The place of his lost limb was supplied by a wooden one; and industry, temperance, probity, and zeal, supplied the place of a regiment of legs, when employed to prop up a lazy and dissipated frame.

ADVENTURE WITH PIRATES.

From “Fortune’s adventures in China.”

Early in the morning, the whole fleet was in motion, starting all together, for the sake of mutual protection.  The wind and tide were both fair, and we proceeded along the coast with great rapidity, and were soon out of sight of the Min and its beautiful and romantic scenery.  The plan of mutual protection soon seemed to be abandoned, and the vessels soon separated into threes and fours, each getting on as well and as fast as it could.  About four o’clock in the afternoon, and when we were some fifty or sixty miles from the Min, the captain and the pilot came hurriedly down to my cabin, and informed me that they saw a number of Jan-dous, right ahead, lying in wait for us.  I ridiculed the idea, and told them that they imagined every junk they saw to be a pirate; but they still maintained that they were so, and I therefore considered it prudent to be prepared for the worst.  I got out of bed, ill and feverish as I was, and carefully examined my fire-arms, clearing the nipples of my gun and pistols, and putting on fresh caps.  I also rammed down a ball upon the top of each charge of shot in my gun, put a pistol in each side-pocket, and patiently awaited for the result.  By the aid of a small pocket-telescope, I could see, as the nearest junk approached, that her deck was crowded with men; I then had no longer any doubts regarding her intentions.  The pilot, an intelligent old man, now came up to me, and said that he thought resistance would be of no use; I might manage to beat off one junk, or even two, but I had no chance with five of them.  Being at that time in no mood to take advice, or be dictated by any one, I ordered him off to look after his own duty.  I knew perfectly well, that if we were taken by the pirates, I had not the slightest chance of escape; for the first thing they would do, would be to knock me on the head and throw me overboard, as they would deem it dangerous to themselves were I to get away.  At the same time, I must confess, I had little hopes of being able to beat off such a number, and devoutly wished myself anywhere rather than where I was.  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, among 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 defense.  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 defense 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 little use against them.