CHINA PIRATES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 29, 4 February 1935, Page 7

CHINA PIRATES.

Thrilling Experience for

Children.

HUNT FOR SOUVENIRS

HONGKONG, February 3.

Mr. P. J. Duncan, schoolmaster, who accompanied the children in the steamer Tungchow, which was seized by pirates, stated that just after leaving Yangtse there was a sudden commotion. He saw the Russian sergeant heroically resisting four men who obviously were pirates. They were pumping bullets into him and he soon collapsed on the deck. The second engineer, Mr. Mac Donald, afterward was wounded. He had a revolver in one hand. Captain Smart and the other officers and Russian guards were overpowered and revolvers were pressed against their ribs. Captain Smart, then ordered resistance to cease. Pandemonium prevailed and the screaming children were taken into the saloon dv Mr. Duncan. The pirate chief threatened to shoot all on board and to burn the ship if the captain did not prevent the British Navy interfering. The captain by great tact managed to assure him that no harm would be done. Miss K. MacNair, a school headmistress, in an interview, said that after the first panic the children quickly made friends with the pirates whose chief playfully pelted the boys with fruit which the pirates stole from the store room. The children were all anxious to obtain souvenir* and scoured the deck for cartridges. The chief's pullover was found and the children tore it to pieces, each being anxious to secure a souvenir from it. : During meal times the pirates sat behind the women teachers with revolvers prodded into their backs. It was a terrifying experience. On other occasions some of the pirates seemed to go mad. They brandished revolvers, gesticulated and threatened to butcher everybody.