CharlesElliot orders Gladstone to patrol the island, and secure the land side of the port against attack, Gladstone does this dilligently if unimaginatively and discovers that the island headman is still on the island, and instantly approaches the village where he was last seen, driving him off.
After this is completed the Admiral orders Gladstone to establish a location on the mainland whereby warning can be given of any Chinese activity and also some protection can be given to the traders who are now making the short crossing from the mainland to Hong Kong island. Gladstone finally notices his men are surly and demoralised when the NCO indicates that they haven't been paid for 6 months, a position which Gladstone rectifies. With his men he establishes a small earthwork fort and watch post next to a small fishing hamlet / inlet which everyone calles Whampoa after another local worthy.
Flush with the success of his Major in the last two actions the admiral charges Gladstone to investigate and put an end to the activities of a pirate ship which appears to have been preying on traders, mostly local Chinese, as they sail around Lantau Island. A tiny bit of asking around indicates that they are almost certainly operating from the Mui Wo inlet.
Taking the jolly boat from the frigate, with his 12 riflemen, two sailors and a naval leutentant, Gladstone sails directly for the inlet in the broad light of day. When two pirate junks, crawling with evil looking armed chinese sail from the island to greet him he decides to 'take them by surprize' and sail directly between them. His men put up a withering initial fire and the seamen make good way as the little craft bears down on the two large ships. However once it comes in range of the cruder chinese weaponry the returning shot and other missles break upon it like a tide. Almost instantly the little boat starts taking casualties, and once between the junks only 3 men are left uninjured.
The naval leutenant, already injured, exhorts his men to keep rowing for their lives, and the remaining able bodies riflemenn struggle to keep the smaller boat free of grapples and ropes. Somehow they fight through, with Gladstone taking a shot in the chest and dagger in the shoulder. He is one of three men now standing, with the Naval officer lost overboard after being shot.
Rowing desperatly to a small local island the three make a last stand on the beach as they are overrun by the pirates and Gladstone remembers nothing more than the crushing blow of a pirates machete to his head.
When the mission does not return, the Admiral alerts the navy who send a frigate out to look for it. they refuse to let the civilians of the party aboard so the worried party follow on the Victoriana. The frigate sails up to the Mui Wo inlet and past many happy fishermen in small boats, it then approaches a small village at the top of the inlet. Meanwhile the Victoriana stands further out in the mouth of the inlet, and while waiting for events to unfold a sharp eyed Wallace spots two Junks concealed in the vines and creapers covering a small sea cliff. Noticing that the 'happy fishermen' were taking a close interest in them now they were training telescopes on the Junks - and indeed that the crafty chinese johnnies where signalling back to the village, the party decide to waste no time in launching their longboat to investigate - as they can see only a single man on the Junks at the moment.
As they approach the moored junks Lady 'shooter' Macbeth let's rip with her hunting rifle 'to keep their heads down' rmeoving the only guard. Wallace and Hamilton are put aboard the junks, each with a small charge of powder with which to disable it. Only as Wallace is jumping clear of his ship to they notice a small cave behind the moored junks with another guard - and possibly a recumbent form. Wallace runs to the cave and takles the guard, recovering the unconscious guard. Hamilton dives clear of his junk as the party see the first of the pirates appear at the top of the cliff and start to scramble down. As one of the charges goes off and the first Junk starts to list, Elsbeth gives the approaching pirates cause for caution by blasting away merrily with her guns, slowing their approach while Wallace struggles to carry Gladstone to the shore. The whole party give covering fire as Wallace swims to the boat with Gladstone, and then they row like crazy for the Victoriana.
High-tailing it out of the inlet with two junks in hot persuit they are mightily pleased to see the frigate set sail to their aid. The junks are massively out-gunned and sink in a short and very one sided naval action. On their return Gladstone is debriefed and both he and the Naval Leutentant are mentioned in dispatches, the jolly boat is recovered from the island.
The Admiral recommends that Gladstone, with a huge number of wounds to recover from , returns to blightly for rest and recuperation.
References
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