From clime to clime, from sea to sea, we roam,
'Tis one to us--we head not yet for home.
NORTHWARD--HAKODADI--DUI--CASTRIES BAY--
BARRACOUTA--VLADIVOSTOCK.
Shortly after rounding Mela Head and shaping our course to the
northward, the temperature underwent a marked change, in fact so
suddenly were we ushered into a colder zone that everybody is on the
search for pocket handkerchiefs, these articles being in very general
demand.
The eastern coast of Niphon, along which we are now cruising, has
several admirable harbours and sheltered anchorages. Two days after
leaving Yokohama we found the ship standing in for the land and making
for Yamada, one of the securest harbours on the coast. Bold hills and
headlands, clothed in the easily recognisable dark green foliage of the
fir, rear themselves on either hand as we pass into the outer bay. This
outer sheet of water--for there is an inner--has a very broad opening
seaward, but suddenly, on changing course, a narrow inlet reveals a
noble bay, perfectly land-locked with a village of considerable size at
its head. No sooner had our anchor left the bows than a volunteer party
asked and obtained permission to go fishing. So far, however, as
catching fish was concerned, the expedition was a signal failure,
though, looked at in the light of enjoyment, it was a perfect success.
Along the beach of this arcadia an abundance of flowers grow in a wild
state, amongst them the rose, whose beauty, bloom, and fragrance
equalled those of the choicest culture in our English garden; and on
looking at them and the other familiar flowers around, we might have
been forgiven for fancying ourselves at home. Whence come our
associates, and why is it that even the fragrance of a flower is capable
of seizing hold on the mind, and transporting it to the utmost limits of
a continent?
The usual wondering throng of natives speedily gathered around us, eager
to participate in the viands which we were endeavouring to stow away.
Fortunately we had plenty of biscuit with which to satisfy their
curiosity; but it was a long time before they could be prevailed upon to
drink out of a basin of cocoa. When we offered it to them they touched
their heads and swayed their bodies to and fro, making a very creditable
pantomime of intoxication. At length, however, one of us used the
Japanese word "_tcha_" (tea) which had the desired effect, for one man
advanced, took a drink, and liked it; and though he of course discovered
it was not tea, he also found out it was not rum.
July 27th--We have now reached the northern end of Niphon, and turned
westward into the broad strait of Tsugar, which separates the greater
island from Yesso. The scenery about the strait is very lovely; all day
we have coasted the land down, and alternate hill and dale, and here and
there a giant volcano peak were most refreshing objects on which to rest
the eye. Towards evening the great open bay of Awomori came into view,
and in a short time we had entered it, and cast anchor opposite a small
town, built on a level grassy plain. The irregularly scattered houses,
amidst trees and greensward, have something the appearance of Singapore,
when viewed from the seaward.
Our stay was but short, for on the following morning our anchor was at
the bows, and the ships heading for Hakodadi. This town--the largest in
Yesso--reminds one very forcibly of Gibraltar. There is a similar high
rock standing sheer out of the sea--almost the same narrow strip of land
connecting it with the main; whilst the town is built on the slopes of
the eminence, and circling the bay as at Gib. The town is not over
large, and commodities are very scarce, the only thing obtainable being
dried salmon.
During our stay the ship's company landed under arms--a by no means
pleasurable treat, as you shall see. The waters near the shore were so
shallow that the men experienced great difficulty in reaching the beach,
and were only able to accomplish it after wading through about twenty
yards of mud and water, dragging guns and ammunition with them. Add to
this the inconvenience of drilling and marching in dripping clothes, and
the knowledge that the same performance must be repeated to embark
again; and you will see that a sailor's life is not all sugar. Hakodadi
is not a place that sailors are likely to fall in love with, for there
is no accommodation on shore for them; yet leave was given, and the men
had to "bunk it out" where they could. On this occasion--let me record
it in the reddest of red letters, or in the most emphatic italics--_a
liberty boat was granted_.
