Up the Canton River again--Bay of Canton--Bocca Tigris--Forts
at the Bogue--Their Construction--Conduct of Chinese when
Attacked--The Feast of Lanterns--the Rebellion--Paddy Fields
and Mosquitoes--Back to Typa--Pleasant Times--Blowing up of a
Frigate!
A rebellion had broken out in the province adjoining that of Kwang-tung;
and as the insurgents had made rapid advances towards the capital, our
consul there thought our presence in the neighborhood might prove
beneficial to American interests. It was again, "All hands up anchor,"
to proceed up the Canton River, and away we steered, past the towering
island of Lin-tin, towards the Bocca Tigris.
Macào may be said to be situated in the Bay of Canton; for these are all
islands until you pass through the "Bogue."
Bocca Tigris was the name given to the eastern channel of the entrance
to the Pearl, or Canton River,--a near translation of the Chinese name
Hoo-tow-mun (Tiger's Head Passage). The pilots call it Foo-mun.
There is a fort on Anunghoy Point, and two others on the western channel
on the North Wang-tong island; also the office of Hoppo, Collector of
Customs, where pilots are forced to show their "chops."
There are also quite a number of Chinese forts in the neighborhood of
the "Bogue;" but they did not appear to be manned, although quite a
number of old rusty guns were sticking through their embrasures.
Some of these forts are very extensive; that is, their walls enclose a
considerable area; but they are badly constructed as places of defence,
having a greater part of their interior exposed, which cannot be helped,
as their walls mostly run up the sides of steep hills, in which no
excavations have been made. They present, however, quite a picturesque
appearance, and add greatly to the effect of this otherwise
uninteresting part of the river.
Many amusing tales are told of the conduct of their defenders when the
British vessels attacked them; and how, when a shell was thrown into
them, the Chinamen scattered in every direction, through their ports,
and every other available means of exit, exclaiming, "Ei-yah, how can
make shoot two time?"
Went up again to Canton, to the Consulate, and learned there that the
rebels had not advanced much farther, having stopped to plunder, whilst
Seu, the Governor-General, was preparing a large force to oppose them.
Found great preparations making for a festival, which my duties did not
allow me to see, but which those who witnessed it described as truly
magnificent. They called it the Feast of Lanterns. From what I saw have
no doubt but that it must have been so at night, when the immense number
of chandeliers, candelabra, lanterns, and other arrangements for making
an illumination, were lighted.
There were also images as large as life stuck over the gates of
different streets, and upon platforms crossing them, with paintings of
movable figures strung across them, Sing-Song houses, &c. &c. If you add
to this an immense multitude of fantastically-dressed Chinamen, each
carrying a lighted lantern richly ornamented, the coup d'oeil will be
better imagined than I can describe.
The celebration was kept up three nights, and the crowd assembled was
immense; so great, indeed, that those who were enabled to gratify their
curiosity did so with much wear and tear of clothing, and considerable
loss of buttons.
In the meanwhile the valiant Seu had started to chastise the insolent
disturbers of the peace of the "Central Flowery Land;" and being
determined to expedite his work, took with him a high and learned judge,
to condemn the vagabonds, and doubtless executioners to dispose of them.
We remained in Whampoa Reach, awaiting the issue, amidst the delightful
odors of decaying paddy fields, and lulled to rest by the harmonious
music of myriads of mosquitoes.
During this grand convulsion of the Chinese empire, it was delightful to
notice the regularity with which our Chinese compradore, Ayooke,
supplied the ship with provisions, and how little he appeared to know or
care about the matter. I thought him then a great philosopher, but
changed my opinion when I learned that these affairs are of common
occurrence in the Chinese empire, especially at the commencement of a
new reign, and that the authorities know as well how to manage them, as
police officers to put down a row in Ann Street, Boston; and even
better, for they have a _golden_ remedy, which long experience has
taught them how to apply.
After remaining one month at Whampoa, and a large proportion of the crew
getting on the sick-list, we were at length allowed to leave for our old
anchorage in the Typa, where we learned that the puissant Sen, his
generals, and his judges, had quenched the revolt, and the misguided
wretches, whom he had in pity spared, were sorrowfully retracing their
steps. But one thing I noticed in his extended and flowery report, that
quite a number of his officers were degraded, and heavy fines imposed
upon them for alleged misconduct; thus proving in China, as throughout
the world, that the larger fish consume the smaller fry, and increase
greatly in consequence.
Found the change of position very agreeable, the fine bracing air from
the sea acting like a charm upon the invalids, and driving away those
wandering minstrels, the mosquitoes. Besides, there was the daily trip
on shore in the "fast boat," available to those whose duties would allow
it. The pleasant walk along the "Praya," or on the Governor's Road, and
the generally delightful sail off to the ship at nine o'clock, on some
of those beautiful moonlight evenings, when with but a gentle breeze to
waft us smoothly over the placid waters, we could recline in our
commodious boat, and puffing the mild cheroot (a privilege not the less
valued because it was later than the regulations permitted smoking on
board), we looked upon those gentle beams, and thought kindly of those
friends _beneath our feet_, upon whom they might fall to-morrow, "wind
and weather permitting," and a sweet face would glisten upon us from
the undulating wave, and "Boat a-hoy!" from the watchful quartermaster
would bring us back to reality and the ship; overboard would go our
magical cheroot, over the side our imaginative self, and having duly
reported the important fact of our return on board, down we would dive
through the steerage hatch, to conjure up again in dreams the dear face
we saw in the moonlighted wave.
