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THE WAR TIGER
OR,
ADVENTURES AND WONDERFUL FORTUNES
OF THE YOUNG SEA CHIEF
AND HIS LAD CHOW:
A TALE OF THE CONQUEST OF CHINA
BY WILLIAM DALTON,
AUTHOR OF THE "WHITE ELEPHANT," ETC.
WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY H. S. MELVILLE
PHILADELPHIA
J. B. LIPPINCOTT & CO.
1884.
[Illustration: The Escape from the Pagoda.]
PREFACE.
As free use is made in the following story of the names of personages
who played important parts in and during the last Tartar Conquest of
China, the Author believes that a slight sketch of that turbulent epoch
may not be uninteresting to his readers.
Twenty-two dynasties have given some two hundred and forty Emperors to
the Celestial Kingdom; of these, two were Tartars, who obtained the
throne by conquest and bloodshed. In the course of time, however, the
first Tartar family, with the whole of their race, were either massacred
or driven from the land by a Chinese leader, who, by mounting the
throne, founded the celebrated family of the Mings.
The last of the Ming Emperors, Wey-t-song, had not been many years upon
the throne, when, from a wise and energetic man, he became so indolent,
and regardless of all but his pleasures, that the people became
oppressed by the magistrates; indeed, to use a Chinese phrase, to such
an extent did the "big fish eat all the little ones," that a famine grew
in the land, which caused the starving people to arise in rebellion
throughout the empire.
Taking advantage of this disorder, several ambitious lords collected
together bands of vagabonds, set themselves up as petty kings, and
plundered and oppressed the innocent people, till the land grew damp
with their tears.
At the same time, the chief, or king, of the Mantchou Tartars, learning
that China was like a house divided against itself, rode with a large
army upon the frontier of Pe-tche-Lee, the capital province.
The appearance, however, of this great enemy aroused what little
nationality remained, and three great lords came to the Emperor's
assistance. The first was Woo-san-Kwei, who, at the head of an army,
kept the Tartars at bay; the other two, Li-Kong and Chang, were sent
into different provinces, where, although bad men, being good generals,
they succeeded in crushing all other rogues but themselves. The
last-named generals, however, on their return, becoming enraged at the
Emperor's ingratitude, took up arms against him, and, finding no great
difficulty in subduing a people who preferred any other Chinese to their
Emperor, seized upon two of the richest provinces, and established
themselves as independent royalets, or petty kings.
Now, as in the great revolutions of England, America, and France, so in
China, anarchy brought forth its great men; but foremost among them all
stood Chin-Chi-Loong--a kind of Paul Jones, a pirate in the eyes of his
enemies, a patriot in those of his friends.
Found starving when a boy, by the Portuguese priests at Macao, they took
him under their care, taught him Christianity, and baptized him by the
name of Nicholas Gaspard. While quite a youth, he took service on board
a trading ship, in which humble position, the strength of his intellect
and will so soon exhibited itself, that at an early age he became second
in command, and his captain dying soon after, left him sole owner and
commander of the vessel and its rich cargo.
Then it was that his true character began to develop itself; he sought
to accumulate great wealth; for this purpose he traded with Japan, Siam,
and the Europeans, so assiduously, that at the outbreak of the
rebellion, he had become the richest merchant in an empire of rich
merchants; but what to him was of far greater importance, a powerful
sea-chief--for he then commanded and owned the greatest fleet that ever
sailed in the Chinese seas, and as he had taken care to arm every ship,
he became the terror of the three great contending parties; namely, the
Emperor, the rebels, and the Tartars, who, all in turn, at times,
offered great rewards for his head, and at others, for his services.
Remarkable, however, as were the fortunes of this sea-chief, they were
less so than those of his distinguished son, the hero of this story.
The Author will only add, that, although many of the adventures here set
down may not be found in the pages of Chinese history, if, entwining
information with amusement, they bring vividly before the mind's eye of
his young reader, the manners, laws, legends, superstitions, history, or
character of that great, though quaint people in whom more than a
thousand years have failed to make any material change, his satisfaction
will be the greater that he has again deserved well of those to whom his
gratitude is due for the kind, thorough, and hearty reception they gave
to the Adventures of "THE WOLF-BOY OF CHINA."
