Canton, and compelled the Company's supercargoes to fit out a small
country ship to cruize for a short time against the pirates."
[21] That the whole family must suffer for the crime of one individual,
seems to be the most cruel and foolish law of the whole Chinese criminal
code.
[22] We know by the "History of the Chinese Pirates," that these "wasps
of the ocean," to speak with _Yuen tsze yung lun_, were originally
divided into six squadrons.
[23] In the barbarous Chinese-English spoken at Canton, all things are
indiscriminately called _chop_. You hear of a chop-house, chop-boat,
tea-chop, Chaou-chaou-chop, etc. To give a bill or agreement on making a
bargain is in Chinese called _ch[)a] tan_; ch[)a] in the pronunciation
of Canton is _chop_, which is then applied to any writing whatever.
[24] The following is the _Character of the Chinese of Canton, as given
in ancient Chinese books_: "People of Canton are silly, light, weak in
body, and weak in mind, without any ability to fight on land."
[25] _Joss_ is a Chinese corruption of the Portuguese _Dios_, _God_. The
Joss, or idol, of which Mr. Glasspoole speaks is the _San po shin_,
which is spoken of in the work of Yuen tsze.
THE FEMALE CAPTIVE[26]
LUCRETIA PARKER
The event which is here related is the capture by the Pirates of the
English sloop _Eliza Ann_, bound from St. Johns to Antigua, and the
massacre of the whole crew (ten in number) with the exception of one
female passenger, whose life, by the interposition of Divine Providence,
was miraculously preserved. The particulars are copied from a letter
written by the unfortunate Miss Parker (the female passenger above
alluded to) to her brother in New York.
St. Johns, April 3, 1825.
Dear Brother,
You have undoubtedly heard of my adverse fortune, and the shocking
incident that has attended me since I had the pleasure of seeing you
in November last. Anticipating your impatience to be made acquainted
with a more circumstantial detail of my extraordinary adventures, I
shall not on account of the interest which I know you must feel in
my welfare, hesitate to oblige you; yet, I must declare to you that
it is that consideration alone that prompts me to do it, as even
the recollection of the scenes which I have witnessed you must be
sensible must ever be attended with pain: and that I cannot reflect
on what I have endured, and the scenes of horror that I have been
witness to, without the severest shock. I shall now, brother,
proceed to furnish you with a detail of my misfortunes as they
occurred, without exaggeration, and if it should be your wish to
communicate them to the public, through the medium of a public
print, or in any other way, you are at liberty to do it, and I shall
consider myself amply rewarded if in a single instance it proves
beneficial in removing a doubt in the minds of such, who, although
they dare not deny the existence of a Supreme Being, yet disbelieve
that he ever in any way revealed Himself to his creatures. Let
Philosophy (as it is termed) smile with pity or contempt on my
weakness or credulity, yet the superintendence of a particular
PROVIDENCE, interfering by second causes, is so apparent to me, and
was so conspicuously displayed in the course of my afflictions, that
I shall not banish it from my mind from the beginning to the end of
my narration.
