Shanghae to Han-kow.--River Scenery.--Silver Island.--The Salt
Trade.--Nin-gan-shan.--Tu-ngliu.--Its Auriferous
Soil.--Kew-kiang.--River Scenery.--The Yang-tze River.--The
Braves of Hankow.--Chinese Politeness.--Manchoo Policy.--Fire
and Plunder.--A Chinese Rudder.--Scenery around
Ta-tung.--Appearance of the Country.--Chinese Chess.--Perilous
Adventure.--Crew of Mutineers.--Critical Position.--Gallant
Rescue.--Explanation.--Alarm of Pirates.--Plan of
Operations.--Its Advantages.--The Result.--Another
Alarm.--"Imperialist" Pirates.
After remaining two idle weeks at Shanghae, our vessel was ordered to
Han-kow. This coincided exactly with my wishes, for, as we should pass
Nankin, and possibly communicate with its garrison, it would be a good
and early opportunity for me to become acquainted with the position of
affairs, and the best and easiest method of fulfilling the object of my
commission from the Chung-wang. Accordingly, with a limited cargo, and a
good supply of coals, we weighed anchor again, and started upon our
voyage up the great river, "the Son of the Sea."
We had but a rough time of it at first, for after leaving the mouth of
the river--so wide that, but for the large island of Tsung-Ming in the
centre, land is not visible from either side--we only reached the
Lang-shan crossing, the most difficult navigation of the river, at
night. It therefore became necessary to anchor, and a gale coming on
from seaward, what with its fury, and the strength of a four-knot flood
tide, we passed a remarkably unpleasant night; and, after continual
apprehension of parting our cables and drifting ashore, found in the
morning that we had dragged our anchors nearly a mile.
The banks of the river about its embouchure are bordered by
highly-cultivated fields, in some parts covered with low wooded land.
The banks are increased and elevated under a regular system, the
peculiar formation of the overhanging trees giving a pleasing and
verdant aspect to the country. The numerous sand-banks about the
Lang-shan hills on the north bank, and the town and hills of Fu-shan on
the south, render that part of the navigation of the river (known as the
Lang-shan Crossing, the channel taking a sharp turn towards the
Lang-shan hills) particularly dangerous. Several fine vessels have been
lost, and one, the _Kate_, a new steam-ship, became a total wreck there
while engaged upon her first voyage. She ran ashore, and in a moment the
immense strength of the tide capsized her, when, sliding off the
sand-bank, she sank in deep water, many of the crew and passengers
losing their lives, while the whole valuable cargo, including a large
amount of specie, went to the bottom.
The dangers of the deep, or rather the shallow, are not the only perils
of this part, for it is infested with pirates and robbers of every
description. Sometimes they are rebels, sometimes fishermen, and
sometimes large piratical vessels from the coast; but more frequently
still they are Imperialist war-junks, whose crews, though consisting of
government troops and sailors, are pillagers of the most ruthless
description. At the time I made my first voyage up the Yang-tze-kiang,
piracy, and murder of the crews, of the smaller European vessels engaged
in the river trade, were of frequent occurrence. In fact, a ship
scarcely ever made a voyage without being attacked.
The river scenery from Lang-shan to the city of Chin-kiang (115 miles),
the first of the river treaty ports, for the greater part is flat, the
surrounding country being of a low alluvial soil. It is, however, of a
much more attractive description than might be supposed. The cultivated
parts are embedded amongst luxuriant foliage, and the infinite variety
of the smaller species of tree gives a variegated and shadowy appearance
to the scene.
I have found some parts of really exquisite beauty. A thick border of
trees, bushes, and bamboo seems to form a complete barrier to approach
from the river, but at last a small creek appears running directly
through this wall of vegetation: for some little distance this is
completely shrouded and arched in by the luxuriant growth of osier and
small weeping-willows; but then a break in the vista discovers, through
a network of foliage, a small lake of pure limpid water, whose sides are
bounded by fruit-trees and highly cultivated gardens; while a snug
little homestead, enveloped in flowering creepers, and half-buried by
shrubs of Asiatic beauty, peeps out from amidst the surrounding mass of
forest. I have come unexpectedly upon many little nests like this; the
very suddenness with which they burst upon one being of itself charming.
At Chin-kiang the current is of great velocity; and, while attempting to
steam round the south end of "Silver Island," we were literally
overpowered by its strength, and swept down the river; but, trying the
north end, we found a little more protection, from the formation of the
river bank, and managed to pass the critical point.
Silver Island is a most picturesque and exquisite spot. It rises
directly from the centre of the river to a height of some 400 feet. It
is completely covered, from the river's brink to its very summit, with a
rich display of every variety of Chinese vegetation. One of the most
important Joss-houses (Budhist temples) in the empire is situated at the
foot of this island, the interior filled with images of every devil and
divinity the Chinese religious calendar contains; and besides all these
monstrous representations, a modelled menagerie of every kind of wild
animal known to the Chinese zoographer. A goodly number of Budhist
priests are attached to this place, whose time is principally devoted
to the cultivation of the island (the whole of the trees, plantations,
and flowers having been raised by them), and to keeping up a ceaseless
beating upon several drums to soothe the great fish they believe carries
the world on its back, and so prevent it wriggling and producing
earthquakes; which are caused, they say, whenever the drums throughout
the world are silent, and the "Joss" fish cannot hear the beat of one.
[Illustration: SILVER ISLAND.
London, Published March 15^{th} 1866 by Day & Son, Limited Lithog^{rs}
Gate Str, Lincoln's Inn Fields.
Day & Son, Limited, Lith.]
At Chin-kiang is established a corps of the foreign mercenaries of the
Imperialist maritime customs, an organization patronized by the British
government as a means of securing the indemnity money guaranteed in
payment of the British expenses for a war undertaken to avenge the
capture of the opium-smuggler _Arrow_, and apparently to facilitate the
opium trade in general.
Upon an island a few miles above Chin-kiang I found some capital
deer-shooting. I brought down several, and found them of the hog-deer
species, with large tusks. Great flocks of wild duck and teal were
plentiful all over the river, and our guns kept the table well supplied.