Our anchorage in the Typa was the same we had occupied on our first
visit, and was very eligible, being protected by Typa island from the
sea. Upon the point of this island nearest to us stood a fort, named
after the island; and a little more than a cable's length from our
moorings lay the Portuguese frigate Donna Maria Segunda, of thirty-eight
guns, commanded by Captain Francisco d'Assis e Silva.
Affairs had been pursuing their usual routine, when upon the evening of
the twenty-eighth of October a boat boarded us from the frigate, under
charge of an officer, who brought an invitation from Captain D'Assis to
join with him on the twenty-ninth in the celebration of the birthday of
the King Consort of Portugal, upon which occasion it was his intention
to dress his ship, and fire a national salute at meridian. Of course, an
assent was given; and accordingly at eight o'clock the next morning,
every thing having been previously prepared, we broke stops with the
frigate, and thus bedecked, both vessels made a gallant show.
We had dressed perpendicularly, whilst she had her flags fore and aft,
running up to her flying jib-boom from the water, and down to the gaff
on her mizzen. The frigate had been newly painted, and looked upon this
occasion exceedingly well, her neat appearance being the subject of
general remark.
We lay thus, side by side, until meridian, when she fired a well-timed
salute, in which we joined; and every thing remained quiet, until about
twenty minutes past two, when a report was heard resembling the
discharge of a whole broadside of double-shotted guns, and a shock
communicated as though we had received their contents.
The water was forced through the air-ports, splashed over the spar-deck,
and dashed down the hatches. The first and general impression was, that
the frigate had fired into us. On rushing upon deck, nothing could be
distinguished, for we were completely enveloped in a dense cloud of
flame and smoke. For a minute or two nothing could be determined. At
length an old quartermaster sung out, "The frigate has blown up!" I
ascended the poop, and looking towards her moorings, saw all that
remained of the "Donna Maria Segunda,"--a part of her stern-frame, just
above water, and burning. Where once had pointed her tall spars, so
proudly decked with the flags of all nations, no trace remained. She was
the most complete wreck that could be imagined. The water was covered
for acres with her fragments, and her masts and spars were shivered to
splinters.
Our boats were instantly alongside the wreck, and took from it, and
picked out of the water, ten persons in all, of whom two were Chinamen.
Amongst these was the young officer who had boarded us the previous
evening, with the invitation to join in the celebration,--a fine-looking
man. He had been drawn from under the capstan, which had been blown
aft, was horribly mutilated, and had doubtless nearly all his bones
broken, besides sustaining internal injuries. He died like a hero upon
our quarter-deck, without a groan.
The crew of the Donna Maria was said to have been composed of two
hundred and forty souls; but there were some sick in the hospital at
Macào, and a few absent on leave and duty. They had, however, some
Chinese on board, not mustered as the crew, carpenters, and other
artisans, and some prisoners from a French bark, the "Chili." I consider
the number killed by this catastrophe may be fairly set down as two
hundred!
The commandant, d'Assis, perished with his vessel. His body was found
two days after, dragging astern, he having been blown through the stern
port, and caught in a sail. His remains were carried to Macào, and
buried with military honors, our officers assisting at the ceremony. His
son, a young Aspirante, or Midshipman, was ashore at the time. A
lieutenant was in charge of the "Typa Fort," and the surgeon in Macào,
at their hospital. The other officers were principally on board the
frigate.
Our commander, with others, had received an invitation to dine on board,
but the time had been fortunately postponed.
At the precise moment of the explosion on board the "Donna Maria," we
were probably as near as it would have been possible to have been in our
relative moorings, lying broadside on, but a little astern of her; our
starboard battery could have been brought to bear a point forward of the
beam; and this very proximity was doubtless the cause of our escaping
serious injury. Two of her heavy guns passed entirely over us, clearing
our royal masts, and falling into the water about twenty feet on our
port beam. Our main deck awning was spotted, as if a shower of blood had
passed over it. Some shot, pieces of lead, fragments of spars, and the
brains and entrails of the sufferers were lodged in the tops, and other
parts of our ship. The gig was stove, but her keeper escaped without
injury; another boat-keeper was not so fortunate, an iron bolt striking
him on the knee, and maiming him for life.
A gun carriage was thrown past us into the fort, breaking through the
roof, and falling directly in the place where an officer had been seated
writing, but a few moments before.
After the explosion a number of smaller ones took place, and then the
remains of the ill-fated frigate burned to the water's edge.
Her magazine was said to have contained eighteen thousand pounds of
powder. Three hundred barrels of sixty pounds each, for which orders
came out a few days later, to be stowed in the magazine in Macào, and
the frigate to proceed to Lisbon.
The disaster was attributed to design. The gunner was said to have fired
the magazine for revenge.
It was said that only a few days previous, he had been severely
reprimanded by the Captain, for some neglect of duty, and that the
Captain had pulled his beard.
Afterwards he told his messmates that he could not survive such an
indignity, that he was an old man, and had not long to live, but when he
died, others should die too.
This is the way the Portuguese account for the loss of the vessel and
her crew.
Out of all those picked up, but one survived! Our own escape can only be
attributed to the protecting hand of that Providence, without whose
knowledge not even the smallest sparrow can fall to the ground
unnoticed.