Among Typhoons and Pirate Craft ... With illustrations

Chapter I

first voyage in the " eamont." In a former work, entitled " A Cruise in an Opium Clipper," I promised the readers thereof that I would fill up the blank of several months that intervened between the time of my engagement as third officer on board the Eamont and our arrival at Hong Kong to refit, previous to sailing on our expedition to Formosa. Those who have read the first cruise must hark back with me to Shanghai, and take up the threads of this narrative from the time of my first appearance on duty as an officer on board the Eamont. AVe are lying in the river, moored with two anchors, almost abreast of the English Consulate, and close to two of her Alajesty's corvettes, that were stationed here at that time, for the protection of British interests. 1; Before I relate to the reader the admirable manner by which the captain brought our rather peculiar crew into disciplinary order, I may as well state that the reason the Eamont was in need of a hardy crew at that time was this : she was going on a hazardous expedi tion, and it was the middle of winter.

She had come up the coast from Hong Kong to Shanghai with a mixed crew of Alalays and Alanilla men, and half her crew had caved in and died of the cold. The remainder were put on board the receiving ship till a passage down the coast could be found for them, therefore a crew of palefaces had to be found, or the expedition abandoned. Aloney being very abundant, men were found, such as they were, and on the whole, we were lucky in picking up a very good crew. As soon as four bells had struck in the forenoon watch of this, my first day, on board the Eamont, all hands were called aft round the mainmast, and the captain delivered a short and very impressive address to the men who had been brought on board from Bob Aliens, — " Now, my lads/' says Captain Gullivar, " while you sail with me, you will be well fed and well paid ; what I require in return is obedience to all commands, whether from me or my officers.

If any of you wish FIRST VOYAGE IN THE "EAMONT." 3 to back out now you are on board an armed ship that fights her way, go at once, for there will be no shilly shallying afterwards." No one replying, the captain says, " You are all agreed to go ? " " Yes, sir," came from the lips of all "Very good, my lads," says the captain ; then, turning to Air. Jule, he adds, " Give them a glass of grog all round, and turn to and unmoor ship." "Very good, sir," replies Air. Jule, who gives the necessary order to the steward, and the main brace is spliced for the first time by this motley crowd of ours. As soon as the grogging is finished I go forward with the boatswain, and we start the hands on to the capstan to heave the anchor up. When the captain takes his departure for the shore Air. Jule of course comes forward, and takes principal charge of the work of unmooring.

At eight bells, mid-day, we have got one anchor up, and the other hove in to a short stay peak ; then the crew are sent to dinner, while we of the after-guard sit down to a well-spread luncheon. When the bell strikes two, all hands are again on the move. Boarding-nettings are lowered down, and stopped along the hammock-rail. The swinging booms b are brought in alongside, and all the boats hoisted up in the davits. At 2 p.m. Captain Gullivar comes on board, accompanied by several Chinese gentlemen of note, who are, seemingly, going as passengers with us, having brought a goodly supply of luggage along with them. The captain having seen his passengers to the saloon, returns on deck, and immediately the work of getting the Eamont under weigh is proceeded with. By the time the anchor is tripped, the topsail and top-gallant sail are set, and the yards braced by to cant her round, then, ere the anchor has reached the hawsepipe, the Eamont has slewed round with her head down the river, all sail is set upon her, and the ensign is dipped to the two men-of-war as a token of farewell, as well as good-bye to all friends on shore.

AVind and tide being alike in our favour, we made good progress down the river, and in less than half an hour we are well away out of sight of H.B.A'I. Consulate or either of the corvettes. As soon as the captain is satisfied of the fore^oino fact, he gives Air. Nealance a peculiar nod of intelli gence. Air. Nealance thereupon calls upon the boatswain to FIRST VOYAGE IN THE "EAMONT" 5 have some of the hatches taken off. He then proceeds down into the hold, and soon returns on deck followed by a dozen or more of her Alajesty's bluejackets, who have retired from her service, and are now entered on board the Eamont for any service that may turn up as the days go by. The bluejackets find their way forward, and are soon as much at home with their new shipmates as if they had sailed with them all their lives.

The Eamont makes rapid headway down the river, and by 8 p.m. we are safely anchored off the receiving-ship at Woosung. The boarding nettings are triced up all round, an armed watch is set under one officer, then all hands not on watch turn in for the night.

