NARROW ESCAPE FROM PIRATES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 87, 24 August 1868, Page 3

NARROW ESCAPE FROM PIRATES.

— On 14th July last, wo (Newcastle Chronicle), published a nhort extract from a letter received from Captain Urquliart, o£ tlio Flying Cloud, whlcli loft thin port Homo four or jflvo tnoutha ago. By tho English mall, which wan (lollvorcd In Tsowcixallo yesterday, tho Hoy. W. Balu received tvnotl\cv letter from Captain Urquhai't, from which ho Ihih kindly pornvlttod uh to mako tho following extract. Speaking of his voyage from Hongkong to Saigon, ho flays ,— "l am very thankful to flay that wo all returned mif!o and well, and when I fifty I am thankful, I havo far groalor ciiuflo to uo ho than Is commonly convoyed in that expression. In order to explain my meaning, I muafc rclato n elrcuniHtanco which m»j»t have occurred not far dlntant from my own position at Hca, A barque called tho Slamonla, loft horo for Saigon cither tho samo or tho following day that I did, and was freighted with tho muno kind of cargo, contesting of an a«Hortmont oC'gonoml Chlnoso morchandlHo. Tho Sismonla had' only proceeded about .100 mllcfl, whon flho was attacked and hoarded by plr/itofl, who, aftor having rilled tho vcnscl and takou out of her all they wauled, put tho craw In tho forecabln, and battened down tho hatches. They thon Rcuttlcd tho flhlj), aiul left her to tlio mercy of tlio wave«, tlio crow having refused to light. Tho captain managed to cut lilh way out through tho bulkhead with a knife, and got on shoro with tho rent of tho crow in tlio boata. After walking a considerable distance, they wcro picked up by a British gunboat and brought to Hongkong. By thin you will hco wo havo great eauuo to bo thankful,"