We walked along in single file, and had proceeded on our journey for
about half an hour, when we heard the distant thunder of cannon, and
concluded that our vessel must have attacked the fort. I was so
tightly bound, especially about the neck, that my face became swollen,
and I found that my breath was fast leaving me. I could scarcely
swallow, and only with the greatest difficulty, articulate. We
repeatedly begged our guards to loosen a little the cords which bound
us, but the noise of the cannon had thrown them into such paroxysms of
terror that they took no notice whatever of our entreaties, but kept
looking back, and urging us to go on faster. Life, at this moment,
appeared to me a most intolerable burden, and I made up my mind to get
rid of it, by leaping into the next stream of water we came to. But
this determination of mine, I found, was easier to be made than
carried out, for whenever we passed over a stream of the smallest size
even, our suspicious guards held us tightly by the arms. At last,
unable to proceed farther, I sank exhausted and senseless to the
ground. When I recovered, I found that blood had flowed from my mouth
and nostrils, and that I was sprinkled with water. For the first time,
the natives now listened to our entreaties, and loosening our bonds,
greatly relieved us, enabling us to proceed on our way with renewed
strength.
After walking for about three hours longer, we arrived at a little
village, which is situated on the shores of the strait separating
Kumachir from the island of Jesso. Here we were led into a house, and
rice bread offered us, but as our appetites were entirely gone, they
took us into another room, and made us lie down near the walls, so
that none of us could communicate with the others. The ropes by which
we had been led along, they tied to iron spikes, which were driven
into the floor, and they drew off our boots, and again tied our legs
as before. When our guards had thus disposed of us to their entire
satisfaction, they seated themselves in the middle of the apartment,
round a pan of coals, and began to drink tea and smoke tobacco. One
would imagine that men might rest in peace even among lions, if they
were bound as we were, but the Japanese did not seem to consider
themselves safe even now, for they carefully examined our bonds every
quarter of an hour or so.
Letters were very often brought to the captain of our guards, which he
read attentively, and then communicated their contents to his
companions. They conversed, however, in such a low tone of voice, that
we saw very well they feared our hearing what they said, though on
that subject they might have made themselves perfectly easy, for we
did not understand a single word of the Japanese language. Towards
midnight they made preparations for departure. A wide board was
brought in, to the four corners of which ropes had been attached;
through these ropes a pole was put, by means of which they raised it
from the ground. They now laid me on the board, and carried me away,
which made us fully believe that they were going to separate us, and
that we now saw each other for the last time. We, therefore, took
leave of each other like dying men, our eyes filled with tears. The
farewell of the sailors, which they sobbed aloud, cut me to the heart,
for I felt that my imprudence was the cause of all their misery. I was
carried to the shore, and laid on a mat in a large boat, and to my joy
and surprise they brought down my comrades, one after the other, and
laid them near to me. This was so unexpected, and so gratifying, that
for a moment I almost forgot my sufferings. They then covered me and
my companions with moss, and an armed guard having taken his seat by
the side of each of us, they pushed off from the shore. During our
journey by water that night, the Japanese kept perfectly quiet. They
spoke not a word, and turned a deaf ear to all our lamentations and
complaints.
At the break of day we arrived at a little village on the coast of
Jesso, where they placed us in several smaller boats, which they drew
along the shore by means of ropes. From time to time they offered us
rice-broth, and roasted fish, and if any of us wanted to eat, they put
the food into his mouth by means of slender sticks, which, in Japan,
are used instead of forks.
