MORE CEUISING AFTER PIRATES. 345 



picked up information from some fishermen that three 

 large junks were anchored in a snug bay about six 

 miles away at a place I knew well. On my way 

 thither I conned over in my mind the mode of attack. 

 The gun-boat I knew could not enter the place they 

 were in, the entrance being exceedingly narrow, and 

 at low tide much too shallow. I also felt quite 

 certain that the pirates were as well aware of this 

 as I was, and might in that case give us a warm 

 reception, as we entered in the boats, and bolt imme- 

 diately afterwards, in plenty time to reach the cover 

 of the hills long before we could get near them. I 

 decided to surprise them if possible, though the chances 

 were against us, as probably look-outs were on the hills 

 watching us. Approaching as near the rocks as possible, 

 I quietly left the gun-boat with seven men, and landed; 

 the little vessel steaming on, with orders to appear off 

 the entrance to the bay, as close in as possible, and to 

 send another boat to my assistance when she reached 

 her position. 



We had hardly three hundred yards of scrubby 

 bushes and grass to go through before the, low ridge 

 which overlooked the little bay was reached. On peer- 

 ing cautiously over I found we were within a hundred 

 yards of the junks, which were below us, and evidently 



