Northwest History. China F-Pir. Famine To Paleontology. Pirates. United States.

• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1931
• Subjects: China coast pirates; refugees; Turnabout island; Norwegian-freighter Roseville; Roseville's distress; bandits; Northwest Pacific > History > 20th Century; United States > China F-Pir > 20th Century; Jagged; Jagged Rocks; Pacific; Turnabout; Turnabout Island
• Online Access: http://content.libraries.wsu.edu/cdm/ref/collection/clipping/id/138036

Wrecked Crew Bluff Pirates:Pistols Save Sailors From Sea Wolves Of China. WRECKED CREW BLUFF PIRATES Pistols Save Sailors From Sea Wolves of China. By Associated Press. HONGKONG, March 15:—An amazing tale of bluffing a horde of China coast pirates during a week in which they were refugees on Turnabout island, in the straits of Formosa, was related here tonight by the crew of the Norwegian-freighter Roseville. The crew of 35 'men and officers arrived tonight aboard a tug sent in answer to the Roseville's distress calls after she had struck submerged rocks off the island March 6 in a dense fog. The Roseville, a new 9000-ton freighter on her second voyage to the orient, was abandoned as a total loss. Officers and men were thrown from bunks when the vessel jammed against the rocks. Efforts of the vessel to free herself were unavailing, and 'with daybreak a cable was shot to the shore, 50 yards away, the cable settling over a tree. A pulley was attached and over this cable every man, loaded with what food he could carry, was transported to safety while thundering seas pounded the helpless ship. For a week they lived on Turnabout island, awaiting help and watching the ship being battered against the treacherous jagged rocks. Soon after their arrival hundreds of rough-looking natives, members of the world-known China coast pirate gangs, whose hideout is on Turnabout island, appeared. The pirates started determined efforts to board the Roseville, both from the land side and from boats. Remonstrance failed to have any effect on the buccaneers, and officers fired pistols over the heads of the sea wolves. They retreated temporarily. Thereafter armed guards from the greatly outnumbered group of refugees kept constant vigilance, dozens of times driving back the bandits, who retreated only when the seamen threatened to shoot to kill. Armed conflict might possibly have been fatal to all of the tiny band. Weary days passed and finally a tug boat from Hongkong appeared.