WILLIAM DALTON.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
I.--The Young Sea Chief.--His Mission 11
II.--The Demon Ship.--The Boy Chow 19
III.--Adventures at Sea.--Rescue 29
IV.--The Innkeeper.--Alarming News 38
V.--Adventure in a Buddhist Monastery.--Chow's
Encounter with a Bonze 48
VI.--Thrashing the Gods.--The Boys taken Prisoners 55
VII.--Treachery of the Bonzes.--Nicholas sent to
Prison as a Traitor 61
VIII.--Chow sets out to discover some Thieves 69
IX.--Chow outwits a great Mandarin, and sets
out to rescue his Master 76
X.--Escape of Nicholas from Prison 81
XI.--Pursued by the Yah-yu.--The Boat Wreck 87
XII.--Nicholas again taken Prisoner 94
XIII.--Pagodas, their Antiquity and Uses 103
XIV.--A dangerous Descent 109
XV.--Nicholas discovers a Conspiracy, and makes
an unpleasant Entry into Pekin 114
XVI.--The Boys again in Trouble 126
XVII.--Nicholas resolves upon a dangerous
Adventure 136
XVIII.--The Imperial Gardens 145
XIX.--The Princess of the Mings, and the
Lady Candida 150
XX.--Danger of the Princess.--Her Rescue
by Nicholas 154
XXI.--Assembly of the great Princes of the Empire 163
XXII.--The Boy Prince and the Rival Generals 170
XXIII.--Audience with the Son of Heaven.--Nicholas
accuses a great Prince of Treason 178
XXIV.--Nicholas unveils a Rebel Chief 189
XXV.--Nicholas and the Prince have an Adventure,
and save the Life of Chow 197
XXVI.--Nicholas receives an important Command 210
XXVII.--The Rebels attack Pekin.--Treachery of
a General, and the Fight 214
XXVIII.--Attack on the palace.--Suicide of the
Emperor, the Princess wounded 221
XXIX.--The Secret Cavern.--The Princess saved
by the Boys 230
XXX.--A large Stock of Ladies, two taels
per sack 237
XXXI.--Chow makes a Discovery, and Nicholas
a Surprise 242
XXXII.--Nicholas punishes an ungrateful Innkeeper,
and escapes from his treachery 250
XXXIII.--An Overland Journey.--Attacked by Wolves,
and stopped by a Serpent 259
XXXIV.--Saved by a Musk Deer.--Stories of
wonderful Mountains 264
XXXV.--Treachery of the Guide.--The Princess
seized by Robbers 271
XXXVI.--Once more Prisoners, but with Friends.--The
Guide's Mistake 279
XXXVII.--Interview with the General.--Nicholas causes
Soldiers to be sent in search of the Princess 285
XXXVIII.--Cruel Death of the aged Woo.--A
Battle.--Bravery of the Boys.--Chow taken
by the Enemy 293
XXXIX.--The Rebels beaten.--Artfulness of the Tartar
King.--Chagrin and Disappointment of Nicholas 300
XL.--The Great Boy Emperor.--Nicholas meets with
a fearful Surprise 305
XLI.--Nicholas has an Interview with his Father,
and leaves Pekin forever 309
XLII.--The Rival Sea Chiefs.--Re-appearance of an
old Friend.--A comical Battle with the Tartars 314
XLIII.--Chow discovers his Mother and the
Princess.--Rescues them from the Tartars, and
relates his Adventures 320
XLIV.--A Sea Voyage.--The Colao relates the
Adventures of the Princess 329
XLV.--They reach the Palace of the Sea Chief
Koshinga 333
XLVI.--The King and Queen of Formosa.--Happy
Termination of the Story 336
THE WAR TIGER.
CHAPTER I.
THE YOUNG SEA CHIEF.--HIS MISSION.
Nearly midway between Formosa and the most southern point of the Chinese
province of Fokien are the Pescadores, a cluster of small islands, which
are so barren that their few inhabitants are put to the trouble of
procuring food, and even fuel, from the main land.
These islands, however, have a value of their own in the shape of a
capacious harbor and safe anchorage, that was readily seen by the Dutch,
the first civilized people who established themselves upon the
neighboring island of Formosa, which, although a beautiful and fertile
land, has not a sufficient depth of water for vessels of great draught.
It was in this harbor that a large fleet of trading vessels, laden with
pearls, red copper, sabre-blades, fan-paper, porcelain, and many other
articles of commerce purchased at Japan, and on its way to the large
trading cities further south, sought shelter from one of the violent
tempests so common to the China seas.