The good people who had bound us in such an unmerciful manner, from a
fear only that we would escape from them, or commit suicide, now
showed themselves to be any thing but cruel, for they were even,
careful to brush the flies from us with green bushes, which otherwise
would have plagued us sadly. After they had carried us along the coast
in this manner, for the space of two days, the boats were dragged upon
the land, and shoved along by the aid of a large number of people,
without either we or our guards being obliged to leave them. They
pulled us through thickets and woods, and at last we found ourselves
on the top of a high hill. We could not conceive what possible object
the Japanese could have in drawing across the land, with so much
trouble, boats of no inconsiderable size. We concluded, at last, that
they must have seen our vessel, and feared lest they should lose their
prize. But the solution of the riddle was soon apparent, for when they
had got the boats up to the top of the hill, they allowed them to
slide down the other side by the force of their own gravity, and then
launched them on a small stream, which, after having navigated for two
days, we left in order to continue our journey by land. They loosened
the bands from our legs, and having drawn on our boots, asked us
whether we would walk or be carried in litters, by which name they
designated boards, some four feet in length, fastened to ropes, by
which they were borne along. We chose to walk, and accordingly the
chief formed the procession. First walked two of the natives, side by
side, with red staves in their hands, who pointed out the way. After
them came three soldiers, and then myself. On one side of me walked a
soldier, and on the other a servant, who, with a green bush, brushed
the flies from me. After me walked a guard, who held the rope that
bound me, and then followed people bearing my litter. In the same
manner, Moor, Chleb Nikow, and the sailors, were led along, and the
procession closed with soldiers and a crowd of servants, who carried
the baggage and provisions. Each one of the latter had fastened to his
girdle a small wooden tablet, marked so as to designate to which of us
he was attached, and what was his duty. During the whole of the
journey, the Japanese preserved the same order, and the day was spent
in the following manner: At dawn we prepared to start, breakfasted,
and set out on our march. At the villages through which we passed, we
generally stopped to rest, to drink tea, and smoke tobacco. At noon we
dined. An hour after dinner, we started again, and two or three hours
before sunset halted for the night, generally in some village, or
where a garrison lay. Immediately on our arrival, we were led to the
chief's dwelling, and seated on benches, until that magnate reviewed
and mustered us. We were then taken to a house appropriated to us, and
bound fast to iron clamps. Afterwards they pulled off our boots, and
washed our feet with salt and water. We ate regularly three times a
day; in the morning, at noon, and in the evening. Our food varied very
little, consisting of rice-broth, instead of bread, with salted
radishes, instead of salt, a mess of greens, balls of pastry, or
roasted fish. Sometimes we received mushroom soup, and a hard boiled
egg. The food was not measured out to us, but each one was at liberty
to eat as much as he pleased. Our drink was generally bad tea, without
sugar, and sometimes, though rarely, beer. In this manner we were
taken to our place of destination, which was as yet unknown to us.
By degrees they loosened the ropes, which had been put round our
necks, and when, after a time, a man of higher rank took the command
of our party, he permitted our hands to be untied, so that we could
feed ourselves. Only when we were carried across some strait or river,
did they bind us so unmercifully tight, and this did not happen often,
nor last long. Our conductors were very careful of us, and carried
their caution and watchfulness so far, that for a long time they would
not suffer us to approach the shore. However, as we pleaded hard to be
allowed to do so, because we could walk so much easier on the wet
sand, they at last gave a reluctant consent, taking care to keep
between us and the water, even where they were obliged to wade in it.
When, also, they allowed us to smoke pipes, they held them with both
hands, or fastened to the mouth-pieces wooden balls of the size of
hen's eggs, for they seemed to imagine that if we were not restrained,
we would choke ourselves with them. We laughed heartily at this
proceeding, and made them understand, by signs, that it was much
easier to strangle ourselves with these balls than with pipe-stems. At
this they laughed too, but told us that they had most positive orders
to prevent us in every possible way from committing suicide. They were
so very anxious about our health, that they watched us from the tops
of our heads to the soles of our feet, carried us across the smallest
brooks or puddles, and asked us every morning how we felt.
On the eighth of August, we arrived at Khakodade, a large town, which
they told us was to be our abode for the present. An immense multitude
came forth to meet us. The road was lined on both sides with
spectators, but they behaved themselves very soberly, none of them
betraying in their looks, as I saw to my satisfaction, either hatred,
scorn, or malicious pleasure; still less did they attempt to annoy us
with either mockery or outrage. After we had passed through the town
gates, and a long and very narrow street, we turned into a by-lane,
and saw on a high piece of ground before us, which was surrounded by
an earthen wall and thick-set hedge, and guarded by armed soldiers, a
building which was, perhaps, to be our prison during life.
As soon as we entered we were mustered by an officer, according to the
instructions given him by the captain of our guards, and then led
farther into the court, where we saw a large, dark shed, in which
stood cages made of strong bars of wood, and resembling bird-cages in
every thing but size. After the Japanese had taken counsel among
themselves for some time, as to how they should dispose of us, they
led me along a passage, and forced me to go into one of the little
apartments, which was partitioned off by means of wooden posts. I
looked around for my companions, and judge of my horror, when I found
that they had vanished. After the guards had taken off my bonds, and
also, taken off my boots, they fastened the door of my cage, without
saying a word, and left me to myself. The thought that I was separated
from my comrades, overcame me, and I threw myself on the ground in
despair.