weighed and stood over to the weather-land, but found we were drifting
fast to leeward. About ten o'clock perceived two Chinese boats
steering for us. Bore up, and stood towards them, and made signals to
induce them to come within hail; on nearing them, they bore up, and
passed to leeward of the islands. The Chinese we had in the boat
advised me to follow them, and he would take us to Macao by the
leeward passage. I expressed my fears of being taken by the Ladrones.
Our ammunition being wet, and the muskets rendered useless, we had
nothing to defend ourselves with but cutlasses, and in too distressed
a situation to make much resistance with them, having been constantly
wet, and eat nothing but a few green oranges for three days.
As our present situation was a hopeless one, and the man assured me
there was no fear of encountering any Ladrones, I complied with his
request, and stood in to leeward of the islands, where we found the
water much smoother, and apparently a direct passage to Macao. We
continued pulling and sailing all day. At six o'clock in the evening I
discovered three large boats at anchor in a bay to leeward. On seeing
us they weighed and made sail towards us. The Chinese said they were
Ladrones, and that if they captured us they would most certainly put
us all to death! Finding they gained fast on us, struck the masts, and
pulled head to wind for five or six hours. The tide turning against
us, anchored close under the land to avoid being seen. Soon after we
saw the boats pass us to leeward.
Thursday the 21st, at day-light, the flood making, weighed and pulled
along shore in great spirits, expecting to be at Macao in two or three
hours, as by the Chinese account it was not above six or seven miles
distant. After pulling a mile or two perceived several people on
shore, standing close to the beach; they were armed with pikes and
lances. I ordered the interpreter to hail them, and ask the most
direct passage to Macao. They said if we came on shore they would
inform us; not liking their hostile appearance I did not think proper
to comply with the request. Saw a large fleet of boats at anchor close
under the opposite shore. Our interpreter said they were
fishing-boats, and that by going there we should not only get
provisions, but a pilot also to take us to Macao.
I bore up, and on nearing them perceived there were some large
vessels, very full of men, and mounted with several guns. I hesitated
to approach nearer; but the Chinese assuring me they were Mandarine
junks[107] and salt-boats, we stood close to one of them, and asked
the way to Macao? They gave no answer, but made some signs to us to go
in shore. We passed on, and a large row-boat pulled after us; she soon
came along-side, when about twenty savage-looking villains, who were
stowed at the bottom of the boat, leaped on board us. They were armed
with a short sword in each hand, one of which they laid on our necks,
and the other pointed to our breasts, keeping their eyes fixed on
their officer, waiting his signal to cut or desist. Seeing we were
incapable of making any resistance, he sheathed his sword, and the
others immediately followed his example. They then dragged us into
their boat, and carried us on board one of their junks, with the most
savage demonstrations of joy, and as we supposed, to torture and put
us to a cruel death. When on board the junk, they searched all our
pockets, took the handkerchiefs from our necks, and brought heavy
chains to chain us to the guns.
At this time a boat came, and took me, with one of my men and the
interpreter, on board the chief's vessel. I was then taken before the
chief. He was seated on deck, in a large chair, dressed in purple
silk, with a black turban on. He appeared to be about thirty years of
age, a stout commanding-looking man. He took me by the coat, and drew
me close to him; then questioned the interpreter very strictly, asking
who we were, and what was our business in that part of the country. I
told him to say we were Englishmen in distress, having been four days
at sea without provisions. This he would not credit, but said we were
bad men, and that he would put us all to death; and then ordered some
men to put the interpreter to the torture until he confessed the
truth.
Upon this occasion, a Ladrone, who had been once to England and spoke
a few words of English, came to the chief, and told him we were really
Englishmen, and that we had plenty of money, adding, that the buttons
on my coat were gold. The chief then ordered us some coarse brown
rice, of which we made a tolerable meal, having eat nothing for nearly
four days, except a few green oranges. During our repast, a number of
Ladrones crowded round us, examining our clothes and hair, and giving
us every possible annoyance. Several of them brought swords, and laid
them on our necks, making signs that they would soon take us on shore,
and cut us in pieces, which I am sorry to say was the fate of some
hundreds during my captivity.