August 3rd--To-day is Sunday, and a sort of preliminary inspection by
the admiral, but--would you believe it?--he completely ignored the
beautifully cleaned deck and stanchions, the glistening whitewash, and
all the other aids to appearances, well known to sailors, and put on
specially for the occasion! Yes, he actually took not the slightest
notice of these, but, instead, poked his head into all the holes and
corners where he was likely to find sundry and various small gear, such
as dirty towels, "duff" bags, ditty bags, and so forth. The result might
have been anticipated. He turned out so much that, before he had gone a
third of the way around the lower deck, he gave the captain orders to
make a personal inspection first, and then report to him; and as
everyone knows, when once Captain Cleveland gets into that canvas suit
of his, he is--in naval phrase--"a dead rivet."
One night, as we lay here ready for sea, a man-of-war was observed
entering the harbour, and as soon as the flashing lights were brought to
bear, and her number made, she proved to be the "Charybdis," last from
Yokohama. She informed us that, subsequent to her leaving that port,
cholera had broken out amongst her crew, one man having died of it on
the passage, whilst a second was down with the disease, though he was
now in a fair way towards recovery. She was at once ordered into
quarantine, and to hoist the "yellow jack" at the fore. Young Prince
Arisugawa was also on board, taking passage to join our ship as naval
cadet; however, he was not permitted to come to us until he had been
overhauled by the doctors on shore, and his clothes fumigated.
Immediately he had left her the "Charybdis" was ordered to sea; the
bracing sea air of a more northern clime being about the most effective
medicine for her crew.
August 9.--To-day Prince Arisugawa came on board, and in due course was
consigned to the tender mercies of the young English gentlemen in the
gunroom; his future messmates--and shall I be wrong if I say
_tormentors_? At the same time a most acceptable gift to the ship's
company, consisting of eight bullocks, was brought alongside; the
present, I believe, of the Emperor, whose health we _ate_ next day.
Steam was already up when the prince embarked, and there was nothing
further to detain us except the weather. That, indeed, was very
threatening, and not to be ignored. Terrific peals of thunder and
blinding lightning, accompanied by such heavy and persisted showers of
rain that it was a mystery how the soil could withstand such an
inundation, delayed our sailing for upwards of four hours. At the end of
that time nature again resumed her wonted smiling appearance, the sun
chasing away such evidences of bad temper with the rapidity of thought.
Nothing of moment occurred on our voyage up the gulf of Tartary, except
that, during one middle watch, the ship narrowly escaped running on a
rock; but as she did not actually touch, we verify the adage that "a
miss is as good as a mile." The day following, the lifting of a fog
bank revealed to us the "Charybdis" close in shore, under small sail.
On signalling us that she had pitched her late unwelcome visitor
overboard, she was allowed to join company, and afterwards proceeded on
to Dui, to coal and order some for us.
August 13th.--Sad misfortune! direful calamity! Why? Read, and you will
be as wise as myself. In the middle watch of this night, our two
cats--have I told you that we brought two cats from England with us?--as
was their wont, were skylarking and cutting capers on the hammock
nettings and davits, when tabby the lesser, instead of jumping on
something palpable, made a leap on space with the natural result, for he
lighted on water and was rapidly whirled astern by the inky waters of
the Tartar gulf. Poor pussy, little did we dream, or you either, that
Siberian waters were to sing your requiem! We feel very sorry at the
loss of our pet, for he was a thorough sailor, thinking it nothing to
mount the rigging and seat himself on the crosstrees, whilst on his
rounds; and as to the item "rats," shew me the rodent that could ever
boast of weathering him, and I will shew you a clever beast.
At daybreak we made the harbour of Dui, in the island of Saghalien, a
Russian penal settlement and coaling depôt, though coaling is under such
severe restrictions that the trouble to secure it is worth its cost. For
instance, only a certain number of tons can be had each day, and then
only for one ship at a time; and instead of using large lighters to
bring it off, small boats are employed, rendering it necessary to make a
multiplicity of visits to the shore. This island, until recently a part
of the Japanese empire, is rich in coal, and other minerals, a fact
Russia was careful to note when casting her covetous eyes over its broad
surface.
