Home.--Its Desolation.--Intelligence of Marie.--Consequent
Proceedings.--Preparations for Pursuit.--River Tracking.--In
Pursuit.--The Lorcha Sighted.--Stratagems.--Alongside the
Lorcha.--On Board the Lorcha.--Critical Position.--A Friend in
Need.--Failure.--Lorcha again Reconnoitred.--Increased
Difficulties.--Another Attempt.--Alongside the Lorcha again.
Marie Discovered.--Marie Rescued.--Safe on Board.--Marie's
Explanation. The Lorcha in Pursuit.--She gains on us.--The
Lorcha opens fire.--Safe among the Ti-pings.
Eager to meet my betrothed, I had no sooner moored my vessel in the
Shanghae anchorage, and reported at the Consulate, than I sought her at
her aunt's dwelling, which was situated at the back of the American
settlement, at a considerable distance from any other European
habitation.
When I drew near the house, an indescribable presentiment of evil seemed
to possess me,--one of those prophetic warnings, so common, but yet such
a psychological mystery.
I walked rapidly along, until the turning of some rising ground, a
little distance in front, brought me within sight of the house. When I
reached the ridge that had concealed it from view, I paused a moment,
almost expecting to find that the building had vanished.
There, however, stood the house, safe enough to all appearance; so,
feeling reassured, I walked on. As I drew close, almost expecting Marie
would run forth to welcome me, I failed to discern any smoke issuing
from the chimneys, or any sign of life about the dwelling. My former
fear now returned in full force; I was within a few paces of the house,
and it appeared to be uninhabited.
I hurried forward to the door; it was unfastened; the lock was wrenched
off, and had evidently been broken open. I passed within, and loudly
called upon the former tenants by name; but echo alone replied. Passing
from room to room, I saw furniture scattered about in every direction,
broken and thrown down. The house presented a picture of utter ruin.
I ran through the rooms, still vociferating, and still mocked by the
echo of my own voice. They were silent and deserted. I was evidently the
only living thing within the walls. At last, hoarse with shouting, I
stood in silent despair, gazing on the destruction around. Marie and her
relatives had disappeared, and the scene of ruin told a tale of
violence.
For some moments all was still and quiet. At length, aroused by the
sound of footsteps in the lower rooms, a sudden hope cheered me, and I
hurried to meet them. A glance showed me I had deceived myself; a couple
of Chinamen, with eyes and mouth wide open, gaping at the broken
furniture, stood before me. I questioned them anxiously, trusting to
gain some intelligence, but all to no purpose. To my inquiries they
replied by stating that, having heard my hallooing, they had come to see
what was the matter. Further questioning simply elicited, "Gno
puh-shettah, gno puh-shettah" (I don't know, I don't know). Turning them
out, I searched every nook and corner, but without avail. All my efforts
were fruitless, no trace of anything that could enlighten me was
apparent--not a vestige, not a clue, rewarded my long and anxious
search.
All clothing and personal effects had been removed, and many light
articles of furniture; the heavier ones were broken and overturned. It
was impossible to tell what might have been destroyed or carried off by
thieves after the house had been deserted.
At last I was compelled to confess to myself that further search was
hopeless; I had searched diligently, and could discover nothing.
Sorrowfully I turned away from the house, and proceeded to several
Chinese dwellings in the neighbourhood; but at each received the
unsatisfactory answer, "Puh-shettah, puh-shettah."
Taking my interpreter with me, I called at many houses, but without
success; not the slightest information could I gather; the whole affair
remained a profound and impenetrable mystery. Everything led me to
believe some violent act had been perpetrated; besides, I was quite
certain that Marie would never have gone away willingly without first
communicating with me.
One evening when in my cabin, tired out with the day's useless
searching, and absorbed with bitter reflections, an old friend of mine,
Captain L., erstwhile of the Turkish Contingent, came on board to see
me, having just arrived from Hankow. After I had related the mysterious
disappearance of Marie, L. suddenly jumped from his seat with a loud
exclamation, and, questioning me a little further, declared he had
obtained a clue as to her destination.
It appeared that, while on his passage from Chin-kiang, the steamer had
passed close to a large Portuguese lorcha, and he had just caught a
glimpse of a girl on deck, of whom he then took no further notice, but
who he now felt sure was Marie.
I felt overjoyed at the discovery. L., my friend, had called with me at
Marie's relatives' several times, so I had every confidence that his
opinion was correct, and I determined to follow the trail so singularly
found. He declared he would accompany me, and kindly professed his
readiness to start at once.
Early in the morning I went ashore to the owners of the schooner, and
gave up the command to a friend. Philip, the mate, preferred joining
me; he had served in the Greek insurrection against the Turks, and was a
fine brave fellow.
Fortunately one of the river steamers--at that time few and far
between--was to leave Shanghae in the afternoon, so it was just possible
I might reach Chin-kiang before the lorcha's arrival, though that would
depend entirely upon the winds she had experienced. Accordingly, a few
minutes before the bell rang, the whistle blew, and the skipper gave the
hoarse command to "cast off." L., Philip, and myself, made our way on
board the _Yang-tze_ (named after the river) with our baggage. We each
took an ample supply of everything, as it would be necessary, in case
the lorcha should have left Chin-kiang previous to our arrival, either
to purchase or hire a vessel of some description to follow her. During
the passage to Chin-kiang, we kept a regular watch the whole time, one
or the other of us never leaving the deck, but, telescope in hand,
keeping a sharp look-out. Heavily hung the time, until we made Silver
Island ahead. I had put every possible interpretation upon Marie's
presence--if, indeed, it were she--on board the lorcha. I had adopted
every imaginable theory, but all to no purpose; the same idea would not
remain five minutes, and I was forced to give up the mystery as
unfathomable. Silver Island now hove in sight, and with my friends I
waited impatiently on deck, and scanned the vessels in port, until,
steaming slowly through the scanty shipping, we came to an anchor; but,
although several lorchas were there, my friend did not recognize the one
we sought for.
