History of the Pirates Who Infested the China Sea From 1807 to 1810

That is – they are of no effect at all. I, however, thought it proper to retain the strong figure of the original.

89

The author forgets in his rhetorical flourishes, that it is a pirate himself who speaks to pirates. The Chinese characters for "sea monster" are to be found in M 2057; "King e is used figuratively for a devouring conqueror of men," says Dr. Morrison.

90

The author has here the expression tung-leang (11399) pillar, in its proper and figurative sense. He probably chose this expression to make, according to Chinese sentiments, a fine rhetorical phrase. Leang in the beginning of the phrase corresponds to the sound and the form of the character to Leang at the end: Leang shan san këĕ ching yĭh, mung găn shay url king tsŏ tung-leang. There is also something like a quibble in the second phrase; Wa kang, Bricks and mountain ridge is transformed into Choo shĭh (1223) or a corner-stone, just as Leang-shan, mountain bridge is into tung-leang, or pillar.

91

O po tae alludes to well known events in Chinese history. On Tsaou tsaou see Dr. Morrison, 10549 in the tonical part of the Dictionary.

92

I confess that it was not an easy matter to translate these rhetorical exercises and poetical phrases, by which the author is evidently anxious to draw a veil over the weakness of the empire. The Chinese scholar will certainly pardon any mistake which might occur in this poetical or furious prose – to use the expression of Blair in his Lectures on Rhetoric.

93

Kwei shen is a Hëen or town of the third rank, and dependent on the district metropolis Hwy chow foo; it is near to Hwy. Its area amounts to thirty-seven le, and pays in taxes 26,058 leang. It is stated in the Itinerary of Canton (Kwang tung tsuen too, p. 5. v.) that the situation of this great town makes it a place of danger; being close to the sea, Kwei shen is exposed to sudden attacks from pirates.

94

Yang keang is a town of the third rank, and dependent on its district metropolis Chow king foo; distant from Chow king foo in a southerly direction 340 le. Its area amounts to twenty-nine le, and it pays 12,499 leang in taxes.

Sin gan is a town of the third rank, and dependent upon Kwang chow foo; distance from Canton in a north-east direction 200 le. Its area amounts to fifty le, and pays in taxes 11,623 leang. There are three towns in the district of Canton, whose names begin with Sin, new; Sin hwy, The New Association; Sin ning, The New Repose; and Sin gan, The New Rest. Kwang tung tsuen too p. 3 v. 4 v et r. 8 r, Ning (8026) is now always written without sin or heart, being the ming or proper name of the reigning emperor. By a mistake it is stated in the Indo-Chinese Gleaner (iii. 108.), that Ning was the proper name of Këa king. The proper name of the reigning emperor is considered sacred, and must be spelled differently during his life-time.

95

A Pa tsung, a kind of inferior military officer, says Dr. Morrison, under the word pa, (8103.)

96

Laou ya, Laou ya kang, the mountain ridge of Laou ya, is fifteen le from the town of the third rank called Shĭh ching. Shih ching hëen belongs to the district Kaou chow foo. Kwang tung tsuen too, 16v. 9r.

97

Crackers made of gunpowder, and the gong, are used at every Chinese festival.

98

The name of a temple which Europeans commonly call a Pagoda.

99

Keun in Chinese, Kwa according to the Canton pronunciation. It is true it is somewhat awkward to speak of Madam Ching and Mr. Paou, but it may be remarked that the Chinese use their familiar expressions foo or keun in the same manner as we use Mr. and Mrs.

100

In the text is only Chow (1355); but I think it must here be taken for the city or town of Canton.

101

About the towns which are mentioned in our text, the reader may compare the notes to the first book. It is quite impossible to ascertain by the text alone if there was only one military officer appointed for all these places or not. In the latter case it would be necessary to read Chuh url and Kang gĭh; but we see by p. 95 that Chuh url kang gĭh is the name of one commander.

102

Tung king and Cochin-China now form one empire, under the name of Annam or Annan. The king of this country acknowledges the supremacy of the Chinese emperor, and sends every year a tribute to Pekin. The time of the reign of every king is known by an honorary title, like that of the emperors of China. The honorary title of the period of the reigning king, to whom the message was sent, was Kea lung (good fortune), the younger brother of King ching, called by his proper name Făh ying (according to the Chinese Mandarin pronunciation): he is often mentioned in the beginning of the first book of our History of the Pirates. The king, commonly called Kea lung, died Feb. 1820, in the 19th year of his reign. His son, who still reigns, mounted the throne on the third day after his father's death, assuming the words Ming ming (Illustrious fortune), as the designation of his reign. See the "Indo-Chinese Gleaner," vol. i. p. 360. It was falsely reported that Ming ming was murdered some days after his succession to the throne (Indo-Chinese Gleaner, l. c. p. 416), and this report is stated as a fact in the generally very accurate work, Hamilton's East-India Gazetteer, vol. i. p. 430. The reader may find some interesting particulars concerning the present state of Cochin-China, in the Canton Register 1829, No. 13. Chinese influence seems to be now predominating in that country.

103

Teaou (10044) in our text is written with a vulgar character.

104

Chih (Kang he under radical 112. B. vii. p. 19 r.) seems to indicate that they have been put to death by cutting one member after another.

105

Hae kăng is a town of the third rank and dependent on the district metropolis Luy chow foo. Luy chow foo is westerly from Canton 1380 le. Hae kang is near to its district metropolis Kwang tung tsuen too, p. v. 9 v. See the Notes, p. 9, of this work.

106

Hae fung is a town of the third rank, and dependent on the district metropolis Hwy chow foo. It is in a north-east direction from its district metropolis 300 le. Its area contains forty le, and pays 17,266 leang in taxes.

Suy ke is a town of the third rank, and dependent upon the district metropolis Luy chow foo; distance from Luy chow foo in a northerly direction 180 le.

Hŏ poo is a town of the third rank, and dependant on the district metropolis Lëen chow foo. This town is near to the district metropolis, has an area of thirty le, and pays 7,458 leang in taxes. Kwang tung tsuen too, p. 6 r. p. 9 v.

107

Junk is the Canton pronunciation of chuen, ship.

108

The pirates had many other intimate acquaintances on shore, like Doctor Chow of Macao.

109

The pirates were always afraid of this. We find the following statement concerning the Chinese pirates, taken from the records in the East-India House, and printed in Appendix C. to the Report relative to the trade with the East-Indies and China, in the sessions 1820 and 1821 (reprinted 1829), p 387.

"In the year 1808, 1809, and 1810, the Canton river was so infested with pirates, who were also in such force, that the Chinese government made an attempt to subdue them, but failed. The pirates totally destroyed the Chinese force; ravaged the river in every direction; threatened to attack the city of Canton, and destroyed many towns and villages on the banks of the river; and killed or carried off, to serve as Ladrones, several thousands of inhabitants.

"These events created an alarm extremely prejudicial to the commerce of Canton, and compelled the Company's supercargoes to fit out a small country ship to cruize for a short time against the pirates."

110

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.