Some eighteen miles above Chin-kiang we came to a great salt mart, a
large village on the north bank, named E-ching. On the opposite side of
the river we observed a considerable body of Ti-pings marching in the
direction of Chin-kiang, which city was already invested. Although many
hills in the neighbourhood of Chin-kiang were occupied by the Ti-pings,
I was unable to communicate with them, our stay at that place being so
short. E-ching is the emporium for the salt trade with the interior.
Here the large junks from the coast discharge their cargoes, which are
then stored ashore, and when disposed of to merchants from the distant
provinces, re-shipped in river junks, and carried up the Yang-tze.
The salt trade is a government monopoly, from which they reap enormous
profits; and if the British government had made war upon China for the
purpose of establishing a trade in that article, and not in opium, they
would, instead of destroying and demoralizing them, have conferred a
vast benefit upon the Chinese, and benefited themselves.
Salt at E-ching, upon an average, is of the same price as the common
rice (the staple article of food in China), seldom selling for less than
three taels (one pound sterling) per picul (130 pounds weight). A few
hundred miles farther up the river, though of the commonest and dirtiest
sea description, it is frequently sold at more than double that price.
Of course, where an article of such immense and important consumption is
declared contraband, and monopolized by the government, a large amount
of smuggling exists. Until the Yang-tze-kiang was opened to foreign
trade, little, if any, smuggling was effected upon its waters; but upon
the advent of Europeans, many of them made large profits by secretly
conveying salt, even sometimes in their steam-ships, while numberless
sailing craft--usually the semi-European, semi-Chinese lorchas--were
solely occupied in this illegal traffic.
Soon after passing E-ching we came upon the Ti-pings at a place in the
vicinity of Nin-gan-shan, a village some short distance inland, formed
by a sharp bend of the river to the northwards. This elbow they had just
fortified with a rather heavy, formidable-looking battery. The guns,
however, were very inferior, being of the usual clumsy Chinese make and
fitting. The river at this point was considerably reduced in width,
being little more than half a mile across, and the south bank being
formed of cliffs, some two hundred feet high, and being also in the
hands of the Ti-pings, rendered the position highly favourable. From
this point both sides of the river were in Ti-ping possession;
therefore, whenever we required to stop we could do so, and land with
perfect safety and immunity from insult.
Above Chin-kiang the country gradually assumes a more massive and
imposing formation. High ranges of mountains are visible inland, and in
some places descend even to the river's edge; while generally the
country becomes of a more undulating, diversified appearance. In the
neighbourhood of Nin-gan-shan the hilly part of the soil presents strong
indication of auriferous qualities. I afterwards went over the spot with
an old Californian miner, who declared the place was full of gold; but,
unfortunately, we had no time to try it.
At Nankin I remained but a short time, barely sufficient to obtain the
necessary permit from H.M.S. _Centaur_, stationed there to represent the
British interests at the Ti-ping capital. The _Centaurs_ seemed on good
terms with the Ti-pings, for their ship was crowded with them. Several
boats put off from the shore with provisions for sale, and one official
came on board with a request for us to remain and trade. This was
impossible, for though we much wished it, and though the foreign
merchants were entirely dependent upon the Ti-pings for silk, and a
great proportion of tea, yet the British government in its Elgin treaty
(June 1858, by articles IX. and X.), had completely placed a veto upon
trade with them; though afterwards they asserted that the Ti-pings would
not trade. Of course, had we attempted to trade as the Ti-pings desired,
we should have been seized and prevented by H.M.'s representative on
board the _Centaur_, for breaking the treaty with the Manchoo emperor of
China.
After purchasing a few fowls and some eggs, we proceeded on our voyage
to Han-kow.
Some forty miles above Nankin we passed between the East and West
Pillars, two immense masses of rock nearly a thousand feet high, and
projecting, with a sheer descent, some little distance into the river.
Both were in the possession of the Ti-pings. The summits were fortified,
and at the foot of each strong batteries were erected. These two giant
sentinels are termed by the Chinese the gates of the upper river;
beyond them the flood tide ceases to be perceptible.
When off the city of Tu-ngliu some 380 miles from the mouth of the
river, we were compelled to seek a sheltered anchorage, and to remain
there several days through stress of weather. Even at such a
considerable distance inland, the storms are sometimes so violent, and
the waves of the river so disturbed, that smaller vessels are unable to
brave their fury; the swiftness of the current adding considerably to
the danger.
The sheltered nook we sought already contained a weather-bound vessel.
Our fellow-captive proved to be an English schooner upon a trading
cruise about the river. She was manned by Chinese sailors, but the
owners and another European were in charge. The three days we remained
at anchor passed pleasantly enough, our position being perfectly
sheltered, and the boisterous state of the river affecting us but
little; while each day we visited the schooner's people, or they came to
us.
I made several shooting trips ashore with our companions, and we always
returned well rewarded for our trouble, the place literally swarming
with pheasants. The country was mostly of a low hilly formation, and
being uncultivated, the hills, full of low shrubs and gorse, made a
capital cover. We shot pheasants even in the farm-yards of the few
houses about, and the inhabitants told us we might catch them at night
roosting all round their dwellings. My companions from the schooner, who
had been in California and Australia, declared the hills about Tu-ngliu
contained gold; they also stated the whole river was full of it, and
showed me some large specimens they had washed at a place named Hen
Point, some twenty miles below the city of Ngan-king.
We fully intended to test the Tu-ngliu soil, but the weather clearing
rendered necessary our immediate departure.
Some miles before reaching the treaty port of Kew-kiang, we passed a
remarkable rock termed the Little Orphan. Several hundred yards in
circumference at the base, at the distance of thirty fathoms from the
north bank of the river it rises perpendicularly about four or five
hundred feet. The summit is crowned by Budhist temples and idols, the
only communication being by means of a stair cut in the sides of the
rock by the priests. When passing this singular place once afterwards,
my Chinese crew informed me no European could ascend the rock and live,
it being protected by some Chinese demon, or genii, peculiarly averse to
"foreign devils."
