PIRATES IN DISGUISE.
BRITISH SHIP SEIZED AND LOOTED.
The following interesting account has been obtained of the recent attack on the British steamer Sainan by Chinese pirates: — On the evening of July 13th the steamer Sainam, of 588 tons, trading between Canton and Wuchow, left Kankong on the West River for Samshui. All went well for half an hour or so from the commencement of the journey. At about a quarter-past seven in the evening, Captain Joslin, the Rev. D. H. J. J. Macdonald, M.D., of the Wesleyan Missionary Society; and Mr J. Seggie, chief engineer, were standing outside the saloon door, after dinner, when they observed what appeared to be the first symptoms of a slight disturbance among the Chinese passengers — some of whom were in reality pirates in disguise. An Indian guard was seen to lead one of the ringleaders by the queue, with the ostensible purpose of taking him before the captain. In doing so the watchman was noticed to try to reach his revolver on the side of his belt. He was at once overpowered by some Chinese, and knocked down. Thereupon the three Europeans, led by Captain Joslin, rushed to the watchman's assistance, without, however, taking the precaution of providing themselves with weapons. This was explained by their belief that the attack was only a case of common assault. When the Europeans got near, a concerted murderous charge was made by a gang of twenty or more fiends, who viciously attempted to reach the doctor and the ship's officers with swords, one ruffian meanwhile firing a shot from a rifle at Captain Joslin, which lodged a bullet under his breast bone, penetrating to the back.
MURDER OF DR. MACDONALD.
It at once dawned upon the three men that they were face to face with the desperadoes for which the locality is notorious, and that a hand-to-hand encounter would have to be fought to the death. With wonderful presence of mind the three men ran to wheel-house for the ship's arms, closely pursued by the murderous gang. Before the officers had time to get the rifles out of the stand, they were forced to seek an exit by the opposite door of the wheelhouse. No sooner had they emerged from this exit than a second gang, quite as numerous as the first, and armed with rifles and swords, charged from the opposite direction. Meanwhile the pirates were reinforced by their confederates. Seeing the overwhelming odds against them, the Europeans turned to the saloon, where they hoped to find shelter. Engineer Seggie was the last to get into the saloon and promptly closed the door after him. All this time Captain Joslin was unaware that he had been wounded by the first rifle shot from the pirates. And as blood now began to flow from the wound and he felt his coat wet on his skin, he turned round to Dr Macdonald, saying, "I am wounded!" The doctor's first thought was to render immediate aid to his injured companion, and he proceeded to open the captain's coat to ascertain the extent of his injuries. While he was so engaged a stinkpot was thrown into the saloon, dispersing the men there. Captain Joslin and the doctor rushed out on the starboard (or port side of the ship — it has not been clearly established), and as soon as they were outside the saloon, Dr Macdonald exclaimed to the Chinese, in the vernacular in which he was quite proficient, "Urn ho! Urn ho!" ("Don't, don't.") Before he could utter another word one of the pirates drew his revolver, and, pointing it at Dr Macdonald, blew out his brains.
THE CAPTAIN FEIGNS DEATH.
Resistance against such frightful odds was completely hopeless, and Captain Joslin, incapacitated from further fight by his serious wound, bethought himself of Dr Macdonald's cabin to escape the slaughter. As he reached the cabin he dropped on the floor through exhaustion and loss of blood streaming from his wound. Even here, and in the helpless condition that he was, the pirates, bent on doing him to death, followed him. The murderers started kicking Captain Joslin as he lay on the floor, and mercilessly knocked him about. His presence of mind did not fail him even at this critical juncture, and Captain Joslin feigned death. He wore a gold ring on his finger, which, before the pirates departed, they cruelly wrenched off, tearing his skin, and a portion of his flesh as they did so. Then they left, giving him a parting kick on his prostrate body as they turned away. Before the struggle proceeded between the pirates and the Europeans, the ruffians made sure of overpowering all the four Indian guards, who were the first objects of attack. By sheer force of numbers the Indians were placed hors de combat, not before, however, showing a plucky fight in the stubborn resistance they made, against such big odds.