I was now summoned before the chief, who had been conversing with the
interpreter; he said I must write to my captain, and tell him, if he
did not send an hundred thousand dollars for our ransom, in ten days
he would put us all to death. In vain did I assure him it was useless
writing unless he would agree to take a much smaller sum; saying we
were all poor men, and the most we could possibly raise would not
exceed two thousand dollars. Finding that he was much exasperated at
my expostulations, I embraced the offer of writing to inform my
commander of our unfortunate situation, though there appeared not the
least probability of relieving us. They said the letter should be
conveyed to Macao in a fishing-boat, which would bring an answer in
the morning. A small boat accordingly came alongside, and took the
letter.
About six o'clock in the evening they gave us some rice and a little
salt fish, which we eat, and they made signs for us to lay down on the
deck to sleep; but such numbers of Ladrones were constantly coming
from different vessels to see us, and examine our clothes and hair,
they would not allow us a moment's quiet. They were particularly
anxious for the buttons of my coat, which were new, and as they
supposed gold. I took it off, and laid it on the deck to avoid being
disturbed by them; it was taken away in the night, and I saw it on the
next day stripped of its buttons.
About nine o'clock a boat came and hailed the chief's vessel; he
immediately hoisted his mainsail, and the fleet weighed apparently in
great confusion. They worked to windward all night and part of the
next day, and anchored about one o'clock in a bay under the island of
Lantow, where the head admiral of Ladrones was lying at anchor, with
about two hundred vessels and a Portuguese brig they had captured a
few days before, and murdered the captain and part of the crew.
Saturday the 23d, early in the morning, a fishing-boat came to the
fleet to inquire if they had captured an European boat; being answered
in the affirmative, they came to the vessel I was in. One of them
spoke a few words of English, and told me he had a Ladrone-pass, and
was sent by Captain Kay in search of us; I was rather surprised to
find he had no letter. He appeared to be well acquainted with the
chief, and remained in his cabin smoking opium, and playing cards all
the day.[108]
In the evening I was summoned with the interpreter before the chief.
He questioned us in a much milder tone, saying, he now believed we
were Englishmen, a people he wished to be friendly with; and that if
our captain would lend him seventy thousand dollars 'till he returned
from his cruize up the river, he would repay him, and send us all to
Macao. I assured him it was useless writing on those terms, and unless
our ransom was speedily settled, the English fleet would sail, and
render our enlargement altogether ineffectual. He remained determined,
and said if it were not sent, he would keep us, and make us fight, or
put us to death. I accordingly wrote, and gave my letter to the man
belonging to the boat before-mentioned. He said he could not return
with an answer in less than five days.
The chief now gave me the letter I wrote when first taken. I have
never been able to ascertain his reasons for detaining it, but suppose
he dare not negotiate for our ransom without orders from the head
admiral, who I understood was sorry at our being captured. He said the
English ships would join the mandarines and attack them.[109] He told
the chief that captured us, to dispose of us as he pleased.
Monday the 24th, it blew a strong gale, with constant hard rain; we
suffered much from the cold and wet, being obliged to remain on deck
with no covering but an old mat, which was frequently taken from us in
the night, by the Ladrones who were on watch. During the night the
Portuguese who were left in the brig murdered the Ladrones that were
on board of her, cut the cables, and fortunately escaped through the
darkness of the night. I have since been informed they run her on
shore near Macao.
Tuesday the 25th, at day-light in the morning, the fleet, amounting to
about five hundred sail of different sizes, weighed, to proceed on
their intended cruize up the rivers, to levy contributions on the
towns and villages. It is impossible to describe what were my
feelings at this critical time, having received no answers to my
letters, and the fleet under-way to sail,--hundreds of miles up a
country never visited by Europeans, there to remain probably for many
months, which would render all opportunities of negotiating for our
enlargement totally ineffectual; as the only method of communication
is by boats, that have a pass from the Ladrones, and they dare not
venture above twenty miles from Macao, being obliged to come and go in
the night, to avoid the Mandarines; and if these boats should be
detected in having any intercourse with the Ladrones, they are
immediately put to death, and all their relations, though they had not
joined in the crime,[110] share in the punishment, in order that not a
single person of their families should be left to imitate their crimes
or revenge their death. This severity renders communication both
dangerous and expensive; no boat would venture out for less than a
hundred Spanish dollars.
