THE CHINA COMMAND
[Sidenote: 1868. Flag in _Rodney_, Yokohama, Apr. 6.]
_Rattler_, Commander John Swan, arrived, a good fellow, but subject to
fits. Obliged to send him to hospital. Prussian frigate, saluted under
her new flag.
[Sidenote: Apr. 25.]
Poor Swan departed this life.
[Sidenote: Apr. 26.]
Appointed Harry Stephenson to command _Rattler_ and Keppel Garnier to
be Flag-Lieutenant.
[Sidenote: May 9.]
Proceeded down the bay, _Rattler_ in company.
[Sidenote: May 17.]
Came to in Corvé Bay.
[Sidenote: May 18.]
Weighed; stood over in company. Japan flag in _Rodney_. With _Ocean_
to Osaka. Flag saluted by the French frigate _Dupleix_. Came to off
the bar. Self and Captains were presented to the Mikado by Sir Harry
Parkes. With Minister, accompanied by staff, we were carried up
through the streets, crowded with Japanese. Sir Harry Parkes presented
credentials, and we were introduced severally to the Mikado. All the
chief nobles were prostrate in his presence, their heads touching the
ground. The Mikado appeared to be a lad of sixteen. The streets were
lined with kneeling Japanese.
[Sidenote: Osaka, May 23.]
Japanese princes and great officers visited Rodney and _Ocean_.
[Sidenote: May 25.]
Weighed under steam. Came to off Nagasaki. Japan may well be called
the “Gem of the Sea” from her geographical position, her magnificent
harbours and inland sea, the approaches to which might be rendered
impregnable. It is a rich country, with mines of coal and iron,
fisheries, and a vast maritime population. Japan is coveted alike by
Russia, America, and France; and its possession would enable the power
holding to monopolise the whole trade in China.
The Japanese naturally fear the steady march of Russia towards Japan.
They see that in ten years China has yielded to that country 900 miles
of coast, all tending towards the possession of Japan, which has
harbours open at all seasons of the year, while Russia’s boundary line
on the islands off the coast has brought her to the door of Japan.
It is apparent that if we maintain a proper position in Japan, in
consideration of our vast Eastern trade, England and other nations, not
wishing to acquire territory, will always be in a position to preserve
the integrity of Japan.
America has discovered that Yokohama is the most convenient place for
a depot of coal for her 4000-ton Pacific steamers, and the United
States Senior Naval Officer informed me that they intended to establish
store-houses at Nagasaki for their men-of-war. Russia has already a
small dockyard at Nagasaki.
The French have been, and are still, constructing docks, and have
established, at the Japanese Government’s expense, a small colony at
Yokosha, near Yokohama.
At present we have as good a footing in Japan as any other nation; our
trade exceeds that of all others, and more British capital has been
invested. I am urging upon the Admiralty the necessity for building a
naval hospital at Yokohama, owing to its salubrious climate, and also
a bungalow for the use of the Naval Commander-in-Chief, as there is
nothing of the kind on the station.
It was proposed last year that I should visit the Gulf of Tartary
and the Amoor River this summer. While at Peking in September, got
Sir Rutherford Alcock to speak to the Russian Minister, Monsieur A.
Vlangali, as I did myself afterwards, requesting him to mention my
intention to the Governor at Nicolai.
Our party was to have consisted of George Fitzroy, with his wife
and children, Conolly, from the Peking Legation, and the Commodore.
Fitzroy had remained too long in Shanghai, and was obliged to start
earlier than he intended for a cruise in the P. and O. _Benares_.
They had reached Yokohama the day before I arrived from Hong Kong in
the _Rodney_ (Mrs. Fitzroy was with him, the children remaining at
Shanghai). I persuaded him to embark immediately on board _Rodney_,
where he could have the advantage of the best medical advice. Doctor
Hill took charge of him. We sailed from Yokohama on May 19, and arrived
at Nagasaki, May 28, passing through the inland sea, and unfortunately
landed Fitzroy apparently no better than when he embarked.
The _Salamis_ arrived on 11th from Cheefoo, bringing Conolly, who had
found his way from Peking. _Basilisk_ (6), Captain Hewitt, arrived on
14th, bringing our mail and the Commodore. Dr. Hill pronounced Fitzroy
in too precarious a state to embark, and kindly volunteered to remain
behind.
