"When I 'board English ship I hear sailors whistle, whistle, whistle
when dere is calm. I ask why dey do dat? Dey say, `Whistle for a
wind.' Now, I tink Chinaman just as wise as English sailor. Anybody
whistle, cost nothing. Chinaman spend money, buy gold paper, make junk,
much trouble. Dat please Chinaman's lady-god more dan empty whistle can
Englishman's fetish, or whatever he whistle to."
"Excellent," exclaimed Murray. "The Malay has hit us very hard. That
whistling for a breeze is, in most cases, merely a foolish trick, but it
is too indicative of unsound principles to be witnessed without pain.
If we really considered the matter rightly, we should feel that every
time we whistle for a breeze, we are offering a senseless insult to the
Great Ruler of the universe. It is a remnant, I suppose, of some
superstition of our Scandinavian ancestors, who thought by whistling
they were addressing some demon or spirit of the elements."
"That is taking the matter seriously, Alick; but I suppose you are
right," said Jack.
"Nothing that leads to error, or that encourages superstition, or that
leads a person to rely on any other power or influence than that of
God's merciful providence, can be treated too seriously, my dear Jack,"
answered Murray. "Here have we, worthless fellows, had our lives
providentially preserved; and we ought to do our utmost in every way to
employ them in His service, and to do His will and to make known His
truth. Depend on it that it is a very useless sort of religion, or
seriousness, which a man adopts only when he is on the point of death or
feels himself too ill to enjoy life."
"Well, well, Alick, I will do my best to log that down in my memory and
stick to it," answered Jack, who always felt the force of Murray's
remarks, which had already had a very considerable influence on him for
good; more, probably, than Murray himself was aware of. However, he
went on in faith, speaking faithfully to his friend, assured that he was
doing his duty.
Jack and Murray did their best to make out in what direction they were
going, and from the very rough calculation they were able to form, they
conjectured that they had arrived at a group of islands within some
hundred and fifty miles of the latitude of Canton. They were not
allowed to go on shore, but were permitted occasionally to quit their
little cabin in the stern and to walk about the deck; but the crew had
communication with the land and brought off all sorts of provisions, by
which they benefited.
Once more the fleet, consisting of about a dozen junks, put to sea. The
next morning it was almost a calm; and as daylight came on a brig was
seen, apparently a merchantman, with her foremast gone and otherwise
much disabled. There could be little doubt that she had got into her
present condition from having encountered one of those partial squalls
which occasionally occur in those seas. A long consultation was held
among the captains of the pirate fleet, in which the crews as well as
the officers took considerable part. There was an immense amount of
talking and gesticulation, and flourishing of creeses, and daggers, and
swords, and various other weapons; and at last the sweeps were got out,
and the junks began to move in a body towards the devoted brig. Jack
asked Jos, the Malay, what the Chinamen were about to do.
"Cut de troat of ebery moder's son of dem, take de cargo, and burn de
brig, den no one get away to tell news," was the answer.
"Kind and pleasant intentions, but what do they think we shall do?"
observed Jack. "I don't like the look of affairs. They will be for
cutting our throats, to prevent our giving an account of their doings."
"Perhaps the Malay is mistaken," answered Murray. "They may not intend
to murder the people; or if they do, they will keep us shut up in the
cabin while the operation is going forward, or they will make us swear
before they set us at liberty not to give information. I have no fears
about our safety."
"Nor have I in reality," said Jack; "but I wish that we could render
some assistance to the poor people on board the brig. We might warn
them of the fate intended for them; but even if we got Jos and
Hoddidoddi to stand by us, I am afraid we could not do much in the way
of fighting."
"I am afraid not, indeed," said Murray; "we must be prepared for any
emergency. It is impossible to say what will occur."
"I like the feeling," said Jack. "I wish that we were on board the brig
though, we would have a fight for it. But we are drawing near. Had the
pirates intended much mischief they would have sent us into our cabin, I
suspect."
The pirate junks had now completely hemmed in the helpless brig. She
was American, for just then the stars and stripes of the United States
flew out from her peak. Two men, apparently the captain and his mate,
were seen to come on deck with revolvers in their hands. They turned
round, and shouted in English and Spanish, and Malay down the hatchway,
to the crew to come up on deck, and defend themselves and the ship and
passengers like men. No one appeared.
"Cowards, wretches, brutes, will you have your throats cut like sheep
without an attempt to defend yourselves? Take that, then!" cried the
captain, and in his rage he hove his pistol at their heads and stood
prepared for his fate. The mate threw his overboard, which was a wiser
proceeding, and then, folding his arms, stood ready to bear whatever
might occur.
"Those are brave fellows," cried Jack; "we must try and save their lives
at all events."
The pirate crews now burst forth into the most terrific and unearthly
shouts, and, urging on their junks, dashed up to the brig, and
simultaneously threw their grappling irons on board her. At the same
time those nearest to her hove fire-balls, and stink-pots, and stones,
and bits of iron, and missiles of all sorts on board, and then
reiterating their shrieks, sprang on to her deck. The captain and his
mate, who had hitherto undauntedly stood at their post, were borne down;
and the pirates, throwing themselves on them, seized their arms and
bound them to the mainmast. There seemed to be a hundred or more
pirates from the different junks: their persons garnished with pistols
and daggers of all sorts stuck in leathern belts, and their heads
surmounted with red turbans, which increased the natural hideousness of
their countenances. Some of the savage crew joined hands and leaped and
danced round and round the deck, with the most violent contortions of
the body, shrieking all the time at the top of their voices, while
others, flourishing their daggers and shrieking louder than ever, rushed
below. At that instant a cry very different from that of the pirates
ascended from the cabin. Jack and Alick heard it.
"It is the voice of a lady, or a female at all events," cried Jack.
"Alick, we must go and assist her. Jos, my boy, come along. Tell
Hoddidoddi he is wanted. The Chinamen won't stop us, they are all too
busy."
"I am with you," answered Murray, as they picked up two Chinese swords,
several of which lay about, and, followed by the Malay, leaped unopposed
on the deck of the brig.