A few hours before arriving at Kew-kiang we passed the entrance to the
Poyang Lake, a channel considerably broader than the river itself. The
clear transparent waters of the lake afforded a pleasing contrast to the
thick and muddy current of the river, and we steamed about a mile into
it, for the purpose of obtaining a good supply and filling all our
available casks. The appearance of this lake is magnificent in the
extreme. Lost in the far distance, its limpid surface is surrounded by
tall impending cliffs, in some places terminating abruptly at the margin
of the water, while in others the intervening space is filled up with a
most luxuriant growth of under-wood, overshadowed by the bending
branches of gnarled and giant trees. The numerous valleys formed by the
hills contain the summer resting-places of many of the Chinese nobility,
whose handsome palaces fill every appropriate situation. The
cloud-enveloped summits of one high range of mountains on the western
shore, are crowned with eternal snow, presenting a most fantastic
appearance, and affording many a wild and weird theme to Chinese
romancers.
Kew-kiang we found in the direst state of confusion. The Imperialist
troops had declared their determination to massacre the hated
"Yang-quitzo," or drive him off their soil; and all the European
residents were blockaded in their quarter. An English gunboat, and one
of the large merchant steamers, were lying off the concession, prepared
to render their assistance and protection, and when we arrived, at the
request of the consul--who expected his consulate would be attacked
again that night,--we moored in a position where our guns would prove
effective in case of danger. The night, however, passed off pretty
quietly, and the braves only made a further demonstration by smashing
the few remaining panes of glass they had left whole upon a former
assault. A day or two previously they had made a grand attack upon the
settlement, destroyed several new buildings of the merchants, and very
nearly demolished the British Consulate; but when the residents, in
self-defence, were compelled to shoot a few of them, they retreated for
the time. The mandarins, as at all the river ports, pretended they could
not control their soldiers; whereas, they deliberately set them on, to
try and prevent the settling of the Europeans, and the fulfilment of the
treaty.
Some of the river scenery between Kew-kiang and Han-kow is wild, and
really sublime in its grandeur. In many places huge masses of mountain
rise steeply out of the channel to more than a thousand feet. At one
part an immense cliff, named Ke-tow (Cock's Head), overhangs the stream,
its base washed by the waves; while, moving under its shadow,
innumerable flocks of shag, startled by the passing vessel, rose from
their nests in the time-worn crevices, and eddying round and round
overhead, produced a loud rushing noise from their myriads of wings,
while the shrill discordant cries they uttered, increased by the
singular note of the great "Bramley kites," reverberated with a thousand
echoes from the perforated and honeycombed face of perpendicular rock.
If a musket be fired near Ke-tow, the very air becomes blackened by an
immense multitude of birds issuing from the cliff, while the noise of
their cries is perfectly deafening. Their number is so prodigious that
one might fairly suppose all the birds in China were congregated
together at this place.
[Illustration: KE-TOW.
London, Published March 15^{th} 1866 by Day & Son, Limited Lithog^{rs}
Gate Str, Lincoln's Inn Fields.
Day & Son, Limited, Lith.]
A little further on, another magnificent view of the river is found,
where, between high impending mountains, at Pwan-pien-shan (the Split
Hill) it is darkly imprisoned. The hills in this neighbourhood are
covered with wild tea, and numerous limestone quarries are burrowed
along their sides. Wherever the mountains retreat from the river the
intervening country is profusely cultivated, and the sloping sides of
the hills, covered with a rich and varied semi-tropical foliage, sweep
down to the low land. The distant pagodas, marking with their carved and
many-storied, time-worn, monumental sculpture, the site of some town or
anciently celebrated locality--the occasional village, partly hidden in
some half-sequestered spot--the curious but ingenious apparatus of the
fisherman on the river's brink, with his reed hut here and there peeping
through the rushes of the bank--the peasants toiling and irrigating the
paddy-fields--the bright Eastern sun, and clear sapphire sky, above the
changeful bosom of the "Son of the Sea," now rushing between massive
rocky walls, then bursting into lake-like fulness, studded at intervals
with a low and feathery reed-topped or cultivated rice-waving
island--and the waters, tipped with the snowy wings of the passing
vessels--all these are objects which produce a landscape surpassingly
beautiful. China has been termed "a vast and fertile plain;" but, I
believe, a trip up the Yang-tze will show as diversified and grand a
scenery as almost any part of the world.
But then comes a dark side of nature, for this is truly a land where
"all save the spirit of man is divine." Throughout all these beauties of
country one must tread with care, for it is a land of enemies; all
through the Yang-tze's course we experienced nothing but aggravating
annoyance and insult from the Imperialists; wherever they were, landing
became not only disagreeable, but dangerous. This was a drawback of
serious importance, but one which would have ceased to exist were it not
for the policy of the British government, which, by preventing the
success of the friendly Ti-pings, and strengthening the Imperialists,
has perpetuated the evil.
In order to avoid the strength of the tide, we were obliged to keep
close in to the bank, while at the same time we kept a stand of muskets
and fowling-pieces well loaded to check our dastardly aggressors.
Although Kew-kiang was bad enough, at Han-kow we found confusion worse
confounded. It was simply impossible to pass through the streets except
in parties of four or five, well armed. The British consul, Mr. Gingall,
had gone out with some of the petty local authorities to mark a ground
for the consulate and British concession, but with his marine guard
received such a heavy stoning from the _braves_ and populace, that they
were compelled to beat a speedy retreat. A placard had been posted by
the _braves_, threatening to massacre all the European residents upon a
certain date; this was succeeded by an official proclamation from the
Chinese governor, calling upon the soldiers to remain quiet, because the
"foreign devils" were to be "hired and used" to fight the Ti-ping
rebels, after which his excellency would employ his _braves_ to drive
those "barbarians" out of China. At the time, I paid but little
attention to this, looking upon it as a piece of the usual Chinese
bravado; recent events, however, have led me to think otherwise. One
part of the proclamation has been fulfilled, it remains to be seen
whether the other will succeed.
