MORE CKUISING AFTER PIKATES. 325 



I now made great preparations to hang these three 

 silk-robed gentlemen, passing a rope from each mast- 

 head, arranging the most elaborate knots, and so on, 

 taking care that they should see and understand what 

 was going on. Their expressions were curious to watch ; 

 one, in particular, tried to treat it as a good joke, but 

 with the most evident inward uncertainty. The other 

 two appeared stolid, but very grave. All now being 

 ready, one was taken to each mast, and the rope passed 

 carefully over their heads. The effect of the ominous- 

 looking noose touching their skin was as if their facul- 

 ties had received an electric shock. They suddenly 

 remembered " the girls were there ; I should have them 

 at once if only I would spare their lives." The gentle- 

 man that laughed at the preparations was so overcome 

 by the excess of his feelings that he fainted, but came 

 to in a few moments on a little salt water being judi- 

 ciously applied. Directions were sent to their subordi- 

 nates in the village, and in a very short time the girls 

 appeared on the beach, escorted by a crowd of men and 

 women : the three rascals were quickly exchanged for 

 the kidnapped fair ones, who were fed with tea and 

 jam, and wrapped up in a sail for the night, and I 

 started on my return to Hong-Kong. It would have 

 been a good lesson, and certainly not an undeserved 

 one, if these celestials had been hanged instead of only 



