The wife of Ching yih then ordered the pirates to go up the river; she herself remaining with the larger vessels in the sea to blockade the different harbours or entrances from the sea-side; but the government officers made preparations to oppose her. There were about this time three foreign vessels returning to Portugal.[82] Yĭh's wife attacked them, took one vessel, and killed about ten of the foreigners; the two other vessels escaped. The Major Pang noo of Hëang shan about this time fitted out a hundred vessels to attack the pirates; he had before hired six foreign vessels, and the two Portuguese ships, which had before run away, united also with him. Yĭh's wife, seeing that she had not vessels enough, and that she might be surrounded, ordered a greater number to her assistance.(4 r.) She appointed Chang paou to command them, and sail up the river; but to keep quiet with his squadron till he saw the Chang lung, or government vessels come on. On the third of the tenth moon the government vessels went higher up the river, and Chang paou following and attacking them, the foreign vessels sustained a great loss, and all the other vessels then ran away. The foreigners showed themselves very courageous; they petitioned the mayor of Hëang shan to place himself at the head of the foreign vessels, to go and fight the pirates. Pang noo having for some time considered their request, inspected on the tenth of the same month the six foreign vessels, their arms and provisions, and went out into the sea(4 v.) to pursue the pirates.
About this time Chang paou had collected his force at Ta yu shan near Chih leih keŏ, and the foreign vessels went thither to attack him. About the same time the admiral, Tsuen mow sun, collected a hundred vessels, and joined the foreigners to attack the pirates. On the thirteenth they spread out their lines, and fought during two days and two nights, without either party proving victorious. On the fifteenth one of the officers went forward with some large vessels to attack the pirates, but he was very much hurt by the fire of the guns; his vessel was lost, and about ten men were killed and many others wounded,—after this, the whole fleet retired. They however again commenced fighting on the sixteenth, but being unable to withstand the pirates, one vessel more was lost.[83]
1809.
(5 r.)
(5 v.)
The Admiral Tsuen mow sun was exceedingly eager to destroy the pirates, but he was confident that he was not strong enough to vanquish them, and he spoke thus to his people: "The pirates are too powerful, we cannot master them by our arms; the pirates are many, we only few; the pirates have large vessels, we only small ones; the pirates are united under one head, but we are divided,—and we alone are unable to engage with this overpowering force. We must therefore now make an attack, when they cannot avail themselves of their number, and contrive something besides physical strength, for by this alone it is impossible for us to be victorious. The pirates are now all assembled in Ta yu shan, a place which is surrounded by water. Relying on their strength, and thinking that they will be able to vanquish us, they will certainly not leave this place of retirement. We should therefore from the provincial city (Canton) assemble arms and soldiers as many as we can, surround the place, and send fire-vessels among their fleet. It is probable that in such a manner we may be able to measure our strength with them."
1809.
In consequence of this determination all commanders and officers of the different vessels were ordered to meet on the seventeenth at Chih leih keŏ, to blockade the pirates in Ta yu shan, and to cut off all supplies of provisions that might be sent to them. To annoy them yet more, the officers were ordered to prepare the materials for the fire-vessels. These fire-vessels were filled with gunpowder, nitre, and other combustibles; after being filled, they were set on(6 r.) fire by a match from the stern, and were instantly all in a blaze. The Major of Hëang shan, Pang noo, asked permission to bring soldiers with him, in order that they might go on shore and make an attack under the sound of martial music, during the time the mariners made their preparation. On the twentieth it began to blow very fresh from the north, and the commander ordered twenty fire-vessels to be sent off, when they took, driven by the wind, an easterly direction; but the pirate's entrenchments being protected by a mountain, the wind ceased, and they could not move farther on in that direction; they turned about and set on fire two men of war. The pirates knowing our design were well prepared for it; they had bars with very long pincers, by which they took hold of the fire-vessels and kept them off, so that they could not come near. Our commander, however, would not leave the place; and being very eager to fight, he ordered(6 v.) that an attack should be made, and it is presumed that about three hundred pirates were killed. Pao now began to be afraid, and asked the Spirit of the three Po, or old mothers, to give a prognostic. The Păh, or lot for fighting, was disastrous; the Păh, or lot to remain in the easterly entrenchment, was to be happy. The Păh, or lot for knowing if he might force the blockade or not on leaving his station to-morrow, was also happy,[84] three times one after another.
1809.
There arose with the day-light on the twenty-second a light southerly breeze; all the squadrons began to move, and the pirates prepared themselves joyfully to leave their station. About noon[85] there was a strong southerly wind, and a very rough sea on. As soon as it became dark the pirates made sail, with a good deal of noise, and broke through the blockade, favoured by the southerly wind. About a hundred vessels were upset, when the pirates left Ta yu shan. But our commander being unaware that the pirates would leave their entrenchments, was not prepared to withstand them. The foreign vessels fired their guns and(7 r.) surrounded about ten leaky vessels, but could not hurt the pirates themselves; the pirates left the leaky vessels behind and ran away. After this they assembled outside at Hung chow in the ocean.