[Illustration: _Map--Northern China, with Coast of Siberia._]
We had two other passengers, who promised to be of much use to us in
Russian waters. One was a Mr. Esche, the tenant of a large extent
of the coal district in the Island of Saghalien, himself a German,
but speaking the Russian language fluently; the other, Mr. Adams, the
contractor, who had before been attending a Russian squadron in these
seas in that capacity, a kind-hearted jolly personage, known in the
gunroom by the name of “Beef and Vegetables.”
From Sir Rutherford Alcock I received a letter addressed to himself
from the Russian Minister, Mr. Vlangali, stating that he had written
to Admiral Jean Furnhjelm, Governor of the Province and Coast, on the
subject of my intended visit, that although he had not yet received an
answer, he was sure that orders would everywhere be given, “pour faire
à votre Amiral tous les soins qui lui sont dûs.”
[Sidenote: June 3.]
Leaving the _Rodney_ at Nagasaki, I took a week’s cruise in the
_Sylvia_, surveying vessel, Commander Brooker, during which we passed
through Hirado or Spex Strait, Commander Brooker having just completed
a survey of it.
[Sidenote: June 17.]
Soon after daylight we weighed in _Rodney_ and steamed out of Nagasaki
Harbour, steering for the beautiful passage through Hirado Strait,
which, since Brooker’s excellent survey, I considered perfectly safe
with so good a Staff-Commander as we had in Harris. Successfully
performed this feat. _Rodney_ must have been by far the largest ship
that ever went through. We then shaped a course to the westward of Iki,
through the East Korea Strait, and to the northward along the Korean
coast.
[Sidenote: Novogorod Harbour, June 20.]
Came to in Novogorod Harbour. In spite of the survey of Posietta Bay,
the entrance to the harbour is difficult to find on a first visit; it
is narrow, but safe. The settlement, consisting of half-a-dozen huts,
did not look inviting, but the scenery round was fine: hills covered
with fresh green pasturage and brushwood, while well-sheltered harbours
within extensive bays were seen in every direction. I was waited on by
Major Pfingsten, the officer in temporary charge. He had with him a
garrison of fifty men, while about nine miles inland they had a large
encampment. The Governor of Eastern Siberia, General Korsakof, and the
Lieutenant-Governor, Rear-Admiral Furnhjelm, were at a place some miles
distant, to whom Major Pfingsten telegraphed our arrival.
Close to the settlement was a coal mine, which they were slowly working
with soldiers and such tools as they had, assisted just at this time
by a dozen Manchurian Chinese prisoners, taken in a border warfare, in
which the Governor, with his Lieutenant and a thousand men, was then
engaged.
When at Cheefoo in October I heard of an island in about latitude 42°
40´ off the coast and claimed by the Russians, on which a party of
about three hundred Chinese were working for gold, which was reported
to be plentiful; and that the Russians had sent a gunboat to drive the
Chinese away, who, being well armed, had beaten the Russians off: all
this, we heard from Major Pfingsten, it proved to be true, he had only
lately returned from an expedition to the island of Mayatchni (called
in our charts “Termination”).
Having no steamer available, he had started in a sailing vessel with
600 soldiers, including artillery, but as he was six days going the
ninety miles, the Chinese received timely notice and had wisely
decamped. When the major arrived he found three men only on the island:
these he shot to prove who were the rightful owners of the soil, and
then returned. The Chinamen, who appear to have come from Manchuria,
succeeded in stirring up their countrymen and brought on this petty
border warfare on which the Governor and his lieutenant were engaged,
and which will, in all probability, end in further aggression and
annexation on the part of the Russians.
Whether His Excellency did not approve of our visiting his territory
when he was engaged in so inglorious a warfare, I cannot tell, but the
return telegraph arrived without a civil word of welcome, and with
directions to the Major not to supply us with coal. The Major rather
softened this by stating that they expected the Governors in their
respective vessels, both of which would require coal; and certainly the
small supply of about twenty tons we saw ready on the beach would not
have helped us much.
During our stay fishing and shooting parties went away, but we were
too early in the season. The ducks were on their eggs, and the salmon,
so plentiful later, had not arrived. Ducks, geese, curlew, pigeon, and
widgeon were brought on board in small quantities; two or three shots
had been fired at deer and the footprints of bear had been seen; in
fact, a guide who had conducted a party to the ground most frequented
by wild duck had killed three bears the day before our arrival.
Tigers are numerous, but only visit the coast in the winter, during
which time their hair is long and their skins handsome. There were in
the camp bear and otter skins for sale, as well as a few sables, for
which as much as nine dollars a piece was asked, the market value being
about a tael or three shillings.