LOOTING THE SHIP.
Chief Engineer Seggie owes his life no less to his own pluck than to the assistance of his Chinese fireman, who helped him to a place of refuge behind the boilers. To reach him at this point of vantage, the pirates could only approach singly, and, cowards that they were, none dared to do so. Having disposed of the European officers and the Indian guards, the marauders obtained complete control of the vessel. The pirates had the Sainam anchored in a creek, and forthwith began the work of looting. No sooner was the looting completed than the gang — variously estimated at between 100 and 150 men — systematically transferred all their booty into five long "snake boats" that were awaiting the spoil in the vicinity. The crews of these boats are said to have been all naked, but had taken the precaution of having their bodies painted in different colored dyes so as all the more effectually to complete their disguise. They were armed with modern rifles to cover the retreat of their confederates. The piratical fleet was quickly out of sight. When all danger was thought to be over the pilot assumed chaise of the Sainam and promptly cleared her. The native fireman at the same time went up to Seggie in his retreat as the carrier of the joyful tidings that "Alla makee go," meaning that the pirates had departed. He also told his chief that "Captain he long dead," so completely successful, was Joslin's ruse. Seggie got out of his hiding place almost immediately, and made straight for the captain in Dr Macdonald's cabin. Captain Joslin recognised his fellow-officer as soon as he stepped in, and in unfaltering tones inquired, "Is that you, Seggie?" On being assured that he was no other, the joy was mutual that both had survived the dreadful ordeal of the evening. The chief engineer's injuries, though severe, were due to burns from the primitive Chinese infernal machine, and the scalds from contact with the hot boilers. Captain Joslin, with assistance, was taken up on the top deck, and there he remained in a chair at his post till Samshui was reached. -Poverty Bay Herald, 6/10/1906.
A ROMANCE OF THE EAST.
EXPERIENCES OF A SEA CAPTAIN.
CAPTURED BY PIRATES.
The waters of the East have been prolific of many piratical excursions of late, but it is rarely that a New Zealander has had the experience in Chinese waters that fell to the lot of Captain Fred W. Joslin, at one time an officer in the service of the Union Company. Captain Joslin passed through Wellington by the Wimmera yesterday on his way to Dunedin, where his wife and family reside. In an interview with a representative of the Post, the captain recounted the story of an encounter with pirates which resulted in his being shot through the chest and left for dead on his own vessel. Captain Joslin was in command of a stern-wheel steamer named the Sainam, engaged in the trade between Canton and Woochoo, and the trouble he became involved in was caused by a rumour getting abroad that his vessel was carrying a valuable consignment of specie from Canton.
On the memorable trip under review the Saiman left Canton on the 14th July. A number of pirates, with designs on the specie which the vessel was supposed to be carrying, boarded the vessel in the guise of passengers. At about 7 p.m., after the captain had dined with his chief engineer (Mr. Seggie) and Dr. McDonald, a missionary doctor, he left the saloon, and went out on deck for a smoke. He saw a Chinaman pursuing an Indian watchman round the deck, and thinking it was a private squabble between the two men, felled the Chinaman with a blow. Immediately on rising, the Chinaman, who was armed, fired at the captain, the bullet entering his chest and coming out on the right side. After this, about 50 of the pirates commenced to fire shots from all parts of the ship. The captain set off for shelter in the saloon, and on arriving there noticed blood flowing from his wound, which was the first he knew of his being wounded.