While passing through a public street one evening, a _brave_ made a
spring at me from a narrow side alley; fortunately, I carried a coat on
my arm, and throwing this up, received the blow of his short sword
without injury. I was of course armed, and before my assailant could
repeat the blow, his arm was arrested by a Colt's revolver ball. Several
_braves_ were collecting, but when they saw the fate of their leader,
and found me armed, they "skedaddled" pretty sharply.
Some Europeans did not escape so easily, but were brutally murdered.
Nearly a year later affairs were but little improved, for a Mr. Little,
of Dent & Co.'s, was severely maltreated without having given the
slightest provocation; and several of the firm's junks were seized and
carried off by the _braves_. This was avenged by H.M. gunboat _Havoc_
seizing and burning the gunboat whose crew had beaten Mr. Little. The
Chinese officials, with their usual policy of exciting the people
against Europeans, posted proclamations, and gave out as a fact, that
the English had fastened all the _braves_ they caught to the gunboat,
and burnt them alive. I explored the country in every direction, within
a radius of twenty-five miles around Han-kow, upon shooting excursions,
and I invariably found, that wherever the natives were distant from
Imperial troops, or officials, they were kind and courteous to
Europeans. I entered numerous villages to rest and obtain refreshment,
and at many received polite and dignified invitations from some of the
people to enter their dwellings. I must say, the Chinese are one of the
most polite and well-behaved people I have ever met. Although bursting
with curiosity to ascertain my country and business, I never found them
guilty of the slightest rudeness, or annoying inquisitiveness; upon the
contrary, they would wait until their etiquette of presenting tea, etc.,
had been observed, and then, pretending to be unconcerned, commence
their inquiries indirectly. With all this, I could not fail to notice
the half-dubious, half-disliking style of their manner;--the universal
result of their government's misrepresentation, and the stringent orders
which they received to treat Europeans as barbarians unworthy of
civilized (Chinese) treatment or consideration. Can we not remember the
sort of treatment foreigners received till lately in China, upon the
following Manchoo maxim of intercourse with Europeans?
"The barbarians are like beasts, and not to be ruled on the same
principles as citizens. Were any one to attempt controlling them
by the great maxims of reason, it would tend to nothing but
confusion. The ancient kings well understood this, and
accordingly ruled barbarians by misrule. Therefore to rule
barbarians by misrule is the true and the best way of ruling
them."
It was on this principle that all the benefits of Chinese law were
denied Europeans; so that, even in cases of _accidental_ homicide, they
were required to be delivered up, not for trial, but execution.
Sir John Davis, formerly governor of Hong-Kong, wrote:--
"The rulers of China consider foreigners fair game; they have no
sympathy with them, and, what is more, they diligently and
systematically labour to destroy all sympathy on the part of
their subjects, by representing the strangers to them in every
light that is the most contemptible and odious. There is an
annual edict or proclamation displayed at Canton at the
commencement of the commercial season, accusing the foreigners
of the most horrible practices, and desiring the people to have
as little to say to them as possible."
Although at the present time British subjects are not delivered up to be
executed by Manchoos, and although Europeans are not defamed and
attacked so openly as was the case previous to the late wars, the
government is every bit as industriously maligning them to its subjects,
and striving _all in its power_ to prevent free trade or intercourse.
Why are the Manchoos so inveterately embittered against foreigners? is
the natural question. Certainly not because they are unable to
appreciate the benefit of trade; they love their own interests too well
to be averse to the only remaining prop to their rule--trade with
foreigners, and consequent help to crush the rebellion. But the truth
is, with unmistakeable foresight they see that the free contact of their
Chinese subjects with European nations will eventually ruin _them_; they
know their rule is hated and unrighteous, and they know that wherever
the people become enlightened and improved, _their_ murderous gripe will
be torn from the throat of the nation. While liking our trade, they
hate our communion! The latter they have reason to dread, though not if
they can always succeed in obtaining our military aid against the
effects of our intercourse, as they have done in the case of the Ti-ping
rebellion.
At Han-kow I left the steamer, to take command of a new schooner
belonging (nominally) to the same owners. As her interior accommodations
were not quite finished, I took a small house until such time as she
should be completed. While residing ashore, I suffered from an attack of
fever--a complaint very prevalent amongst Europeans in China--that at
one time seemed almost certain to destroy my life.
One night when convalescent, but still very weak, I was aroused by a
strong smell of fire; in a moment almost, thick volumes of smoke rushed
into the room, and I heard the loud crackling of burning wood close at
hand. Getting from my bed, and hurrying some clothing on as quickly as
possible, I got to the door of my house, and found the next one in a
complete blaze, and my own just igniting. My servants no sooner opened
the back door and attempted to save my property, than a crowd of
_braves_ rushed in and commenced to plunder all they could lay hands on.
I was too weak to do much, but, taking a sword, endeavoured to drive
them off; I followed one a few paces from the door, and thrust at his
body, but was too weak to hurt him much, and the point of my weapon
glanced on his ribs; the fellow did not even drop his booty, but
successfully made off with all the bedding. Fortunately at this juncture
assistance from some neighbouring European residents arrived, or I
should have lost everything. With their help and that of the coolies,
the greater part of my things were saved, but much had been carried off
by the "Imps." The origin of the fire was attributable to the incendiary
acts of the Imperialist soldiers, who had set fire to the adjoining
house, as also to an European dwelling, out of malice, and hatred of the
"foreign devils."
For the few days before taking up my quarters on board the schooner, a
friend kindly accommodated me. I then engaged a Greek seaman as mate,
shipped a Chinese crew, a Malay boatswain, and prepared to leave. Our
voyage progressed very favourably until we reached a place a little
below the treaty port Kew-kiang, where, although hitherto dropping down
with the tide at the rate of three or four miles an hour, my course was
abruptly arrested for several days. Between Kew-kiang and the mouth of
the Poyang Lake is situated a large island, and instead of taking the
usual channel, my stupid Chinese pilot preferred the other side of the
island. In consequence of this, when about half-way past, stem on we
went, and stuck hard and fast aground. After a tiresome day's work we
managed to get afloat again in about six inches more water than the
schooner was drawing, and then made fast for the night. In the morning,
after sounding in every direction, and finding the only channel very
shallow, and as intricate as the maze at Rosherville Gardens, I obtained
a fisherman from the shore, who, for the consideration of a few strings
of cash, piloted us out; our own pilot being perfectly ignorant of his
duties. I have since found it a common thing for Chinamen who have spent
all their lives sailing about the Yang-tze river, to be utterly
unacquainted with its pilotage.
