280 CRUISING AFTEK PIRATES. 



coast, owing to the strength of her crew and armament, 

 applications for passages were sure to be made. 



She was bound for Swatow, a port 1 80 miles to the 

 northward, and towards dusk she got under weigh. As 

 she reached the outer roads of Hong-Kong, or a few 

 miles from the Lymoon Pass, it fell calm, and she 

 anchored. This was about nine o'clock. A few hours 

 afterwards, probably about midnight, a large junk 

 quietly ran alongside, a number of men jumped on 

 board, and before the passengers and crew could show 

 any resistance, they were entirely in the power of a 

 band of pirates. The crew and passengers were at once 

 secured under hatches, and the junk got under weigh 

 and steered for the back or south side of the island 

 of Hong-Kong. 



Soon after daylight, one by one of these unfortunate 

 beings, men and women, as they came up from below, 

 had their hands tied behind them, their feet tied 

 together, and were then flung overboard, a single 

 exception being made out of the eighty-three on 

 board. This was a boy about twelve years old. 

 He was spared, being small enough to make their tea 

 and prepare their opium pipes, etc. The pirates then 

 took the junk, which had a most valuable cargo of 

 opium, a description of plunder these gentlemen par- 

 ticularly appreciate, being easily turned into money, 



