AMHERST.
“Oh! that a dream so sweet, so long enjoyed,
Should be so sadly, cruelly destroyed.”
The glory of this place had departed. As Moulmein rose in importance
this once busy centre fell into decay, assuming for the most part its
primeval condition of luxuriant vegetation.
It was, nevertheless, the spot chosen for a sanatorium during the
second Burmese war, and it certainly fulfilled the requirements of all
concerned. Being built on the seashore, and at the mouth of the river,
it combined great salubrity with easiness of approach.
At the extreme point of a ledge of rocks that ran some distance out
to sea stood the lighthouse, from which a submerged reef stretched
obliquely towards the shore, enclosing an area of water in which the
soldiers used to bathe, although the mouth of the river was infested
with sharks.
According to the testimony of the oldest inhabitant, none of these
monsters had ever been known to stray inside the reef; though how soon
this immunity ceased to be, the reader will learn before the close of
the present chapter.
There were several barracks facing the sea, and close to the shore,
which was composed of alternate stretches of sand and rock. They were
built on piles, very roomy and comfortable, having thick roofs and
broad verandahs; and although unoccupied for several years, they were
soon rendered habitable by a little vigorous sweeping and scrubbing,
the eviction of extensive colonies of bats, spiders, and other insects,
which were in possession, and had multiplied after their kind.
Amherst was, in fact, to Moulmein much what Brighton is to the
Metropolis—a convenient place to run down to for a brief respite from
drudgery and a breath of sea air.
The only particular, however, in which it could compete with the “Queen
of Watering-places” was the absolute perfect rest which it afforded,
and which is the only commodity that England cannot supply. No; our
island is _facile princeps_ a land of unrest, and is becoming more
so day by day. Not more than five years ago I lighted on a primitive
seaside place, where one could be free as air and, if so minded,
wear out all one’s old clothes. But, lo and behold! the ubiquitous
builder scented it from afar, and now it is simply—ruined! A pier now
desecrates its hitherto pure waters, round the bulbous extremity of
which lounges the gorgeous Cockney, listening to indifferent music, and
tainting the air with cigars that must have been home-made! Ere long
there will be Ethiopians, winkle sellers, and photographers to fright
the place from its propriety.
Amherst was just the reverse of this, and charming in its naked
simplicity.
My friend and self decided on spending two or three days there, partly
because we thought that a sea bathe would brace us up, and partly for
the sake of tasting a certain small fish which abounds only in this
neighbourhood, and which is so delicate as to spoil in transit, even
so short a distance as that to Moulmein, ice being in those days an
unknown luxury in remote Eastern stations.
The praises of this wonderful fish had been sung to us so often that,
even with me, simple as my tastes are as to what I should “eat, drink,
and avoid,” the anticipation of its flavour alternated with impatience
to bathe once more in the blue sea; while I do not think I am doing an
injustice to the memory of my dear old friend when I say that with him
the fish preponderated, the bathe being but as skim milk compared to
the cream.
People at home would be extremely “put about” if, whenever they
intended spending a few days at Brighton, they had to send on
ahead beds and bedding, furniture, crockery, etc.; and if such were
necessary, the place would probably welcome fewer visitors.
Yet this is what any lover of whitebait would have to do when bent on
visiting the Burmese Greenwich. In the East, however, your factotum
saves you all the trouble; you have but to tell him where you are going
and how long you intend to stay, and, with a quickness acquired by long
practice, he grasps the situation and forgets nothing.
In this case, especial stress was laid on the absolute necessity
of procuring _the_ fish for dinner, to which end he started the day
before, thus making assurance doubly sure.
Failing therein, heavy penalties were darkly hinted at, to which he
listened without moving a muscle, salaam’d, and disappeared.
The following afternoon we were borne quickly down stream in a roomy
boat, provided with an awning astern. The conversation had reference to
the Mutiny and all that we had seen since; but ever and anon the “fish”
would crop up, showing what was uppermost in our minds.
When we landed at our destination there was still some little daylight
before us, so we resolved on a preliminary tour of inspection, first of
our quarters, and then of the shore.
The former we found in a very satisfactory condition; the latter was
composed of hard sand, pleasant to walk on, while large rocks abutted
into the sea covered with seaweeds and a variety of molluscs and
crustaceans, especially small oysters. The scene brought vividly to
the fore days now numbered with the past and oft looked back upon;
but as darkness was coming on apace, as is its wont in the tropics,
we retraced our steps, guided by the light that streamed from our room
through the venetian blinds.