As the steamer remained but a short time at Chin-kiang, and it became
necessary to leave her as soon as possible, I sent my interpreter (whom
I had taken, together with my cook, and a female attendant for Marie in
case I should find her), amongst the numerous junks, to hire one for us
to live in for a few days, as there was no accommodation on shore. In a
little while he returned successful, and leaving the steamer, we all
took up our new quarters in a large Hankow junk, certainly not the most
comfortable in the world, but still very well under the circumstances.
The worst of it was, my sleeping berth that night happened to be in the
joss-house, a little den surrounded by a broad shelf filled with the
most horrible-looking small devils, of all colours and monstrosity,
starting forth from red-painted and tinsel-gilded little temples; and
although the crew seemed perfectly oblivious of the fact, by permitting
the gods' or imps' desecration by the presence of the "foreign devil," a
confounded old she-Chinese disturbed me at frequent periods throughout
the night, by crawling into my place through a little hole at the back,
to replenish the joss-sticks and incense, and to chin-chin Joss. The
witches of Macbeth were nothing to that old hag, as she stuck herself at
my feet, faintly seen by the dim light of a distant pot of oil burning
from the end of a small piece of pith, and slowly rocked herself about,
muttering some unintelligible jargon, out of which I could only
distinguish, "tomety feh, tomety feh, tomety feh!"
From the excited state of my mind; the irruptions of that aged
party--probably the great-grandmother of half the crew; the surrounding
phalanx of little devils, occasionally lighted up by a red and sudden
glow of the burning joss-sticks; the distant noise of the gambling crew,
in the fore part of the junk (Chinese sailors are inveterate gamblers,
generally spending the whole night at it when practicable), and the
irritable, restless thoughts all this induced, it may easily be imagined
how very delightful my numerous dreams were that night. It seems a
singular fact that nearly all the Chinese idols are of the most terrible
and demoniacal aspect; it is, however, easily to be accounted for, as
the Chinamen say the beneficent gods, being good, cannot do them any
harm; but the devils and evil gods being bad, they think it necessary to
propitiate them.
Directly we arrived at Chin-kiang, I proceeded to the Custom-house, and
ascertained that a lorcha had passed up the river only the preceding
day. I therefore at once sent my interpreter to look out for a
convenient and fast-sailing junk, either for sale or hire. The next day
he fortunately succeeded in finding one, a cut-down up-river junk, of a
particularly fast and shallow description; she had been altered into a
semi-European style, and furnished with a keel, and comfortable cabins
inside, was about 60 tons burthen, and altogether just the sort of craft
I wanted. On the river she would certainly be faster under sail than the
lorcha, and without wind she could either be tracked along the bank or
impelled by the large sweeps (_yulos_) she carried.
As, in the event of rescuing Marie, I determined to proceed with the
vessel to Nankin, the Chinese owner, who was also skipper, would only
come to terms upon my paying down half the value of his craft,
guaranteeing the remainder in case of loss, and hiring her at a monthly
rate. To this I instantly agreed, and hurrying all the preparations
forward, late on the same evening was enabled to start in chase of the
lorcha.
A stern chase is proverbially a long one; but in this case I had means
of progressing that the chase had not. The wind was too light for
sailing against the strong current, therefore I knew the lorcha must
either lay at anchor waiting for a breeze, or, if small and drawing but
little water, progress slowly by tracking along the bank; while, upon
the other hand, with my lighter vessel I should be able to keep close in
to the shore, and track along at the rate of two or three miles an hour.
Tracking is a very common operation in China, resembling our canal
tracking, only instead of horses the crew of the vessel pull her along,
a rope being taken ashore from the mast-head, to which the men yoke
themselves with a bridle having a wooden bar to rest upon the chest;
then away they start, singing in chorus some melancholy falsetto
monostich, or improvising as they go. At many parts there are regular
trackers, who make it their business. It is a hard and unprofitable
life, and these poor people, among others, are frequently seized by
officials, and compelled to track government vessels for many hundred
miles without reward, and then left to find their way home the best way
they can, if they do not starve in the meanwhile.
The night was fortunately a bright moonlight one, and I was enabled to
make considerable progress. Before daylight, however, the moon vanished
behind the distant hills, and, with her disappearance, we were compelled
to anchor till morning. At break of day I was up, eagerly scanning the
distant bosom of the river for the bark I was following. Nothing but the
sails of a few Chinese junks rewarded my long and anxious gaze. Yet it
was possible the lorcha might be hid from view by the first bend of the
river, where, scarcely three miles off, its waters disappeared behind
the land.
Rousing up my friends, and leaving them to follow me by tracking slowly
along, I dressed myself in Chinese clothes, put on a broad Chinese hat,
took my rifle and a good glass, and landing with my interpreter, started
off on the scout, making for an eminence some two or three miles
distant, close to the channel of the river. When arrived at its summit,
I found it commanded a capital view of the water for many miles; a
glance told me the lorcha was nowhere near, neither could I distinguish
her in the distance. Suddenly, my interpreter declared he could see her.