Wednesday the 26th, at day-light, we passed in sight of our ships at
anchor under the island of Chun Po. The chief then called me, pointed
to the ships, and told the interpreter to tell us to look at them, for
we should never see them again. About noon we entered a river to the
westward of the Bogue,[111] three or four miles from the entrance. We
passed a large town situated on the side of a beautiful hill, which is
tributary to the Ladrones; the inhabitants saluted them with songs as
they passed.
The fleet now divided into two squadrons (the red and the black)[112]
and sailed up different branches of the river. At midnight the
division we were in anchored close to an immense hill, on the top of
which a number of fires were burning, which at day-light I perceived
proceeded from a Chinese camp. At the back of the hill was a most
beautiful town, surrounded by water, and embellished with groves of
orange-trees. The chop-house (custom-house)[113] and a few cottages
were immediately plundered, and burnt down; most of the inhabitants,
however, escaped to the camp.
The Ladrones now prepared to attack the town with a formidable force,
collected in row boats from the different vessels. They sent a
messenger to the town, demanding a tribute of ten thousand dollars
annually, saying, if these terms were not complied with, they would
land, destroy the town, and murder all the inhabitants; which they
would certainly have done, had the town laid in a more advantageous
situation for their purpose; but being placed out of the reach of
their shot, they allowed them to come to terms. The inhabitants agreed
to pay six thousand dollars, which they were to collect by the time of
our return down the river. This finesse had the desired effect, for
during our absence they mounted a few guns on a hill, which commanded
the passage, and gave us in lieu of the dollars a warm salute on our
return.
October the 1st, the fleet weighed in the night, dropped by the tide
up the river, and anchored very quietly before a town surrounded by a
thick wood. Early in the morning the Ladrones assembled in row-boats,
and landed; then gave a shout, and rushed into the town, sword in
hand. The inhabitants fled to the adjacent hills, in numbers
apparently superior to the Ladrones. We may easily imagine to
ourselves the horror with which these miserable people must be seized,
on being obliged to leave their homes, and every thing dear to them.
It was a most melancholy sight to see women in tears, clasping their
infants in their arms, and imploring mercy for them from those brutal
robbers! The old and the sick, who were unable to fly, or to make
resistance, were either made prisoners or most inhumanly butchered!
The boats continued passing and repassing from the junks to the shore,
in quick succession, laden with booty, and the men besmeared with
blood! Two hundred and fifty women, and several children, were made
prisoners, and sent on board different vessels. They were unable to
escape with the men, owing to that abominable practice of cramping
their feet: several of them were not able to move without assistance,
in fact, they might all be said to totter, rather than walk. Twenty of
these poor women were sent on board the vessel I was in; they were
hauled on board by the hair, and treated in a most savage manner.
When the chief came on board, he questioned them respecting the
circumstances of their friends, and demanded ransoms accordingly, from
six thousand to six hundred dollars each. He ordered them a berth on
deck, at the after-part of the vessel, where they had nothing to
shelter them from the weather, which at this time was very
variable,--the days excessively hot, and the nights cold, with heavy
rains. The town being plundered of every thing valuable, it was set on
fire, and reduced to ashes by the morning. The fleet remained here
three days, negotiating for the ransom of the prisoners, and
plundering the fish-tanks and gardens. During all this time, the
Chinese never ventured from the hills, though there were frequently
not more than a hundred Ladrones on shore at a time, and I am sure the
people on the hills exceeded ten times that number.[114]
October the 5th, the fleet proceeded up another branch of the river,
stopping at several small villages to receive tribute, which was
generally paid in dollars, sugar and rice, with a few large pigs
roasted whole, as presents for their joss (the idol they
worship).[115] Every person on being ransomed, is obliged to present
him with a pig, or some fowls, which the priest offers him with
prayers; it remains before him a few hours, and is then divided
amongst the crew. Nothing particular occurred 'till the 10th, except
frequent skirmishes on shore between small parties of Ladrones and
Chinese soldiers. They frequently obliged my men to go on shore, and
fight with the muskets we had when taken, which did great execution,
the Chinese principally using bows and arrows. They have match-locks,
but use them very unskilfully.
