Part 10 (2/2)
A day or so subsequent to the events I have described before, the captain of a trading junk from Tientsin reported that the ”Vigilant” had grounded in the Pei-ho, and had sustained considerable damage to her rudder and stern-post, a report which was strictly true; for soon the admiral returned, and at once ordered the ”Vigilant” to Hong Kong for repairs.
Shortly before sailing the admiral inspected the s.h.i.+p. On this occasion ”Sailor,” our widowed cat, was decked out in all the gay and gaudy trappings of a field officer on parade, and, what is more to the point, he was seemingly quite aware that he was looking smart. I suppose ”Sailor” can never have read the ”Jackdaw of Rheims,” but he certainly _looked_ the words of that conceited bird as he strutted proudly along before the admiral; and I feel a.s.sured that, though the commander-in-chief may not have thought much about the matter, there was no doubt in p.u.s.s.y's mind as to _his_ being one of the ”greatest folk here to-day.”
By the third day out we had reached the Corean archipelago, and found ourselves off the northern coast of Quelpart, where we had recently met with such rough handling. The course was slightly altered to enable us to touch at a small island in the same group, named Port Hamilton. This, until very recently, was, I believe, the only place in the peninsula empire where foreigners--Europeans and Americans--were allowed to hold any intercourse with the natives. It was left to our admiral to alter this edict, and to break through their prejudices.
October 23rd.--At four o'clock this morning we dashed through the strait of Simoneski under steam and canvas, with the wind dead aft and fresh, in company with some hundreds of junks, whose bellying snowy sails and neat trim hulls had much the appearance of a yachting contest.
By sundown we had made the original anchorage. Owing, I suppose, to the season being further advanced, the scenery has lost that freshness we noticed during our first trip through, but not its charm--I think it could never do that. The little bay looked very lovely to-night with the moon's flood of silver light streaming down on its thousand isles.
”Fair luna” had scarcely left us to gladden another world of night before the anchor was at the bows and the s.h.i.+p holding on her onward course; and though the wind was both strong and favourable, no advantage was taken of it to sail, for we were navigating such intricate labyrinths, cutting so sharply around islets, and dodging in and out so many channels and pa.s.sages, that the jib and spanker were the only sails that could be used with any degree of safety; but when at length we broke out into the open again, we spread our wings to the gale and made short work of the distance to Kobe.
Our arrival was most opportune, both for ourselves and also for society on sh.o.r.e. To the regatta committee we were specially welcome, for a regatta was to be held in the afternoon, and the presence of our band was certainly a pleasing and unlooked-for item in the programme of proceedings. Our third cutter took the first prize in the navy race, though it was an open question whether the Russian boat did not deserve it. It was ruled that ”Rooski” had forfeited all claim to a place, in consequence of fouling twice--so somebody said; though there were others who declared that ours fouled the Russians. This led to angry words, and a considerable show of splenetic feeling amongst the committee, which was at length toned down by the appearance of a Russian officer, who begged that, rightly or wrongly, the prize might be awarded to the English boat.
Whilst at Kobe an event took place on board, of small moment indeed to the big outside world, but one of considerable interest amongst ourselves, namely, the birth of a lamb. If we except the rats and c.o.c.kroaches, and a few such-like atomies, this is the first being which has drawn its first breath on board. One of the sheep taken in at Chefoo happened to be in an ”interesting condition,” and as nature was not to be thwarted of her purpose by big guns and tarry sailors, the little fellow came along in due course. We are anxious that he may live, for it is wonderful what tricks and antics sailors can train a lamb to, not the least being the avidity with which, after a few lessons, he makes his number at the grog tub at the sound of the bugle.
November 3rd.--Onward, ever onward; a flying visit to Yokohama, and then back home again, or the nearest approach to home that this part of the world affords for Englishmen.
But how changed is Yokohama now! Dirty, wet, cold, and dreary, and all the other adjectives by which discomfort is usually interpreted. During our stay our negro troupe came prominently before the public. At the request of the managing committee of the Temperance Hall the captain yielded, a somewhat reluctant a.s.sent, to the attendance of the troupe.
They performed before a highly pleased and encouraging audience, and had no occasion to blush at the report of the entertainment in the papers. At any rate many a disinterested resident in the cause of temperance was induced to unb.u.t.ton his pockets to further that end.
An entertainment, on a vastly different scale, was given to our officers, by the imperial family at Tokio. For a whole day they were the guests of Prince Arisugawa in his capacity of heir-apparent to the royal dignities. Perhaps ”heir-apparent” is not strictly the correct term to apply to the royal ”mid,” the emperor having the power to bestow the crown on whomsoever he lists at his demise. The prince is but the adopted son of the emperor, who has issue of his own; he may set aside, and it is generally understood that he will do so, his own children in favour of his adopted child; by no means an uncommon custom amongst the n.o.bility of j.a.pan.