Knowing what powerful vision the Chinese frequently have, I instantly
brought the spot he pointed out--some eight or nine miles away--again
into the range of my glass. I saw several junks' masts, and after a long
and careful scrutiny, made out a couple much larger than the rest, which
might possibly be those of the lorcha; but at that distance, with
nothing but the bare masts, amongst others showing over some low land, I
could not be certain. The Chinaman still persisted that he was right;
and, trusting he might prove so, I returned on board.
During all that day we tracked steadily forward, and towards evening I
had the satisfaction of plainly observing the lorcha in the distance.
She was also being tracked, but was too heavy to move fast, so that we
were rapidly gaining on her, and in four or five hours ought to be
alongside. The difficulty would be to ascertain whether Marie was on
board, and if so, how situated. When I reflected that my friend had
observed her from the steamer as he passed, it did not seem improbable
that I might see her also; but her apparent freedom sadly interfered
with the idea that she had been carried off by force and was detained
against her will. Had it been so, she might have made signs of distress,
or called for help, when the steamer passed so close.
It was impossible to form any plan, or arrive at any fixed conclusion.
Circumstances alone could guide us. We had now entered the Ti-ping
territory, so I felt quite confident of safety on shore, whatever might
betide; besides, my commission from the Chung-wang would doubtless
obtain me assistance if I required it.
It would be quite easy for us to pass right alongside the lorcha without
exciting the slightest suspicion. In the first place, her people could
have not the least idea of our pursuit; and, in the second, we had but
to hoist a Chinese flag, and if they should happen to take any notice of
our vessel, they would simply think her a Chinese one, while we could
closely observe them from our small cabin windows.
It was just about dusk when the lorcha ceased tracking, and came to an
anchor under some steep hills. We were not more than half a mile astern,
so, concealing ourselves, but making the Chinamen lounge about the
decks, and stick up an old flag full of Chinese characters, without the
slightest hesitation we held on our course. The lorcha had anchored
within thirty yards of the bank, so, giving our vessel rather a broad
sheer into the stream, we passed close to her, in fact, almost grazing
her side. From our hiding-places we could see that her crew were mostly
Portuguese, and that she was armed heavily enough to sink our
lightly-built vessel in an instant; but Marie was not visible, neither
could we distinguish any trace of her.
As my friend was positive it was the same craft he had previously seen,
it was quite certain that some woman must be on board; therefore I
determined to ascertain who she was. Continuing on past the lorcha for
nearly a mile, until the turning of the river hid her behind the hills
she was anchored abreast of, we hauled close in to the bank and made
fast there.
Besides a larger boat, we carried one of the small canoes used at some
parts of the Yang-tze. In this I decided to drop down the river whenever
the moon should set, and endeavour to discover whether Marie was on
board the strange vessel.
To favour my design, towards midnight the weather became heavy, and the
moon soon after sank behind a thick bank of clouds; not a star could be
seen, and the night was perfectly dark. I now dressed myself with loose
black silk trousers, such as were used by the Ti-pings, tucking the ends
into a pair of soft-soled Chinese boots, a tight black silk jacket, and
a thick black felt Canton cap. I carried a pair of revolvers carefully
loaded in my belt, placed a coil of rope in the boat, and also a common
Chinese sleeping quilt. My friends desired to come with me; but I
decided otherwise, for it would be desirable to use stratagem rather
than force, and three of us, besides the man to manage the boat, would
overcrowd her. Neither would I allow them to cast off the vessel and
drop after me; for if I should find Marie and rescue her, it would be
necessary to keep out of the range of the lorcha's guns. I therefore
pressed the hands of my comrades, took my interpreter, a Canton man,
whom I knew I could depend upon, and, with one of the best men of my
crew to manage the boat, pushed off and commenced dropping down with the
tide. I had scarcely left my vessel when a sudden thought struck me, so,
turning back, I requested my friends to walk down the bank, take a
couple of the crew with them, all well armed, and station themselves on
the shore directly opposite the lorcha.
The strength of the tide swept the frail boat rapidly along, and soon I
found myself abreast of the hills close to the termination of which I
knew the lorcha lay at anchor. It was so very dark under the shadow of
the high land, that when we discerned the vessel we were within a few
hundred feet of her, and drifting down right upon her bows. We instantly
slipped overboard the small grapnel made fast to the end of the line I
had placed in the boat, and when it reached the bottom, held on to it,
and waited to make our last preparations for boarding. I found we were
still undiscovered; indeed, it would have been impossible to distinguish
our little canoe in the surrounding darkness even at that short
distance. After waiting a few moments, I whispered Aling (my
interpreter) to slack away the line, while the man in the stern steered
us as required with his paddle. Crouching low down in the boat, we
slowly glided under the bows of the lorcha, till we drifted right upon
her cable, grappling which I prepared to mount to the deck. Aling was to
follow me so far, and then remain stationary; he would thus be able to
assist me in case I should retreat to the bows with Marie, and, besides,
would bring up the other end of the line, after reeving it through a
ringbolt in the stern of the boat, both to secure a good means of
descent and to prevent the boatman, who we knew had no knife, from
shoving off in ease of alarm.
Slowly and noiselessly I clambered up the cable, and raising my head
above the lorcha's bulwarks peered cautiously around. At last I was able
to distinguish the forms of many of the crew lying about the deck
covered up in their quilts. This was as I expected it would be, and,
moreover, I trusted they were the Chinese part of the crew, for it was
winter, and I calculated the Portuguese would prefer sleeping below.
