A SAILOR’S LIFE
[Illustration: MacMillan and Co. Printer’s Mark.]
[Illustration:
_Photographed by
Her Highness the Râni of Sarawak_
_A Hadji._]
A SAILOR’S LIFE
UNDER
FOUR SOVEREIGNS
BY
ADMIRAL OF THE FLEET
THE HON. SIR HENRY KEPPEL
G.C.B., D.C.L.
VOL. II
London
MACMILLAN AND CO., LIMITED
NEW YORK: THE MACMILLAN COMPANY
1899
_All rights reserved_
CONTENTS
CHAPTER XXXII PAGE
_Dido_ 1
CHAPTER XXXIII
_Dido_: Second Expedition 10
CHAPTER XXXIV
_Dido_ 22
CHAPTER XXXV
England 30
CHAPTER XXXVI
Shore Time--Study Steam 38
CHAPTER XXXVII
Shore Time 50
CHAPTER XXXVIII
The _Mæander_ 65
CHAPTER XXXIX
_Mæander_--Cruising 92
CHAPTER XL
_Mæander_--Cruising in the Sulu Sea 106
CHAPTER XLI
_Mæander_--Hong Kong 115
CHAPTER XLII
In Eastern Seas 124
CHAPTER XLIII
_Mæander_ 144
CHAPTER XLIV
_En route_ to Sydney 151
CHAPTER XLV
Sydney to Hobart Town 153
CHAPTER XLVI
Sydney 164
CHAPTER XLVII
_Mæander_ 190
CHAPTER XLVIII
At Home 201
CHAPTER XLIX
Shore Time 205
CHAPTER L
_St. Jean d’ Acre_ 208
CHAPTER LI
_St. Jean d’ Acre_--Cruising 215
CHAPTER LII
The Baltic Fleet 223
CHAPTER LIII
The Bombardment of Bomarsund 233
CHAPTER LIV
_St. Jean d’ Acre_ 238
CHAPTER LV
The Crimea 245
CHAPTER LVI
_St. Jean d’ Acre_ 261
CHAPTER LVII
Second Expedition to Kertch 270
CHAPTER LVIII
Naval Brigade 276
CHAPTER LIX
Trenches--Before Sevastopol 288
CHAPTER LX
The Redan 297
CHAPTER LXI
After Fall of Sevastopol 304
CHAPTER LXII
Arrival from Crimea--Thence in _Colossus_--Shore Time 312
CHAPTER LXIII
The _Raleigh_ 325
CHAPTER LXIV
The _Raleigh_ 330
CHAPTER LXV
Cape to China 333
INDEX
ILLUSTRATIONS
SUBJECT ARTIST PAGE
A Hadji _Photographed by Her
Highness the Râni
of Sarawak_ Frontispiece
_Mæander_ Fitting _Sir Oswald Brierly_ 66
_Mæander_ leaving Plymouth ” ” 68
“The Bishop” _From a photograph_ 71
_Mæander_ hove to _Sir Oswald Brierly_ 74
Comber in Danger ” ” 75
New Harbour, Singapore ” ” 78
All Sail set ” ” 83
_Mæander_ passing astern of
_Hastings_ ” ” 89
Map--Eastern Archipelago 92
Kina-Balu, N. Borneo ” ” 95
_Mæander_, Hong Kong. Manned
Yards on Departure of Sir
Francis Collier ” ” 114
A Spanish Galleon ” ” 124
_Mæander_ on Shore ” ” 126
Comba ” ” 133
_Mæander_ off Port Essington ” ” 135
An Australian Grave ” ” 136
_Mæander_ at Sydney ” ” 154
Sir Oswald Brierly _Nina Daly_ 156
_Mæander_ at Hobart Town _Sir Oswald Brierly_ 159
The Sham Fight ” ” 161
_Mæander_ between Sydney Heads ” ” 164
The _Rattlesnake_ ” ” 166
Rescue by Convicts. Norfolk Island ” ” 168
A Coral Island ” ” 170
A Stockade ” ” 172
_Mæander_ in a Gale _Sir Oswald Brierly_ 173
Point Venus, Tahiti ” ” 174
Tahiti Harbour ” ” 176
Lieutenant George Bowyear _Nina Daly_ 177
Eimeo _Sir Oswald Brierly_ 178
Inland Scenery, Tahiti ” ” 179
A Coral Atoll ” ” 181
_Mæander_ at Valparaiso ” ” 183
Coquimbo ” ” 186
Sharks at Mazatlan ” ” 188
The Cemetery at Guyamas ” ” 192
In the Straits of Magellan ” ” 197
Gunnery Exercise ” ” 216
The _St. Jean d’ Acre_ ” ” 222
The Commander-in-Chief _Anon._ 227
The _Gondola_ Yacht off
Tolbeacon Light _Sir Oswald Brierly_ 229
Circular Fort--Bomarsund ” ” 237
The Battle of the Alma “_Illustrated London News_” 241
Map--Strait of Gibraltar 247
Map--The Bosporus 250
_St. Jean d’ Acre_ off Balaclava _Col. Hon. Sir W. Colville,_ 251
_K.C.V.O., C.B._
“All the Way Up.” The Col of
Balaclava ” ” 254
“How the Guards looked” _From “Punch,” 1855_ 257
Omar Pasha’s Arab _E. Caldwell_ 261
