The pirates belong to the band of desperadoes who assisted the peasants of Tunghsiang, Kashing prefecture, in their insurrection, as a protest against the collection of the taxes by the authorities on land of which the crops had been destroyed by rain and floods in the summer.
The leader of the pirates personally boarded the launches accompanied by only ten boats, each boat containing ten men, while some thirty or more moored to the banks were lined by men armed with rifles, etc,, ready to fire on the launches should they escape. The Li-hang was the first to arrive at the place of the pirates' ambush, near a temple called Yéwangmiao (Temple of the Wild Prince), some ten miles on the other side of Sungkiang.
The next to pass the scene was the launch of the Tatung, or Japanese, Company, This launch at once stopped when ordered to do so. The leader of the pirates was then heard to. order his men that they were not to molest any Kashing was reached about 4 m. Jone on board who voluntarily handed. and Kazay was passed just before 7 over his or her valuables. Amongst the am. When steaming between the passengers, however, were a father latter place and Sungkiang a mob, and son, the latter of whom, it numbering, according to native state-seemed, was a little too slow in ments, about two hundred men, apobeying the pirates' order to hand over on the banks of the canal, and his money, with the result that he was the laodah of the laaach was slichted shot. Upon hearing the shot the pirate to and ordered to stop. The laodah chief, who was on deck came down into at once increased his speed, and the cabin and seeing the father of the '8s soon as it was noticed that it was his unlucky young man lamenting over his intention to make a run for it, the son's death addressed the old man and desperadoes opened fire. For some condoled with him on his son's unfor-minutes a running fire was carried on tunate and "undeserved" death. from the bank, bat as the pirates had The chief finally brought out of his no craft with which they could board pocket a roll of fifty dollars and handed the launch, it was not long before they the sam to the old man as a solatium, had to give up the chase, The launch to refrain from further and her tow arrived at the Soochow We understand that Creek early in the afternoon.—Thongh ig the passengers the pirates the pirates did not sneeeed in. bringing got hold of treasure valued at nearly down the Inodah, they killed three $10,000 that had been shipped on the passengers outright, and wounded seven Munch from Hangchow and was destined more, four of them severely. The for this port. The launch was then wounded were sent off to hospital as: allowed to proceed. By this time the soon as the launch reached her jet:}Iunch of the Tai Shun-chang Ca., had the dead bodies arrived and at once stopped her engines boat, pending an when called upon to do so by the officials. Information was immediately pirates, Noone was hurt on this launch, lodged with the Taotai who, it is under-which after being plundered of treasure stood, is taking steps to have an arued valued we understand, at nearly $5,000 force sent up the canal. 4\ representa pot, counting. what was taken from
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.