[Sidenote: Novogorod, June.]
One day, mounted by the Major on capital ponies, Conolly, Garnier,
Risk, and self rode to the camp, about nine miles distant by land,
although two miles by water. From the _Rodney_ you might land within
half a mile. The ponies, with plain snaffle bits, had excellent mouths.
At the camp, which was situated on a healthy-looking elevated plain on
the bank of a small river, we found the same sombre-looking mechanical
soldiers that we saw in the Crimea: smoke and drink apparently their
only object, no games or amusement of any sort going on.
The country appeared to be well supplied with cattle, fat and in good
condition, but nowhere did we see sheep. During our ride we had to
cross and re-cross a river by ferry.
The Manchurian prisoners were unhappy-looking fellows. I saw them
one day after returning from working at the coal-mines locked up in
a wretched hut. One of the guard threw a few biscuits on the ground,
which the last two men picked up, probably their only meal. The Major
told Conolly that he thought his prisoners were belonging to a band of
rebels that had long infested the north of China. He described the men
that attacked the Russian gunboat party on the island of Mayatchni as
being well organized and drilled, and he believed they had Europeans
amongst them. Two of the prisoners had been liberated to treat for a
ransom. Major Pfingsten had not made up his mind whether to shoot the
prisoners; probably when too weak to work any longer at the coal-mine
he will do so. There were two long sheds full of grain, brought all the
way from Cronstadt.
The soil appears in every way adapted for either cultivation or
pasture, but beyond the herds of bullocks no attempt was made to cause
it to support the human beings located. The few women there were at
the settlement and in the camp were of a low sort--convicts. Every
encouragement was given to any soldier who would take one to wife
and settle in the country, land being given gratis, but no advantage
appeared to be taken of this. We were recommended not to send our
clothes on shore to be washed, as they would probably be stolen.
The Major was married, his wife being the only person worthy the
appellation of lady; an agreeable person, with good eyes and teeth; she
came on board to breakfast and enjoyed our band.
[Sidenote: June 26.]
At 9.45 P.M. steamer’s lights were observed outside, and shortly
afterwards our Staff-Commander piloted the _Salamis_ in, bringing our
mail from Shanghai.
[Sidenote: June 27.]
At half-past ten weighed under steam, in company with _Salamis_. She
having some defect in her machinery, was directed to Vladivostock,
which Captain Courtenay in his excellent report describes as somewhat
more cheery and civilized than Novogorod. Although _Salamis’s_ defects
were nothing but what she could put to rights with her own engineers,
she was to rejoin us in Castrie’s Bay. Afternoon, all being well, clear
of the bay, got screw up, having only just coal enough to keep us in
distilled water. Stood to the eastward, and when well off shore, shaped
a course up the Gulf of Tartary.
[Sidenote: Saghalien. Usu Bay. July 4.]
Made Cape Lamanon on the coast of Saghalien. At 7, came to in 7 fathoms
in Usu Bay. Here we found a straggling village of Ainos, all fishermen.
A small stream ran into the sea, off the mouth of which their nets were
arranged, forming three sides of a square, the fourth open on the land
side. The outside was about a cable’s length from the shore, the two
sides extending the whole length, close to the outside net. But on the
inside they had another net which appeared to lie on the bottom; this
they drew up every now and then, generally bringing up from thirty to
fifty salmon. A few buttons or a bit of silver would buy as many as we
liked to take.
We found a Japanese trading junk from Hakodadi, bringing salt and
rice in exchange for dried fish and seaweed. The Russians appeared to
assume authority over the more simple Ainos, and I have no doubt drove
lucrative bargains. The hills and woods, with the green grass, had,
from the ship, an inviting appearance which was dispelled on attempting
to walk, owing to the rank vegetation and myriads of mosquitoes. The
Ainos themselves were as dirty as need be. In a cage was the usual
bear, petted and fattened to be killed and eaten at the annual festival
amidst lamentations and rejoicings, when all get drunk who can. They
had a few skins for sale, and among them Dr. Fegan, with the assistance
of Adams, succeeded in getting me three tolerably good sables.
A little to the northward of where we anchored there was a larger
river, apparently full of salmon; although they would not take the
flies offered them, no end of smaller salmon and trout of about a
quarter of a pound were landed as fast as the lines could be applied.
After I had returned on board in the afternoon, I observed from the
stern walk an unusual commotion among the native fishing-boats that had
spread their nets off the mouth of the stream; one of our boats on its
way to the ship with the wardroom officers, coming off to dinner, had
been attracted to the spot. There was cheering and shots were fired.