Headquarters _Simpson, I.L.N._ 265
Map of Crimea 269
“Jack, to Newly-Arrived _Col. Hon. Sir W. Colville,_ 278
Subaltern ...” _K.C.V.O., C.B._
In Rear of the Lancaster Battery ” ” 281
Plan of Sevastopol 293
Inside the Naval Brigade Battery _Simpson, I.L.N._ 295
“Redan” Windham _Nina Daly_ 301
A Vidette of Cossacks _Col. Hon. Sir W. Colville,_ 307
_K.C.V.O., C.B._
CHAPTER XXXII
_DIDO_
[Sidenote: 1844. Sarawak, Aug. 5.]
This being the morning fixed for the departure of our small expedition
against the Sekarrans, the _Phlegethon_ weighed at eight and proceeded
down the river to await the collection of force.
Among those who accompanied us was the Pangeran Budrudeen, the
intelligent brother of the Rajah already noticed. This was an unusual
event in the Royal Family, and the departure from the Rajah’s wharf was
imposing. The barge of state was decked with banners and canopies. All
the chiefs attended, with the Arab priest Mudlana at their head, and
the barge pushed off amid the firing of cannon and a general shout to
invoke the blessing of Mahomet.
Having seen the last boat off, Brooke and I took our departure in the
gig, when another salute was fired from the wharf. Three hours brought
us to the steamer. Here we heard that a small boat from the pirate
country had, under pretence of trading, been spying into our force, but
decamped on our appearance. We now got fairly away, the smaller boats
keeping near the shoals in-shore, while the steamer was obliged to make
an offing some miles from the coast. From the masthead we distinctly
made out the small boat that had left the mouth of the river before,
pulling and sailing in the direction of Batang Lupar, up which the
Sekarran country lies; and it being desirable that they should not
get information of our approach, at dusk, being well in advance, our
auxiliary force following, we despatched Brooke’s sampan and one of
_Dido’s_ cutters in chase.
[Sidenote: Aug. 6.]
With the flood-tide arrived the well-appointed little fleet, and with
it the cutter and sampan with two out of the three men belonging to the
boat of which they had been in chase, the third having been speared by
Seboo on showing a strong inclination to run amuck in his own boat.
From these men we learned that Seriff Sahib was fully prepared for
defence--his harem had been removed--and that he would fight to the
last.
We anchored in the afternoon at the mouth of the Linga, and sent
a messenger to caution the chief, Seriff Jaffer, against giving
any countenance to either Seriff. The Batang Lupar, thus far, is a
magnificent river, from three to four miles wide, and in most parts
from 5 to 7 fathoms deep.
[Sidenote: Aug. 7.]
Weighed at daylight. Shortly after eleven, with a tide sweeping us up,
we came in sight of the fortifications of Patusen. There were five
forts. Getting suddenly into 6 feet of water, we anchored. We were well
within musket range, but not so formidable a berth as we might have
taken up had we been aware of the increasing depth of water nearer the
shore; but we approached so rapidly there was no time to ascertain.
The _Dido_ and _Phlegethon’s_ boats were not long in forming alongside.
They consisted of the following:--
Pinnace: Lieutenant C. F. Wade; R. Beith, assistant-surgeon; 13 seamen;
5 marines.
_Jolly Bachelor_: Lieutenant E. W. Turnour; Mr. C. Johnson, midshipman;
21 seamen; 7 marines.
