Chap. XX. A MANDAKIN IN DIFFICULTY. 



401 



witnessed. Some of these persons were no doubt 

 pirates themselves or friends of those who were on 

 board of the fleet, which had just been dispersed, 

 but the greater part were respectable inhabitants 

 who were thankful their coasts had thus been rid 

 of a most intolerable nuisance. 



About two or three hundred of the pirates who 

 had esca]3ed to the shore kept together for their 

 safety and protection. Had they not done so the 

 authorities and people would soon have fallen 

 upon them and destroyed them. These infatuated 

 men fled to an enclosed piece of ground on the 

 side of a hill, and dragging up some guns with 

 them endeavoured to place them in position for 

 their defence. 



When the mandarin on shore saw the turn 

 things had taken he pretended to be greatly 

 alarmed, and informed Captain Vansittart that in 

 so far as he, the mandarin, was concerned matters 

 were now worse than before. " For," said he, 

 " the pirates were then at sea, and would have 

 left us in a short time, but now you have driven 

 them on shore where they will commit all kinds of 

 atrocities, and I am unable to control them." But 

 it was not the intention of the English commander 

 to leave things in this state. As soon, therefore, 

 as the piratical fleet had been taken, orders were 

 given to land a sufficient number of men to attack 

 the stronghold on shore. 



The Chinese do not understand the art of war 

 — either at sea or on shore. They like what they 