Chapter II. Drilling The Crew

AVe do not keep watch and watch, as they do in the navy, but make as near an approximation to it as can be done with the number of hands we carry, and having regard to the work that has to be done. An armed watch, consisting of an officer and four men, is an indispensable necessity throughout the night ; for we are in the midst of robbers and pirates of a singularly clever and desperate kind ; who know that the opium clipper is always a rich prize ; for if she don't happen to have, her cargo of opium on board, she is almost sure to have the value of it and more in good Mexican dollars ; however, I have seldom found them brave enough to attempt a capture within gunshot of any receiving-ship. These receiving-ships, belonging to the different opium companies, are all heavily armed and fully manned to meet almost any emergency ; being simply a kind of floating citadel for the protection of the merchants' DRILLING THE CREW. 7 interests, and a convenient and safe place from which to trade with the surrounding inhabitants.

Two bells in the morning watch, and the boatswain's pipe is heard from stem to stern. Three bells, all hands are on deck, and the work of cleaning ship is proceeded with. Holystones are manned by some, swabbs and scrubbers by others, while the guns are given over to the bluejackets to be put in working order, under the orders of the gunner and his mate. By the time eight bells are struck the Eamont presents a clean and smart appearance ; the flags are set, and all hands, save the regular armed watch, are piped to breakfast. Break fast over and two bells gone, the captain comes on deck and desires Air. Jule to send all hands aft. As soon as all hands are mustered round the mainmast, Captain Gullivar addresses to them a short category of their duties on board as fighting-men. " My lads," says the captain, " as it is possible we may some day be called upon to fight our way, it is actually necessary that you must all learn how to handle a rifle and how to shoot with it.

To-day we will all go on shore, targets will be erected ; each man will get a rifle and ammunition, and a dollar will be the prize for every bull's-eye. The best shots will also be made captains of the big guns, which will be worth five dollars more a month, in addition to their pay as PIRATE CRAFT. able seamen." Turning aside with Air. Jule, he com pleted the general details of how he was to train his marksmen. Air. Jule, Nealance, and I then distributed arms and ammunition, with the accompanying requisite harness for each member of the crew. As soon as we are all thoroughly equipped, two cutters are put in the water, into which we embark to the number of forty, Captain Gullivar following in his gig, in command of the whole party himself. Air. Nealance takes charge of one cutter, the other cutter falling to me, as Air.

Jule has to remain on board in charge of the Eamont with the remainder of the crew. Starting away from the Eamont, we pull right across the river to the north shore, where the ground is somewhat level, and, what is more to our purpose, there are no visible signs of any habitations. A small narrow creek is found in the bank of the river, up which we pull some hundred yards, then, after securing the boats, we land and proceed through the brushwood till a convenient place is found for our practice. The carpenter and his mate put together our targets, which are erected at distances of five hundred, seven hundred, and nine hundred yards. Three of the bluejackets, who are in no need of training, take their DRILLING THE CREW. 9 stations as near the targets as prudent, in order to signal the result of the firing.

Three small flags are given to each signaller, one red, one white, and one blue. Red denotes that the marksman has hit the centre, and made a bull's-eye. White, that he has hit between six inches and a foot of the centre ; and the blue flag tells him that he is very wide of the mark. All three flags held up together means that the target has never been touched. Beginning at the five hundred yards target, each man is given two shots in succession, the first being simply an experimental shot, so that we may see whether they go any way near the line of the target ; the signallers being warned to keep well to the right and left, when the novices are thus given their first shot. The second shot goes towards the marking, and very few of them actually miss the target, while four or five of them cause the red flag to be displayed, and so earn a dollar each.

Twenty of the best shots are taken to the seven hundred yard target bj the captain, where, under his own supervision, they are given three shots apiece, and instructed how to sight the rifle for distance, depression of atmosphere, and windage. Those who made the worst show at the five hundred yards remained firing at that distance under the tuition of PLRATE CRAFT 10 Mr. Nealance, till such time as they could raise the white flag in detailed repetition, then they were taken to the greater ranges and put through another course of instruction. Firing was carried on at these two targets till 1 p.m., when arms were piled, and half an hour's rest given for light refreshment, and, of course, the ever essential inhalation of the fragrant narcotic weed that Jack has been so fond of from time immemorial.