On the 10th, we formed a junction with the Black-squadron, and
proceeded many miles up a wide and beautiful river, passing several
ruins of villages that had been destroyed by the Black-squadron. On
the 17th, the fleet anchored abreast four mud batteries, which
defended a town, so entirely surrounded with wood that it was
impossible to form any idea of its size. The weather was very hazy,
with hard squalls of rain. The Ladrones remained perfectly quiet for
two days. On the third day the forts commenced a brisk fire for
several hours: the Ladrones did not return a single shot, but weighed
in the night and dropped down the river.
The reasons they gave for not attacking the town, or returning the
fire, were, that Joss had not promised them success. They are very
superstitious, and consult their idol on all occasions. If his omens
are good, they will undertake the most daring enterprizes.
The fleet now anchored opposite the ruins of the town where the women
had been made prisoners. Here we remained five or six days, during
which time about an hundred of the women were ransomed; the remainder
were offered for sale amongst the Ladrones, for forty dollars each.
The woman is considered the lawful wife of the purchaser, who would be
put to death if he discarded her. Several of them leaped over-board
and drowned themselves, rather than submit to such infamous
degradation.[116]
The fleet then weighed and made sail down the river, to receive the
ransom from the town before-mentioned. As we passed the hill, they
fired several shot at us, but without effect. The Ladrones were much
exasperated, and determined to revenge themselves; they dropped out of
reach of their shot, and anchored. Every junk sent about a hundred men
each on shore, to cut paddy, and destroy their orange-groves, which
was most effectually performed for several miles down the river.
During our stay here, they received information of nine boats lying up
a creek, laden with paddy; boats were immediately dispatched after
them.
Next morning these boats were brought to the fleet; ten or twelve men
were taken in them. As these had made no resistance, the chief said he
would allow them to become Ladrones, if they agreed to take the usual
oaths before Joss. Three or four of them refused to comply, for which
they were punished in the following cruel manner: their hands were
tied behind their back, a rope from the mast-head rove through their
arms, and hoisted three or four feet from the deck, and five or six
men flogged them with three rattans twisted together 'till they were
apparently dead; then hoisted them up to the mast-head, and left them
hanging nearly an hour, then lowered them down, and repeated the
punishment, 'till they died or complied with the oath.
October the 20th, in the night, an express-boat came with the
information that a large mandarine fleet was proceeding up the river
to attack us. The chief immediately weighed, with fifty of the largest
vessels, and sailed down the river to meet them. About one in the
morning they commenced a heavy fire till day-light, when an express
was sent for the remainder of the fleet to join them: about an hour
after a counter-order to anchor came, the mandarine-fleet having run.
Two or three hours afterwards the chief returned with three captured
vessels in tow, having sunk two, and eighty-three sail made their
escape. The admiral of the mandarines blew his vessel up, by throwing
a lighted match into the magazine as the Ladrones were boarding her;
she ran on shore, and they succeeded in getting twenty of her guns.
In this action very few prisoners were taken: the men belonging to the
captured vessels drowned themselves, as they were sure of suffering a
lingering and cruel death if taken after making resistance. The
admiral left the fleet in charge of his brother, the second in
command, and proceeded with his own vessel towards Lantow. The fleet
remained in this river, cutting paddy, and getting the necessary
supplies.
On the 28th of October, I received a letter from Captain Kay, brought
by a fisherman, who had told him he would get us all back for three
thousand dollars. He advised me to offer three thousand, and if not
accepted, extend it to four; but not farther, as it was bad policy to
offer much at first: at the same time assuring me we should be
liberated, let the ransom be what it would. I offered the chief the
three thousand, which he disdainfully refused, saying he was not to be
played with; and unless they sent ten thousand dollars, and two large
guns, with several casks of gunpowder, he would soon put us all to
death. I wrote to Captain Kay, and informed him of the chief's
determination, requesting if an opportunity offered, to send us a
shift of clothes, for which it may be easily imagined we were much
distressed, having been seven weeks without a shift; although
constantly exposed to the weather, and of course frequently wet.