Through this affair, the vessel's rudder became injured, and we had
barely cleared the island, making sail to a fresh breeze, when away it
went.
It now became necessary to bring up for repairs: so picking out a creek
with a village named Chang-kea-kau at its entrance, I ran the schooner
into it, anchored, and sent ashore for carpenters to make a new rudder.
In about a week's time, the village blacksmiths and carpenters managed
to turn out a contrivance they termed a rudder; but of all the rudders I
ever saw it beat them hollow. They could neither make round bolts, nor
long bolts: so instead of bolting the rudder together, they fastened
the first part to the rudder-post with huge square nails (they could
only cut square holes in timber, having no tool to bore large round
ones), and the second part to the first, and the outside piece to the
second, with huge iron clamps driven on at the sides: the whole concern
stuck and plastered together with lumps of iron bands and braces in
every direction, in a way that none but a Chinaman could contrive.
With immense exertion of mechanics, I managed to get this monster
shipped in its place, after which I was enabled to make sail and
proceed.
At the city of Ta-tung, about 150 miles above Nankin, and fifty below
Ngan-king, the capital of Ngan-whui province, I anchored for three days.
This city is the chief salt mart up river, all the salt from E-ching
coming there, previously to being distributed over the country. The
scenery about Ta-tung is very fine--lightly wooded hills gradually
rising, range after range, far into the interior. I took a ramble ashore
with Philip, my mate, to hunt up some game; our way lay over ridges of
low hills covered with a forest of dwarf firs, none over six feet high,
mingled with specimens of the smallest of all small trees, the dwarf
oak. This Lilliputian forest was succeeded by a tangled undergrowth, and
fine plantation, which compelled us to pursue the narrow tracks leading
through it. During our progress we were often startled with the loud
whirr of the pheasant springing from almost under our feet, and although
the high cover made it difficult to get a shot, we obtained several
brace. At last we came to a more open part of the hills, where the
forest was succeeded by wild flowers and shrubs, while small lakes were
frequent in the valleys below us. The hills became higher and more
rocky, the few trees about them being of large size,--in fact, the
tallest I have seen in China. From the rocky nature of the country, and
the running appearance of the chain of lakes, I fancied a large spring
was somewhere in the neighbourhood, and I was right; for, after
following a beautiful and gradually ascending valley some distance, we
came to a cold mountain spring of the purest water I ever tasted in
China. We threw ourselves upon the grass and drank the pure mountain
draught to our heart's content, and, while resting ourselves, inhaled
the powerful aromatic odour of the wild magnolia growing in profusion
around. The magnolia is the only flower I have found in China possessing
fragrance, all others, however beautiful, being without perfume. Whilst
rolling on the turf we had observed some birds, apparently of the duck
species, fly overhead in the direction of some tall trees through a
gorge on the hills; it being the middle of summer, these birds excited
our curiosity, and we determined to follow them and if possible get a
shot. When we arrived at the foot of the trees, to our surprise we saw
many of these duck-like birds flying in and out of nests among the
branches; we shot three brace and a half, and found them to be the
beautiful and delicious little wood or summer duck. When I returned on
board, I instantly sent some of my crew ashore with a small cask to fill
at the spring, and ever afterwards I remembered that cool water and its
romantic valley.
The few villages about seemed very poor; they had continually been
visited by Ti-ping or Imperialist soldiers, and this, of course, had
proved disastrous to the inhabitants, for we all know what hungry
_disciplined_ troops are in an enemy's country, but few of us realize
the effect of _undisciplined_ Chinese. The houses, however, had not been
destroyed, and the only mark of the Ti-pings was the remains of a large
Budhist temple, each separate brick, as usual, being broken to pieces,
so that nothing but heaps of rubbish remained. The people spoke very
vengefully about the visits of the Imperialist troops, who, they said,
had used their women shamefully, and killed several of the husbands and
fathers who had attempted to defend them. The Ti-pings, they informed
me, had treated them well, and had only made them contribute provisions
for the army; one soldier having used violence to a girl, had been
decapitated, and they showed me the place where his head had been
exposed. They also spoke very kindly of one leader of the Ti-pings, the
Ying-wang, who had allowed nothing to be taken from them without payment
for it.
During my voyage in the schooner, I became acquainted with the Chinese
game of chess, which, although resembling that of Europe in a few
pieces, and the object of the game, is in every other particular totally
different. I had several Chinese on board, passengers to Shanghae, and
they taught me how to play.
The board, instead of being divided into black and white squares, as
with us, is of one colour--generally black--and divided by lines on
which the pieces stand, and move as shown in the following rules and
annexed diagram:--
[Illustration]
KING--Can only move one square at a time, and only straight or
sideways as a castle, neither can he move outside his nine
points, nor into a square exposed to the adverse king from the
opposite side of the board, without any intervening piece.
MANDARINS, or SHIELDS--Can only move within the nine points, one
at a time, diagonally, as a bishop; they take the same way.
BISHOPS--Can only move upon their own side of the ditch, always
move two points at a time, and take the same way. Their move is
diagonal.
KNIGHTS--Move and take the same as with us, go all over the
board, but cannot move when the angle at the first point of the
move is occupied by another piece. They cannot jump over a piece
as with us, but must have the road clear.
CASTLES--Move and take, and have entirely the same value as with
us.
GUNS--They move only as a castle, but can only take by jumping
over an intervening piece.
PAWNS--Move one point at a time, straight forward, take the same
way, and when they cross the ditch, can take and advance,
forwards or sideways, like a castle; but still only one point at
a time. They cannot, however, move backwards. It requires a move
of the pawn, and half a move of the knight, to cross the ditch.
Castles and guns can go as far beyond as willing in one move.
I passed close to the Nankin fortifications, but did not anchor, as I
saw quite sufficient to guide me in joining the Chung-wang there without
stopping; the place being evidently open and easy of access.