The half-hour soon passes away, then we all take up our positions at the nine hundred yards target. The wind has freshened a little in the interval, and is blowing across the line of fire. One shot apiece is all that is given here for the first round, and no bull's-eye is made. The captain looks rather disappointed, and says, " Aly lads, this will never do ; I would much rather you win my dollars and let me know that you can draw a bee line on to the eye of the target. You must allow for the freshening wind, and a little for the heavier atmo sphere. See how the clouds are gathering above you, and allow a couple of hairbreadths' more elevation on your sight-line." Taking a rifle from one of the men, the captain carefully loads it, and marks the sight-line for the necessary distance, then raising the gun to his shoulder, lets fly at the target, and up goes the red.

DRILLING THE CREW. 11 " There, my lads," says the captain, " you see it is easily done if you will only have a little judgment, and take heed of the wind and weather." " Air. Nealance, Air. Anderson," says the captain, " just you two have a shot, and let them see what steady hands and strong nerves are capable of." Very willingly we comply, for I think we have been itching to have a shot, at any rate I have j for having been with the captain all the forenoon as a kind of aide-de-camp, I have not had a chance of a shot. Nealance may have had several at the short range whilst instructing the backward riflemen, and possibly has his hand in ; but as for me, I had not had a rifle in my hands for several months. I allow Air. Nealance the precedence of the first shot, although he kindly offers me that position.

He fires, and up goes the red and white, intimating that he was just on the edge of the ring of the bull's-eye. I then raise my rifle to my shoulder, and take a deliberate aim, at a point half-way between the upper right corner and the centre of the bull's-eye. The wind is blowing across the line of fire from right to left, and small rain is falling. I pull the trigger and up goes the red, which is waved three times in succession, intimating a dead centre. The captain and Nealance both compliment me for my excellent shot,' the captain remarking that he would not like to stand before me at thirty paces before breakfast of a morning. Two hours' steady firing at the longer range, which gradually grows in excellence, is succeeded by two shots apiece at the shorter ranges, then we retire to the boats, and proceed on board.

The captain gave the result of the day's firing to Mr. Jule when we got on board as "Very good indeed," and added, " if it had not been for the wind freshening, I would have lost a good few more dollars." "Some of them ought to be good shots," says Air. Jule, " for they look to me as if they were well acquainted with shooting-irons, and, although perhaps they have never served in any regular service, it is possible they may have seen some work with Ward or Burgevine." " Rough customers," says the captain, " are what we require here ; they only want keeping well in hand." " Hoist the boats up, and send all hands but the watch below for the day. To-morrow we will have some cutlass and revolver drill ; then, when we get out side, some big gun drill, and then we will be a match for anything twice our size." So says the captain to Air. Jule, as he retires to his cabin.

Chapter III. We Sail From Woosung, And Have Some Big Gun Drill

OUTSIDE. The us ual routine of scrubbing and polishing is pro ceeded with till eight bells the next morning, then at two bells in the forenoon watch all hands are mustered on the deck at general quarters, and placed .in divisions of sixes. Single-sticks with basket hilts are issued to each member of the crew, then they are generally in structed in the tactics of attack and defence, which in those consisted of seven cuts and seven guards. The bluejackets, who had already been trained in the use of the cutlass, were placed in couples at the head of each division to begin the practice, and so initiate the others into the best modes of attack and defence. The officer in charge of a division would also enter the fray, and give and take some of the sharp knocks that are the invariable result of such exercise.

The whole forenoon is employed at single-stick exercise ; then, after dinner, two targets are fitted up on the taffrail, and revolver firing is carried on, with very varied success, ten dollars being the whole amount of the winnings, at one dollar for every bull's-eye ; however, on the whole, there were scarcely any shots went farther from the centre than the breadth of a human body, so that it might be fairly supposed that every shot would tell somewhere in an actual fight. At four o'clock in the afternoon the small arms are placed in the armoury, and the ammunition boxes in the magazine. A private signal is made to the receiving-ship, and in a short time a large launch leaves that vessel for the Eamont, with a goodly number of chests of opium. The opium is quickly taken on board and stowed in the hold; then the hatches are carefully secured and locked.

The usual armed watch is set for the night, and the crew dismissed to their quarters. Dinner is served in the saloon, and afterwards we retire to our various cabins to court old Alorpheus, or otherwise prepare for the doings of the morrow, for it is to be our sailing-day. We are bound to a port in the Gulf of Petchelee, and we have to run the gauntlet of the many piratical craft that haunt the China Sea between here and our destined port. At daybreak the following morning we unmoor ship, and proceed on our voyage to the northward, a portion of the China Sea then but little known to the European navigators. WE SAIL FROM WOOSUNG. 15 We cross the bar in safety, feeling the way by the lead, Nealance and I performing the duty of leads men till we are out in deep water. The Eamont is then run out in the direction of the Saddle Islands till the village of AVoosung is out of sight astern, and the islands but dimly visible to the north-eastward.