The supreme moment was now near at hand. We had scarcely performed our
ablutions and made some slight change in our dress, when my friend gave
the order for dinner, in a voice which might have been heard half way
up to Moulmein, and, with customary punctuality, our domestic announced
it almost immediately with an air of intense satisfaction.
It was a trying moment: there stood the dish, beneath the cover of
which peeped out a snow-white napkin. My friend helped both of us
liberally, and the attack commenced. After a few mouthfuls we looked
up and our eyes met; on both our faces stood mute disappointment. We
neither thought anything of the fish, and we confessed as much.
It was certainly aggravating. Day after day our friends had instilled
into the porches of our ears the exquisite delicacy of a fish to be
met with nowhere else, and we might just as well have masticated a few
lumps of gelatine!
I did my best to dispel my friend’s gloomy looks by perpetrating a few
mild jokes, the effect of which was, strangely enough, not beneficial
or soothing; and it was not before dinner was nearly over, and the
claret had made several journeys, that his drooping spirits revived
and the storm burst. He consigned the unhappy fish to—well, not back
into their native element, at any rate. As soon as we had adjourned
to the verandah to smoke the pipe of peace he fell asleep, and I was
left to my own meditations. I might have followed his example, but
for an impudent mosquito that buzzed round me sufficiently to keep me
awake; he was evidently in quest of a meal, and I shrewdly suspect he
got one, for I soon fell into a reverie. Just a zephyr coming seaward
wafted to my corner the smell of the sea, fragrant as “the sweet south
upon a bed of violets.” The happy frame of mind it produced was very
similar to what I had experienced off Madeira, the few extra degrees
of temperature being differentiated by my light clothing. The waves,
shimmering in the fitful moonlight, rolled in steady succession over
the sandy shore, and again returned to the mass of waters.
My thoughts winged their way back to a primitive seaside place on the
Welsh coast, where I had often gazed out upon such a scene as this,
though listening to the dulcet accents of a siren, instead of being
roused ever and anon by a snore louder than usual, which in so far
resembled the murmur of the wild waves, in that every seventh was of
greater dimensions than those that had gone before.
More vivid grew the vision; we were now leaning hand in hand over the
balustrade, when, suddenly, the lissom figure by my side seemed to fall
into the water, and I actually started up from my chair in agony.
That broke the spell; my friend awoke with a grunt, and asked what the
time was. I told him it was already 2 a.m., and that we must be getting
to bed; but, being sleepy and supremely comfortable, he “would not let
belief take hold of him.” Argument being of no avail, more energetic
measures had to be employed, and I at last succeeded in getting him
indoors, when, with mutual vows to be up early for a bathe, we turned
in and fell asleep.
All the residents with whom we had spoken on the subject were agreed
that bathing was perfectly safe within the triangular area of water
bounded by the visible ledge of rocks leading to the lighthouse and the
sunken reef that joined it, at an angle, with the shore.
Soldiers had bathed there times without number; though a hand dangled
in the water outside the reef would have been snapped off in a trice.
Provided, therefore, with towels, we were soon stripped, placing
our clothes well beyond the reach of the flowing tide. There being,
moreover, no audience but the sea-birds, who were in this place
scarcely more untrammelled by conventionalities than ourselves, we
dispensed with bathing-drawers, which are, however, used in India in
deference to the prejudices of the natives, who consider it an indecent
habit to dispense with them. More impatient than my companion, I was
the first to traverse the intervening strip of sand and throw myself
into the water. Rising again, I began to swim parallel with the shore,
when I saw my friend, who was on the point of following, stop short,
while he called out, “Come in as fast as you can!” Fully comprehending
what his eyes were fixed on, I made for the shore with all the strength
I could muster, crying out to him to throw in the largest stones he
could lay hands on.
I knew that he had seen the back fin of a shark, aroused doubtless by
my splash to the expectation of a meal. It makes me shudder even now,
when I think of that moment.
Fast as I could swim on the wings—or fins—of fear, it was at best but
crawling compared to the dart of the fish, which presently laid hold
of my ankle, his serrated teeth cutting to the bone like a razor. I
thought I was in my depth and endeavoured to touch the bottom, and
sank. The shark had instantly relinquished his hold, but I fully
expected another attack, though I managed to reach the shore without
further molestation, for the creature was darting on all sides,
confused by the pieces of rock which my friend continued flinging at
him with unflagging energy.
