282 CRUISING AFTER PIRATES. 



and then bringing himself to the surface he soon got 

 his feet free. Chinamen as a rule swim like fish, and 

 fortunately for this one, he was no exception. He 

 reached the nearest island safely, and from thence to 

 Hong-Kong in a fishing-boat must have been a pleasant 

 journey after the short but peculiar one he had just 

 gone through. His account had been received previous 

 to the boy's; both agreed, and in consequence I was 

 sent out to examine, and, if possible, capture some of 

 the other pirates. Of course it was useless ; no trace 

 whatever could be obtained. 



The seven men were tried and condemned at Hong- 

 Kong, and one morning I had the satisfaction of seeing 

 them all hanged. I think a more cold-blooded affair 

 could hardly be imagined than the above wholesale 

 drowning of eighty-two fellow-countrymen. 



I was cruising up the coast one day, merely on the 

 look-out, having no definite information to go on, when, 

 on passing a small island, two fishermen paddled off in 

 a sanpan. 



" Have got pilong," one immediately said. 



"Where?" I asked. 



" Can makee see," he replied, and on looking in the 

 direction he pointed, I saw two small junks making 

 the best of their way to sea. There was no wind. 



