There were reports some while ago of the kidnapping by robbers near Ichang of Capt. R. A. Bell-Syer, Master of the str. Hung Fok, pt. J. R, Hudson, tres., the polar explorer so well known all along the China coast, and others, 'The real facts never came out and have only now been ascertained, after the completion of three anda half months' salvage work on a stranded vessel menaced the whole time by robbers in the neighbouring hills and with no better guard than a handful of soldiers, one party of whom threw in their lot with the brigands and whose own plot to capture the foreigners on the vessel was only discovered in the nick of time.
The Hung Fok, which is one of the upper Yangtze boats, left Tchang on the morning of December 16. Before sailing, she was lightened, because Captain Bell-Syer had insisted that she was too heavy for safety. However, the stuff taken ashore after the subsequent accident was proof that just before she sailed a large quantity of smuggled cargo was run on board. She cleared in safety and maneuvred various races' and rapids without much trouble until reaching the Miaochitset'an. Several attempts to get through the rapids were abortive and eventually the ship, failing to answer her holm, struck the bank and was badly heled for: In order to save her, the Captain promptly beached her and ordered all passengers ashore. All the precautions were taken that could be, then the crew were taken ashore and shelters erected, Crixesp Passencens Trovplesome.
Trouble developed immediately through the Chinese passengers demanding the return of their passage money and, to make matters worse, they robbed the compradore of a number of tickets which they presented for payment besides the proper ones. A settlement was eventually arrived at and, save for Lieut. Corlett. Rr Mr. Kydd, of the Standard Oil Ca., the Japanese Consul-Genera] at Chengtu and Stoker Beesley, of H.M.S. Widgeon, al] the passengers left by junks.
Then came a report of robbers being near by in the hills in large numbers and things looked serious, for the little company had no weapons beyond a small pistol. a sporting rifle and two axes. Soldiers were sent down to the camp ju response to a request for protection, but H.M.8. Teal's command-: to throw in their lot with the rober answered that it was impossible} for the gunboat to come down from! Chungking.
Two days later the Captain went; eff in a sampan to request help from a passing Chinese steamboat, but she would not even slow down,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.