an
the general oriental opinion of the inferiority of the fair sex. On the
death of _Ching-yih,_ his legitimate wife had sufficient influence over
the freebooters to induce them to recognize her authority in the place
of her deceased husband's, and she appointed one _Paou_ as her
lieutenant and prime minister, and provided that she should be
considered the mistress or commander-in-chief of the united squadrons.

This _Paou_ had been a poor fisher-boy, picked up with his father at
sea, while fishing, by _Ching-yih,_ whose good will and favor he had the
fortune to captivate, and by whom, before that pirate's death, he had
been made a captain. Instead of declining under the rule of a woman, the
pirates became more enterprising than ever. Ching's widow was clever as
well as brave, and so was her lieutenant Paou. Between them they drew up
a code of law for the better regulation of the freebooters.

In this it was decreed, that if any man went privately on shore, or did
what they called "transgressing the bars," he should have his ears slit
in the presence of the whole fleet; a repetition of the same unlawful
act, was death! No one article, however trifling in value, was to be
privately subtracted from the booty or plundered goods. Every thing they
took was regularly entered on the register of their stores. The
following clause of Mistress _Ching's_ code is still more delicate. No
person shall debauch at his pleasure captive women, taken in the
villages and open places, and brought on board a ship; he must first
request the ship's purser for permission, and then go aside in the
ship's hold. To use violence, against any woman, or to wed her, without
permission, shall be punished with death.

By these means an admirable discipline was maintained on board the
ships, and the peasantry on shore never let the pirates want for
gunpowder, provisions, or any other necessary. On a piratical
expedition, either to advance or retreat without orders, was a capital
offence. Under these philosophical institutions, and the guidance of a
woman, the robbers continued to scour the China sea, plundering every
vessel they came near. The Great War Mandarin, Kwolang-lin sailed from
the Bocca Tigris into the sea to fight the pirates. Paou gave him a
tremendous drubbing, and gained a splendid victory. In this battle which
lasted from morning to night, the Mandarin Kwolang-lin, a desperate
fellow himself, levelled a gun at Paou, who fell on the deck