CHOW MAKES A DISCOVERY, AND NICHOLAS A SURPRISE.
While Chow had been engaged in his adventure with the countryman, Yang
received intelligence from the commander of his junk, that the vessel
was laden, and only awaited his orders for sailing. So far,
circumstances were favorable for the voyage to Leao-tong, and if they
could but secure a proper attendant for the princess they might set out
that evening. That was the great difficulty to be got over. Many plans
were suggested, but all seemed so fraught with danger of discovery, that
they were well nigh at their wit's end. While Nicholas and Yang were
discussing the matter, there was a great hammering upon the gong at the
door. It was Chow, who in another minute stood before them. Alone? No,
but to the astonishment of Nicholas, accompanied by a woman, so veiled
that no feature could be seen.
"How! what means this? Who is this woman?" exclaimed Nicholas.
"The noble Nicholas bestowed two taels upon his servant."
"What words are these?" replied Nicholas, impatiently; adding, "Hast
thou bought the robe?"
"Pardon, O noble master, but thy servant can better do without a robe
for the rest of his life than the glorious purchase he has made with
those taels."
"What purchase is this, thou rogue?" said Nicholas, vexed that he could
get no direct answer.
"His dearly beloved lost mother, O my master."
"Thy mother! What words are these?"
Then, when Chow had related the scene with the sacks, and his adventure
with the countryman, and how that it resulted in the discovery of his
mother, who stood before them, Nicholas heartily and sincerely
congratulated him, as did also the merchants, who ordered the servants
to take her to the inner apartments, all of which so gratified the
delighted Chow that he fell at the feet of Nicholas, kissed the hem of
his robe, and with tears of gratitude and joy told them that his mother
had made her escape from the slayer of her husband, but having been
retaken, the enraged mandarin had ordered her to be sold with the other
women. So, O noble Nicholas, has the great Tien rewarded thy servant for
endeavoring to rescue what he thought to be a strange woman from a
villain, who was about casting her in the canal.
Now, nothing could be more fortunate for all parties than this discovery
of Chow's, for as the mother would not leave Chow, nor Chow leave his
mother or his master, if he could help it, it was speedily settled that
no better attendant could be found for the princess, and so it was
arranged that they should start at once.
The merchant, partly by his great interest with the usurper's
government, and partly by bribes, secured a com-ho or passport for
himself and family; sedan chairs were procured, and the whole party
passed through the city to the river, where the junk was awaiting them.
Then, having seen them safe on board and given instructions to his
captain to obey Nicholas, he placed a purse of silver in the youth's
hands, took his leave, and left the travelers to pursue their journey,
and with but one interruption from a river mandarin, who stopped their
progress to examine their cam-ho, the junk proceeded down the Pei-ho, or
white river.
The junk was upon a small scale something like what the houses of our
merchants were, when, proud of their profession, they had their
residences attached to their warehouses, one-half being occupied by the
cargo, and the other divided into rooms, each of which was furnished in
accordance with the quality of its tenant. The two usually set aside for
the ladies of the family were tenanted by the princess, who, as became
her rank and sex, kept herself secluded from the eyes of the male
passengers and sailors.
For several days they continued their voyage down the river, till by the
fields of millet seed, pulse, and turnips, the numerous mud hovels, the
shoals of small boats, and the thousands of starving men, women, and
children, who were paddling about the fields, and the very city of huge
salt stacks upon the banks, they saw that they were approaching the town
of Tien-sin, at which place, in consequence of the number of vessels
which had arrived that day laden with timber, they were delayed for
some time before the captain could unload his vessel and take in a cargo
of salt.
As in our own manufacturing counties many thousands of poor mechanics
and artisans make little livings for themselves and great fortunes for
their employers, so in Tien-sin, the most miserably poor and shrivelled
portion of the vast population in China produce a commodity which places
their masters, the salt dealers, among the most wealthy merchants in the
Empire. While the captain is unloading his cargo I will tell you how
these people produce this common edible.
In addition to the pits of salt, which, like coal, are found in many of
the provinces, there are many places where it is discovered by scattered
spots of gray earth. To obtain this salt, they level the surface of the
earth as smooth as glass and in a sloping direction so that the water
will run off. When dried by the sun, and the white particles of salt are
seen, they first raise it in small heaps, like haycocks, then spread it
upon sloping tables with ledges, and pour soft water upon it, which, as
it soaks in, extracts the salt and runs into an earthen vessel by means
of a small channel. The earth thus drained is not wasted, but laid
aside, so that after a few days, when dry, they reduce it to a fine
powder, and replace it in the spot from whence it was taken, when, after
six days, it is again mixed with particles of salt, which are again
extracted as before, so that not one atom becomes lost.
