We were on shore next day, and, by the captain's advice, went to a kind
of hotel, where they undertook, not very willingly, to accommodate us,
the captain having promised to help us in getting a ship for the Fraser
River. But though day after day passed, and we went to him again and
again, he was always too busy about his cargo being discharged, or
seeing other people, to attend to us, and at last we sat one day on some
timber on a wharf, talking about our affairs rather despondently.
"We seem to be regularly stuck fast, Esau," I said; "and one feels so
helpless out in a strange place like this."
"Yes," he said; "and the money goes so fast."
"Yes," I said, "the money goes so fast. We must get away from here
soon."
"Couldn't walk up to what-its-name, could we?"
"Walk? Nonsense! Many, many hundreds of miles through a wild country,
and over mountains and rivers."
"Well, I shouldn't mind that, lad. It would all be new."
"We shall have plenty of that when we get to British Columbia."
"What's all this then?" he said.
"Part of the United States--California."
"Oh, ah! of course. Seems to me I spent so much time learning to write
a good hand, that I don't know half so much of other things as I
should."
"Plenty of time for learning more, Esau."
"Yes, plenty of time. Seem to have more time than we want, and I don't
enjoy going about much, though there's plenty to see. One's so
unsettled like."
"Yes; we want to get to our journey's end."
"So this is California, is it? That's where they got so much gold. I
say, let's stop here."
"Nonsense! We must get to Fort Elk, and see what is to be done there
till Mr John comes."
"All right, I'm ready for anything. Here's one of the chaps coming who
wanted us to let him get us a ship yesterday."
For just then a yellow-looking fellow, one of the many idlers who hung
about the docks, came slouching along towards us; and as soon as I saw
him I whispered a word or two to Esau, and we got up and walked away,
with the man still following us at a little distance.
"Those chaps smell money is my belief," said Esau.
"Yes, and Mr Gunson was right. We mustn't trust any one, but wait till
the Captain tells us of some respectable skipper who's going up North
and will take us."
"That's it. I say, what rum-looking chaps these Chinees are," continued
Esau, as a man in blue, with a long pig-tail, passed us and smiled.
"Why, he don't know us, does he?"
"We don't know him," I replied.
We went on past the crowded wharves, where ships were loading and
unloading, and then by the grey-tinted wooden buildings, all bright and
fresh-looking in the sunshine. Everybody nearly seemed busy and in a
hurry except us, and the idle-looking scoundrels who hung about the
drinking and gambling saloons, into one or two of which Esau peered
curiously as we went by; and then, as if attracted by the shipping, we
made our way again down by the wharves in hopes of hearing of a vessel
that would take us on.
I have known well enough since, that had we been better instructed, all
this would have been simple enough; but to us ignorant lads, fresh come
from England, it was a terrible problem to solve, one which grew more
difficult every day. In those days, when settlers were few, and
Vancouver Island just coming into notice, there was no regular steamer,
only a speculative trading-vessel now and then. Still there was
communication, if we had only known where to apply.
We were watching one vessel just setting out on her voyage, and thinking
that in an hour or two she would be outside the great opening to the
harbour, and abreast of the bare, whitish-looking cliffs which form that
part of the Californian coast, when Esau said--
"I wonder whether she's going up to Fraser River. I say, why didn't we
find out she was going to sail, and ask?"
"You want to go up the Fraser River?" said a voice close behind us.
"Guess I never see such chaps as you. Why didn't you say so sooner?"
We both faced round at once, and found that the man who had been
haunting us for days was close behind us, and had heard every word.
"Look here," said Esau, shortly. "There, don't you got rusty, stranger.
That's the worst of you Englishers, you think everybody wants tew hurt
you."
"Come along," I whispered.
"Yew just let him alone. He's all right. Now here's yew tew have
landed here days, yew may say, outer the _Albytross_, and yew goes to
spensife hotel, wasting yew're money, when we've got quite a home for
strangers like yew for half what yew pay, and we'll get yew a ship to
Fraser, Skimalt, or wheer yew like."
As he was speaking three more men sauntered slowly up and stood looking
on--men whom I felt sure I had seen with him before, and it made me
uneasy, especially as a couple more came out of a low-looking saloon
close by, and we were some distance from the better part of the city.