On the first of November, the fleet sailed up a narrow river, and
anchored at night within two miles of a town called Little Whampoa. In
front of it was a small fort, and several mandarine vessels lying in
the harbour. The chief sent the interpreter to me, saying, I must
order my men to make cartridges and clean their muskets, ready to go
on shore in the morning. I assured the interpreter I should give the
men no such orders, that they must please themselves. Soon after the
chief came on board, threatening to put us all to a cruel death if we
refused to obey his orders. For my own part I remained determined, and
advised the men not to comply, as I thought by making ourselves useful
we should be accounted too valuable.
A few hours afterwards he sent to me again, saying, that if myself and
the quarter-master would assist them at the great guns, that if also
the rest of the men went on shore and succeeded in taking the place,
he would then take the money offered for our ransom, and give them
twenty dollars for every Chinaman's head they cut off. To these
proposals we cheerfully acceded, in hopes of facilitating our
deliverance.
Early in the morning the forces intended for landing were assembled in
row-boats, amounting in the whole to three or four thousand men. The
largest vessels weighed, and hauled in shore, to cover the landing of
the forces, and attack the fort and mandarine-vessels. About nine
o'clock the action commenced, and continued with great spirit for
nearly an hour, when the walls of the fort gave way, and the men
retreated in the greatest confusion.
The mandarine vessels still continued firing, having blocked up the
entrance of the harbour to prevent the Ladrone boats entering. At this
the Ladrones were much exasperated, and about three hundred of them
swam on shore, with a short sword lashed close under each arm; they
then ran along the banks of the river 'till they came a-breast of the
vessels, and then swam off again and boarded them. The Chinese thus
attacked, leaped over-board, and endeavoured to reach the opposite
shore; the Ladrones followed, and cut the greater number of them to
pieces in the water. They next towed the vessels out of the harbour,
and attacked the town with increased fury. The inhabitants fought
about a quarter of an hour, and then retreated to an adjacent hill,
from which they were soon driven with great slaughter.
After this the Ladrones returned, and plundered the town, every boat
leaving it when laden. The Chinese on the hills perceiving most of the
boats were off, rallied, and retook the town, after killing near two
hundred Ladrones. One of my men was unfortunately lost in this
dreadful massacre! The Ladrones landed a second time, drove the
Chinese out of the town, then reduced it to ashes, and put all their
prisoners to death, without regarding either age or sex!
I must not omit to mention a most horrid (though ludicrous)
circumstance which happened at this place. The Ladrones were paid by
their chief ten dollars for every Chinaman's head they produced. One
of my men turning the corner of a street was met by a Ladrone running
furiously after a Chinese; he had a drawn sword in his hand, and two
Chinaman's heads which he had cut off, tied by their tails, and slung
round his neck. I was witness myself to some of them producing five or
six to obtain payment!!!
On the 4th of November an order arrived from the admiral for the fleet
to proceed immediately to Lantow, where he was lying with only two
vessels, and three Portuguese ships and a brig constantly annoying
him; several sail of mandarine vessels were daily expected. The fleet
weighed and proceeded towards Lantow. On passing the island of Lintin,
three ships and a brig gave chase to us. The Ladrones prepared to
board; but night closing we lost sight of them: I am convinced they
altered their course and stood from us. These vessels were in the pay
of the Chinese government, and style themselves the Invincible
Squadron, cruizing in the river Tigris to annihilate the Ladrones!
On the fifth, in the morning, the red squadron anchored in a bay under
Lantow; the black squadron stood to the eastward. In this bay they
hauled several of their vessels on shore to bream their bottoms and
repair them.
In the afternoon of the 8th of November, four ships, a brig and a
schooner came off the mouth of the bay. At first the pirates were much
alarmed, supposing them to be English vessels come to rescue us. Some
of them threatened to hang us to the mast-head for them to fire at;
and with much difficulty we persuaded them that they were Portuguese.
The Ladrones had only seven junks in a fit state for action; these
they hauled outside, and moored them head and stern across the bay;
and manned all the boats belonging to the repairing vessels ready for
boarding.