Recent arrivals from the southward having reported stormy pa.s.sage, more than the usual precautions were taken to prepare the s.h.i.+p for whatever might chance to fall athwart our hawse. A deck cargo of coals was taken in, storm sails bent, extra gripes put on the boats, and anchors lashed; but, as generally turns out in such cases, neither of these preparations were more than ordinary necessary, for save a roll or two in Formosa's tumbling channel, the splitting of a stunsail boom, and the snapping of a rope now and then, the pa.s.sage was a fairly smooth one. We put in at Matson, en route, when we found the ”Lapwing” awaiting our arrival with mails and the men we left behind in Malta hospital on the outward voyage. Theirs has been a chequered existence since that time; now one s.h.i.+p, now another, until up to this time they can reckon up eight such s.h.i.+fts.
December 4th.--Whilst coaling at Amoy an accident happened, which has resulted in the death of another of our poor fellows, George Allen, an ordinary seaman. Whilst he and a companion were on a visit to a Chinese gunboat in the harbour, and both, it is to be feared, under the influence of liquor, Allen slipped as he was mounting the side, fell overboard, and was not seen afterward. Strangely enough, the man who was with him had not the slightest idea of the occurrence, and it was not until the captain of the Chinaman came on board the following morning and reported the circ.u.mstance, that we became aware that we had lost a s.h.i.+pmate. Before sailing we were joined by the ”Egeria,” and as it was the admiral's intention to visit Swatow we called in at Hope bay to allow him to turn over to the ”Egeria” for that purpose. We arrived in Hong Kong on December 15th.
And now, dear reader, I have accomplished the round of our station, and have got through, I trust, to your satisfaction, the most difficult part of this narrative, viz.: the descriptive. Henceforward, to avoid tiring and useless repet.i.tion I shall refer you to the appendix for ports visited, only taking up for narrative purposes, such events in our subsequent history as I shall deem of major importance. If I do not adopt some such plan as this my book will far exceed its intended limits.
December 25th.--If we may believe the old saw, there are some things which have the misfortune to suffer by comparison. Accepting this as fact, the Christmas of last year must hide its diminished head before its present anniversary. We were determined on making our lower deck as home-like as possible, to deceive ourselves--pleasant fiction!--into the belief that there were not 120 degrees of longitude between us and our friends. The admiral behaved like a brick, by contributing largely to the good cheer. The mess-deck just showed how tastefully sailors can do things in the way of ”get ups” when left to their own devices and resources. As Christmas, 1880, was by far the jolliest Christmas day we have spent during our sojourn in China, I will not antic.i.p.ate by describing the present, but will reserve for a subsequent page the pleasure of telling you all about it.
CHAPTER XIII.
”And there on reef we come to grief, Which has often occurred to _we_.”
IN WHICH WE ATTEMPT AN OVERLAND ROUTE, WITH THE RESULT OF THE TRIAL.
Hail, all hail, to the glad new year! What though there be no crisp seasonable snow, no exhilarating frost, no cosy chimney nooks, or no ladies m.u.f.fs and comfortable ulsters? Let us joy at his birth all the same, for does he not mark another year nearer the end?--of the commission I mean.
And now to work. At the annual inspection of our heavy guns it was found that three at least were so defective in the bore that it was necessary to condemn them, and replace them by new ones. This entailed a terrible amount of labour on our men. Hatchways had to be torn to pieces, and yards rigged with most ponderous blocks, and purchases for the safe trans.h.i.+pment of these iron playthings. Whatever may be urged against, there is this to be said in favour of such heavy and unusual evolutions, that observant men gain largely in practical experience and an extended acquaintance with the ”might be's” of their profession. Fortunately, in one sense, but few commissions afford such unwelcome opportunities as ours, for it has been one of accidental, rather than of meditated experiment.
In the midst of dismal rainy weather the business of refitting had to be pushed forward, previous to our going in dock; then coaling and painting--in our s.h.i.+p separate work--and provisioning, swallowed up the greater part of the month of January.
February 11th.--To-day the ”Tyne” arrived from England. To the expatiated seaman the arrival of a troops.h.i.+p has a greater interest than have ordinary arrivals; for has she not scarce two months since, perhaps, looked on the very scenes we so long to behold? She is thus a link between us and home. Then there is also the additional interest of seeing fresh faces, whilst to the more fortunate who are about to leave us she is the absorbing topic. She remained only eight days. On the occasion of her departure we were allowed to cheer--a wonderful concession; at the same time we were given clearly to understand that we were to accept it in the light of a great privilege; and that there should be no mistake on this point, the commander conducted the arrangements with the order ”Three cheers for H.M.S. 'Tyne,' homeward bound;” ”And no extras,” added somebody in parenthesis.
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