On the 28th February I took passage on board the sloop _Eliza Ann_,
captain Charles Smith, for Antigua, in compliance with the earnest
request of brother Thomas and family, who had advised me that they
had concluded to make that island the place of their permanent
residence, having a few months previous purchased there a valuable
Plantation. We set sail with a favorable wind, and with every
appearance of a short and pleasant voyage, and met with no incident
to destroy or diminish those flattering prospects, until about noon
of the 14th day from that of our departure, when a small schooner
was discovered standing toward us, with her deck full of men, and as
she approached us from her suspicious appearance there was not a
doubt in the minds of any on board, but that she was a Pirate. When
within a few yards of us, they gave a shout and our decks were
instantly crowded with the motley crew of desperadoes, armed with
weapons of almost every description that can be mentioned, and with
which they commenced their barbarous work by unmercifully beating
and maiming all on board except myself. As a retreat was impossible,
and finding myself surrounded by wretches, whose yells, oaths, and
imprecations, made them more resemble demons than human-beings, I
fell on my knees, and from one who appeared to have the command, I
begged for mercy, and for permission to retire to the cabin, that I
might not be either the subject or a witness of the murderous scene
that I had but little doubt was about to ensue. The privilege was
not refused me. The monster in human shape (for such was then his
appearance) conducted me by the hand himself to the companionway,
and pointing to the cabin said to me, "Descend and remain there and
you will be perfectly safe, for although Pirates, we are not
barbarians to destroy the lives of innocent females!" Saying this he
closed the companion doors and left me alone, to reflect on my
helpless and deplorable situation. It is indeed impossible for me,
brother, to paint to your imagination what were my feelings at this
moment; being the only female on board, my terror it cannot be
expected was much less than that of the poor devoted mariners! I
resigned my life to the Being who had lent it, and did not fail to
improve the opportunity (which I thought it not improbable might be
my last), to call on Him for that protection, which my situation so
much at this moment required--and never shall I be persuaded but
that my prayers were heard.
While I remained in this situation, by the sound of the clashing of
swords, attended by shrieks and dismal groans, I could easily
imagine what was going on on deck, and anticipated nothing better
than the total destruction by the Pirates of the lives of all on
board. After I had remained about one hour and a half alone in the
cabin, and all had become silent on deck, the cabin doors were
suddenly thrown open, and eight or ten of the Piratical crew
entered, preceded by him whom I had suspected to be their leader,
and from whom I had received assurances that I should not be
injured. By him I was again addressed and requested to banish all
fears of personal injury--that they sought only for the money which
they suspected to be secreted somewhere on board the vessel, and
which they were determined to have, although unable to extort a
disclosure of the place of its concealment by threats and violence
from the crew. The Pirates now commenced a thorough search
throughout the cabin, the trunks and chests belonging to the captain
and mate were broken open, and rifled of their most valuable
contents--nor did my baggage and stores meet with any better fate,
indeed this was a loss which at this moment caused me but little
uneasiness. I felt that my life was in too much jeopardy to lament
in any degree the loss of my worldly goods, surrounded as I was by a
gang of the most ferocious looking villains that my eyes ever before
beheld, of different complexions, and each with a drawn weapon in
his hand, some of them fresh crimsoned with the blood (as I then
supposed) of my murdered countrymen and whose horrid imprecations
and oaths were enough to appal the bravest heart!
Their search for money proving unsuccessful (with the exception of a
few dollars which they found in the captain's chest) they returned
to the deck, and setting sail on the sloop, steered her for the
place of their rendezvous, a small island or key not far distant I
imagine from the island of Cuba, where we arrived the day after our
capture. The island was nearly barren, producing nothing but a few
scattered mangroves and shrubs, interspersed with the miserable huts
of these outlaws of civilization, among whom power formed the only
law, and every species of iniquity was here carried to an extent of
which no person who had not witnessed a similar degree of pollution,
could form the most distant idea.
As soon as the sloop was brought to an anchor, the hatches were
thrown off and the unfortunate crew ordered on deck--a command which
to my surprise was instantly obeyed, as I had harboured strong
suspicions that they had been all murdered by the Pirates the day
previous. The poor devoted victims, although alive, exhibited
shocking proofs of the barbarity with which they had been treated by
the unmerciful Pirates; their bodies exhibiting deep wounds and
bruises too horrible for me to attempt to describe! Yet, however
great had been their sufferings, their lives had been spared only to
endure still greater torments. Being strongly pinioned they were
forced into a small leaky boat and rowed on shore, which we having
reached and a division of the plunder having been made by the
Pirates, a scene of the most bloody and wanton barbarity ensued, the
bare recollection of which still chills my blood. Having first
divested them of every article of clothing but their shirts and
trousers, with swords, knives, axes, etc., they fell on the
unfortunate crew of the _Eliza Ann_ with the ferocity of cannibals.