First cutter: Mr. E. H. H. D’Aeth, mate; 8 seamen; 8 marines.
Second cutter: Mr. Robert Jenkins, acting-mate; 8 seamen; 2 marines.
Second gig: Mr. R. C. Allen, Master; 6 seamen.
_Phlegethon’s_ first cutter: Mr. S. Caverley, first officer; 15 men.
Second cutter: Mr. Simpson, second officer; Mr. A. Barton, midshipman;
15 seamen.
Third cutter: Mr. H. Comber, acting-mate of _Dido_; 12 seamen.
Fourth cutter: Mr. G. S. Darby, fourth officer; 12 seamen.
In all, 13 officers; 108 seamen; 16 marines.
We had no steam, and to direct a fleet of boats how to attack a
succession of half a dozen forts was beyond me. They were off, and they
were there! From the _Phlegethon_ we had no difficulty in setting fire
to the thatched roofs of the forts. Reinforcements came across the
extensive shelter of Patusen Harbour. These we might easily have sunk
with _Phlegethon’s_ guns, but there was excitement for them on landing!
They never once checked in their advance, but the moment they touched
the shore the crews rushed up, entering the forts at the embrasures,
while the pirates fled at the rear. In this sharp and short affair we
had but one man killed, poor John Ellis, a fine young man, and captain
of the maintop in the _Dido_. He was cut in two by a round-shot while
in the act of ramming home a cartridge in the bow-gun of the _Jolly
Bachelor_, of which Lieutenant Edward Turnour was in command. This,
and two others badly wounded, were the only casualties on our side.
Our native allies were not long in following our men on shore.
The killed and wounded on the part of the pirates must have been
considerable. Our native followers got many heads. There were no less
than sixty-four brass guns of different sizes, besides many iron, found
in and about the forts. The town was extensive, and after being well
looted made a glorious blaze. Our Sarawak followers, both Malays and
Dyaks, behaved with gallantry, and with our lads dashed in under the
fire of the forts. In fact, like their country, anything might be made
of them under a good Government.
After our men had dined, and had a short rest during the heat of the
day, we landed our force in two divisions to attack a town situated
about two miles up, on the left bank of a small river called the
Grahan, the entrance to which had been guarded by the forts, and
immediately after their capture the tide had fallen too low for our
boats to get up. Facing the stream, too, was a long stockade, so
that we determined on attacking the place in the rear, which, had
the pirates waited to receive them, would have caused an interesting
skirmish. Brooke was away independently in the gig. They, however,
decamped, leaving everything behind them.
In this town we found Seriff Sahib’s residence, and among other things
his curious and extensive wardrobe. It was ridiculous to see our Dyaks
dressed out in all the finery and plunder of this noted pirate, whose
very name a few days ago would have made them tremble.
[Sidenote: Aug. 6, 7.]
We likewise found a magazine in the rear of Sahib’s house, containing
about 2 tons of gunpowder, which I ordered to be thrown into the river.
It was evident we attacked Patusen at the right moment: the
preparations for its defence were nearly completed, and a delay of a
week would have resulted in considerable loss of life. It was the key
to this extensive river, the resort of the worst of pirates, and each
chief had contributed his share of guns and ammunition towards its
defence.
We returned to our boats and evening meal rather fatigued, but much
pleased with our work, after ascending near seventy miles from the
mouth of the river. The habitations of 5000 pirates had been burnt to
the ground, five strong forts destroyed, together with several hundred
boats, upwards of sixty brass guns captured, and about a fourth of that
number of iron ones spiked and thrown into the river, besides vast
quantities of other arms and ammunition, and the powerful Sahib, the
great pirate patron for the last twenty years, ruined past recovery,
and driven to hide his diminished head in the jungle.
[Sidenote: Aug. 8, 9.]
The 8th and 9th were spent in burning and destroying the remains of the
staggering town and a variety of smaller boats.
[Sidenote: Aug. 10.]
As soon as the tide had risen sufficiently to take us over the shoals,
we weighed in the steamer for the country of the Sekarran Dyaks, having
sent the boats on before with the first of the flood.
About fifteen miles above Patusen is the branch of the river called the
Undop. Up this river I sent Lieutenant Turnour, with Mr. Comber, in the
_Jolly Bachelor_ and a division of our native boats, while we proceeded
to where the river again branches off to the right and left, as on the
tongue of land so formed we understood we should find a strong fort;
besides, it was the highest point to which we could attempt to take the
steamer. We found the place deserted and houses empty.