It may be remembered, perhaps, that in the year 1879, Russia sent her
first batch of Nihilists and other political offenders to Siberia, by
the more expeditious sea route, and that alarming reports had crept into
the European press, and especially into that of the national censor, the
English, as to the cruelties and inhumanities these poor people had to
endure on the voyage. The vessel, with the convicts on board, was lying
at Dui on our arrival, and our admiral was not slow to avail himself of
the means of satisfying himself, and, through him, the English press, as
to the alleged enormities. He found, I believe, that far from being
badly treated, the prisoners had every consideration allowed them
consistent with their position as state prisoners. Indeed, the convicts
on this island seem to enjoy almost perfect liberty of action, short of
being permitted to escape, for I encountered about a score of them on
shore--big, burly, well-fed fellows--smoking, playing at pitch-and-toss,
and singing, as if to be a convict was a state to be desired rather than
otherwise. Possibly, these were good characters, for I certainly saw
some in the coaling hulks with heavy chains on their wrists and legs,
and with half-shaved heads--a distinguishing mark which those I met on
shore had not.
By dint of extra pressure we managed to procure our coal next day,
though it took us till after sundown to get in 140 tons. We and the
"Charybdis" then sailed--she for Yokohama and we for Castries bay--about
sixty miles on the other side of the gulf--where we dropped anchor on
the following morning.
We felt the weather bitterly cold, as contrasted with the temperature of
our experience since leaving England, though, I suppose, at home such
would be called genial.
There is not a sign or semblance of the human species, near this spot.
All around us is forest, forest to the utmost limit of vision. Pines and
firs, firs and pines, for acres upon acres; sufficient, I should think,
to furnish all the navies of the world, present and yet unborn, with
spars. What a solemn and wintry aspect these northern forests have; what
weird murmurs and ghostly sighs haunt their virgin glades. Sometimes in
the midst of this almost black greenness, some forest monarch, bleached
and scared by the icy breath of generations of Siberian winters, stands
out with skeleton distinctness. A dreary, desolate place altogether.
There must be a town somewhere in the vicinity, though, for in the
afternoon the military commandant hove in sight. This official had on
the enormous bearskin head-dress, and dark green uniform of the Cossack
regiment. An insignificant-looking man, all moustache and swagger.
On Monday, the day following our arrival, to all those who cared to
avail themselves of it, a regular day's outing was granted. We started
early, so as to have a long day before us. We had permission to fish to
our heart's content, in waters where fish is specially abundant and
good. It was rather a long pull to the shore, and shallow water there
when we reached it, for we had gone a considerable distance up a small
river. The town (so it is called) of Alexandrovsk--at the same time the
village of "Tighee" (Torpoint) would make four such towns--was passed on
our way up. We pushed on into the interior as far as we could drag our
larger boats, and selected our encampment on a spit of beach, near the
dwellings of some natives. These huts were of tent shape and constructed
of bark, and covered with the skins of the reindeer, numbers of which
animals we can see grazing in the vicinity.
The inhabitants of this little-known part of the great asiatic
continent, are mongolian Tartars. They are possessed of a rather
forbidding cast of feature, have great square, flat faces, the nose
scarcely distinguishable, and swallowed up in the flattening process
(this though, by the way, is an index of beauty amongst them), low
foreheads, and dreamy-looking obliquely-set eyes. Their head-gear is
much after the Chinese style, except, that in addition to the queue,
they allow the remainder of the hair to develop itself, which it does in
the wildest and most elfish manner. For dress, the untanned skins of the
animals caught in the chase, with the hair outboard, answers all their
requirements. At first one experiences a great difficulty in
distinguishing the sexes, for the ordinary bearings by which we sight
"danger" ahead are entirely wanting. Stay, are they _all_ absent?
Scarcely, for the vanity inherent in woman displays itself even here.
These ladies have large _iron_ rings in their ears, and through the
cartilage of the nose a similar pendant is hung, on which is an
additional ornament of a green stone, much resembling the mineral
malachite. Their dress is a very capacious, continuous garment of the
yellow skin of the hair seal, seamed with sinews, and very rudely put
together. Hundreds of yelping dogs lay about in all possible attitudes
of laziness, whilst a few other village pets, _e.g._, a great
bald-headed eagle, of a most bloodthirsty and ferocious aspect, and a
couple of large brown bears with uncomfortable looking teeth and arms,
suggestive of a long embrace, stood unpleasantly near, though their
owners had thought fit to secure them.
