weighed in the night dropped by the tide up the river and anchored very quietly before a town surrounded by a thick wood. Early in the morning the ladrones assembled in rowboats and landed. They gave a shout and rushed into the town soared in hand. The inhabitants fled to the adjacent hills in numbers apparently superior to the ladrones. We may easily imagine to ourselves the horror with which these miserable people must be seized on being obliged to leave their homes and everything dear to them. It was a most melancholy sight to see women in tears clasping their infants in their arms and imploring mercy for them from those brutal robbers. The old and the sick who were unable to fly or make resistance were either made prisoners or most inhumanely butchered. The boats continued passing and repassing from the junks to the shore in quick succession laden with booty and the men besmeared with blood. 250 women and several children were made prisoners and sent on board different vessels. They were unable to escape with the men owing to that abominable practice of cramping their feet. Several of them were not able to move without assistance. In fact, they might all be said to totter rather than to walk. 20 of these poor women were sent on board the vessel I was in. They were hauled on board by the hare and treated in a most savage manner. When the chief came on board, he questioned them respecting the circumstances of their friends and demanded ransoms accordingly from $6,000 to $600 each. He ordered them a berth on deck at the after part of the vessel where they had nothing to shelter them from the weather, which at this time was very variable. The days excessively hot and the nights cold with heavy rains. The town being plundered of everything valuable, it was set on fire and reduced to ashes by the morning. The fleet remained here three days negotiating for the ransom of the prisoners and plundering the fish tanks and gardens. During all this time, the Chinese never ventured from the hills, though they were frequently not more than a hundred load of drones on shore at a time. And I'm sure the people on the hills exceeded 10 times that number. On the 10th, we formed a junction with the Black Squadron and proceeding many miles up a wide and beautiful river passing several ruins of villages that had been destroyed by the Black Squadron. On the 17th, the fleet anchored abreast four mud batteries, which defended a town so entirely surrounded with wood that it was impossible to form any idea of its size. The weather was very hazy with hard squalls of rain. The Lodrones remained perfectly quiet for two days. On the third day, the forts commenced a brisk fire for several hours. The Lodrones did not return a single shot but wade in the night and dropped down the river. The reasons they gave for not attacking the town or returning the fire were that Joss had not promised them success. They are very superstitious and consult their idol on all occasions. If his omens are good, they will undertake the most daring enterprises. The fleet now anchored opposite the ruins of the town where the women had been made prisoners. Here we remained five or six days during which time about a hundred of the women were ransomed. The remainder were offered for sale among the Lodrones for $40 each. The woman is considered the lawful wife of the purchaser who would be put to death if he discarded her. Several of them leapt overboard and drowned themselves rather than submit to such infamous degradation. Mai Ying, the wife of Qichu Yang, was very beautiful and a pirate being about to seize her by the head she abused him exceedingly. The pirate bound her to the yard arm but on abusing him yet more the pirate dragged her down and broke two of her teeth which filled her mouth and jaws with blood. The pirate sprang up again to bind her. Ying allowed him to approach but as soon as he came nearer her she laid hold of his garments with her bleeding mouth and threw both him and herself into the river where they were both drowned. The remaining captives of both sexes were after some months liberated on having paid a ransom of 15,000 liang for ounces of silver. The fleet then wade continues Mr Glasspool and made sail down the river to receive the ransom from the town before mentioned. As we passed the hill they fired several shots at us but without effect. The ladrones were much exasperated and determined to revenge themselves. They dropped out of reach of their shot and anchored. Every junk sent about 100 men each on shore to cut Paddy and destroy their orange groves which were most effectually performed for several miles down the river. During our stay here they received information of nine boats lying up a creek laden with Paddy. Boats were immediately dispatched after them. Next morning these boats were brought to the fleet 10 or 12 men were taken in them. As these had made no resistance the chief said he would allow them to become ladrones if they agreed to take the usual oaths before Joss. Three or four of them refused to comply for which they were punished in the following cruel manner. Their hands were tied behind their back, a rope from