Leave Amoy--Arrive in Macào Roads--Live ashore--Well guarded
--Night calls--Ventriloquist at Typa Fort--Ordered on board
--Up to Whampoa--Clipper Ships--Over to Hong-Kong--Coronation
day--Independence day--Hurried on board--The mail--Ty-foongs.
Came to anchor in Macào Roads on the 4th of June, having made the
passage to Shanghae and back in just forty days, including stoppage
there, at Amoy, and delay from getting aground on Formosa.
Left Amoy on the 31st of May, and ran down the coast with favoring
breezes, nothing worth noting having occurred since our departure from
the latter port.
Went ashore on the first opportunity, and found there awaiting our
arrival several letters and packages of newspapers, which had reached by
overland mail during our absence. This was indeed a treat, and repaid us
for all the inconveniences of our voyage. A good piece of news also was
received, to wit, that there was a probability of our leaving the
station for home in the fall.
Suffering still from sickness, I was allowed to take up my lodgings on
shore, and duly installed myself in apartments No. 7, Senate Square,
where I witnessed the Governor's daily visit to the Senate house, and
the relieving of the guard; but as all situations have their drawbacks,
was greatly annoyed by the unearthly noises made by the sentries during
the night. Not a person could pass, but he was hailed, and every half
hour I was awakened by the guard yelling out some unintelligible words,
which were caught up in every direction, in the most discordant tones,
until echo herself grew hoarse and disgusted with the repetition. I was
well guarded to be sure, but could have dispensed with the attention,
and would have bargained for less honor, with an equal diminution of
noise!
The Portuguese lay great stress upon these night calls; and at the Typa
fort, where we lay, which but two or three soldiers garrison, it was
said they had a ventriloquist, who sent the word _Alerto_, with various
changes, throughout the works.
After one week's residence _en grand seigneur_, was obliged to give up
my _casa_, and repair on board. Orders being to go up to Whampoa, about
the confounded insurrection.
On the seventeenth of June, came to anchor in the "Reach" again, and
found every thing as usual there, the standing joke of the Chinese
having taken Canton not being realized.
Saw there some of the first of those Yankee clippers that have since
almost monopolized the China carrying trade. The "Sea Serpent," bound
for the United States, passed close to us, and a magnificent specimen of
naval architecture she was. She excited a strong yearning for home, and
gladly would I have exchanged on board of her.
These clippers, I then noted, were to effect a change in East Indiamen,
such as would have been hooted at ten years ago. Then, speed was a
secondary consideration, and capacity for carrying deemed the _sine qua
non_. Now, speed is the object; and it has been proved, that in making
quick trips, with a lesser cargo, in suitable seasons, the advantage is
greater than in freighting larger vessels, that in consequence of their
greater capacity sail slower.
The anniversary of our arrival in China came round whilst we lay at
Whampoa, and I celebrated it by a trip to Canton, to make an official
call upon our Chargé d'Affaires, and returned the same day.
Our only amusements here were strolling over the hills, and sauntering
through Bamboo and Newtown--the novelty of which places having some
time worn off--and passing away the evening at the bowling alleys,
and billiard room, where prices were high and refreshments execrable.
However, here we got exercise even at a high rate; and this exercise is
considered so desirable, that persons from Canton--a distance of ten
miles--resort to this place.
From Whampoa departed for Hong-Kong, where found a number of old
friends. We arrived there upon Coronation day, which was being
celebrated with all honor. The Queen--God bless her!--was toasted, and
the healths of the King consort, and all the royal family drunk. In the
evening, the devotion of her loyal subjects was expended in a brilliant
display of fireworks, which was untimely quenched by a sudden shower.
Celebrated our own "Independence day" for the second time in China,
whilst we lay in the harbor of Hong-Kong; and H. B. M. frigate
Cleopatra, and brig Lily, were dressed, and fired national salutes with
us;--a pretty compliment, and as it should be. An editor in Hong-Kong
made it the subject of unseemly remark, but am confident he had not the
countenance of one of his subscribers. A dinner was given in honor of
the occasion at our Consul's. It was a splendid affair, several lady
residents of Hong-Kong gracing the board with their presence. The
gentlemen kept it up long after they had retired, and the union of the
States was cemented,--representatives from nearly all being
present,--amongst the hours
"Ayont the twal."