I proceeded very deliberately with my investigations, knowing that I had
plenty of time before daylight, and had no occasion to risk a discovery
by being too precipitate. Aling soon joined me, and I was just
whispering some instructions into his ear, when, with an exclamation, up
started a man within arm's length, until then concealed by the foresail,
upon the opposite side of which he must have been reclining. For a
moment I feared we were discovered, and sending Aling down into the
boat, drew a revolver, while I prepared to follow him. Instead of
approaching me, the man walked aft. I then knew he must be the look-out,
who, having slept on his watch, had probably gone aft to ascertain the
time. Not a moment was to be lost if I intended to take advantage of his
absence; softly calling upon Aling to return, I waited until he had
reached me, and then, slipping over the rail, wrapped my quilt about me
and walked aft.
Carefully stepping over the recumbent sleepers, I had just reached the
main-mast when I saw the drowsy watchman returning. I instantly threw
myself down on the deck, and, drawing the quilt over me, pretended to be
seeking sleep. The device succeeded famously, for, whether the man had
seen me or not, he evidently considered me to be one of the crew.
Drawing the corner of the rug from over my eyes, I saw him disappear
down the fore-scuttle. Most likely his watch had expired, and he went to
rouse his relief. Directly his head was below the combings of the hatch,
I started to my feet and continued getting aft. When I reached the cabin
skylight I spread myself out by the side of it and gazed below. A bright
lamp was burning, and everything inside was plainly visible. I could see
a full musket-rack, table, books, telltale compass, an open chart, a
revolver-case, and all the paraphernalia of a nautical drawing-room;
but what riveted my eyes more than all were the sleeping-berths--one on
each side--with their curtains drawn. It was useless gazing through the
skylight; the only plan to see the occupants of these berths would be to
open the curtains and look in. Another instant and perhaps the fresh
look-out man would be on deck. I had no time to spare. If the venture
was ever to be made, now was the moment to put it into execution. I
hesitated no longer, but, rising up, stole to the companion and
cautiously crept down the stairs, lifting foot after foot with a
noiseless cat-like movement. When I reached the bottom, I found myself
fronting another berth; but the loud snoring I could hear satisfied me
that she whom I wanted was not there. I passed on to the cabin door.
After listening a few minutes, I became satisfied the inmates, whoever
they might be, were fast asleep. Little did those wrapped in the sleep
of security dream that one who might prove their deadliest enemy was in
their midst! I must have strangely resembled the midnight murderer, as
with stealthy step I glided across the cabin, and, reaching the lamp,
turned it low and dim. One of the sleepers moved uneasily. I shrunk down
into the darkest spot under the table. Again all was quiet. I crawled up
to the nearest berth, moved the curtain half an inch, and peeped in; the
back of a man was visible. Slowly I crossed over to the opposite side,
and, performing the same operation at the foot of the berth, saw a
bearded face on the pillow. Marie was not in that cabin.
A small passage led from the after-part of the saloon, apparently
dividing two after-cabins from each other. I quickly passed into it, and
paused at a door upon my left. I listened for a little while to the
profound, oppressive silence, in which I could plainly distinguish the
palpitation of my own heart; at last I fancied I heard a female voice
within. I was just pressing my ear to the panelling when a coarse
ejaculation in a man's voice proceeding from the opposite cabin made me
start back; the handle was grasped; I had just time to crouch down at
the farthest end of the passage, when the door was rudely thrust open. A
man came forth, evidently in a state of intoxication, and, fortunately
turning away from my direction, shook his fist at the door I had just
left; then muttering a curse, blundered into the outer cabin. I could
hear him unfasten a locker, take something forth, and then followed a
gurgling, clucking sound; the bottle was dashed down upon the table with
a clash, and then the drunkard staggered up the companion-way on deck.
Surely I heard a woman's voice again! I dared not remain to satisfy
myself. I had not a second to lose; if the man should return before I
could escape from the cabin, he would certainly discover me, and then
all hope of rescuing Marie would be at an end. I hurried through the
cabin and up the companion undiscovered, although an exclamation from
one of the berths made me fear it was otherwise.
Upon reaching the deck, I found I was safe from any discovery upon the
part of my intoxicated friend, for he was stretched at full length upon
the deck, and already in the lethargic sleep of drunkenness. I stooped
over him to scan his features, and while doing so plainly heard voices
in the cabin. Undoubtedly I had been noticed passing through it. As I
turned towards the forepart of the vessel, I saw the watchman coming
straight towards me. He had most likely observed my movements, and was
coming aft to ascertain what I was about, mistaking me for one of the
crew. I snatched up my quilt from where I had left it, placed it over my
head and shoulders, and pulling my trousers out of my boots, assumed the
Chinaman as much as possible, and walked to meet him. Fortunately it was
the darkest hour of the night--that immediately before the grey of
morning,--and the thick clouds made it still more sombre. Until close up
to me I did not perceive he was followed by a Chinaman; the man himself
was a Portuguese. I loosened one of my revolvers, and taking it by the
barrel under my quilt, prepared to fell him. These Macao Portuguese
nearly all speak the Canton dialect, with which I was unacquainted; and
as the Chinese portion of the lorcha's crew would certainly be
Cantonese, I expected he would address me in their language, and
discover me at once. To my surprise he spoke in the _Pidgin_ English by
saying:--
"What thing wantchee aft side, Jack?" To which I replied, with indignant
emphasis,--
"_Hi-ya!_ what ting? wantchee look see what-tim, ga-la!"