While the men are thus engaged in the fields, the women and children are
employed in huts, in boiling the salt water in large iron basins, which
they place over an earthen stove, with holes made in such a manner that
the fire heats all the basins alike. When the salt water has boiled some
time, it becomes thick, and changes slowly into a very white salt, which
is stirred with an iron spatula till it becomes quite dry.
When the captain had exchanged his cargo for an other of dates, which he
intended again to exchange profitably in Leao-tong for peas and drugs,
Nicholas purchased a quantity of furs and mats, which he soon found to
be necessary; for, as they approached further to the north, the winds
blew keenly, and the iceblocks floated so numerously as frequently to
impede their voyage; indeed, the cold was so intense that nothing but
the fear of losing life or liberty, or the love of gold, would have
induced any one to make the voyage in that inclement season (it was in
November). Indeed, by the time they had passed the mouth of the Pei-ho
and got into the gulf of Pe-tche-Lee, the snow fell so heavily, and the
north winds blew so keenly, that, breaking through all discipline, the
sailors lighted fires upon the deck, and laid near them, drinking rice
spirit so copiously, that had not Nicholas, who knew so well how to
manage such insubordinates, thrown the spirit tubs overboard, they must
have foundered upon the _Sha-loo-poo-teen_ islands. As it was, so long
and so rough was the passage across the gulf, that the princess became
fearfully ill; so much so, indeed, that at one time they feared she
would have died. At length, however, they came to an anchor off the
coast of Kin-Chow, a distance of seven miles from the shore, and so
planted with dangerous rocks that they were compelled to make
fire-signals for the townspeople to put off to them in their lighters or
barges.
As the people have these lighters always ready for the purpose, it was
not long before several answered the signal, and came alongside.
Choosing the most commodious, Nicholas caused a large fire to be lighted
in the cabin, where the princess, who was too ill to walk, was lifted on
board, and the lightermen rowed them the roughest seven miles of their
journey. Nicholas and Chow paced the deck in no very good humor, as they
were obliged to entrust themselves to the slow movements of the boatmen,
who neither for love nor money would hasten their pace. Moreover, as the
sea rolled so heavily, the distance was lengthened by their being
compelled to take a circuitous course between and around the dangerous
rocks.
When the boatman, who, although slow, were sure, brought them beneath
the huge rocks which form the sea-walls of Leao-tong, Chow looked up
with amazement. "Surely," said he, "Yen-Vang must have built these great
rocks to prevent the province from falling upon the heads of the people
in his watery dominions;" adding, as he saw some little birds, like
swallows, flying about the rocks, "Truly, if my eyeballs are straight,
those little creatures promise us some of the soup of life."
"Truly our eyeballs play us false, O Chow, for these birds are seldom
found but on the coast of Tonquin, Java, and Cochin-China," said
Nicholas doubtfully.
"It is true that the servant has not the wisdom of his master, yet the
stomach and the nose are excellent diviners. Moreover, it is said that
this bird-nest soup is strengthening to the weak. The princess is weak,
O my master, and Chow would obtain some of those nests."
Then, as they were near a jutting point of the rock of no very difficult
ascent, Nicholas ordered the barge to stop, while Chow ascended and
procured some half-dozen of the nests, from which to the present day,
one of the most popular dishes of China is made.
As Nicholas had said, these birds' nests are seldom found except on the
coasts of Java, Cochin-China, and Tonquin. The birds are not unlike
swallows, as to their feathers; the nests, which they build high up in
the clefts of the rocks, are supposed to be composed of small sea-fish,
fastened together by means of a viscous juice, which distils from the
beaks of the little creatures, and serves as a gum to fasten the nests
to the rock. They are also seen to take the froth that floats upon the
sea, with which they cement every part of their nests, in the same
manner that swallows build with mud and clay. This matter being dried,
becomes solid, transparent, and of a greenish color; but, while fresh,
it is generally white.
When Chow had procured these nests, the boatmen resumed their toil, and
in a short time reached the harbor; Chow landed first, and having
procured a litter, the princess and his mother were conveyed through the
rows of dirty-looking granite houses, which form the town of Kin-Chow,
till they arrived at a small inn.