A BRITISH CREW MENACED BY COOLIES.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 767, 12 November 1886, Page 9

A BRITISH CREW MENACED BY COOLIES.

The -steamer Dafila, says the Hongkong Mail, which was recently aground on the Hainan Straits, was the scene of an alarming attack by about 120 armed Chinese coolies while she was lying in Hoihow Harbor reloading the cargo that bad been taken out to lighten her. For some time the attention of the captain bad been drawn to the fact that the bags of rice that were being put on board bore the marks of having been ripped, and that there was a considerable deficiency in the bulk of some of the ba»s. It was then discovered that the Chinese had resorted to the artful dodge of making an outlet in the bags, sci as to allow of a good deposit being left in the bottom of the lighters. One junk’s crew bad carried this thievish trick just a little too far ; ‘and the second mate of the Dafila determined not to let them away with the booty they had secured, which amounted in this ease to about four whole bags of rice. Accordingly, he went on board the junk and set about getting the rice collected, so as not to leave if possible one particle behind. This aroused the auger of the Chinese, and they began to make threatening demonstrations. One coolie was especially impudent, and the mate hit him over the bead with a stick. The wound bled, and the fellow rubbed the blood over his face and fell down as though he were dead. The mate retreated to his vessel, but was followed by the crew of the junk. Reinforced by about 60 coolies working on the boat, they rushed to the poop, brandishing their bludgeons,. Discovering that the mate had retreated to the cabin, they made as if they would take it by storm, and surrounded it, shouting <£ Ta.” The captain vainly endeavored to quiet them by the help of a Customhouse officer, well conversant with ■Chinese, who asked the men what they wanted. ‘"That the mate be put on ■shore in one.<of their boats, was the cry. •Surrender his mate into the bloodthirsty hands of the enraged band of Chinese cooKes, who had now mustered about 120 strong, the captain certainly would snot do ; and, seeing that their evident intention was to carry out their wish by force, he got a rifle, and, advancing in front of them, pointed, the rifle at them and ordered them to retreat. Back they went step by Btep for two or three yards, and then took up a position at the end of the poop, from which they would not budge. Matters had now reached a crisis when the least swerving on the part of the captain would have precipitated on him

the whole company of Chinese. He, however, stood firm, with his gun pointed, and got the European crew to the number of about 15 round him, and had all the available arms in the ship distributed to them. The men ranged in line behind him, ready to fight ,to the last should an onslaught be made. Sullenly the Chinese remained facing the small company of Europeans for about four hours, with their knives and bludgeons drawn. All that was required was a bold leader to throw them against the captain and crew. At one moment it did seem as if the restraining indecision had been overcome. One bold fellow stood forward from the rest, . and baring his breast asked the captain to fire. But the captain pitched him back among the rest, and he did not come forward to repeat the offer. Seeing that with the few arms he had on board, and with the small number of Europeans he had to back him, he could not long resist an attack from 120 armed Chinese, who might easily have set fire to the ship, the captain adopted the advice of the Customhouse officer, and sent for assistance to another European vessel that was not far distant. When .this assistance arrived, the mate, who was the offending party the Chinese wished to get into their clutches, was sent on board that vessel, with a large escort of armed men. The wounded man was also put on shore. The Chinese by this time had begun to waiver, and their leaders, thinking it would cost them dearly to begin hostilities, by dint of parleying got the men so far pacified that they sulkilj resumed their work.