the masthead rowed through their arms and hoisted three or four feet from the deck and five or six men flogged them with their rattens twisted together till they were apparently dead. Then hoisted them up to the masthead and left them hanging nearly an hour. Then lowered them down and repeated the punishment till they died or complied with the oath. On the 28th of October I received a letter from Captain Kaye brought by a fisherman who had told him he would give us all back for three thousand dollars. He advised me to offer three thousand and if not accepted extend it to four but not further as it was bad policy to offer much at first. At the same time assuring me we should be liberated let the ransom be what it would. I offered the chief the three thousand which he disdainfully refused saying it was not to be played with and unless they sent ten thousand dollars and two large guns with several casts of gunpowder he would soon put us to death. I wrote to Captain Kaye and informed him of the chief's determination requesting if an opportunity offered to send us a shift of clothes for which it may be easily imagined we were much distressed having been seven weeks without a shift although constantly exposed to the weather and of course frequently wet. On the 1st of November the fleet sailed up a narrow river and anchored at night within two miles of a town called Little One Poor. In front of it was a small fort and several Mandarin vessels lying in the harbour. The chief sent the interpreter to me saying I must order my men to make cartridges and clean their muskets ready to go on shore in the morning. I ensured the interpreter I should give the men no such orders and they must please themselves. Soon after the chief came on board threatening to put us all to a cruel death if we refused to obey his orders. For my own part I remained determined and advised the men not to comply as I thought by making ourselves useful we should be accounted to valuable. A few hours afterwards he sent to me again saying that if myself and the quartermaster would assist them at the great guns that if also the rest of the men went on shore and succeeded in taking the place he would then take the money offered for our ransom and give them $20 for each Chinaman's head they cut off. To these proposals we cheerfully exceeded in hopes of facilitating our deliverance. The Mandarin vessels continued firing having blocked up the entrance of the harbour to prevent the ladrone boats entering. At this the ladrones were much exasperated and about 300 of them swam on shore with the short swords lashed close under each arm. They then ran along the banks of the river till they came abreast of the vessels and then swam off again and boarded them. The Chinese thus attacked, leapt overboard and endeavored to reach the opposite shore. The ladrones followed and cut the greater number of them to pieces in the water. They next towed the vessels out of the harbour and attacked the town with increased fury. The inhabitants fought about a quarter of an hour and then retreated to an adjacent hill from which they were soon driven with great slaughter. After this the ladrones returned and plundered the town, every boat leaving with its lading. The Chinese on the hills perceiving most of the boats were off rallied and retook the town after killing nearly 200 ladrones. One of my men was unfortunately lost in this dreadful massacre. The ladrones landed a second time, drove the Chinese out of the town then reduced it to ashes and put all their prisoners to death without regard of either age or sex. I must not omit to mention a most horrid though ludicrous circumstance which happened at this place. The ladrones were paid by their chief, $10 for every Chinaman's head they produced. One of my men, turned in the corner of a street, was met by a ladrone running furiously after a Chinese. He had a drawn sword in his hand and two Chinaman's heads which he had cut off, tied by their tails and slung round his neck. I was witness myself to some of them producing five or six to obtain payment. On the 4th of November, an order arrived from the Admiral for the fleet to proceed immediately to Lantau where he was lying with only two vessels and three Portuguese ships and a bridge constantly annoying him. Several sail of Mandarin vessels were daily expected. The fleet weighed and proceeded towards Lantau. On passing the island of Lin Tin, three ships and a brig gave chase to us. The ladrones prepared to board but night closing we lost sight of them. I'm convinced they altered their course and stood from us. These vessels were in the pay of the Chinese government and styled themselves the invincible squadron, cruising in the river Tigris to annihilate the ladrones. On the 5th, in the morning, the red squadron anchored in the bay under Lantau the black squadron stood to the eastward. In the afternoon of the 8th of November, four ships, a brig and a schooner, came off the mouth of the bay. At first the pirates were much alarmed, supposing them to be English vessels come to rescue us. Some of them threatened to hang us from the mast head for them to fire at and with much