390 SCENE ON BOARD. [Cuar. XXT. 
The scene around me was a strange one. The 
captain, pilot, and one or two native passengers 
were taking up the boards of the cabin-floor, and 
putting their money and other valuables out of sight 
amongst the ballast. The common sailors, too, had 
their copper cash, or “ tsien,” to hide; and the 
whole place was in a state of bustle and confusion. 
When all their more valuable property was hidden, 
they began to make some preparations for defence. 
Baskets of small stones were brought up from the 
hold, and emptied out on the most convenient parts 
of the deck, and were intended to be used instead 
of fire-arms when the pirates came to close quarters. 
This is a common mode of defence in various parts 
of China, and is effectual enough when the enemy 
has only similar weapons to bring against them ; 
but on the coast of Fokien, where we were now, all 
the pirate junks carried guns, and consequently a 
whole deck-load of stones could be of very little 
use against them. 
During the general bustle I missed my own 
servant for a short time. When he returned to 
me, he had made such a change in his appearance 
that I did not recognise him. He was literally 
clothed in rags, which he had borrowed from the 
sailors, all of whom had also put on their very 
worst clothes. When I asked him the reason of 
this change in his outward man, he told me that 
the pirates only made those persons prisoners who 
had money, and were likely to pay handsomely for 
