THE THREACHEROUS MALAY.

Waikato Argus, Volume III, Issue 221, 11 December 1897, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE THREACHEROUS MALAY.

MODERN PIRATES AND MUTINEERS. Piracy is still very prevalent in the Chinese seas,'andmany agood ship basdisappsared from the face of the waters, leaving no trace, in consequence of the industry of these sea-thieves. Even the navigation of the Canton Elver requires the greatest precautions in this respect. A method the corsairs have is for a number of associates to take passage to some near port of call, and •when a ship is off a certain poiut to create an alarm, or even to commence an attack, the vessel being then in the general oonfusion set upon by boats. The captain of one of the P. and 0. boats told me that ho was once rendered very uneasy by a number of low-looking Celestials who took shcrt passages at Canton. " However," said he, " I took my precautions. I know the danger would te at night, when most of the passen filers were in their berths. At nightfall, therefore, I quietly gave instructions to all my officers and engineers toarm themselves with a revolver apiece and to be on their guard. Then, instead of running close in shore, as is customary I went out a mile or two from land, the habit of the pirates being to lie hidden in lonely creeks and rush out swiftly when Ihey hear the signal from those on board. Fortunately nothing happened. Butj" ho added, " three-fourths of good seamanship is to take precautions. A few months afterwards a ship was taken in the Canton River exactly in the manner I have described, which dies not make me regret my foresight." The Malay races are very treacherous, and some of the worst mutinies of lata years have occured on board ships where perhaps the offi-jers only hare been white men. A desperate mutiny of the kind ocoured a few years ago in an American ship called the Frank N. Thayer, which was on a voyage from Manila to New York.

Two Indian coolies had been shipped at the former place, and when the vessel was about 700 miles south-eist of St. Helena, they made a desperate attack, on the cabin in the dead of mglit, after disabling the iir.it and second mates. There was a suspicion of a Scandinavian sailor being in league with them ; but he afterwards helped the captain with his brave wife to recover the ship from the ruffians, who had fastened the rest of the crew in the forecastle.

The end of it was tragic enongh. One of the coolies, being struck with a bullet, ran forward and jumped overboard. The other dived from a forebatcb, which had been left open for ventilation, and set fire to the car,?o. Soon flames began to ascend, and while all hands were at work trying to subdue thern, the c K)lie rushed out, and with a horrible yell leapt into the sea. But this mad act had ensured the destruction of the ship. After the flimes had been battled with for some time, it was found nesessary to take to the boats.

Oae was capsized ; and the other, crowded with 17 souls, including the captain's wife and child, made for St. Helena, with three oars for a mast and a blanket for a sail, finally arriving after a week of misery and privation.—From Cassel's Family Magazine for September.