In vain did they beg for mercy and intreat of their murderers to
spare their lives. In vain did poor Capt. S. attempt to touch their
feelings and to move them to pity by representing to them the
situation of his innocent family; that he had a wife and three small
children at home wholly dependent on him for support. But, alas, the
poor man intreated in vain. His appeal was to monsters possessing
hearts callous to the feelings of humanity. Having received a heavy
blow from one with an ax, he snapped the cords with which he was
bound, and attempted an escape by flight, but was met by another of
the ruffians, who plunged a knife or dirk to his heart. I stood near
him at this moment and was covered with his blood. On receiving the
fatal wound he gave a single groan and fell lifeless at my feet. Nor
were the remainder of the crew more fortunate. The mate while on his
knees imploring mercy, and promising to accede to anything that the
vile assassins should require of him, on condition of his life being
spared, received a blow from a club, which instantaneously put a
period to his existence! Dear brother, need I attempt to paint to
your imagination my feelings at this awful moment? Will it not
suffice for me to say that I have described to you a scene of horror
which I was compelled to witness! and with the expectation too of
being the next victim selected by these ferocious monsters, whose
thirst for blood appeared to be insatiable. There appeared now but
one alternative left me, which was to offer up a prayer to Heaven
for the protection of that Being who has power to stay the
assassin's hand, and "who is able to do exceeding abundantly above
what we can ask or think,"--sincerely in the language of scripture I
can say, "I found trouble and sorrow, then called I upon the name of
the Lord."
I remained on my knees until the inhuman wretches had completed
their murderous work, and left none but myself to lament the fate of
those who but twenty-four hours before, were animated with the
pleasing prospects of a quick passage, and a speedy return to the
bosoms of their families! The wretch by whom I had been thrice
promised protection, and who seemed to reign chief among them, again
approached me with hands crimsoned with the blood of my murdered
countrymen, and, with a savage smile, once more repeated his
assurances that if I would but become reconciled to my situation, I
had nothing to fear. There was indeed something truly terrific in
the appearance of this man, or rather monster as he ought to be
termed. He was of a swarthy complexion, near six feet in height, his
eyes were large, black and penetrating; his expression was
remarkable, and when silent, his looks were sufficient to declare
his meaning. He wore around his waist a leathern belt, to which was
suspended a sword, a brace of pistols and a dirk. He was as I was
afterward informed the acknowledged chief among the Pirates, all
appeared to stand in awe of him, and no one dared to disobey his
commands. Such, dear brother, was the character who had promised me
protection if I would become reconciled to my situation, in other
words, subservient to his will. But, whatever might have been his
intentions, although now in his power, without a visible friend to
protect me, yet such full reliance did I place in the Supreme Being,
who sees and knows all things, and who has promised his protection
to the faithful in the hour of tribulation, that I felt myself in a
less degree of danger than you or any one would probably imagine.
As the day drew near to a close, I was conducted to a small
temporary hut or cabin, where I was informed I might repose
peaceably for the night, which I did without being disturbed by any
one. This was another opportunity that I did not suffer to pass
unimproved to pour out my soul to that Being, who had already given
me reasons to believe that he did not say to the house of Jacob,
seek you me in vain. Oh! that all sincere Christians would in every
difficulty make Him their refuge; He is a hopeful stay.
Early in the morning ensuing I was visited by the wretch alone whom
I had viewed as chief of the murderous band. As he entered and cast
his eyes upon me, his countenance relaxed from its usual ferocity to
a feigned smile. Without speaking a word, he seated himself on a
bench that the cabin contained, and drawing a table toward him,
leaned upon it resting his cheek upon his hand. His eyes for some
moments were fixed in stedfast gaze upon the ground, while his
whole soul appeared to be devoured by the most diabolical thoughts.
