324 MOKE CRUISING AFTEB, PIRATES. 



believe he thought half as much of his girls as his junk. 

 The one cost money, the other made it, I suppose he 

 might have said. She was easily rescued from her 

 sandy bed and taken in tow. The guns (all fishing- 

 junks used to be well armed) had been taken out of 

 her, but with a little searching they were found 

 buried in the sand close to. Without further incidents 

 T reached the head of the bay, anchored off the 

 village, and at once demanded the three girls. This 

 request, however, was met with blank looks of astonish- 

 ment, and professions of utter ignorance regarding 

 them. " The three headmen of the village must then 

 return with me to the gun-boat,'' I said. These 

 worthies made all the delay, excuses, and difficulties 

 they could, but ultimately appeared robed in silk, 

 accompanied by a couple of blue-jackets, who escorted 

 them to the boat, and then on board. This sort of pro- 

 ceeding was more native police work than an English 

 man-of-war's ; but if such ideas had been stuck to, and 

 I had simply confined myself to the open sea, and to 

 my bare orders, which were to that effect, the gun- 

 boat might just as well have been returned into store, 

 for all the good towards the suppression of piracy that 

 she eOuld have done ; and many scores more lives would 

 have been lost, and vessels taken, than was actually the 

 case. 