In great pain and rather faint from loss of blood, I scrambled on
to the sand and lay down exhausted. On coming round, I found my foot
tightly bandaged, and my doctor-friend standing over me.
He presently helped me up to the rock, where we slowly dressed
ourselves and had a chat about my narrow escape. One precaution of his
was characteristic; and that was avoiding the mention of the terrible
object he had seen when he gave me the alarm, from fear that the shock
might incapacitate me.
The appearance of a shark in this hitherto safe expanse of water is
easily to be accounted for by ingress during an abnormally high tide,
and inability to get back over the reef after the sea had sunk to its
ordinary level.
More unintelligible was the brute’s failure to nip off so much as a
foot; and I can only hazard a theory in explanation, that he must have
come at me at right angles instead of straight on end.
There are moments in the lives of all of us which simply defy
description. This was one of them. When the Sepoys fired and the
commanding officer fell dead in my arms, was another! Meeting that
tiger when out shooting was a third; and a fourth occurred years
afterwards in India, when a tigress chased my pony for upwards of a
mile.
All were bad enough, but this was perhaps the worst; for all was fair
above, while the terrible danger lurked beneath.
With my foot well bound up, I managed to accept my friend’s support
to our quarters. Had there been at hand any means for so doing, I
should have set up a notice-board opposite the spot, warning intending
bathers somewhat after the manner of the Apostolic injunction:—“Beware
of——sharks!”
But we had to be content with impressing on Europeans and natives alike
the necessity of cautioning venturesome visitors.
It was the second grave disappointment in the brief span of twelve
hours!
And I fear the sense of thankfulness was ephemeral, and the grumbling
of far longer duration. It did seem _not_ quite on a par with the
fitness of things that such smooth, tempting, blue water should
henceforth be forbidden, and that the principal object of our visit,
sea-bathing, should at the outset be nipped in the bud in such an
unmistakable manner. But though it sparkled in the rays of the sun,
with its bosom quietly heaving in a midday siesta, “noli me tangere”
was in our eyes written on its unruffled surface as indelibly as on
that fabled tree, whose golden fruit tasted exceeding bitter.
We had to confine our attention to things terrestrial; and many a time
as we walked among the rocks examining the creatures which adhered
to them, a feeling of anger would come over me, and in my peevish
opposition to the decrees of Providence, I would fling stones into the
water in childlike resentment. What feeble puny creatures we men are!
Once the spring of anger is allowed to well up, and the desire for
retaliation comes to the surface, there is no limit to the petty acts
to which we will descend!
In those unrighteous moments, I considered not the instincts implanted
in the creature; and was moreover thoroughly ungrateful for having
emerged from a ghastly fate by the skin of my foot. I furthermore
devised a plan for capturing the _fons et origo_ (syntax!); but the
necessary gear was not forthcoming, nor could I derive any assistance
from the native fishermen, who have an invincible dread of the
creature, having learnt from experience not to meddle with it. Besides
the undeniable satisfaction of landing and despatching him, his armoury
of teeth would have been well worth preserving, and a portion of the
spine would have made a valuable walking-stick.
It is strange that sharks do not frequent the harbour at Aden; the
more so, as they swarm just outside its mouth. As soon as a steamer
drops anchor there, she is surrounded by numbers of little Arab boys,
amphibious brats and experts at diving, who clamour for coins to be
thrown overboard, which they at once retrieve with amazing dexterity.
So nice is their sense of touch under water, that they can at once
discriminate between a coin of the realm and a piece of tin cut the
exact size. I have often tried the deception, and the diver invariably
came to the surface uttering unmistakable exclamations of disgust. The
absence of sharks may be accepted as fact, since I never heard of an
accident happening to any of these children. Yet boats were constantly
coming in with several small sharks on board, taken in the nets, which
readily sold for native consumption.
The environs of Amherst proved unsatisfactory, especially as dangerous
snakes abounded in the rank undergrowth that had almost obliterated
what had once been roads and footpaths.
Everything told of decay: there were a few _Amherstias_ being slowly
killed by parasitic creepers, just as ivy or honeysuckle will sap the
vitality of our trees at home.
I remember, too, the remains of a once prosperous sugar-factory, the
walls of which had been forced asunder by vegetation, which was fast
reclaiming the land. The only other points of interest were some
enormous samples of sugar-cane, the largest examples of the saccharine
bamboo that I had ever beheld.
Thankful at being able to return in company, and still smarting from
our twofold disappointment, we re-ascended the river at a slow pace.
Nevertheless the change had done us a deal of good.