One of these vessels was anchored in the direction of Formosa, some
distance in advance. Larger than the others, she was also of European
build, and mounted with ten guns. A horde of wild half-naked men swarmed
about the rigging, and decks, interspersed here and there with an
officer garbed in the wide-sleeved robe common to the Chinese prior to
the Mantchou Tartar conquest.
The afterpart of the deck was taken up with a tent formed of poles and
matting of bamboo, the interior of which was luxuriously fitted with
chairs, tables, and sofas, tastefully wrought from the wood of roses or,
as it is termed in this country, rose-wood. The walls, highly painted
and glittering with japan, were hung with Chinese pictures in gilded and
japanned frames. Between these were long strips of satin up on which,
imprinted in colors and gold, were some of the choicest moral maxims
from the books of the philosopher Confucius.
The panes of the windows, four in number, were formed of stained
transparent paper. In the piers between, supported by glittering
branches, were painted lanterns, and from the ceiling, which shone with
colors and carvings of celestial blue and burnished gold, was suspended
a gong of pure silver. So far there could be no doubt that it was the
floating habitation of a wealthy Chinese, but then, curiously, there was
a total absence of those idols, altars, and burning incense, which to
this day are to be found in all Chinese vessels. The truth was, that
although a Chinese, the owner was a Christian, as was evinced by a niche
at one end of the room, in which stood a handsome _Prie Dieu_,
surmounted by a fine painting of Christ upon the cross.
At this altar, with his hands clasped, knelt a boy of seventeen, whose
high cheek bones, dark eyes, and long black hair, declared his Chinese
origin. His head and neck were bare, and his ample robe of green silk,
which reached nearly to his close fitting leather boots, was confined in
the middle by a crimson girdle, fastened by a clasp of agate stone. From
the girdle hung a short straight sword. Although a Chinese, the youth
was a Christian; one, indeed, of those whose faith had been gathered
from the teachings of the early European missionaries, whose
indefatigable exertions and untiring patience amidst much persecution,
contumely, and even martyrdom, will forever keep their names green in
the memories of the Chinese.
As the youth arose from his kneeling position, the report of a gun rang
through the air, so snatching up his cap of sable, he went on deck to
welcome the arrival of his father, who ascended the side of the vessel
followed by some half-dozen officers, attired like himself in loose
robes of thick brown silk, oiled to withstand the weather and without
one warlike vestment, except the short swords which hung from their
girdles.
Standing with his head bent forward and his arms straight by his sides,
the attitude of respect, the youth waited for his father to salute him,
after which he followed him through the rank of officers to the cabin,
when observing the gloomy aspect of the chief's countenance, he said
"Has my honored father, the great chief, not prospered with the
barbarian Hollanders?"
"To the full, my son, for like the greedy wolves they have purchased the
whole of my merchandise, and I have more than sufficient wealth to
destroy the vermin enemies who are turning the children of the Son of
Heaven from those habits of peace which have so long rendered them the
greatest and most prosperous of the world's people."
"Of what enemies does my honorable father speak? Surely there are none
but the savage Tartars."
"Of three, my son,--the Tartars, who are now within a few leagues of the
palace of Ten Thousand Years himself; the European savages, who under
pretence of commerce have obtained a footing, that, if not soon rooted
out, will last forever; and worse, by far worse,--for internal rebellion
is as destructive to an empire as to an household,--the rebel mandarins
who are now at open war with their holy sovereign."
"Is this treble sore fresh, that it should now so rankle the heart and
cloud the brow of my venerable parent?"
"Truly so, my son, for although long festering it has but now reached a
head," replied the chief, adding, "To the days of my great-grandsire the
empire had been free from the profane feet of barbarians.
"Then the different governments passed into the hands of cowardly
mandarins, whose weakness became the advantage of the pirate Li-Lao, who
ravaged the whole coast with fire and sword, and to get rid of whom the
puny officials sought the aid of the Portugals, who traded at one of the
outer ports. These barbarians, however, were brave; they sought, fought,
and killed the pirate, and destroyed his ships and, as a reward, were
permitted to settle at Macao."
"Surely, my father should be grateful to these Portugals, whose priests
first shed upon his eyes and heart the light of Christianity," said the
boy bowing reverently.
"They taught me for their own ends, and I would not trust the rats."
"But the red-haired barbarians of Formosa, from whom my father has just
returned, are they of the same race?"