Dr. McDonald made the skipper sit down on a sofa, and whilst there the pirates surrounded the saloon, and commenced firing at its occupants through the port holes. The engineer meanwhile had secreted himself under the boilers in the engineroom. The pair in the saloon were subjected to a hot fire, and to get out of range crawled under the table, where the angle was too great for the bullets to reach them. As the firearms proved of no avail, the pirates resorted to the use of a "stink-pot," which was thrown inside the saloon. The prisoners were now in a dilemma, and to avoid being suffocated by the fumes of the "stink-pot," they decided to go out on to the deck again and face the enemy. The doctor, being a missionary, and well known amongst the Chinese, thought that by speaking in the Chinese language he would be able to reason with the pirates. Accordingly he laid out flat, crying, "Mohtah, mohtah!" — which means, "Do not strike" — as he progressed. As soon as the pirates saw the prostrate man, one of them approached him, and deliberately fired a shot through his brain, killing him instantly.
During this time the captain was endeavouring to gain his room near the fore part of the bridge. He met about twenty of the pirates coming out of his room, and they immediately opened fire on him again. As a last resource the captain fell to the deck, and with a faint hope of saving his skin pretended to be dead. He was examined by the pirates, who kicked and generally maltreated the apparently dead body. The captain's clothes were torn off to see if he had a money-belt on him, and a ring was wrenched off one of his fingers, and all his valuables were purloined. The Chinese could not make out where the captain had been shot, and commenced to make a closer examination. One man discovered the bullet hole in the chest, and with a fiendish laugh, thrust his finger into the cavity. This quite satisfied the pirates, who left the body with a few parting kicks. As darkness had come on the Chinese went on to the bridge and ordered the pilot to take the steamer to Funwoo, which was done. On arrival, as the captain learned afterwards from the pilot, five snake boats ranged alongside, and a horrible scene ensued, the Chinese commencing to knock the ship about, and break everything of any value about the decks. They then retired below, and pillaged the cargo, but not finding the specie the boats gradually left the ship. When all the boats were clear the pilot was informed that his captain had been killed, and the ship was now his to take it wherever he liked.
When the ship was quite free of the pirates the engineer was called out of his place of hiding by a fireman. He made enquiries for the captain, and was told that he had been shot. Proceeding along the deck he came across the dead body of Dr. McDonald, and afterwards found the captain all safe, but severely shaken. Captain Joslin was able to get up, and take his ship to Samshui. The doctor of the British gunboat Moorhen was sent for on his rival, and he dressed the wound of the sorely tried skipper, who, within half an hour, was steering his vessel back to Canton. Leaving the vessel there, Captain Joslin went to Hongkong, where he spent ten days in hospital, and then set out for a six months' rest in New Zealand.
Captain Joslin is now on his way to Dunedin. He still feels the effect of his wound, but he hopes to get back to the East after his rest. "I have some old scores to pay off out there," remarked the captain as he bade farewell. -Evening Post, 2/11/1906.
Captain Joslin, who was in Auckland last year recovering from the wounds in the stomach and loins caused through the attack of pirates upon his vessel on the West River at Canton, is now an officer upon the steamer Zafiro, trading between Hong Kong and Manila. For the outrage of the pirates he has, since he was in Auckland, received compensation from the Chinese Government to the extent of about 12,000 dollars, or about £1,250 of English money. Captain Joslin contemplates an early and permanent return to New Zealand, with the intention of settling at Dunedin, where his wife and family are now living. By the way, another New Zealander is also an officer on the Zafiro — an old Tauranga boy named Murphy. -Observer 23/5/1908.
News has been received to the effect that Mr. Joslin, second officer on the China and Manila Company's steamer Zafiro, died on the night of Monday, the 10th May last, at the Government Civil Hospital, Hongkong. Death was caused by heat apoplexy. The deceased gentleman was about 50 years of age, and was well-known in New Zealand, having visited here about three years ago. An interesting interview with him appeared at the time in the Post. He leaves a widow and two grown-up sons in Otago. For some years Mr. Joslin was engaged on vessels trading on the New Zealand coast. As chief officer of the steamers Ohau, Taupo, and Lindus, he was associated with Captain Johnston, now harbourmaster at Wellington. Subsequently he went to China, and was commanding the steamer Saiman when she was pirated on the West River. He alone of a large company escaped by feigning death, the rest being killed. -Evening Post, 14/6/1909.
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