At Chin-kiang I heard terrible rumours of pirates, about the Lang-shan
crossing and entrance of the river; and the more the deeds of the
pirates were talked about, the greater embellishment they received from
the imagination of the narrator, so that, at last, bad as they certainly
were, the deeds attributed to them would never have been recognized by
the perpetrators themselves.
With all the exaggeration, the danger was really too great to be
despised, and I made arrangements to sail down to Shanghae in company
with two European vessels also bound there, one a fore and-aft-French
schooner, the other an American lorcha.
The first night after leaving Chin-kiang, being in advance of my
consorts, I observed an English schooner right ahead, with her ensign
flying union down. At the time I made her out she was scarcely half a
mile distant, and the moon shining brightly upon her, with my glasses I
easily distinguished her signal of distress. As we approached each other
from opposite directions, in a few minutes we had closed to within
speaking distance; so, rounding to, I hailed to know what was the
matter. I could only faintly distinguish, in reply, "Come on board; I
will anchor."
After passing me by a few hundred yards the strange vessel brought up,
and lowering a boat, I proceeded to board her, leaving my Greek mate to
bring the schooner a little closer, and then anchor. Before getting
alongside I noticed two Europeans on the quarter deck of the schooner,
waiting to receive me, and to my surprise saw they were both armed. As
this looked suspicious, when under the shadow of the vessel's side I
loosened my revolver in its sheath. When I reached the gangway, I
observed many of the Chinese crew watching my approach, and all,
apparently, in a state of excitement. This put me upon my guard still
more, for it was evident something was wrong; and, coupling the
appearance of things with the signal of distress, that something was
most likely dangerous. I ascended the gangway ladder with caution, and
well I did so, for my head had scarcely appeared above the rail when a
Chinaman made a rush at me with both hands stretched out, evidently
intending to push me overboard. Thanks to my watchfulness and sailor
training, I was able to meet this attack successfully, in spite of my
awkward situation. Clinging to the side ladder with my knees, I quick as
thought ducked my head and shoulders inboard, seized my assailant round
the waist before he could take hold of me, and, aided by his own
impetus, threw him clean over my head into the river. He uttered one cry
as, plunging into the fierce and turbid tide of the Yang-tze, he
disappeared for ever. This passed within two seconds, and, drawing my
revolver, I sprang on board before several other Chinese rushing to the
gangway could reach me. The sudden display of the hollow barrel within
a couple of feet, and pointing straight at the head of the foremost,
checked them, and at that moment the whizzing of a bullet amongst them,
accompanied by the sharp crack of a rifled pistol, and followed by the
appearance of the two Europeans at my side, drove them back.
The whole crew, however, seemed springing from every direction, some
from the hatchways, some from forward, and some from aft; and with the
usual gesticulation of Chinese about to fight, commenced stripping
themselves of their outer clothing, and uttering fierce crys and yells
to encourage each other.
I had barely a moment to receive the explanation of the schooner's
captain, who thrust a spare cutlass into my hand--that a mutiny had
taken place, and having secured the ringleader he wished me to carry him
down to Shanghae in irons--when the crew were upon us. Jumping and
yelling like a legion of fiends let loose, they hurried towards us,
brandishing the bamboo spears and the knives they had armed themselves
with. For a moment we hesitated to fire upon them, but that moment's
delay very nearly cost us our lives. Thinking they possessed no
firearms, we believed we could awe them into submission with our
revolvers. Suddenly one of them jumped forward and discharged two heavy
horse pistols point blank at me and the captain of the schooner. The din
of the report, the smoke, and our surprise, combined with an indefinite
sort of feeling (upon my part at least) that we were half blown to
pieces, caused a moment's inaction almost fatal to us. The whole of the
crew, some eighteen or twenty, rushed forward. Fortunately the captain
(who I imagined was the mate) of the vessel, being farthest away from
the discharge of the pistols, was not in the least startled, but firing
at the man who held them, brought him to the deck, and then discharging
several shots amongst the crowd, gave me time to recover myself.
I did not feel wounded. My next perception was, that I was engaged with
half a dozen men pushing fiercely at me with their spears. For some
seconds I defended myself desperately with the cutlass, successfully
warding all their thrusts, actually forgetful of the revolver I held in
my left hand. I was soon reminded of its use by another man coming
towards me, pointing a huge pistol like the first two that had so nearly
finished me. This entirely recalled my presence of mind, and bringing my
revolver into play, I had the satisfaction of seeing him fall in the
smoke. At the same instant, however, the slight distraction had nearly
proved successful to my spear assailants; one transfixed me, as I
thought, though afterwards it appeared I was barely scratched, and the
transfixing sensation was caused by the spear tightly pinning my
clothes, while before I could parry it, another made a thrust full at my
breast. With no time to sweep my cutlass round, I dropped it, and seized
the spear-haft within an inch of my body, at the same time using my
revolver and shooting the man. Before I could level at another enemy,
the man whose spear was fast in my clothes abandoned it and closed with
me. Over and over we rolled on the deck. I was unable to use my pistol,
and he to use his knife. My left wrist was firmly grasped by his right
hand, while my right hand was fully engaged restraining his left, armed
with a large dagger.
While struggling on the deck I saw several Chinamen approaching with
uplifted spear, to slaughter me in my helpless condition, but each time
I had seen the schooner's mate jump over me, exclaiming, as he thrust
with his sword, "L[=a], l[=a]," and each time I had seen an enemy fall.
At last I received a severe blow on the head, and, half-stunned, felt my
antagonist releasing his left hand. Just at this moment I was sensible
of some one dragging himself along the deck close to me, and ere I could
distinguish who or what it was, my revolver was taken from my hand, the
Chinaman who had hitherto been holding it abandoned his grip, and
knocked my right hand from his left. Instead of feeling his knife
pierce me, a pistol was discharged, so close that the flash singed my
hair, and the Chinaman fell motionless across me.
From the effect of the blow I had received, and the shock of the near
report, I lay for a moment unable to move. I was then aroused by the
mate of the schooner dragging the Chinaman off me and assisting me to
rise, exclaiming, "Eh, monsieur capitaine, hope I, be gar! vous have no
die--Zese sacré--all dead, all run down le fond de calle--de hole, be
gar!"