difficulty we persuaded them that they were Portuguese. The ladrones had only seven junks in a fit state for action. These they hauled outside and moored them head and stern across the bay and manned all the boats belonging to the repairing vessels ready for boarding. Portuguese observing these maneuvers hove too and communicated by boats. Soon afterwards they made sail, each ship firing her broadside as she passed, but without effect, the shot falling far short. But the drones did not return a single shot but waved their colors and threw up their rockets to induce them to come further in, which they might easily have done. The outside junks lying in four fathoms of water, which I sounded myself. Though the Portuguese in their letters to Macau lamented that there was not sufficient water for them to engage closer, but that they would certainly prevent their escaping before the Mandarin fleet arrived. On the 20th of November, early in the morning, discovered an immense fleet of Mandarin vessels standing for the bay. On nearing us they formed a line and stood close in. Each vessel as she discharged her guns, attacked to join the rear and reload. They kept up a constant fire for about two hours when one of their largest vessels was blown up by a firebrand thrown from a ladrone junk, after which they kept at a more respectful distance, but continued firing without intermission till the 21st at night when it fell calm. The ladrones towed out seven large vessels with about 200 rowboats to board them, but a breeze springing up, they made sail and escaped. The ladrones returned into the bay and anchored. The Portuguese and Mandarin's followed and continued a heavy cannonading during the night and the next day. The vessel Iversen had a full mass shot away, which they supplied very expediously by taking a main mass from a smaller vessel. On the 23rd in the evening, it again fell calm. The ladrones towed out 15 junks in two divisions with the intention of surrounding them, which was nearly affected, having come up with unborded one when a breeze suddenly sprang up. The captured vessel mounted 22 guns. Most of her crew leapt overboard, 60 or 70 were taken, immediately cut to pieces and thrown into the river. Early in the morning, the ladrones returned into the bay and anchored in the same situation as before. The Portuguese and Mandarin's followed, keeping up a constant fire. The ladrones never returned a single shot but always kept in readiness to board and the Portuguese were careful never to allow them an opportunity. On the 28th at night, they sent eight fire vessels, which, if properly constructed, must have done great execution, having every advantage they could wish for to affect their purpose. A strong breeze and a tide directed into the bay and the vessels lying so close together that it was impossible to miss them. On their first appearance, the ladrones gave a general shout, supposing them to be Mandarin vessels on fire, but were very soon convinced of their mistake. They came very regularly into the centre of the fleet, two and two, burning furiously. One of them came alongside the vessel I was in, but they succeeded in booming her off. She appeared to be a vessel of about 30 tonnes. Her hold was filled with straw and wood and there were a few small boxes of combustibles on her deck, which exploded alongside of us without doing any damage. The ladrones, however, towed them all on shore, extinguished the fire and broke them up for firewood. The Portuguese claimed the credit of constructing these destructive machines and actually sent a dispatch to the governor of Macau, saying they had destroyed at least one third of the ladrones fleet and hoped soon to affect their purpose by totally annihilating them. On the 29th of November, the ladrones being all ready for sea, they wade and stood boldly by, bidding defiance to the invincible squadron and imperial fleet, consisting of 93 war junks, six Portuguese ships, a brig and a schooner. Immediately after the ladrones wade, they made all sail. The ladrones chased them two or three hours, keeping up a constant fire, finding they did not come up with them. They hauled their wind and stood to the eastward. Thus terminated the boasted blockade, which lasted nine days, during which time the ladrones completed all their repairs. In this action, not a single ladrone vessel was destroyed and their loss was about 30 or 40 men. An American was also killed, one of three that remained out of the eight taken in a schooner. I had two very narrow escapes. The first, a 12 pounder shot, fell within three or four feet of me. Another took a piece out of a small brass swivel on which I was standing. The chief's wife frequently sprinkled me with garlic water, which they considered an effectual charm against shot. The fleet continued under sail all night, steering towards the eastward. In the morning they anchored in a large bay surrounded by lofty and barren mountains. On the 2nd of December, I received a letter from Lieutenant Morn, commander of the honourable company's cruiser, Antelope, saying that he had the ransom on board and had been three days cruising after us and wished