One of the cutters was ready manned, alongside. Calling the Commodore,
we jumped into her, followed by Garnier, who took the precaution to
bring a couple of rifle carbines--always ready with ammunition in
the fore cabin. It was a curious and exciting scene. A whale had got
entangled in the fishermen’s net and was floundering about in its
endeavours to escape. Our boats with those of the natives formed three
sides of a square just outside the edge of the net, that side next the
shore it being unnecessary to guard. Every minute or so the monster
raised his huge head to blow--I expect as much to look about him--and
then exposed his body as he dived. On each occasion he was assailed by
shots, spears, and lances. Although I had seen thousands of whales, I
never before had been within boat-hook’s length of a live one. Each
time his head appeared the Commodore and I sent a rifle bullet into it.
While the natives plunged lances, the beast spouted blood and water;
twice he tried to hoist the cutter, but with the crew we were too
heavy for him, as he only tilted us on one side; this work had lasted
nearly half an hour, and we thought his strength exhausted, when the
infuriated animal, probably pierced deeper by one of the lances, made
a final effort. Lashing his tail, he dashed through the net, lifted
one of the lighter native boats, out of which the crew had previously
escaped, into the air, and made for the deep, leaving a wake of blood.
It is to be hoped that the poor natives whose net he destroyed will
be rewarded in a day or two by finding his body. I was struck by the
number of dogs there were on shore, all apparently in good condition.
They were sledge dogs, and in the morning two teams of them were
scampering along the beach towing boats; there was no one on shore to
guide them, and they appeared to enjoy the fun.
[Sidenote: July 6.]
Weighed at 10.30 A.M. under plain sail. Observing on the chart there
were two lagoons near the coast, likely for wild fowl, visited them. On
standing in shore, we suddenly took the bottom; last cast in the chains
was 12 fathoms. Had to lay out stream and heave off; water smooth,
weather fine, but bottom foul. It was 8 P.M. before we took up our
berth in 7 fathoms, about two miles from the shore.
[Sidenote: July 7.]
The spot we selected for our picnic was on a bank about half cable
wide that separated the northern lagoon from the sea. There was the
usual bar; the sea being smooth, one of our boats passed up. We saw
no natives, but near where we landed was a hut, the residence of
fishermen during the last season. By the number of heads hung up to
dry (as winter food for the sleigh dogs), salmon must have been large
and plentiful. Eight and a half couple of wild ducks were bagged by
the parties “gunning.” The lagoons appeared to be bordered by long
grass and sedges and surrounded by hills covered with firs; these woods
were difficult to get through, not so much from underwood as from the
enormous quantity of decayed and fallen timber, which was covered with
moss or hid by ferns, and treacherous to tread on. Beyond the hut
mentioned, I can imagine no ground better adapted for the breeding of
wild-fowl. None of the pine trees appeared to grow to any size. In
working his way through the wood Heneage disturbed a covey of birds,
quite young, about a dozen of them; we shot one, a pheasant.
[Sidenote: Najassi, July 8.]
9.15 A.M.--Weighed and made sail. Our next place was to be Najassi,
some fourteen miles farther to the northward, where Mr. Esche had a
small settlement and a grant of an extensive coal district; We came to
in the afternoon off his house, determined to coal during continuance
of fine weather. We found Mr. Esche’s hut on the right bank of a small
stream, the inhabitants of the settlement consisting of one Russian
and a boy; they appeared happy and contented, netting as much salmon
as they required for use, drying and salting others for winter food.
They were occasionally visited by bears. Although provided with a
double-barrelled rifle, Esche never liked to fire for fear of provoking
an attack.
[Sidenote: Najassi.]
However, he showed me, in case of Bruin’s coming to close quarters, a
formidable-looking spear, which was kept inside the house. There had
been some Chinese coolies and boat-builders, but they preferred the
society of Nicholai.
Green hills rose everywhere from the beach, intersected at two or three
hundred yards by ravines and rivulets, while patches of coal were
seen cropping out in all directions, at the foot, at the sides and
tops, every convenient height for mining. The great and only drawback
to this valuable property was the want of a harbour or shelter for
coal-lighters. About four miles to the southward of where Mr. Esche
had built his hut is a small river, inside which there is a good boat
harbour; but, like all the other streams, there is a bar on which the
surf must always break, except in the finest weather.
[Sidenote: July 10.]