The Portuguese, seemingly dissatisfied, seized hold of my rug. Just then
the Chinaman who had followed him interfered, and, pulling me away,
exclaimed to him,--
"What for foolo pidgin? No wantchee play ga-la!"
The Portuguese still seemed suspicious; but, giving me a pull,
Aling--for it was he--laid himself down as if to repose, and I quickly
imitated him. Although this vigilant look-out now left us, for more than
an hour he continued pacing the deck close by; daylight was fast
approaching, and we were tied to the spot. Aling told me that when he
saw the look-out come aft he suspected it was to overhaul me, and,
thinking the man would speak to me in Cantonese, he followed him to
assist me. It was principally for emergencies of this sort I had brought
Aling with me.
At last the watchful mariner moved aft to see what time it was, I
imagine; so, taking the opportunity, we both got forward, and, casting
off the line, descended into the boat. It was impossible to attempt any
further discovery that night, for although I had not been followed by
the inmates of the outer cabin, it was evident they had heard me pass,
or something had disturbed and made them wakeful; besides, it was too
late now, for daylight was already breaking. Bitterly disappointed, I
was compelled to order my companions to pull the boat away from under
the lorcha's bows by hauling in the line, to weigh the grapnel, and to
paddle inshore. Directly we reached the bank, I was met by my friends,
who rushed forward to inquire what success I had met with; in a few
words I told them all. At first they declared they would return with me
to the lorcha, jump on board, force the cabin I had heard the female
voice proceed from, and if Marie was there endeavour to carry her off;
soon, however, they decided upon a more reasonable course. Our boat was
too small to carry all; the sharp look-out would most likely discover
us; there certainly would not be time to paddle the boat, heavily laden,
up stream, and adopt my last manoeuvre; and we were quite unequal to
cope with the four or five Europeans and some ten or twelve Macao
Portuguese, besides Canton men, on board. The thing was plainly
impracticable; our only course was to wait until the next night, and
then try the same plan over again. I had made several important
discoveries. If Marie was on board, I knew where to find her. I had
acquainted myself with the interior arrangements of the lorcha, and I
was enabled to form a pretty accurate estimate of her crew; so that I
had obtained some valuable facts to guide me upon a second attempt.
I returned to my vessel much disturbed in mind; the menacing gesture of
the drunken brute I had seen in the passage, the voice proceeding from
the cabin he appeared to threaten, the possibility that Marie was the
inmate who had evidently excited and angered him, were painful
reflections.
Soon after my return on board the day broke, and my companions retired
to obtain the rest they had been without all night. For my part sleep
was out of the question; I was in a complete fever, and unable to do or
think of anything else than the probable result of my next attempt to
discover Marie. The day was perfectly calm; undisturbed by a ripple, the
broad expanse of the mighty Yang-tze glided swiftly past, glistening in
the lurid sun like a sheet of liquid gold. Unable to proceed, through
want of wind and the strength of the current, the lorcha remained at
anchor; while many times during the weary day I landed, and, concealed
amidst the bushes, watched her through my telescope. I was unable to
discover anything. The day was very cold, and but few of the crew were
about the decks. At last, towards evening, I made my last reconnoitre,
accompanied by my friend and one of our crew,--the latter for the
purpose of acting as a scout upon the movements of the lorcha; for, a
light breeze having sprung up, it was just possible she might attempt to
get under weigh.
It was upon this occasion I made a discovery that led to important
results. My attention was attracted to her stern windows. It was a
fortunate circumstance that we had gone rather below the vessel, as
otherwise we could not have noticed them. After closely watching these
ports until quite dark, and observing nothing of the interior of the
after-cabin or its inmates, we returned to our vessel with sanguine
hopes for the issue of the night's adventure.
My impatience became gratefully relieved in one way by the early setting
of the moon, but, upon the other hand, the night continued bright and
starlight,--in fact, so bright that it was evidently impossible to
repeat my _modus operandi_ of the previous night. Here was an apparently
insurmountable difficulty, for I should never be able to approach the
lorcha undiscovered! For several hours I remained in deep consultation
with my friends; but after discussing every plan we could imagine, the
fact remained patent, that none could be effected without attracting
observation; unless, indeed, I could hit upon the exact moment for
relieving the look-out man at some period between midnight and the dawn,
and when the rest of the crew would almost certainly be fast asleep. I
had almost decided to adopt this course, when my friend and Philip
proposed another. Their idea was, to get our vessel under weigh in the
middle of the night, tack down the river, and then get athwart hawse of
the lorcha, as if by accident; drop an anchor foul of the lorcha's, and
while all hands would be forward working to get the vessel clear, find
an opportunity to prosecute my search. This certainly appeared feasible,
and almost superior to the other plan; but, fortunately, while
considering which to adopt, I hit upon something better than either. I
suddenly remembered the ruse the Chinese pirates had attempted with me;
prompted by this, I conceived a plan that in all respects promised to
take me silently and undiscovered to the position I desired--under the
stern of the lorcha. Directly I unfolded the project to my companions,
they agreed with me that it was impossible to conceive a better.
It was already nearly midnight; we therefore commenced our preparations
without delay. Upon this occasion, I decided to take my friend as a
companion; we each dressed in black clothes, and besides taking our
revolvers, placed a couple of rifles in the boat. In the meanwhile,
according to my instructions, Philip had made the crew prepare a large
drag, in the form of a cross, made with two short and broad spars,
lashed together at their centres. When this was ready, the end of a long
coir rope was made fast to the middle, the other end being fastened to
our canoe, with a few fathoms to spare, which were passed ashore. The
drag was now placed in our large boat, and being pulled far out on the
river, was tossed overboard; this was signalled by showing a lamp.