This people's religion is a strange mixture of heathenism and Greek
church Christianity. The czar's soldiers have a very short and effective
manner of converting the subjugated races which bow before their swords,
by driving the whole batch at the point of the bayonet into the nearest
stream, whilst a little Greek cross is put round the neck of each, and a
copy of the bible given them. Near these huts I observed an idol of the
rudest construction. It was supposed, I presume, to represent a man's
shape--but it was merely a flat board, with the lower end sharpened to a
point to fix in the ground, and the upper end fashioned into a very
ambiguous circle to form a head; the mouth, nose, and eyes being
afterwards added in pigment. One old gent pulled from some obscure
retreat in the internal structure of his ample ulster, a pocket edition
of the Acts of the Apostles, in English, and from the careful manner in
which it was preserved, and the security of its hiding place, he seemed
to set great store by it. I tried to surmise how such a volume could
have come into his possession, and could only account for it by
supposing it had washed up on the beach; but then, if so, why such
reverential care of the book. Missionaries, say you. Well, a missionary
would scarcely provide himself with copies of the English scripture for
distribution amongst gilyaks and calmuck Tartars.
Meanwhile our fishers had pushed on still further inland, dragging the
dingy after them, and had met with such success that they returned to
camp with their boat laden to the gunwale with salmon and salmon trout.
But of all the fish taken that day, by far the finest specimen was that
captured near the camping ground. This was a magnificent salmon, of over
forty pounds weight, that had become entangled in the long grass with
which the surface of the river was covered, a circumstance which
rendered him an easy prey to his enemies.
Resuming our southward voyage, our next place of call was Barracouta
harbour. It was here, if I am rightly informed, that a French naval
officer shot himself, because he had allowed the Russian squadron to
overreach him. It was during the Crimean war, the English and French
squadrons had hunted the station all over to come up with the Russians,
but though they often sighted the enemy, they never succeeded in
engaging them. From China to Japan, from Japan to Corea, and away in
Siberian waters, it was all the same; the Russians were perfectly
successful in out manoeuvring their enemy. At length the squadron was
again sighted, and their capture seemed a dead certainty, when suddenly
it disappeared into a small inlet, apparently in the iron-bound coast of
Kamtschatka. Without charts, or the remotest knowledge of the locality,
it would be madness to follow. The British, indeed, did manage to find
their way into Petropoloski, and succeeded, I believe, in setting fire
to one old hulk. It was a most inglorious business throughout, and so
worked on the exciteable temperament of the French commanding officer,
that he decided to die by his own hand rather than survive such a
questionable victory.
On entering the harbour we observed the "Pegasus" at anchor, seemingly
in a wilderness of fir trees. This is the first time we have seen this
smart little sloop, as she is a recent addition to our fleet.
There is an abundance of wild fruits here; the raspberries, in
particular, being specially fine in size, and delicious in flavour.
These and sloes were the only two we recognised, and we took especial
care to go in for none of the others; wisely deciding that it was better
to confine ourselves to the known. After traversing a virgin
forest--soft, mossy, and velvety to the naked feet--and now and again
wading muddy streams, studded with artificial islets, composed of roots
and other _debris_--in fact floating islands--we at length came out into
a clearing, in which was a collection of huts, and a number of women
engaged in the preparation of fish, but for what purpose I am to this
day ignorant. The manner in which they set about their work is most
revolting. Unpleasant though I know it will look in print, nevertheless
it must be described. Each woman is armed with a sharp, crescent-shaped
blade--seemingly of steel--with which she makes an incision in the back
of the neck of the fish, sufficiently deep to penetrate the skin; then
taking the animal in both her hands, and applying her teeth to the
wound, she tears a long strip off towards the tail, which disappears
down her throat with the rapidity and movements of an eel, or of
macaroni "down the neck" of a Neapolitan beggar. This, I presume, is
called the tit-bit, for the remainder is thrown on one side into a pit,
amongst a heap of putrid, festering fish, to undergo the rotting
process, necessary to a perfect cure. The appetite of these squaws seem
unsatiable; for during the short time we looked on, three of them
managed to get outside of about twenty salmon trout, in this manner.
