294 CRUISING AFTER PIRATES. 



a different creek, and entirely hidden and separated 

 from where the gun-boat then was by a mass of moun- 

 tains. We were under weigh in ten minutes, steaming 

 for the spot indicated. The course, however, led past 

 my pirate friend's residence, and as we reached the 

 village, a sanpan pulled vigorously off with a couple of 

 men in her. On seeing them approach I stowed the 

 first informers away, to ascertain, without their seeing 

 each other, the news that these men evidently wished 

 to give. They, too, had information in substance much 

 the same as the first gentlemen. 



I did not quite like this eagerness to show me where 

 the said pirates were, but of course without disclosing 

 my doubts, and keeping the informers out of sight of 

 each other, on we went. The creek was reached ; it 

 was about half a mile wide, and very shallow at the 

 extreme end, — the gun-boat, in fact, could not get 

 within a mile of the bottom of it, — so I anchored, 

 and started with my two boats, taking about twenty 

 men with me. As we pulled along the south side, 

 within fifty yards of the shore, I noticed several 

 men running along amongst the trees, which here grew 

 thickly up the hill-side, and as they were all making 

 for the head of the creek, as we were, I conjectiired 

 that those I saw thus hurrying on were bent on 