Directly I saw the light, I gave the word to start away: Philip and
three of the crew, well armed, taking the end of the rope, walked down
the bank, keeping our canoe close under its shadow, and progressing as
fast as the drag at the other end of the rope was drifting with the
current. After proceeding in this order for twenty minutes, during which
we had slowly been hauling in the line till we had coiled nearly half of
it in the canoe, we arrived fairly abeam of the lorcha, and, almost
immediately afterwards, felt the jerk of the rope as it caught across
her cable. Gradually easing it out, our companions dragged us carefully
past the vessel--scarcely a hundred feet distant. At length the rope was
all payed out to the bare end, and taking a small line, one end of which
was retained by our companions ashore, we let go from the bank, and the
current quickly swept us into the stream until we were checked by it in
a direct line astern of the lorcha, now dimly visible in the distance.
We had one Chinaman in the boat to steer and paddle as necessary, and
slowly and cautiously we began hauling in the rope. We had not proceeded
far, when we came up to the drag towing some 70 or 80 yards astern of
the lorcha. To the upper arm of this we made fast a lantern with a
candle and matches in it all ready to light in a moment, and then
continued hauling upon the rope, which, as we took it inboard, was
passed over the stern by the Chinaman, and pulled ashore to Philip and
his men, by means of the small line.
When within fifty feet of the lorcha, we paused awhile, and watched
closely to ascertain whether any of her crew were visible; we were soon
satisfied that our approach could be conducted with perfect impunity,
for her stern was high, and not only protected us from the observation
of the look-out in the fore part of the vessel, but would hide us from
the view of any one except a person coming to look directly over the
taffrail. We could distinguish by the light from within, only
half-subdued by thin drapery, four stern ports, two on each side; but to
see who, or what, was in the cabins, it would be necessary to remove the
curtains. Stealthily and silently we now urged ourselves forward,
passing the rope along, hand over hand, till at last there we lay right
under the lorcha's counter--like a pilot-fish under the lee of a huge
shark. Erecting myself in the boat, I found that my shoulders reaching
just to the sill of the ports, I could easily raise myself up; but, to
my chagrin, found they were too small for me to pass through. It was
evident that originally only two ports had existed, but they were now
divided into four, by a slight stanchion, or framework, passing down the
centre of each. The curtains of the starboard side were closely drawn,
the glass part of a sliding sash closed, and it was impossible to see
within. Slacking away the rope a little, I grasped the other part of it,
and changed our position to the port counter.
The curtains were not so carefully closed at this side, and looking
through the open space I was able to view the whole interior of the
cabin. My first glance was attracted by the same man I had seen issue
from it on the previous night; he was seated at a table, and I saw
directly by his flushed face that he had been drinking again very
freely. The light from a large lamp was brilliant, and I could observe
his every expression with ease,--he was evidently labouring under strong
excitement, and in a few moments I saw him pour out a stiff
"second-mate's nip" of neat brandy, and gulp it down. His appearance
became, if possible, still more inflamed, and several times he started
up and went towards the cabin door, snatching up a key from the table.
Upon each occasion, after hesitating and listening at the open door,
with a fresh effort, and a drop of brandy to obtain resolution, he
resumed his seat, gritting his teeth and clenching his hands savagely.
His manner plainly told of some evil intention, and that he was
endeavouring to raise his determination to put it into execution. The
glass sash was not quite closed, and as he retired from the door for the
last time I heard a bitter "carajo!" hiss through his teeth with fierce
aspiration; followed by a few words uttered with energy in some Spanish
patois, from which I could gather: "carajo! my proud beauty--you scorn
my love, do you? Wait a little! wait a little, my lady; we shall change
places soon."
The man's appearance was so unmistakably South American that I felt no
surprise at his language. I had no doubt that his speech referred to the
inmate of the opposite cabin, so I instantly returned under its windows
to try and make some opening to see who she was. L., my friend, handed
me a large bowie-knife he had fortunately brought with him; I managed to
pick the window open with this, and moving the curtain with my fingers,
I peered cautiously through. I had no occasion to search further--Marie
was before me. Yes, there lay my betrothed; within a few feet, almost
within reach of my hands; yet I could neither touch, or embrace her--she
was in the power of the ruffian I had just seen. My fingers trembled
nervously with the curtain and sides of the port, while my heart heaved
with sudden and powerful excitement. For some moments I remained thus,
riveted and powerless. At the first glance I saw nothing but Marie; but
when the sudden shock had passed, a single moment explained the
situation. She was sleeping upon a sofa couch, and the table, chairs,
and every moveable article of furniture in the cabin, were piled against
the door. Her face was turned away from me, but I needed not to look
upon that to recognize her; the graceful form, perfectly outlined
against the white drapery of the couch, told that it was Marie.
When my thoughts returned, I became convinced I could not be better
placed for rescuing her. She was alone, within my reach, and I was at
the most concealed spot about the lorcha to take advantage of the
opportunity. A dark shadow surrounded the vessel, and, besides this, our
little boat was drawn close up under her stern. Nothing seemed likely to
interfere with my scheme to effect her escape except one thing, and that
was, the ports were too small for egress by them! My friend took my
place in the bow of our boat to survey the situation; the instant he
placed his hand upon the port, he drew his knife and commenced hacking
away at the stanchion: if this could be removed, there would be room to
pass through the two ports thus let into one. Desperately my friend
slashed away at the woodwork; his knife was sharp, and he made rapid
progress. Marie still slept on, and I would not awaken her for fear any
sudden exclamation might startle him in the opposite cabin.