We lay at anchor off Hong-Kong until the eleventh of July, when received
orders to proceed over to Macào, and join our consort there. I was out
of the ship when the orders came, and of course knew nothing about them;
had spent the evening on board H. M. S. S. Minden, where I occupied the
state-room of an absent officer, an acquaintance. The next morning,
whilst breakfasting, my attention was directed, through the port, to
some unusual movement on board our ship; such as a boat being dispatched
to the Cleopatra, sending aloft topgallant yards, and unshipping the
companion ladder. This last movement was decisive. Sailing orders must
be on: and bringing my meal to a hasty conclusion, got on board to find
the messenger shipped, and all hands heaving away at the capstan. Soon
we had sail on, and I did not get on board a minute too soon to secure a
passage to Macào.
After reaching that port, and concluding the business for which we had
been summoned, received permission to exchange our rolling and pitching
in the outer roads, for the snug and quiet anchorage in the Typa; and
our old pleasant trips to the shore were again resumed: rambles along
the Governor's Road, and over the hills, filling up the afternoons of
"liberty days," and suppers at "Frank's"--Hotel--at night adding
considerably to the amount of monthly mess bills.
The arrival of the mail was always an event with us; and this
month--August--it reached Macào unusually early, having been received
on the eighth day: just fifty-eight days from New-York. I do not know
what we would have done without this mail, the anticipation of its
arrival keeping our minds occupied, and the business of answering
letters and mailing them filling up the monthly intervals. We closed
our correspondence in the last week of the month, expecting dates from
home during the first week of the next.
Whilst we lay in the Typa had strong indications of a Ty-foong, but it
passed over with some bad weather, high winds, and squalls. Felt
perfectly secure at our anchorage, but used the precaution of bending
the sheet-cables, sending down yards, and housing topgallant-masts. As
it was, had considerable of a blow, and the Ty-foong ravaged the coasts
in our vicinity.
The Ty-foong of the East is synonymous with the hurricane or tornado of
the West Indies, as the monsoon may be said to assimilate with the
trade-winds of the opposite hemisphere; but this "strong wind" blows
with even more violence, and has a circular motion. Ships have had their
masts bodily twisted out of them, and many, more unfortunate, have been
ingulfed in the maelstrom created by its fury. From its veering so
suddenly to every point of the compass, the usual precautions against
ordinary gales afford but little protection. A heavy, boding swell
precedes, to give notice of the dreaded Ty-foong. The aquatic birds,
with natural instinct, take wing and fly before its approach; whilst on
shore the air is filled with insects in constant motion. So indicative,
indeed, is this flight of insects, that the Chinese call them Ty-foong
Bugs.
The inhabitants predicate the recursion of these storms by numerous
other signs, and are prompt to take every precaution to avoid their
effects. At Macào, upon this occasion, the proprietors of the "Tanka"
and "pull away" boats drew them on shore, some distance from the
landing, and close to the houses. In these, the boat folk, men, women,
and children, stowed themselves away, prepared to weather the Ty-foong.
The walls of the dwellings on the Praya forming a good lee, they lashed
their boats as well as they were able, and secured the bamboo coverings.
Not a boatman could be prevailed upon to launch his craft for love or
money. Some of them, indeed, from the habit of their profession, would
say, "Suppose have give ten, twelve dollar, so;" but if you appeared for
an instant to incline to their extortionate demand, they would at once
change their tune, and shaking both head and tail,--please to remember
that Chinese boatmen _have_ tails to their heads,--cry out, with
deprecatory gestures, "Ei-yah! how can make walkee? my tinkee can
catchee too muchee Ti-fung!" and then slide back beneath their bamboo
shelter, with a decisive "No can!"
The season when Ty-foongs generally prevail in these latitudes,--and
it is only within a few degrees upon these coasts that they rage,--is
between July and October, inclusive of those months. They form a
serious impediment to the navigation of the China Sea, almost amounting
to its obstruction at this period; for the inducement must be great to
encounter such a risk. H. B. M. ship Hastings experienced a severe one
late in October, and the new American clipper ship "Witchcraft," came
into Victoria harbor on the third of December, 1851, having encountered
a strong Tyfoong in 142° east, which carried away all her topmasts, and
jib-boom, narrowly escaping going down. Both these vessels were caught
unexpectedly, neither expecting to find Ty-foongs in the latitudes in
which they were at that season of the year.