me to settle with the chief on the secure method of delivering it. The chief agreed to send us in a small gunboat till we came within sight of the Antelope. Then the compradour's boat was to bring the ransom and receive us. I was so agitated at receiving this joyful news that it was with difficulty I could scrawl about two or three lines to inform Lieutenant Morn of the arrangements I had made. We were all so deeply affected by the gratifying tidings that we seldom closed our eyes but continued watching day and night for the boat. On the 6th, she returned with Lieutenant Morn's answer saying he would respect any single boat but would not allow the fleet to approach him. The chief then, according to his first proposal, ordered a gunboat to take us and with no small degree of pleasure we left the ladrone fleet about four o'clock in the afternoon. At one p.m. saw the Antelope under all sail standing towards us. The ladrone boat immediately anchored and dispatched the compradour's boat for the ransom saying that if she approached nearer they would return to the fleet and they were just weighing when she shortened sail and anchored about two miles from us. The boat did not reach her till late in the afternoon owing to the tides being strong against her. She received the ransom and left the Antelope just before dark. A Mandarin boat that had been lying concealed under the land and watching their manoeuvres gave chase to her and was within a few fathoms of taking her when she saw a light which the ladrones answered and the Mandarin hauled off. Our situation was now a critical one. The ransom within the hands of the ladrones and the compradour dare not return with us for fear of a second attack from the Mandarin boat. The ladrones would not wait till morning so we were obliged to return with them to the fleet. In the morning the chief inspected the ransom which consisted of the following articles. Two bales of superfine cloth, two chests of opium, two casts of gunpowder and a telescope, the rest in dollars. He objected to the telescope not being new and said he should detain one of us till another was sent or a hundred dollars in lieu of it. The compradour however agreed with him for the hundred dollars. Everything being at length settled the chief ordered two gunboats to convey us near the antelope. We saw her before dusk when the ladrone boat left us. We had the inexpressible pleasure of arriving on board the antelope at 7 p.m. when we were most cordially received and heartily congratulated on our safe and happy deliverance from a miserable captivity which we'd endured for 11 weeks and three days. Signed Richard Glasspool, China, December the 8th, 1809. The ladrones have no settled residence on shore but live constantly in their vessels. The afterpart is appropriated to the captain and his wives. He generally has five or six. With respect to the conjugal rights they're religiously strict. No person is allowed to have a woman on board unless married to her according to their laws. Every man is allowed a small berth about four feet square where he stows with his wife and family. From the number of souls crowded in so small a space it must naturally be supposed that they are horribly dirty which is evidently the case and their vessels swarm with all kind of vermin. Rats in particular which they encourage to breed and eat as great delicacies. In fact there are very few creatures they will not eat. During our activity we lived three weeks on caterpillars boiled with rice. They're much addicted to gambling and spend all their leisure hours on cards and smoking opium. At the time of Mr. Glasspool's liberation the pirates were at the height of their power. After such repeated victories over the Mandarin ships they had set at naught the imperial allies, the Portuguese and not only the coast but the rivers of the celestial empire seemed to be at their discretion. And yet their formidable association did not many months survive this event. It was not however defeat that reduced it to the obedience of the laws. On the contrary, that extraordinary woman the widow of Cheng Yi and the daring power were victorious and more powerful than ever when dissensions broke out amongst the pirates themselves. Ever since the favor of the chief Dinesse had elevated power to the general command there had been enmity and altercations between him and the chief, Opo Tai who commanded one of the flags or divisions of the fleet. And it was only by the deference and respect they both owed to Cheng Yi's widow they had been prevented from turning their arms against each other long before. At length when the brave power was surprised and cooped up by a strong blockading force of the emperor's ships Opo Tai showed all his deadly spite and refused to obey the orders of Pau and even of the chief Dinesse which were that he should sail to the relief of his rival. Pau with his bravery and usual good fortune broke through the blockade but when he gave in contact with Opo Tai his rage was too violent to be restrained. Opo Tai at first pleaded that his means and strength had been insufficient to do what had been expected of him but concluded by saying