PIRATES IN THE EASTERN SEAS.

Waikato Times, Volume V, Issue 275, 14 February 1874, Page 2

PIRATES IN THE EASTERN SEAS.

THE " Pcnansr Gazette " of October 4 contains th« following intiU getue:— "Her M l( je»ty s »hip TWiu met Her M«)e t\'« shi» M'tl'^o it the mouth of the L»root r>>er og the ni^ht of Hie 19th ot Sept^mbi r, and a'tar aconault.ition b' tvreen the ( *ptami. ot the two v sselk, theMid^e and the X jj.h Muatri'n y-icht pro reeded up the river e«rly oa the-moruing of th- 2 th, towinu the bouts which were Uoitined to take part ia the intended action. At about 11 o'clock preparations were made for goini? into action; the boat*, li-ff the Middled by the galley of the Thalia, under Ciptain WMjkomte'i command, to attack the !-toc ade. The M<dge opent d firo immediately, and tho Chines in the stockade returned it, fuwinted by the gun* fr^m throe hpavy war junks which w*>re nnchored dose by. Shortly after iho Rnjah'* yacht, with Optau^.Qrant in command, steamed up clofo to tho fort and anchored. Tue Midge in the meantime BOinehow or other — owing, w*- believe, to n. cham;o of the tide— got ashore, and wak fur a time exposed browd-ide on to the firr of the enemy. A boat wu« imnediatnly pent out with an anchoi, under Mr E.l>», of t\t Thalia, who laid it out >n & most plucky manner, under the fire of the stockade, and the v -f.(jl was taken out of her dangerous poiition. A' about 2 o'clwk all the boat* were mustered under th* Fhelter of the Bijah'o yftcht, and kho t.t' ani( d up into a favourable position, where nt a givon si mil a simulttueou^ attack wus made on the fort, "he 3*ock<i(W, and the j»nk«. Tht sc*ue which ensued is dcMM ibed m bf me more than ordinanl> exciting and brilliant. Contain Woo combe led the attack, and was seen standing in the »Uni nheeis o ( his boat, waving his drawn sword, urgin? his men in the ' oats which, propcUea fast a.i mu»cle and tapernca i«ula, >vcr soon up t > the positions that th^y wen re>-pecti>el,) to ittac\. The assault is said to have been most darinjjly made. The Cames? fo.ight to th« l»st, but woro no match tor the impetuous onslaught made upon thorn by the blue jackets. »nd one alter another the fort, the thret junks, and the s'ocl'adV «uri ended. Lat. r in th* day the boats, after destroying th»> ib^'ta and stockades, spikta^ tht guns, .md burning the junks, prorrr Jed up tno nier in coTipany with the yacht; tlmy ciiuti up -nritii t -far junk and burnt hei, desr yt-d another •»tocknde. tad c pturwl u aocoß'l jur.k Aft«rtla« two of the hcduj of the Sintf En</o board d the yacht, nud uneonditionilly surrendered thems« re< nnd their tnnv (munteriiiK sane 1,00 • strong). doctor oi: hoard the Midgt w.i» directed toitttend : to the troun(!«<d of the trie ny, and d^d iiis btst c » allewutf the r ! 8 ifii r Dgs The bo its ••üb<<iquei > tly ma-ie their wav to tht ir :r> -.pective shi s The wholt> tor.'« en^i^td under Captain | W -oic niihc's voniii'tiid in thi-> assa > t oily amounted to 150 ■i en Ihel<B< on the side of the Cmnewe, a^ tar ta e»uid be | estimated, amounted to about 200 killed and wounded."