After a stay of three days in this pretty little spot, we started, under
very unfavourable circumstances. The weather was very cold and foggy,
and rain fell in abundance, so altogether it was very unpleasant. But
this was not all, for on making the open sea the wind began to rise, and
we close to a lee shore. We speedily prepared for a gale, as night was
coming on, and no indications of the wind going down. The "Pegasus" was
still in company; and the two ships kept up a pretty lively conversation
with each other during that night of fog, by means of that nautical toy,
the steam whistle. Fast and furious they went at it, singing sweet
lullabys to the slumbering tars of the watch below. Such horrible
shrieks and appalling yells would startle a Red-Indian war-whoop into
fits. I feel certain, from subsequent remarks on the subject--let fall
in the manner peculiar to seamen--that if their wishes had been answered
that night, all the waters in the sea would not have been sufficient to
cool the place where they would have consigned the whole apparatus.
At daybreak, the little patch of blue up aloft that mariners so delight
to see, shewed us hopes of a fine day. Shortly afterwards we observed a
Russian corvette standing out from the land, having just left the
anchorage we are about to visit, namely, Olga bay, another fine harbour
on the Siberian seaboard. Here we found the Russian admiral, the
"Vigilant," and an Italian frigate--the "Vittor Pisani." From hence the
"Pegasus" was despatched to Nagasaki, whilst we and the "Vigilant"
headed for Vladivostock, calling at Nayedznik bay on the way, and
anchoring for the night.
We made three or four attempts to start in the morning, but each time
were compelled to delay our departure, out of respect for the heavy fogs
which would gather so rapidly in our vicinity. When at length we did get
outside, things did not improve, by which we infer that the maritime
region of Siberia is a dangerous one at this season. However we steamed
along at a pretty brisk rate, and by 10 a.m. had the satisfaction of
seeing Vladivostock open out before us. This town is Russia's principal
seaport and naval station in this part of her dominions--the head
quarters of her navy, and the great military depôt. It has an extremely
pleasant appearance from the harbour. On going on shore, though, and
examining things in detail I saw that the houses which looked so
charming from the ship were constructed of rough unhewn logs of timber,
the crevices being filled up with mud. The inhabitants are principally
Russian, of course--soldiers and sailors, with their wives; but, in
addition, there are Coreans, Chinese, and a few (very few) Japanese. The
Russian women are coarse and masculine in appearance, are dressed in
cotton print gowns put on very slovenly, wear no covering on the head
except their unkempt and dishevelled hair, ride on horseback like a man,
and have their feet and legs encased in enormous sea-boots. Everybody
wears these leather boots just as everyone is an equestrian. Even the
officers' wives have a slovenly, faded look; and I can honestly say that
I never saw one amongst them whom, from her appearance, I should style a
lady. There is scarcely a street or road in the place, and the only
thoroughfare is that suggested by the deep and sloppy ruts made by the
heavy lumbering cart and the uncomfortable _drosky_--the latter a
four-wheeled concern peculiar to Russia, possessing a couple of seats
running fore and aft, and so near the ground that the passengers' feet
are in imminent danger of being brought in contact with stray stones and
other inequalities.
In a town such as this one would expect to find commodities both
reasonable in price and plenty in variety. Not so, however; what little
business there is in the provision line is in the hands of the
"ubiquitous"--I mean the Chinaman. Lemonade is a thing unknown, and none
of us was bold enough to tackle that vile brew--Russian beer. Of course,
like all salt water fish, after being on shore for a short time we
wanted "damping;" but there seemed no possibility of our wants being
understood, as, seemingly, nobody could speak English. Now, when the
British seaman particularly wants anything to drink, and can't get it,
he generally uses language which (all things considered) is rather more
forcible than polite--that is to say, we would not care for ladies to
hear it. It was so here. Vladivostock was this, that, and the other,
garnished with sundry and manifold adjectives; in fact it was anything
but a town. I dare say, had our sailors the least inkling that all this
while they were listened to and understood, they would have reserved
some of their more choice figures of speech. It was so, however; for
suddenly somebody asked, in splendid English, "Do you require anything,
gentlemen?" Our interrogator was a Russian military officer, with
several ribbons and crosses on his broad breast. We stated our
difficulty, and he very politely directed us to a French hotel, and even
accompanied us part of the way. I certainly was not prepared to hear
English spoken so well by a Rooski.