am I bound to come and join the forces of Pau? Would you then separate before us? cried Pau more enraged than ever. Opo Tai answered, I will not separate myself. How? Why then do you not obey the orders of the wife of Cheng Yi and my own? What is this else than separation that you do not come to assist me when I am surrounded by the enemy? I have sworn it that I will destroy the wicked man that I may do away with this sauness on my back. The summons of Pau when blockaded to Opo Tai was in language equally figurative. I am harassed by the government's officers outside in the sea. Lips and teeth must help one another. If the lips are cut away, the teeth will feel cold. How shall I alone be able to fight the government forces? You should therefore come to the head of your crew to attack the government squadron in the rear. I will then come out of my station and make an attack in front so the enemy be so taken in the front and rear will even supposing we cannot master him, certainly be thrown into disorder. The angry words of Pau were followed by others and then by blows. Pau, though at the moment far inferior in force, first began the fight and ultimately sustained a sanguinary defeat and the loss of 16 vessels. Our loathing for this cruel detestable race must be increased by the fact that the victors massacred all their prisoners or 300 men. This was the death blow to the Confederacy which had so long defied the emperor's power and which might have affected his dethronement. Oppo Tai, dreading the vengeance of Pau and his mistress, Cheng Yi's widow whose united forces would have quintupled his own, gained over his men to his views and profit a submission to government on condition of free pardon and a proper provision for all. The petition of the parrots is so curious a production and so characteristic of the Chinese that it deserves to be inserted at length. It is my humble opinion that all robbers of an overwhelming force, whether they had their origin from this or any other course, have felt the humanity of government at different times. Liang Xiang, who three years plundered the city, was nevertheless pardoned and at last made a minister of state. Wang Kang often challenged the arms of the country and he was suffered to live and at last made a cornerstone of the empire. Zhu Ming pardoned seven times Meng Hao and Kuang Kung three times set Chao Chao at liberty. Ma Huan persuaded not the exhausted robbers and You Fai killed not those who made their submission. There are many instances of such transactions both in former and recent times by which the country was strengthened and government increased its power. We now live in a very populous age. Some of us could not agree with their relations and were driven out like noxious weeds. Some, after having tried all they could without being able to provide for themselves, at last joined bad society. Some left their property by shipwrecks. Some withdrew into this watery empire to escape from punishment. In such a way, those who in the beginning with only three or five were in the course of time increased to a thousand or 10,000 and so it went on increasing every year. Would it not have been wonderful if such a multitude being in want of their daily bread had not resorted to plunder and robbery to gain their subsistence since they could not in any other manner be saved from famine. It was from necessity that the laws of the empire were violated and the merchants robbed of their goods. Being deprived of our land and of our native places, having no house or home to resort to and relying only on the chance of wind and water, even could we for a moment forget our griefs. We might fall in with a man of war who with stones, darts and guns would knock out our brains. Even if we dared to sail up a stream and boldly go on with anxiety of mind under wind, rain and stormy weather, we must everywhere prepare for fighting. Whether we went to the east or to the west and after having felt all the hardships of the sea, the night dew was our only dwelling and the rude wind our meal. But now we will avoid these perils, leave our connections and desert our comrades. We will make our submission. The power of government knows no bounds. It reaches to the islands in the sea and every man is afraid and sighs. Oh, we must be destroyed by our crimes. None can escape who oppose it the laws of the government. May you then feel compassion for those who are deserving of death. May you sustain us by your humanity. The government that had made so many lamentable displays of its weakness were glad to make an unreal parade of its mercy. It was but too unhappy to grant all the conditions instantly and in the tholesome language of its historians, feeling that compassion is the way of heaven, that it is the right way to govern my righteousness, it therefore redeemed these parrots from destruction and pardoned their former crimes. Oppo Tai, however, then struck his free flag and the parrots were hardly in the power of the Chinese when it was proposed by many that they should all be treacherously murdered. The governor happened to be more honorable and humane or probably only more politic than