When I recovered my feet, I saw the deck was deserted, except by
ourselves and seven or eight Chinamen lying dead or wounded, and the
captain of the schooner, who was sitting on the deck with my revolver in
his hand--for he it was who had so opportunely rescued me from my
antagonist.
Upon examining the captain, we found he had received a severe-looking
wound from the first discharge, a ball from one of the horse pistols
having struck his breast, and then, glancing, passed through the fleshy
part of his left arm.
Of the prostrate Chinese four were dead and four severely wounded. All
this happened in far less time than it takes to read it, and just as it
was all over my two consorts arrived, and the vessels being anchored
close alongside, their owners came on board to ascertain the cause of
all the noise and firing.
The Frenchman whom I had taken for the mate of the schooner, proved to
be part owner of her. She was from Shanghae, and bound to Chin-kiang
with a cargo of sundries and opium. When close to the Lang-shan crossing
the crew were observed to be acting very suspiciously, and the _lowder_
(Chinese captain) having altered the course of the vessel, to steer her
away to the northern entrance of the river, a favourite haunt of
pirates, the captain and owner at once determined to seize and make him
a prisoner, rightly suspecting that they had shipped a crew in league
with the pirates.
Arming themselves, they went on deck and immediately seized the _lowder_
at the helm, one making him fast while the other threatened him with
instant death in case of resistance. Directly the crew saw this they
seized up boarding-pikes, hand-spikes, &c., and commenced rushing aft to
attack them; but while the captain kept them off with a levelled rifle,
the owner, putting his revolver to the _lowder's_ head, swore to blow
his brains out if the crew advanced another step.
This had the desired effect, for the _lowder_ quickly called to his
colleagues to desist, who at once retired to the fore part of the
vessel, leaving their leader in the hands of the Europeans.
After they had been sailing for several hours up the river in this
position, they met me; and during their occupation, when I was boarding
them, the crew had managed to release the _lowder_, and made the attack
upon us to try and capture the vessel, well knowing the fate which
awaited them at Shanghae as pirates.
Had it not been for the prowess and dexterous swordsmanship of the
owner, the Chinamen, although with great loss, would undoubtedly have
overpowered us. The Frenchman had been maître d'armes in a French
regiment, and more than nine killed and wounded were due to his sword,
for, besides those left on deck, five or six who had fled below were
wounded. Poor fellow! some little time afterwards he was killed by
pirates, almost upon the scene of our encounter, when, after bravely
defending himself alone on the deck of his vessel against a host of
assailants, and killing sixteen with his own hand, the pirates, unable
to overcome his splendid swordsmanship, retired to their own vessel and
killed him by throwing stink-pots[16] upon him.
We dressed the captain's wounds as well as we were able, and after
throwing the dead overboard, and permitting the Chinese to dress their
own wounds, we made them all fast; and, remaining by the schooner all
night, we had the satisfaction of seeing her taken in tow for
Chin-kiang, by a passing river steamer, in the morning.
After this, in company with my consorts, I weighed anchor and proceeded
on my voyage to Shanghae. Towards dusk we came within sight of the
Lang-shan hills, and as it would have been dangerous to attempt the
crossing at night, especially in the vicinity of pirates, we determined
to anchor until daylight.
About midnight, I and the mate were alarmed by the look-out man, who
rushed into our cabin, singing out--"Jen-dow-li! Jen-dow-li!" (Pirates
coming! Pirates coming!)
Jumping out of our berths we hurried on deck, turning all the crew out
to get the schooner under weigh.
Rather more than a quarter of a mile up river we observed two heavy
junks, and as we were lying to the ebb tide, they were right straight
ahead. As they were so distant, and apparently peaceful, people not so
experienced as ourselves would never have taken the slightest alarm, and
consequently would have become an easy prey.
I perceived at a glance the _modus operandi_ of the junks ahead--they
had anchored exactly abreast of each other, but some distance apart;
they had then run out a stout rope from the bow of one to the other, and
having waited for a dark and favourable opportunity, had weighed their
anchors and were now dropping down upon us with the tide, rapidly and
noiselessly, hauling in the rope on board either vessel as might be
necessary, intending to let it catch across our bows or cable, and thus
be swept alongside instantaneously by the strong tide, when their crowds
of men could board and make short work of us. Many a vessel unsuspicious
of this cunning device has been easily captured, when otherwise she
might have beaten off the pirates, or escaped through superior sailing.
Getting under weigh, I determined to drop down with the tide according
to the plan of the pirates, as it was likely by that means my movement
would for some little time remain undiscovered and give me an
opportunity to close with my consorts, anchored more than a mile below.
The moon having just gone down, and the night become quite dark, my
design succeeded admirably, and I lessened the distance between myself
and allies by at least three quarters of a mile before the pirates gave
any sign that they had discovered they were not closing with me. At
last, however, we could dimly discern their spreading foresails through
the darkness, as they made sail in chase; I was not slow to follow their
example, and Philip and myself having armed, prepared to go on board our
consorts, they carrying guns, while our vessel mounted none. The only
danger was, that our friends might not be keeping a look-out, and that
we should have no time to prepare them for defence, or get the guns
ready.
We were soon relieved on this point, for our pursuers had the kindness
to open fire upon us, and so effectually arouse the crews of the other
vessels.
From the loudness and rapidity of the reports, I knew our antagonists
were of the formidable west coast class (Ti-mungs), mounting ten or a
dozen 12 to 32-pounders. I had but little fear of the result, however,
if once on board our friends' vessels, for I knew they each carried two
long nines, which well worked--and two of us were good gunners--would
soon put the pirates to flight.
The cannonade had only lasted a few minutes, when I perceived the sails
of my two consorts close by. I instantly put the _lowder_ in charge of
my vessel, and directing him to steer directly after us, took six of my
best men in the boat, and pulling to our allies, left my mate and three
of the crew on board one of them, and took the other three on board the
second with myself.