"Look here," I said sharply, "do you know of a ship going to sail to the
Fraser River, or to Esquimalt?"
"Why, of course I do. Here, where's your money? It's twenty-five
dollars a-piece. Splendid berths, best of living. Like gentlemen
aboard. Hand over, and I'll take you to where they give out the
tickets."
"Thank you," I said. "I should like to see the ship, and an agent."
"But don't I tell yew everything's first chip, and I'll do it for yew as
yew're strangers."
"Yes, it's very kind of you," I said; "but I won't trouble you."
"Trouble? Oh, come, we're not like that here to strangers. Nonsense,
lad. Hand over."
"We're not going to give twenty-five dollars a piece, I can tell you,"
put in Esau.
"Why, it's next to nothing for a voyage like that. But there, never
mind, you two are new-comers, and the skipper's a friend of mine. I'll
put you right with him for twenty dollars each. Here, hi! Any of you
know the _Pauliner_?"
"Know her? yes," said one of the men hard by; and they all came up and
surrounded us. "What about her?"
"Sails for the Fraser, don't she, to-morrow?"
"Yes, of course."
"Splendid clipper, ain't she, with cabins and all chip chop?"
"Yes," came in chorus.
"There, what more do you want? Come along, lads; lucky I met you. Come
and have a drink."
"No, thank you," I said. "Come, Esau."
"Get," said the man with a forced laugh. "What's the good of being
strangers. Come and have a drink. I'll pay."
"Pay? Ah," said the second man; "and we'll all share in turn. Come on
in here."
This fellow clapped his hand on my shoulder with a boisterous display of
friendliness, while the firstcomer thrust his hand through Esau's arm,
and began to lead him toward the saloon.
"That will do," I said, trying to be cool, for I began to fear that we
were being dragged into some disturbance, and felt that the time had
come to be firm. "We are much obliged to you for your friendliness, but
we neither of us drink. Be good enough to tell me where the agent of
the ship lives, and I'll give you half-a-dollar."
"Nonsense! come and have a drink, my lad."
"No, thank you," I said. "Come, Esau."
"Why, what a fellow you are. Very well, then, hand over the twenty
dollars each, if you can't take a friendly drop. I'll get the tickets
for you all the same."
"No, no," said the other man. "Let's do no business without a drink
first; they think we want to make them pay, but I'll stand liquors for
the lot."
"No, let 'em have their own way," said the first man; "they're not used
to our customs. You let 'em alone. I'm going to get 'em passages in
the _Paulina_, for twenty dollars each. Come, lads, where's your
money?"
I glanced quickly to right and left, but we seemed to be away from help,
and, strangers as we were, in the lower part of the port, quite at the
mercy of these men. Then, having made up my mind what to do, I pressed
up to Esau, pushing rather roughly by our first friend.
"Now, Esau," I said, "back to the hotel. Straight on," I whispered.
"Run!"
"I bet you don't," said our first friend; "that trick won't do here,
stranger;" and his smooth looks and tones gave place to a scowl and the
air of a bully. "Come along, Esau," I said sharply. "No, nor you don't
come along neither," said the man, as the others closed round us as if
out of curiosity, but so as to effectually bar our retreat.
"What's matter?" said one who had not yet spoken.
"Matter?" cried our friend. "Why jest this. These here tew have been
holding me off and on for three days, wanting me to get 'em a ship to
take 'em to Esquimalt. First they wanted to go for ten, then they'd
give fifteen."
"Fifteen dollars to Skimalt?" cried the new man. "Gammon."
"That's so," said our friend. "Last they said they'd give twenty
dollars a-piece, and after a deal o' trouble we got 'em berths, and paid
half the money down; now they want to back out of it."
"Oh, yes," cried the second man; "that won't do here, mates."
"It's not true," I said, indignantly. "And now wants to bounce me out
of it. Here, yew wouldn't hev that, mates, would yew?"
There was a regular excited chorus here, and the men closed in upon us,
so that we were quite helpless, and for a moment I felt that we must buy
ourselves out of our awkward position. But a glance at Esau showed that
he was stubborn and angry as I, and that if called upon he would be
ready to fight for it, and make a dash for liberty.
Those were only momentary thoughts, for we were two lads of sixteen or
seventeen against a gang of strong men who were holding us now, and our
position was hopeless.