[sd: (5 r.)] 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. [sd: (5 v.)] 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." [Sidenote: 1809.] In consequence of this determination all commanders and officers of the different vessels were ordered to meet on the seventeenth at Chih leih ke[)o], 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 [Sidenote: (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. [sd: (6 v.)] Our commander, however, would not leave the place; and being very eager to fight, he ordered 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 _P[)u]h_, or lot for fighting, was disastrous; the _P[)u]h_, or lot to remain in the easterly entrenchment, was to be happy. The _P[)u]h_, or lot for knowing if he