those who have made this foul proposal. He knew that such a bloody breach of faith would forever prevent the parrots still in arms from voluntarily submitting. He knew equally well, even weakened as they were by Oppo Tai's defection, but the government could not reduce them by force. And he thought by keeping his faith with them, he might turn the force of those who had submitted against those who still held out and so destroy the parrots with the parrots. Consequently, the 8,000 men it had been proposed to cut off in cold blood were allowed to remain uninjured and their leader, Oppo Tai, having changed his name to that of Hou Bin, or the Luster of Instruction, was elevated to the rank of an Imperial officer. The widow of Cheng Yi and her favorite, Pao, continued for some months to pillage the coast and to beat the Chinese and the Mandarin's troops and ships and seemed almost as strong as before the separation of Oppo Tai's flag. But that example was probably operating in the minds of many of the outlaws. And finally the lawless heroine herself, who was the spirit that kept the complicated body together, seeing that Oppo Tai had been made a government officer and that he continued to prosper, began also to think of making her submission. I am, said she, 10 times stronger than Oppo Tai and government will perhaps, if I submit, act towards me as they have done with Oppo Tai. A rumor of her intentions having reached shore, the Mandarin sent off a Captain Chao, a Doctor of Macau, who, said the historian, being already well acquainted with the pirates, did not need any introduction, to enter on preliminaries with them. When the worthy practitioner presented himself to Pao, that friend concluded he had been committing some crime and had come for safety to that general Refugium Pecatorum, the pirate fleet. The Doctor explained and assured the Chief that if he would submit, government was inclined to treat him and his far more favourably and more honourably than Oppo Tai. But if he continued to resist, not only a general arming of all the coasts and rivers, but Oppo Tai was to proceed against him. At this part of his narrative, our Chinese historian is again so curious that I shall quote his words at length. When Fai Yang Chao came to Pao, he said, friend Pao, do you know why I come to you? Pao, thou has committed some crime and cometh to me for protection. Chao, by no means. Pao, you will then know how it stands concerning the report about our submission. If it is true or false. Chao, you are again wrong here, sir. What are you in comparison with Oppo Tai? Pao, who is bold enough to compare me with Oppo Tai? Chao, I know very well that Oppo Tai could not come up to you, sir. But I mean only that since Oppo Tai has made his submission, since he has got his pardon and been created a government officer, how would it be if you with your whole crew were also to submit and if his Excellency should desire to treat you in the same manner and to give you the same rank as Oppo Tai? Your submission would produce more joy to government than the submission of Oppo Tai. You should not wait for wisdom to act wisely. You should make up your mind to submit to the government with all your followers. I will assist you in every respect. It would be the means of securing your own happiness and the lives of all your adherents. Chao, Pao, remained like a statue without motion and Faihuang Chao went on to say, you should think about this affair in time and not stay till the last moment. Is it not clear that Oppo Tai, since you could not agree together, has joined government? He being enraged against you will fight, united with the forces of the government for your destruction. And who could help you so that you might overcome your enemies? If Oppo Tai could before vanquish you quite alone, how much more can he now when he is united with the government? Oppo Tai will then satisfy his hatred against you and you yourself will soon be taken either at Wei Chao or at Niao Chao. If the merchant vessels of Hu Chao, the boats of Kuang Chao and all the fishing vessels unite together to surround and attack you in the open sea, you will certainly have enough to do. But even supposing they should not attack you, you will soon feel the want of provisions to sustain you and all your followers. It is always wisdom to provide before things happen. Stupidity and folly never think about future events. It is too late to reflect upon events when things have happened. You should therefore consider this matter in time. How was puzzled? But after being closeted for some time with his mistress, Cheng Yi's widow, who gave her high permission for him to make arrangements with Dr. Chao, he said he would repair with his fleet to the Bokka Tigris and there communicate personally after two visits have been paid to the pirate fleets by two inferior mandarins who carried the inferior proclamation of free pardon and who, at the order of Cheng Yi's widow, were treated to a sumptuous banquet by Pao. The governor general of the province went himself in one vessel to the pirate's ships that occupied a line of Ten Li off the mouth of the river. As the governor