"Some four years ago the Parisian papers contained accounts of the capture by Chinese pirates of the ship 'Caldera' and her crew, among whom was a French lady-passenger. The story of Mademoiselle Loriot's captivity was, however, accompanied by that of her release through the exertions of the authorities of Hong Kong, so that the bane and antidote came together. In this volume we have the whole story, told by the lady herself from the first embarkation with her sister at Havre for San Francisco, whither she was going on some 'commercial' speculation; till her final delivery from the pirates by the marines and blue jackets of the steamer 'Ann.' The captivity itself is curious, as a Frenchwoman's vivacious account of what was fearful enough to her excited apprehensions, and might have ended in a fearful reality. Upon the whole, however, the Chinese behaved tolerably. Her substantial grounds of complaint where short commons, confined air and insects at night, and a sort of grim jocularity that at first took pleasure in frightening her. In all such cases some regard must be paid to difference of ideas. A Parisian belle would hardly take the agrémens of life from the Celestial point of view." -The Spectator, Volume 31, 1858 CONTENTS CHAPTER I. Departure from Havre--Regrets--A Barrier of Rocks--Rio Janeiro--Departure from Rio--Six Weeks at Sea--Cape Horn-- Storms--Death of a Sailor--Catching a Shark--Land! Land!-- The Gold Country CHAPTER II. The Bay of San Francisco--Deserted Ships--The Mission-Dolores--Manners of the Chinese Emigrants--The Black Race--The Loungers of Jackson Street--Gaming Houses--The Black Band--The Committee of Vigilance--On Hanging CHAPTER III. Sacramento--Fort Sutter--Nomadic Indians-- Adventure with a Bear-- Return to San Francisco CHAPTER IV. Fire--Departure for China-- An Invalid on Board--Chinese Sorcerers--Death--The Chinese Seas--A Watery Journey--Arrival at Hong-Kong--Visit to the Consul--Journey to Canton--Chinese Insurrection CHAPTER V. Captain Rooney--Than-Sing--A Storm--The Typhoon--Fall of the Mizen-mast--Effects of the Tempest--Disasters of the "Caldera"--Chinese Pirates-- I am threatened with Death--Plunder CHAPTER VI. Unlading--The Good Chinese--A Ray of Hope--A Second Flotilla--Disguise--Hunger--The Father of a Family--Proposed Escape--Refusal of the Crew--Rage of Captain Rooney--Hopes and Disappointments CHAPTER VII. Efforts at Escape--Attempted Flight--Capture--Cruelties of the Pirates--Portrait of a Pirate Chief-- Chinese Prayer--Death of a Pirate--Seizure of a Merchant Junk-- Fresh Plunder--Fortune of the Vanquished CHAPTER VIII. Despair-- Benevolence of the Pirates--A Happy Meal--A Steamer in Sight--Flight of the Pirates--Gratitude--I am Saved! CHAPTER IX. Captain Rooney's Story--Expedition along the Coast--The Pirate's Mother--Death of a Chinese-- Return to Hong-Kong--Protection of the Consul--Visit of Than-Sing--Good-bye to Captain Rooney CHAPTER X. Departure from China--The "Malta"--Singapore--Penang--The Island of Ceylon--The "Bentinck"--Aden--In the Red Sea--The Isthmus of Suez--Cairo--The Nile--The Pyramids--Boulac-- Alexandria--The "Valetta"--Malta--Marseilles--End of a Journey Round the World