"Not so, my son, these Dutch dogs are from a distant country called
Holland, where the people are so miserably poor they cannot afford even
a king."
"Then why, O my father, were such pauper barbarians permitted to place
the soles of their feet on the land of Formosa?"
"By fraud and artifice the rogues obtained their hold. During a tempest
one of their vessels was driven upon the coast: the crew finding the
island to be well situated to their wants, partly by presents, partly by
force, persuaded the simple inhabitants to give them only as much land
as could be encompassed by the hide of an ox, when the rogues cut the
hide into thousands of narrow slips, tied them end to end and therewith
measured the earth, to the great surprise and indignation of the
inhabitants, who, however, were too powerless to offer resistance. In a
short time they were joined by multitudes of their country men and
erected yonder fort, which they call the Castle of Zealand."
"Surely the fleet of my father can exterminate these wasps?" said the
boy, whom I shall for the future call by his Christian name of Nicholas.
But as at that moment an officer entered the cabin and reported the
approach of a strange ship, father and son went on deck, prepared to
give either a salute to a friend or a broadside to a foe.
The vessel proving to be a war junk and carrying the dragon flag of the
Emperor, they fired a salute of respect, when a signal was made from the
junk that she had on board the Mandarin, or Deputy-Governor of Amoy,
with a secret communication for the illustrious merchant Chin-Chi-Loong,
whereupon the chief bowed respectfully at the name of so great a
personage, and prepared to receive him with all the customary tedious
formalities.
This visit from so important a personage very much puzzled Nicholas, who
stood the whole time the mandarin was closeted with his father, leaning
against a gun, in deep thought. When the mandarin had finished and the
official had taken his departure, Nicholas returned to the cabin, where
he found the chief sitting thoughtfully with his hand upon the satin
wrapper of a letter, which from the great seals affixed and the
characters Hong Fong (guarded and sealed), he knew must be of great
importance and from some high personage.
"My information is truthful," said the chief; "there is treason among
the lords of the court, and the dogs believing Chin-Chi-Loong to be as
vile as themselves, have offered him the title of king and the island of
Formosa, if he will aid them with his ships, wealth, and men."
"What answer made my honorable father?" said Nicholas.
"A promise to consent, that the traitors may be caught like rats in a
trap."
"Surely this is not well, for why need the brave stoop to such
villainy?" replied the youth boldly.
Not noticing this reply, the chief became pensive for a few minutes,
then exclaimed, "Would that I could place a letter in the hands of the
Son of Heaven himself!"
"Surely that cannot be a difficulty," said Nicholas.
"Alas! my son, Wey-t-song is so resigned to his pleasures and the
company of the vile bonzes, that the audience-denying tablet is for ever
suspended at the gates of the inner palace."
"Truly it is a maxim that nothing is impossible to the brave. Let my
father place the letter in the hands of his son, and it shall reach the
imperial eyes!"
For a minute the chief gazed proudly at the boy, then passing his hand
across his eyes, as if to chase away some sad thought, said, "It shall
be so, but for nothing less than the safety of his Emperor would
Chin-Chi-Loong risk the life of his only son; but haste, and assume the
dress of a traveling merchant, while I prepare these important
characters."
Without another word Nicholas left the cabin, returning, however,
shortly afterward, dressed in a plain robe of coarse brown silk, with a
girdle of the same color, a couple of short swords beneath his garment,
and thick staff of bamboo.
"This promptness is good and bespeaks success," said the chief, laying
his hand on a letter which was enclosed in three wrappers of satin, the
outer being sealed in many places, adding, "Secure this packet beneath
thy inner robe, for upon its safety may depend the fate of the empire. I
know not by what means thou mayest reach the Emperor, therefore, when in
Pekin it would be well to seek the merchant Yang, in the great square,
who will aid the son of the great merchant of the south." Then taking
another letter from the table, he added, "As you pass through the city
of Hang-tcheou, seek out Father Adam, the chief priest of the
Christians, and place this in his hands; but guard it well, for the
contents are such that were they to meet the eyeballs of the bonzes it
might prove thy destruction."
Then placing a valuable ring on the boy's finger and telling him to take
what silver he might require, till he reached the merchant of Pekin, who
would supply him with more, he bid farewell to Nicholas, who, signalling
one of the consort ships, went on board, and was soon landed at the port
of Amoy.