The wind is light, and the sea is as smooth as a mill pond. The Eamont is brought to an anchor, and her sails furled ; then two cutters are put in the water and manned. Two large empty barrels are soon modelled into targets, and placed one in each boat. The boats pull away from the ship in opposite directions, one proceeding right off to port, and the other to starboard. As soon as they have got away from the Eamont, a distance of half a mile by the judgment of the captain, a signal is made, the barrel targets are put in the water, and anchored by means of a heavy piece of stone. The boats return to the ship, and are passed astern, out of the line of fire. All hands are piped to quarters, and crews are selected for each of the broadside guns, and the long eighteen pivot gun on the forecastle.

No regular crew is told off for the big sixty-eight pivot gun amidships, for when it is necessary to use this Big Ben the crews of the broadside guns, that do not bear on the enemy attacked, are drawn off to work it, so Big Ben is left alone till the practice with the broadside guns is con cluded. We have eight broadside guns, four on each side, and five men are told off to each gun. Air. Jule takes charge of one side and Air. Nealance the other, the captain, of course, commanding the whole. The pivot gun on the forecastle is my especial charge, and as it is rather lengthy, and takes some working, mostly with handspikes, I am given six men as my gun's crew. The guns are cast loose and run in, then they are carefully sponged out. A blank cartridge is rammed home in each of the guns, now to be used and fired off to see that all are in fair working order.

As soon as the guns are again sponged out, Captain Gullivar gives the order to load with shot, and, standing in a prominent position on the centre of the deck himself, so that he can take note of all that is going on, he says, " Now my lads, the first that hits the target gets five dollars, and two dollars for every time you hit the target afterwards ; also the crew that works their gun the smartest gets ten dollars, and the second best five dollars." Those of the crew who had won the prizes at rifle shooting were given the first shot at the target in order to test them, so that if they were as successful in their practice with the big guns they would remain in charge as captains of their respective guns. WE SAIL FROM WOOSUNG. 17 The guns, after being loaded, were each sighted to eight hundred yards, then in breathless silence, each captain of a gun kneels behind the breech and instructs the wedge and handspike-men how to train the gun, then, as soon as he has got a fair bee-line on the target, the trigger is pulled, the gun captain springs clear of the recoil, and gazes towards the target to see the result of his shot.

One by one in succession ihe guns are thus fired, the captain, watch in hand and glass under arm, watching the effects of his gunnery lessons. Some very fair shooting is the result of the first round, as far as straightness, but most of the shots hit the water at the other side of the targets. " Very good for a beginning," says the captain, when the first round is concluded, " but none of you have made a dollar yet." " Mr. Jule, and you, also, Air. Nealance," says the captain, "have your guns sighted to seven hundred yards. Mr. Anderson," he calls out to me, "your gun is higher than the rest, try a shot at six hundred yards and fire it yourself this time." "Ay, ay, sir ! " I reply eagerly, for I have been itching to have a shot, and only that I knew the captain was desirous of testing and training his men I would have fired the first shot. '-'Air.

Jule and Nealance," I hear the captain say, c "try your hands at a shot with number two gun, but, mind, there are no prizes for your shooting, as I expect mv officers to hit the target every time." This last is added with a broad smile. "Are you ready, Anderson ? " says the captain. " Yes, sir," I reply. " Fire away, then," says the captain, " and make a bull's-eye if you can." I take another squint along my gun, and after getting it fair upon the target, I raise my hand, the trigger is pulled, and I jump up from my knees in time to see my ball take the water about five yards this side of the target, then it ricochets straight over the target, the next splash showing that the target was right on the line between the two splashes. " A capital shot," says the captain ; " now you have got the range, or nearly so, sight your gun for six hundred and fifty, and let your gunner have a shot as soon as we have had another round from the main deck."

Air. Jule and Air. Nealance, like myself, both fail in hitting the targets, although, as the captain said, they had fired straight enough, the shot from their guns just hitting the water the first time as far beyond the target as mine was inside of it. The guns are again loaded and sighted to six hundred and seventy-five WE SAIL FROM WOOSUNG. 19 yards, then the captains of the guns are given a chance to earn the prizes. Numbers one and three on the port side, under the charge of Mr. Jule, win five dollars each, and numbers one, two and four on Mr. Nealance's side win the like amount, while my gun wins a first and second prize at the target. Four rounds have been fired with shot, and the captain evidently deems that a sufficient quantity to be expended at present, for he gives the order to cease firing, and secure guns.

