RUSHED BY PIRATES.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8258, 11 October 1906, Page 7

RUSHED BY PIRATES.

TERRIBLE AFFRAY ON A BRIiISH STEAMER. A thrilling account of the recent attaok on tbe Untisb steamer satnam by Chinese pirates is furnished by Renter's Hong-kong ooirespondent, The steamer Sainam, of 588 tons, trading between Canton and Wuohow, was proeeeding from Kankong, on tbe Weat River, for samahui. At about a-qaarter past seven in tbe evening Captain Josliu, tbe Rev. Dr. R. J. J. Maodonald, M.D., of tbe Wesleyan Missionary Society, and Mr J. Seggie, ohief engineer, observed what.appeared to be the first symptoms of a slight anoe among tbe Chinese passengers —some of whom were in reality piratea in disguise. An Indian guard took one of the ring-leaders by the quene, but was at once overpowered by sojoo Chinese and knooked down. Thereupon tbe three Europeans, led by Captain Joalin, rushed to the watchman's assistance. When the Europeans, who were unarmed, got near, a concerted murderous charge was made by a gang of twenty or more fiends, armed with swords and rifles, one ruffian firing a sliot from a rifle at Captain Joslin, which lodged a bullet under his breast-bone, penetrating to tbe back. It at onoe dawned upon the three men that they were face to face with the desperadoes for whioh the locality is notorious, and that a hand-to-band encounter would have to be fought to the death. The three ran to the wheelhouae for the ship's arms; closely PURSUED BY THE MURDEROUS GANG. Before the officers bad time to get the rifles out of the stand they were forced to seek an exit by tbe opposite door of the wheelhouae. No sooner had they emerged from this exit than a second gang, quite as numerous as the first, and armed with rifles and swords, charged from the opposite direction. Seeing the overwhelming odds against them the Europeans turned to the saloon, where they hoped to find shelter. Engineer SegHie was the last to get into the saloon, and promptly closed the door after him. All this time Captain Joslin was unaware that he bad been wounded by the first rifle shot from the pirates. And as blood now began to flow from the wound, 1 and he felt bia coat wet on his skin, he turned round to Dr Macdonald saying, "I am wounded!" The doctor proceeded to open the captain's coat to ascertain tbe extent of his injuries. While he was so engaged a stinkpot was thrown Into the saloon, dispersing the men there. Captain Joslin and tbe doctor rushed out. Tbe doctor exclaiming in Chinese, "Cm hot ura ho!£" (Don't! don't'.) One of the pirates drew his revolver, and, pointing it at JDr Mnorlonald, blew out his brains. Resistance against snch frightful odds was completely hopeless, and Captain Josliu, incapacitated from further fight by his serious wound, marl a tor Dr Macdonald's cabin, whore he dropped on the floor through [exhaustion and loss of blood. The pirates, bent on doing bim [to death, followed him, and started kioking him as he lay on the flonr,nnd mercilessly knocked him about. CAPTAIN JOSLIN FEIGNED DEATH, . After wrenohing a ring from the captain's finger, tearing the flesh as they did so, they left liim. Meanwhile the four Indian guards, % who were the first objeots of attaok, were placed hors de combat, not before, however, showing a plucky fight in the stubborn resistance they made against such big odds. Ohief Engineer Seggie owes his life no loss to his own pluck'than to the assistance of his Chinese fireman, who helped bim to a plaoe of refuge, behind the boilers. . To reach him at tbia point of vantage the . pirates could only approach singly, and, cowards as they were, none dared to do so. Tbe pirates, now in possession of the Sainam anohored her in a oreek, and looted her completely, transferring their booty into five "snake boats" that were awaiting the spoil in tbe vicinity. The crews of these boats are said to have been all naked, but had 'iaken tbe rreoaution of having Jheir bodies painted in different coloured dyes, so as all the more effeotualiy to complete their disguise,. They were armed with modern rifles to cover the retreat of their confederates. After the pirates had disappeared the native fireman informed Mr Seggie of this fao*, and that "Captain, belong dead," so uompletoly successful was Joslin's ruse. Seggie got out of bis biding place almost immediately, and mado Btralgbt for the captain in Dr Maodonold's cabin, where he found him alive. The chief-engineer's injuries, though severe, were due to gburns from the primitive Chiueso infernal machine and scalds from contact with the hot boilers. Captain Joalin, with assistance, was taken up to tbe top deck, and there he remained in a chair at his post till Sbamshui wbb reached.