A Lady's Captivity among Chinese Pirates in the Chinese Seas

er-Death of a Chinese-The "Lady Mary Wood"-Return to Hong-Kong-Prot

and leaping on deck, I had no greeting to give them. They were chiefly soldiers and officers of the English marine service, and were accompanied by some blue-jackets and one or two sailor-officers. Captain Rooney was with them. He could scarcely contain his joy on seeing me again; and they all crowd

had fired only powder; hoping thereby to bring the pirates upon deck. Had I not gone forward again, and had I not waved my cap as I did, they would assuredly have fired next time with a deadlier purpose. As it was, the removal of the cap left my light hair visible, and Captain Rooney recognized me. When I first showed myself, they to

erable condition in which I came amongst my deliverers. The deck was crowded with gentlemen, chiefly inhabitants of Hong-Kong and its neighbourhood, who had come out with the expedition from motives of curiosity and interest. Thankful to escape from every eye, I gladly retired to the cabin which had been prepared for my use. Here I found clothing and every necessary awaiting me, and hastened to make such a toilette as my weakness and weariness would allow. I looked at myself in the

conceived. Late as it was, he took Captain Rooney with him, and went on board the "Sparta," then lying in harbour, under command of Admiral Sir William Hoste. Nothing could exceed the promptness and generosity with which this gallant officer hastened to place twenty-four marines at their immediate disposal; or the courtesy with which the Peninsular and Oriental Steam-Packet Company lent the "Lady Mary Wood" for their conveyance. By six o'clock in the morning everything was in readiness, and they steamed out of harbour, taking the two prisoners with them, an interpreter skilled in the Chinese dialects, and several gentlemen who went for curiosity and excitement. During the greater part of the day they saw not a single sail. It almost seemed as if the pirates had anticipated pursuit, and purposely abandoned their accustomed haunts. Meeting, however, with some floating fragments of charred wood, they came upon the track of the "Caldera," and found but a few burnt fragments of her hull remaining. Struck with horror, they scarcely dared ask themselves what had been the fate of the crew, but made at once for some huts which lay at a considerable distance along the coast. These huts were inhabited by a few fishermen and their families; but they either were in league with the pirates, or really knew nothing of what had taken place, for no information could be got from them. The steamer then continued

hing of us, and seeing but little likelihood of coming up just yet with any pirate-junks, the captain of the "Lady Mary Wood" prepared to return to Hong-Kong. Scarcely had they put the helm about, when they met a merchant-junk, with the whole of the crew of the "Caldera" on board. These poor fellows, it seemed, finding captain and passengers all taken from them, had made a last despairing attempt to escape in the same large boat which we vainly tried to navigate before.

led the captain to steer in the direction of that very mountain under shelter of which our captors had chanced to anchor. The steamer and the junk, as we afterwards learnt, must have even reached the same spot much at the same time, and anc

ad no words to speak my gratitude. Still more difficult was it to control my emotion when I rea

y, take some comfort, I entreat you. If money alone be wanted for your

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of France at

ee dark objects emerged slowly from the farthest gloom, and came slowly on across the lighted waters. Then the moon rose, and we recognized the boats and their gallant crews. The men were greatly fatigued, but in high spirits, and full of the day's adventures. Having landed at a pirate village, they had fought a pitched battle with the inhabitants; put some to flight, and some to death; discovered and carried off another large share of the cargo of the "Caldera;" and finally set fire to the village in four places at once. This ti

xt stroke would have carried them out of sight, we heard a sudden cannonade, and saw them pulling rapidly back. The bay, it seemed, was full of junks, to the number of forty or fifty, all armed and ready for combat; and the shores were lined with fortifications. Luckily the balls had but whistled above the heads of the rowers, and no harm was done. Deeming it useless to a

easy to distinguish me from the rest. I found myself overwhelmed with offers of hospitality. Mr. Walker, director of the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Packet Company, pressed me to stay with his wife and family; but, grateful as I was, I had made up my mi

. "I offer you shelter and pro

. I blessed the Providence which had watched over me, and the dear fathe

ited me at the head of the landing-stairs, and in a few

rced to keep very quiet, and for a long time was too ill to receive any one. This immense joy, treading so closely on despair, proved too much for my strength, and an attack of brain fever followed. For several days and nights I raved of pirates, poignards, and fires. Nature triumphed at leng

h which I once more beheld myself in the attire of my sex. I may here remark, by way of parenthesis, that in China the men are not o

chly dressed, that at first I scarcely knew him; but he told me that these clothes were all lent to him by a friend, since he, like myself, had been robbed of his entire wardrobe. We talked

my improved health and appearance, presented me with a book, which I instantly recognized as that very German volume in which I had scratched, with a hair-pin, the records of my captivity. He had found it while searching the junk, and, chancing to take it up, opened the pages at t

as if some fatality hung over him; and, grown weary of a sea-life, now only

"you will sail safely this time. Fe