These guns being secured, the men who worked the port broadside are then brought by Mr. Jule to get the large midship gun to position, and pointed towards the remains of the target, out on the port side. A blank cartridge is fired out of Big Ben, then it is well sponged, and carefully loaded. Mr. Jule then arranges the sight for a distance of six hundred and seventy yards, and as soon as he has trained the gun on to the remains of the target, the hammer line is pulled, and we see the shot make an enormous splash right in amongst the debris of the target. The starboard broadside men, under Mr. Nealance, immediately seize the gun and swing it round on its pivots (the carriage being provided with rollers, running on a broad brass rim in the deck) towards the starboard side. Sponging and loading are the wrork of a moment now, the men have c got into the way of it ; then Mr. Nealance trains the gun on to the remains of his target, and like, as Mr. Jule did, he lands his shot right on to what remains of the target, and thus completes its demolishment.

The gun is rounded to amidships and again secured. The captain expresses himself highly pleased with our gunnery practice as he presents the prizes to each gun's crew who have won, and as a solace to the non-winners, all hands are piped to grog, and then dismissed to their quarters.

Chapter IV. The Passage Through The Saddle Islands

A little before sunset, all hands are called on deck to get the Eamont under weigh again. AVhile we were at dinner, Captain Gullivar explained to Air. Jule, Nealance and I his intention of running through a passage in the Saddle Islands that night, and so cutting off a goodly portion of our distance to Niewchwang, as well as, perhaps, evading the piratical junks that might be lying in wait for us if we took the usual route, " There is sure to be some of them on the look out for us," says the captain, "for, although the mandarins at Shanghai keep on beheading them as fast as they can catch them, it seems to have no effect. Twenty-eight were beheaded that morning we left Shanghai, and their heads stuck up on the walls, at the main entrance gate, close to English Town, yet, for all that, I have no doubt that some of their emis saries in the city have given them information of our intended route, as well as full knowledge of all the cargo and specie we have on board."

" I wonder," says Air. Jule, " they don't get some better gun-boats than them two old Yankee craft, and make a clean sweep of them." " That is exactly what is wanted," says the captain ; " but then, don't you see, to-day the Imperialists are in possession at Shanghai ; in a month or two hence the Taipings may have it ; then, these fellows who are the pirates to-day, by siding with the rebels, will get the protection of the mandarins then in power." "How do they get their information ?" asks Air. Nealance. " From the Chinese clerks in the various offices," replies the captain, "who are open to do anj^thing that will bring them dollars, although they would sell their piratical friends at any time for an extra dollar ; and, I daresay, the reason the mandarins are so fond of beheading their prisoners without much trial, is for the purpose of stopping their mouths, for fear they should get implicated themselves ; dead men tell no tales, and the mandarins stick to all the loot they find when a capture is made."

" Where were you living, Anderson, when you were in Shanghai ? " asks the captain. "Very near the centre of the city, with an old PASSAGE THROUGH SADDLE I STANDS. 23 Chinaman named Ah Cheong, whom I had formerly met at Ningpo, and done him a little service there when the rebels attacked that city," I replied. " Did you explore much of the city ? " asks the captain. " No, sir, not much," I reply. " I was present at one of their beheading scenes, and as some of the parties there looked rather askance at me, I thought it safest to keep as near home as possible, for though Ah Cheong had a good deal of influence in a certain quarter, he did not know himself how long that influence would exist. I have also a suspicion that he used me as a link between the authorities in the European quarter, to make his fellow-citizens believe that he was in somewise connected with the different consuls, and that if he was spirited away there would be trouble." ''■ I see," says the captain ; " the soldiers at the gate, seeing you go towards the Consulate, had an idea you were doing business for Ah Cheong.

By-the-bye," adds the captain, " when we get back to Shanghai, just remind me, Anderson, about this same Ah Cheong, and you will perhaps be able to introduce me to him, that is if I have not already met him. It strikes me that I have heard the name mixed up with the Japanese treaty we are going about when we come back." The conversation came to a close as we finished our dinner, then, when the stewards had cleared away the table, the chart of the locality was placed upon it, and the captain described to us the different points and bearings we would have to pass during the night, before we could reach the open sea. " Now, gentlemen," says the captain, " that's the track I am going to take this time ; the wind ought to lead us right through, and when we are through, we know what to do with the Eamont and the north-east monsoon.