The observations and action thus described occupied but a short time.
Thoughts are quick, but at such a crisis they speed like lightning. Our
work, too, was rapid, and soon would be accomplished; and it would only
remain to bring Marie from the cabin to the boat, through the stern
ports of the lorcha.
The stanchion was about four inches thick, and my friend had cut it more
than half through, when, suddenly he sank down in the boat, exclaiming,
"hish." Reaching to me, he whispered that some one was unlocking the
cabin door from the outside. I instantly changed places with him, and,
raising myself cautiously to a level with the port, peeped through. I
saw the door slowly opening, while a hand passed through was holding the
furniture that had been piled up, and keeping it from falling as the
door was gradually pressed inwards. Marie had evidently fallen into a
deep sleep through excessive fatigue, for even this noise did not wake
her.
Not a moment was to be lost. I turned to my friend, and whispered him to
hand me one of the rifles from the stern of the boat. Upon receiving the
weapon, I placed its muzzle close to the cut on the stanchion and fired.
Before the smoke cleared away I grasped the sill of the port, the
shattered woodwork gave way, and I raised myself into the cabin.
Directly I was able to discern anything, I saw that Marie had started
from her couch, and was gazing in a terrified manner in the direction of
the report; but, calling upon her by name as I advanced nearer, she
recognized me and rushed into my arms.
As I hurried her towards the stern ports, the door was pushed further
open. For a second I paused, and fired my revolver at the man I had
previously seen in the opposite cabin, just as he appeared in the
doorway with a pistol in each hand. My shot took effect, for he fell
prostrate across the threshold. Immediately afterwards I heard the loud
shouting of the alarmed crew, and the noise of hurrying footsteps
approaching the cabin.
Upon reaching the port, I found L. all ready to receive me, and hastily
passed Marie into the boat. Just as we shoved off, the door was burst
wide open, and in rushed a crowd of men, some holding lights, and all
armed. We hauled in upon the part of the rope fast to the drag, and,
reaching it, set light to the lantern on its upper arm. Directly this
was done we cut each part of the rope, letting go one end, and thus
sending the drag floating down the river, while the other end was made
fast to the bow of our boat. The lantern was not only intended to throw
the people of the lorcha off our track, but it was to be a signal to our
friends on shore to haul away upon the rope and pull us to the bank. It
had just tautened, and pulled us out of a line with the drag, when crash
went a volley of musketry from the lorcha, and we heard the bullets go
singing past in the direction of the floating light.
Within three minutes after cutting the rope we reached the bank, and
were tracked up stream by Philip and his men. Before getting abeam of
the lorcha we had the satisfaction to hear a boat pull away from her in
pursuit of the now distant lantern.
Upon reaching my vessel I took Marie to the best cabin, and left her
with the _ayah_ I had brought to wait upon and attend to her. For some
time I was left to my own reflections, my friends being engaged getting
the vessel under weigh, and making the crew track her along the bank.
At last Marie was ready to receive me, and on my joining her she gave me
an account of all that had happened since our last parting. It appeared
that everything had gone on quietly and happily until a few evenings
previous to my arrival at Shanghae, when one night Marie and her
relatives were startled by a loud knocking at the door. This was no
sooner opened than in rushed ten or a dozen men, led by the one I had
shot, who was no other than Manoel Ramon, the Chillinian I had rescued
her from in the first place at Whampoa. He declared he intended taking
them all to Hong-kong, where he stated Marie's father was waiting to
receive her. He allowed them to take their clothes and a few light
articles; they were then taken to a lonely part of the river, and
carried on board the lorcha, which directly afterwards weighed anchor
and commenced dropping down the river. Upon getting well clear of
Woo-sung, at the entrance of the Shanghae river, the lorcha was stopped
alongside a junk, and Marie's two relatives--her aunt and uncle--were
put on board, and the vessels instantly separated. Ramon then informed
her that her father was dead, that he had been made his heir, and that a
settlement had been left her upon condition that she should marry him.
For the first few days he had renewed his old protestations of
affection, and treated her respectfully; but latterly, finding her
aversion immovable, his bearing had entirely altered.
Rapidly flew the time, as, absorbed in our happiness, we remained
unconscious of its flight; at last I was startled by the increased
motion of the vessel, and knew that a fresh breeze had sprung up. This
change had not lasted long, when my friend L. came to the cabin-door and
beckoned me to go out to him. Wishing Marie good-night, and leaving her
to obtain the repose she needed, I followed him into the outer cabin,
and eagerly inquired what had occurred.
"Why, that confounded lorcha's in full chase, and will certainly
overhaul us within three hours," said my friend.
I hurried on deck with him, and found it was just daylight, and although
we had undoubtedly made considerable progress before the lorcha had
started in pursuit, yet there she was, some five or six miles astern,
and crowding all sail in chase.
After thinking it over a little while, we decided that sending the light
adrift upon the river had brought about the pursuit. When the men sent
in chase had come up to it, they doubtless saw at once that it had been
sent to drift down the river, and as it was certain it could not have
been started above the people they were in pursuit of, it was equally
sure that we must be above it. We had not thought of this at the time;
we only valued it as a ruse to throw off the close pursuit we expected,
and so give us time to return to our vessel undiscovered. So far we were
successful, but the whole style of the drag proved to the lorcha's
people that we must be above them, and _up_ the river, which caused her
to give chase so soon.