We now divided the force into three divisions--the one already
mentioned, under Lieutenant Turnour, up the Undop; another, under Mr.
D’Aeth, up the Lupar; while Lieutenant Wade, accompanied by Brooke,
ascended the Sekarran. I had not calculated on the disturbed and
excited state in which I found the country: two wounded men having been
sent back from the Undop branch, brought accounts of pirates, chiefly
Malays, collected in great numbers both before and in the rear of our
small force.
An attempt had been made to cut off the bearer of this information,
Nakodah Bahar, who had had a narrow escape, and had no idea of being
the bearer of an answer unless attended by a European force. I had some
difficulty in mustering another crew from the steamer, and left my
friend Captain Scott with only the idlers, rather critically situated.
I deemed it advisable to re-collect our whole force, and before
proceeding to the punishment of the Sekarrans to destroy the power and
influence of Seriff Muller, whose town was situated about twenty miles
up, said to contain a population of 1500 Malays, without reckoning the
Dyak tribes.
Having despatched boats with directions to Lieutenant Wade and Mr.
D’Aeth to join us in the Undop, a tributary of the Batang Lupar,
proceeded to the scene of action; leaving the _Phlegethon_ to maintain
as strict a blockade of the Sekarran and Lupar branches as, with her
reduced force, she was capable of.
On my joining Lieutenant Turnour, I found him just returned from a
very spirited attack which he had made, assisted by Mr. Comber, on a
stockade situated on the summit of a steep hill, Mr. Allen, the Master,
being still absent on a similar service on the opposite side of the
river.
The gallant old chief Patingi Ali was likewise absent in pursuit of the
enemy that had been driven from the stockades, with whom he had had a
hand-to-hand fight, the whole of which, being on the rising ground, was
witnessed by our boats’ crews, who could not resist hailing his return
from his gallant achievement with three hearty cheers.
We had now to unite in cutting our way through a barrier across the
river similar to that described in the attack on the Sarebas, which
having passed we brought up for the night close to a still more serious
obstacle in a number of huge trees felled, the branches of which,
meeting midway in the river, formed apparently an insurmountable
obstacle. But “patience and perseverance” overcame all obstacles. By
night only three of the trees remained to be cleared away. On the right
bank, about 50 yards in advance of the barrier, stood a farm building,
which we considered it prudent to occupy for the night.
Having collected fifty volunteers (Brooke and Wade had then not
rejoined), I took Brooke’s schoolfellow Steward, Williamson, and with
me Comber, a corporal and four marines, my gig’s crew, and, of course,
my trusty John Eager, the sound of whose bugle meant mischief. The
remainder composed of a medley of picked Malays and Dyaks.
The house being 100 yards in advance of our party, and 80 from the
river, it was difficult of approach, especially at night. The ground
swampy, with logs of trees, over which I stumbled, and was up to my
arms in mud and water. Nevertheless, there was no noise. It was a roomy
building. In one corner I found an enclosure, forming a square of about
8 feet; of this I took possession, and while in the place--it was pitch
dark--I quietly divested me of my wet trousers.
“Tiga” (three) was the watchword, in case of a stranger finding his way
in. I was contemplating whether my duck trousers were sufficiently dry
for me to get into, when every one was disturbed by a most diabolical
war-yell. In a moment every man was on his legs--swords, spears, and
krisses dimly glittered over our heads. It is impossible to describe
the excitement and confusion of the succeeding ten minutes; one and all
believed we had been surrounded by the enemy and cut off from our main
party.
I had already thrust the muzzle of my pistol close to the heads of
several natives, whom in the confusion I had mistaken for Sekarrans;
and as each in his turn called out “Tiga!” I withdrew my weapon to
apply it to somebody else, until at last we found we were _all_
“Tigas.” I had prevented Eager more than once from sounding the alarm,
which from the first he had not ceased to press for permission to do.
The Dyak yell had, however, succeeded in throwing the whole force
afloat into a similar confusion, who, not hearing the signal, concluded
they, and not we, were the party attacked. The real cause we afterwards
ascertained to have arisen from the alarm of a Dyak, who dreamt, or
imagined, he felt a spear thrust upwards through the bamboo flooring of
our building, and immediately gave his diabolical yell. The confusion
was ten times as much as it would have been had the enemy really been
there. So ended the adventures of the night in the wild jungle of
Borneo.