In a few moments he arose from his seat and hastily traversed the
hut, apparently in extreme agitation, and not unfrequently fixing
his eyes stedfastly upon me. But, that Providence, which while it
protects the innocent, never suffers the wicked to go unpunished,
interposed to save me and to deliver me from the hands of this
remorseless villain, at the very instant when in all probability he
intended to have destroyed my happiness forever.
On a sudden the Pirate's bugle was sounded, which (as I was
afterward informed) was the usual signal of a sail in sight. The
ruffian monster thereupon without uttering a word left my apartment,
and hastened with all speed to the place of their general rendezvous
on such occasions. Flattered by the pleasing hope that Providence
might be about to complete her work of mercy, and was conducting to
the dreary island some friendly aid, to rescue me from my perilous
situation, I mustered courage to ascend to the roof of my hovel, to
discover if possible the cause of the alarm, and what might be the
issue.
A short distance from the island I espied a sail which appeared to
be lying to, and a few miles therefrom to the windward, another,
which appeared to be bearing down under a press of sail for the
former--in a moment the whole gang of Pirates, with the exception of
four, were in their boats, and with their oars, etc., were making
every possible exertion to reach the vessel nearest to their island;
but by the time they had effected their object the more distant
vessel (which proved to be a British sloop of war disguised) had
approached them within fair gunshot, and probably knowing or
suspecting their characters, opened their ports and commenced a
destructive fire upon them. The Pirates were now, as nearly as I
could judge with the naked eye, thrown into great confusion. Every
possible exertion appeared to have been made by them to reach the
island, and escape from their pursuers. Some jumped from their boats
and attempted to gain the shore by swimming, but these were shot in
the water, and the remainder who remained in their boats were very
soon after overtaken and captured by two well manned boats
dispatched from the sloop of war for that purpose; and, soon had I
the satisfaction to see them all on board of the sloop, and in the
power of those from whom I was fully satisfied that they would meet
with the punishment due to their crimes.
In describing the characters of this Piratical band of robbers, I
have, dear brother, represented them as wretches of the most
frightful and ferocious appearance--blood-thirsty monsters, who, in
acts of barbarity ought only to be ranked with cannibals, who
delight to feast on human flesh. Rendered desperate by their crimes
and aware that they should find no mercy if so unfortunate as to
fall into the hands of those to whom they show no mercy, to prevent
a possibility of detection, and the just execution of the laws
wantonly destroy the lives of every one, however innocent, who may
be so unfortunate as to fall into their power--such, indeed,
brother, is the true character of the band of Pirates (to the number
of 30 or 40) by whom it was my misfortune to be captured, with the
exception of a single one, who possessed a countenance less savage,
and had the appearance of possessing a heart less callous to the
feelings of humanity. Fortunately for me, as Divine Providence
ordered, this person was one of the four who remained on the island,
and on whom the command involved after the unexpected disaster which
had deprived them forever of so great a portion of their comrades.
From this man (after the capture of the murderous tyrant to whose
commands he had been compelled to yield) I received the kindest
treatment, and assurances that I should be restored to liberty and
to my friends when an opportunity should present, or when it could
be consistently done with the safety of their lives and liberty.
This unhappy man (for such he declared himself to be) took an
opportunity to indulge me with a partial relation of a few of the
most extraordinary incidents of his life. He declared himself an
Englishman by birth, but his real name and place of nativity was he
said a secret he would never disclose! "although I must (said he)
acknowledge myself by profession a Pirate, yet I can boast of
respectable parentage, and the time once was when I myself sustained
an unimpeachable character. Loss of property, through the treachery
of those whom I considered friends, and in whom I had placed
implicit confidence, was what first led me to and induced me to
prefer this mode of life, to any of a less criminal nature--but,
although I voluntarily became the associate of a band of wretches
the most wicked and unprincipled perhaps on earth, yet I solemnly
declare that I have not in any one instance personally deprived an
innocent fellow creature of life. It was an act of barbarity at
which my heart ever recoiled, and against which I always protested.