We were at this time some twelve or fourteen miles below Nankin, and I
at once determined to make for that place with all speed. The sails were
wetted down fore and aft, and everything done to make them draw as well
as possible. The breeze was moderately strong, but freshening, and the
stronger it came the quicker would the lorcha overhaul us, for being of
an European and heavier build, and spreading loftier and lighter canvas
than we did, it would tell considerably in her favour. Fortunately the
wind was dead aft, so our flat and shallow bottom was in this case an
advantage, whereas, a beam or leading wind would have made it quite the
reverse. The wind increased so quickly that in less than two hours the
lorcha had rapidly gained upon us, and was coming up hand over hand in a
cloud of canvas. She was yet more than two miles astern, but I was still
some six miles below Nankin, and although the breeze was now very
strong, I could not, with an adverse tide, hope to reach that city
before we were within the range of her pivot gun.
We tried every plan to increase our speed; an old awning was rigged out
as a stun'-sail upon one side, and a spare tarpaulin on the other,
besides which, several large flags were fastened together, bent to a
large bamboo, and hoisted above the mainsail to serve as a
gaff-topsail. It was now blowing half a gale of wind, and over a three
or four knot tide, the old vessel was staggering along under a press of
sail she had never felt before. Following directly in our wake, like a
sleuth-hound on the trail, the lorcha presented at this time a striking,
though to us unpleasant, picture. Rolling heavily from side to side, her
snow-white sails pyramid-like in form, and reaching from the deck to the
very summit of her long and taper spars, now bending like willows to the
blast; a long furrow of foam following in her wake, and two lines of
water leaping from each bow, and tossing high into the air a silver
spray, through which the morning sun formed myriads of tiny rainbows;
the stoop of the vessel, as with a movement like the bending of a
buffalo to the charge, she plunged forward burying her bows deep into
the rushing surge, and anon raising them high above as though to shake
the dripping element from her head--all these phases in the appearance
of our pursuer made her look a thing of life and beauty. While gazing
and thinking thus, I was abruptly recalled from the romantic to the
stern reality of the scene. The lorcha suddenly luffed up, puff went a
column of smoke from her lee bow, and while it was eddying amidst her
cordage the splash of a shot a few fathoms from our stern, accompanied
by the booming of a cannon, told me the danger had now commenced in
earnest, and that our pursuer was aware of our connection with the
affair of the previous night.
The shot had fallen so close under our stern that it was certain the
next five minutes would find us within range and entirely commanded by
the lorcha's guns. Upon the other hand, another half-hour might see us
safe under the walls of Nankin, unless some of our spars should be
crippled, or a shot strike us below the water-line. If either of these
misfortunes should occur, before we could make repairs aloft the lorcha
would be alongside; if hulled, before reaching the Nankin batteries we
should sink. I therefore made every preparation to run into the bank
and get ashore, in the event of such an emergency.
I placed Marie in the hold, right upon the bottom of the vessel, where
she would be below the water-line far enough to be safe from the
lorcha's fire. My friends and self got our rifles and a few things ready
in case we should have to take to the shore. We had the sails
continually wetted, and made the crew run fore and aft the decks to help
the vessel's way. In a few moments the lorcha luffed up again, bang went
her "long Tom," and the shot came whistling over our heads, passing some
yards clear of our rigging. We were now fairly within range, and our
pursuer fired at us as quickly as the pivot-gun could be loaded and
brought to bear. This kind of work went on for some time, till at last
the outworks of Nankin showed up only a mile or so ahead. The lorcha had
hitherto fired exclusively at our spars, but directly these forts opened
to view, she began aiming at our hull. Several large rents were torn
through our sails, though fortunately none of our spars had been struck;
but the gunnery practice of our enemy now became close and dangerous.
Two or three shots hurtled past a few feet over the decks, but then
crash came one right amidships, tearing in at one side and passing clean
through the other, as we rounded a sand-bank and became nearly broadside
on to the lorcha. As we fell into line again another smashed through the
stern, and, knocking off the helmsman's head, passed over the bows,
raking us fore and aft, but fortunately killing no one else. The lorcha
having to round-to each time she fired, in order to get her pivot-gun to
bear, her way was checked very considerably; and to this may our escape
be entirely attributed. At the time our helmsman was struck we had
already reached the first of the Nankin batteries. The people on board
the lorcha now saw their mistake, and, ceasing firing, kept steadily on
in chase. They changed their tactics--fortunately for us--too late.
Hoisting a flag the Ti-pings had given me when I left Soo-chow, I
steered past the point of the island just below Nankin, and passing the
batteries--crowded with soldiery gazing upon the chase--ran into the
creek, leading between some fortifications direct to the walls of the
city, and there anchored.
[Illustration: ESCAPE FROM THE LORCHA.
London, Published March 15^{th} 1866 by Day & Son, Limited Lithog^{rs}
Gate Str, Lincoln's Inn Fields.
Day & Son, Limited Lith.]
Directly I ran up the Ti-ping flag I was boarded by an officer from the
principal fort. To him I showed my commission from the Chung-wang, and
requested protection from the pursuing vessel. He pulled quickly ashore,
and just as the lorcha was rounding the point of the island and
preparing to follow me into the creek, I had the satisfaction to see a
gun fired across her bows, upon which she hauled off and gave up the
pursuit, her retreat accelerated by another shot from the fort sent
right into her.
While watching her through my glass, I plainly observed her owner,
Manoel Ramon, propped up in a chair on the quarter-deck.