approached, the pirates hoisted their flags, played on their instruments and fired their guns so that the smoke rose in clouds and then bent sail to meet him. On this, the dense population that were ranged thousands after thousands along the shore to witness the important reconciliation became sorely alarmed and the governor general seemed to have had a strong inclination to run away. But in brief space of time the long dreaded widow of Cheng Yi supported by the lieutenant Pao and followed by three other of her principal commanders mounted the side of the governor's ship and rushed through the smoke to the spot where his excellency was stationed. When they fell on their hands and knees shed tears, knocked their heads on the deck before him and received his gracious pardon and promised for future kind treatment. They then withdrew satisfied, having promised to give in a list of their ships and of all else they possessed within three days. But the sudden apparition of some large Portuguese ships and some government war-junks made the pirates suspect treachery. They immediately set sail and negotiations were interrupted for several days. They were at last concluded by the boldness of their female leader. If the governor general said this heroine a man of the highest rank could come out to us quite alone why should not I, a mean woman go to the officers of government? If there be danger in it I take it all on myself. No person among you need trouble himself about me, my mind is made up and I will go to Canton. Pao said if the widow of Cheng Yi goes we must all fix a time for her return. If this pass without our obtaining any information we must collect all our forces and go before Canton. This is my opinion as to what ought to be done. Comrades, let me hear yours. The pirates then struck with the intrepidity of their chieftainness and loving her more than ever answered friend Pao we have heard thy opinion but we think it better to wait for the news here on the water than to send the wife of Cheng Yi alone to be killed. Nor would they allow her to leave the fleet. Matters were in this state of indecision when the two inferior mandarins who had before visited the pirates ventured out to repeat their visit. These officers protested no treachery had been intended and pledged themselves that if the widow of Cheng Yi would repair to the governor she would be kindly received and everything settled to their heart's satisfaction. With this in the language of our old ballads up spoke Miss Cheng you say well gentlemen and I will go myself to Canton with some of our other ladies accompanied by you and accordingly she and a number of the children went fearlessly to Canton arranged everything and found that they had not been deceived. The fleet soon followed. On its arrival every vessel was supplied with pork and with wine and every man, in lieu it must be supposed of the share of the vessels and plundered property he resigned received at the same time a bill for a certain quantity of money. Those who wished it could join the military force of government and those who objected dispersed and withdrew into the country. This is the manner in which the great red squadron of the parrots was pacified. The valiant POW following the example of his rival Opo Tai entered into the service of government and proceeded against such of his former associates and friends as would not accept the pardon offered them. There was some hard fighting but the two renegados successfully took Xi Ul forced the redoubtable captain styled the scourge of the eastern ocean to surrender himself drove Frog's Meal another dreadful parrot to Manila and finally and within a few months destroyed or dissipated the wasps of the ocean together. I have already noticed the mark intention of the Chinese historian to paint the character of POW in a poetic or epic manner when describing the battle with Xi Ul fought from seven o'clock in the morning till one at noon, burnt ten vessels and killed an immense number of the parrots Xi Ul was so weakened that he could scarcely make any opposition. On perceiving this through the smoke POW mounted on a sudden the vessel of the parrot and cried out, I, Chang, POW, am come and at the same moment he cut some parrot to pieces. The remainder were then hardly dealt with. POW addressed himself in an angry tone Xi Ul and said I advise you to submit, will you not follow my advice? What of you to say? Xi Ul was struck with amazement and his courage left him. POW advanced and bound him and the whole crew were then taken captives. From that period, says our Chinese historian, in conclusion ships began to pass and repass in tranquility all became quiet on the rivers and tranquil on the four seas people lived in peace and plenty men sold their arms and bought oxen to plow their field they buried sacrifice and said prayers on top of the hills and rejoiced themselves by singing behind screens during daytime and, grand climax to all the governor of the province in consideration of all his valuable services in the pacification of the parrots was allowed by an edict of the son of heaven to wear peacocks feathers with two eyes End of Chapter 18