With the property I always insisted we ought to be satisfied,
without the destruction of the lives of such who were probably the
fathers of families, and who had never offended us. But our gang was
as you may suppose chiefly composed of and governed by men without
principle, who appeared to delight in the shedding of blood, and
whose only excuse has been that by acting with too much humanity in
sparing life, they might thereby be exposed and themselves arraigned
to answer for their crimes at an earthly tribunal. You can have no
conception, madam (continued he), of the immense property that has
been piratically captured, and of the number of lives that have been
destroyed by this gang alone, and all without the loss of a single
one on our part until yesterday, when by an unexpected circumstance
our number has been reduced as you see from thirty-five to four!
This island has not been our constant abiding place, but the bodies
of such as have suffered here have always been conveyed a
considerable distance from the shore, and thrown into the sea, where
they were probably devoured by the sharks, as not a single one has
ever been known afterward to drift on our shores. The property
captured has not been long retained on this island, but shipped to a
neighboring port, where we have an agent to dispose of it.
"Of the great number of vessels captured by us (continued he) you
are the first and only female that has been so unfortunate as to
fall into our hands--and from the moment that I first saw you in our
power (well knowing the brutal disposition of him whom we
acknowledged our chief) I trembled for your safety, and viewed you
as one deprived perhaps of the protection of a husband or brother,
to become the victim of an unpitying wretch, whose pretended regard
for your sex, and his repeated promises of protection, were
hypocritical--a mere mask to lull your fears until he could effect
your ruin. His hellish designs, agreeable to his own declarations,
would have been carried into effect the very morning that he last
visited you, had not an all-wise Providence interfered to save
you--and so sensible am I that the unexpected circumstance of his
capture, as well as that of the most of our gang, as desperate and
unprincipled as himself, must have been by order of Him, from whose
all-seeing eye no evil transaction can be hidden, that were I so
disposed I should be deterred from doing you any injury through fear
of meeting with a similar fate. Nor do my three remaining companions
differ with me in opinion, and we all now most solemnly pledge
ourselves, that so long as you remain in our power, you shall have
nothing to complain of but the deprivation of the society of those
whose company no doubt would be more agreeable to you; and as soon
as it can be done consistently with our own safety, you shall be
conveyed to a place from which you may obtain a passage to your
friends. We have now become too few in number to hazard a repetition
of our Piratical robberies, and not only this, but some of our
captured companions to save their own lives, may prove treacherous
enough to betray us; we are therefore making preparation to leave
this island for a place of more safety, when you, madam, shall be
conveyed and set at liberty as I have promised you."
Dear brother, if you before doubted, is not the declaration of this
man (which I have recorded as correctly as my recollection will
admit of) sufficient to satisfy you that I owe my life and safety to
the interposition of a Divine Providence! Oh, yes! surely it is--and
I feel my insufficiency to thank and praise my Heavenly Protector as
I ought, for his loving kindness in preserving me from the evil
designs of wicked men, and for finally restoring me to liberty and
to my friends!
I cannot praise Him as I would,
But He is merciful and good.
From this moment every preparation was made by the Pirates to remove
from the island. The small quantity of stores and goods which
remained on hand (principally of the _Ann Eliza's_ cargo) was either
buried on the island, or conveyed away in their boats in the night
to some place unknown to me. The last thing done was to demolish
their temporary dwellings, which was done so effectually as not to
suffer a vestige of any thing to remain that could have led to a
discovery that the island had ever been inhabited by such a set of
beings. Eleven days from that of the capture of the _Ann Eliza_ (the
Pirates having previously put on board several bags of dollars,
which from the appearance of the former, I judged had been concealed
in the earth) I was ordered to embark with them, but for what place
I then knew not.
About midnight I was landed on the rocky shores of an island which
they informed me was Cuba, they furnished me with a few hard biscuit
and a bottle of water, and directed me to proceed early in the
morning in a northeast direction, to a house about a mile distant,
where I was told I would be well treated and be furnished with a
guide that would conduct me to Mantansies. With these directions
they left me, and I never saw them more.