According to pre-arrangement, I took charge of the operations. The plan
I determined upon was to concentrate our fire upon one of the attacking
vessels, and to manoeuvre so as to bring her into the centre of a
circle, the radius of which would be described by our two vessels and
the other pirate ship. If this could be carried out, we would be in a
position to keep one of the enemy's vessels in the way of the other,--or
that one which might be in the centre of the circle, between the fire of
its consort and our vessels. Hailing my schooner, I ordered her to keep
away in the opposite course until I should open fire, and then to sail
back and follow in my wake. This ruse had the desired effect, for while
one Ti-mung bore away to engage the schooner, the other seemed inclined
to follow our two fighting ships, and act as a cover to her consort's
attack.
In a short time we had the satisfaction to bring the two Ti-mungs nearly
in a line; and to prevent my own vessel getting too far away and thus
running the risk of being carried by the board before we could come to
her assistance, we opened fire immediately. The advantageous position we
had obtained soon became evident; our opponent mounting about ten
broadside guns could of course only fire five at a time, and as both the
vessels under my charge carried swivel guns, we could reply with four;
the only chance the pirates possessed to overmatch us, was by engaging
each of our armed vessels, when the odds would have been more than
double in their favour. This, however, they neglected to do, and while
one was chasing my schooner,--that now having tacked was following us
round in a circle,--and unable to bring a gun to bear on her, having
nothing but broadside guns mounted, we were particularly engaged with
our more immediate adversary, and completely sailing round her. The
pirates' firing was bad and ineffective, not one shot in twenty striking
us. I knew that, generally, vessels of the Chinese could only fire their
guns with any aim when directly abeam; therefore the continual change
of position I compelled her to observe, sadly interfered with their
shooting.
In a short time the accuracy of our firing commenced to tell, and our
antagonist hauled off to join his consort, making signals to her at the
same time. The latter at once abandoned the chase of my schooner, and
bore down to assist her companion. I now saw a good opportunity to
finish the combat; both vessels were approaching us, and we were
steering straight to meet them; I therefore loaded with a double charge
of grape and canister, and running down upon them, when within fifty
yards, luffed right across their bows, and with our heavily charged guns
raked them fore and aft.
It was too dark to see the result of that discharge, but we heard quite
enough yelling to convince us it had proved sufficiently destructive to
both vessels. The pirates, after a confusion in which it would have been
easy to carry them had we had any men to board with, hauled off, and
crowded on all sail to escape. This they might not have been permitted
to do so easily; but while following them to bestow a few parting shots,
the vessel I was on board ran bang ashore. This at once put an end to
further pursuit; besides, the Ti-mungs could float in less than half the
water we could, by reason of their flat and shallow build. I warned off
our other two vessels, and both instantly lowered their sails and
anchored while they could. Running a line out to one of them, we soon
hove off the bank; as we were getting amongst the Lang-shan shoals, the
only thing to be done was to remain at anchor quietly till daylight. We
came out of the action with a loss of only one man killed,--his head had
been smashed with a round shot,--one wounded by a splinter, one with a
grape-shot lodged in his seat of honour, and a pet monkey, belonging to
the captain of the vessel I was on board, missing. The loss of the
pirates must have been heavy, especially from the salvo of grape and
canister at close quarters.
The engagement had barely lasted half an hour, and upon its favourable
termination we spent the remainder of the night, or rather morning, in
glorification, winding up with a well-spread morning supper. We might
fairly have expected we had had enough of pirates for one voyage, yet it
was not so, and we were to see more of them before reaching Shanghae.
The morning broke dim and foggy, so thick, in fact, that we were unable
to weigh anchor and proceed till late in the day. In consequence of the
thick weather, we chose the north channel to pass the Lang-shan
crossing, as there we could find good soundings to steer by. We had been
following this for some time, and the day had become one of that
unsettled changeable kind, leaving us at one moment in the centre of a
dense fog, and anon in the midst of a perfectly clear spot surrounded by
thick banks, when, during a momentary glimpse of clear weather, a large
fleet of Chinese trading junks passed us on their way up the river from
Shanghae.
These junks reported that they had been attacked by pirates only a mile
or so below, and that two of their number had been captured; the
pirates, they said, were in long low boats, imperceptible in the fog
until right alongside. This put us upon the _qui vive_; Philip and
myself still remained on board the armed vessels, and sending my
schooner on ahead, we followed her, one on each quarter. The fog again
closed in upon us, and we had progressed but a very short distance when
we heard a tremendous outcry from on board the schooner just ahead: it
was so thick, that we were unable to discern anything, but we could
plainly hear the Chinamen yelling out that they were attacked by
"Jen-dow."
I was just about ordering a gun to be fired to frighten the pirates off,
when, before I could give the order, we heard a splashing of oars, and
the next minute bang went a gun within half a dozen yards, and a charge
of grape or canister hissed and hurtled about our ears. I had barely
time to jump off the gun I was sitting upon, depress it to the lowest
limit, and fire it off with the cigar in my hand, when the long
narrow boat I had laid the gun for--just issuing from the dense
fog into the space of a few feet, within which anything could be
distinguished--crashed alongside, full of the dead and dying. Every man
in that boat seemed stricken, but we had no time for observation, for
the instant she touched our side--probably torn to pieces by the grape
and langridge--she turned over and sank. From the noise of oars all
round us, it appeared as though many boats were rapidly pulling away;
only one more came in sight, just sufficiently to receive a dose from
the foremost pivot gun, after which she disappeared in the mist. In a
few minutes the fog considerably lifted, and there in the distance we
saw a squadron of the Imperialist gunboats--of the smallest
size--pulling inshore as fast as they could. If instead of employing
British gunboats against the Ti-pings, the British authorities had sent
them against these, they might have rendered a real service, for many a
poor fellow has lost the number of his mess, slaughtered by these
murderous wretches, who subsequently became the comrades of British
officers and sailors in the waters of both Ningpo and Shanghae. The fog
clearing, without further adventure or mishap, we safely reached our
destination.
FOOTNOTES:
[16] An earthenware jar filled with a suffocating combustible, forming a
very formidable weapon. It is thrown as a hand grenade.