Coaling was performed by our own people filling bags and then loading
alternately our pinnace and a boat belonging to the settlement, which
was towed backwards and forwards by the steam launch; by these means we
managed to get about forty tons per day. While the coaling was going
on, our usual sporting parties were formed. There was but little for
the guns, but the salmon were in and swarming up both the streams and
river to the southward. Although small salmon and trout of about six
inches long were caught by hundreds with every sort of bait, no salmon
of any size would look at a fly, so we were obliged to resort to other
means. The stream at the settlement was ascended many miles into the
interior between the mountains, the water tumbling into deep pools at
ten or twelve feet distances--these were black at the bottom with large
fish. To get at them a net was placed across the stream below; we, with
spears and grains, standing on boulders or seated across a fallen tree,
had great excitement and fun, as the salmon, started from the pool by
means of long poles, made across the shallows for the nearest hole.
A score of fine fish, from eight to fourteen pounds, were taken this
way in one day; but none, except those that had been wounded, could be
driven into the net. Another party remained at a pool, some two miles
up the stream, all night, and had great sport in spearing salmon by
torchlight.
[Sidenote: Najassi, July 11.]
The ascent up the stream was difficult and tedious; the banks, from
wood and vegetation, except for a yard or two here and there, were
impassable, independently of the most formidable mosquitoes, while the
stream was rapid and the large water-washed stones smooth and slippery.
Nevertheless, substantial meals and everything requisite to support
the inward man were conveyed up. The larger river to the southward was
where there were most fish: these likewise took no notice of the fly,
but the roe from the female salmon was immediately taken by a large
fish, who leapt some feet out of the water on first taste of the hook,
and then making a bolt down stream, round a boulder, disappeared with
some fathoms of line.
On a flat piece of ground between the sea and the left bank of the
river (here deep and some sixty yards wide), there is an Aino village
of fishermen, the chief more respectable-looking than the generality of
his countrymen, but with the left side of his face bandaged up, having
suffered from the claw of a bear. Three or four of them would go in a
rickety boat, and with a small net draw one of the many pools, bringing
out at each draught some forty or fifty fine salmon; these fellows were
at first liberal enough with their fish, allowing you to take what you
wanted for a small coin, a little cloth or rum, but afterwards, when
they had got all they wanted, had the impudence to demand a dollar for
one fish, so that it became high time that we should help ourselves.
The ship’s seine was brought and cast outside the mouth of the river,
when, in a few hauls, some five hundred salmon were taken--more than
enough for the ship’s company and some to salt besides.
[Sidenote: July 18.]
We weighed and shifted under sail to a bay called Pilyawo.
[Sidenote: July 19.]
Being the Sabbath we remained quiet, with the exception of sending a
boat to communicate with a German vessel that took Mr. Esche on to
Castries Bay.
[Sidenote: July 20.]
Joined by _Rattler_, and the following day we sailed in company.
[Sidenote: July 22.]
Came to in Tonquiera Bay, _Rattler_ going to Duè to fill up coal.
[Sidenote: July 24.]
Weighed at daylight and stood to Castries Bay, where we came to in the
evening, finding _Salamis_. Heard by her of the sad death at Nagasaki
of poor George Fitzroy. I cannot say that it was quite unexpected,
almost every one but his charming wife felt he could not recover. On
our departure for the Russian coast I had left our clever surgeon Hill
to look after him. In the Crimea I attended the deathbed of the elder
brother, Augustus. Just as I arrived at Sierra Leone in February 1861,
Arthur Fitzroy, in command of the _Falcon_, died of fever. As children
at the Cape we had all four played together.
_Rattler_ rejoining in the night, shifted flag to _Salamis_. It was
a gratification to see young Harry Stephenson in all the pride of a
“first command.” On Sunday I dined on board his ship, and slept on
board the _Salamis_, preparatory to a start for Nicholai, pilots having
been most willingly provided by the officials.
[Sidenote: Flag in _Salamis_, July 27.]
Little to remark going up. Channel muddy and intricate, with the
distant shore of Saghalien scarcely visible to the eastward. There were
buoys at some of the angles, and beacons on the land to the westward,
to place which the pine-trees had been cleared away. Our leadsmen
frequently had “1/4 less 2,” but we never stopped.
Snow-white fish, not porpoises--they said, were tumbling about: round
snouts, blow-hole on back of head, 7 or 8 feet long, not fit for food.
As we neared the entrance, occasional fishing villages were seen, with
no end of salmon drying, dogs and dirt to any amount.