THEY REACH THE PALACE OF THE SEA CHIEF KOSHINGA.
Oh! how the heart of the princess bled for the poor people, as sailing
along that coast she saw with what terrible haste the Emperor's command
had been obeyed. There, as far as the vision could pierce, ran, blazed,
crackled one cordon of fire; miles in thickness, this fearful belt
seemed as if it were to ward off the attack of worlds of savage beasts,
instead of one mortal man. Yet such was the shocking policy of the
Tartar despot, that to starve the great sea warrior from the coast, he
laid waste hundreds of miles, ruined millions of his new subjects, and
turned a fertile and populous land into a dreary wilderness.
For some days the little ship ploughed those waters, which, though
famous for their tempests, were, as if in augury of better fortunes, now
as placid as a lake, till at length they came in sight of the
Pescadores, from almost every point of which they could see the colors
of the victorious Koshinga. Then they reached the point of Formosa, upon
which the Hollanders had erected their fort, but from which now floated
the flag of the sea chief; then Chow sent up a signal, and in reply the
Dutch guns bellowed forth a salute. Shortly afterward some large barges
put off from the shore to the ship, the princess and her party took
their seats, and were speedily rowed to the shore, upon which she had no
sooner put her foot, than Nicholas fell upon his knees before her,
saying, "Welcome, illustrious daughter of the Mings, to the kingdom of
Koshinga."
"Surely, my brave and noble brother, this is but mockery; for the
daughter of the Mings is now but an outcast orphan," said the princess,
taking Nicholas by the hands and assisting him to rise.
"Not so, O illustrious, princess! for, like a brand from the flames,
this great and fertile island hath been plucked from the thieving
Tartars and Hollanders by Koshinga, that it may be restored to the
princess of China, as a resting-place, till the whole of her empire be
recovered."
"Who, O my brother, is this bold, brave man that thus shakes the world
by his power?"
"A patriot, and a true Chinese, whose only ambition is to root out the
miserable Tartars from the land, and restore its throne to its ancient
Emperors," replied Nicholas; adding, "But the princess would see this
terrible sea chief." Then he led her through the double rows of troops,
which were drawn up the whole length between the castle and the shore,
and all of whom bent low with respectful loyalty as the daughter of
their late Emperor passed. When within the castle, he led her to a door
where a number of ladies in rich dresses stood ready to receive her.
"Now, O illustrious princess, will thy servant prepare the noble chief
for the great honor of thy visit," said Nicholas, leaving her to the
care of the ladies.