Part 15 (1/2)
”We can do nothing,” said the former. ”You desire us to weigh anchor; the Chinese will kill us all if we attempt to obey. Cannot your captain permit us to return? _We_ had not heard of any declaration of war before we sailed. We have not in any way broken the laws of nations.”
”The Europeans must quit the s.h.i.+p,” said the j.a.panese. ”That is my suggestion.”
”We cannot. You perceive the difficulty. What shall we do? You may let us return to Taku. This is the Chinese demand.”
The j.a.p shook his head doubtfully.
”I will inform my superior,” he replied. ”You must be ready to act when the answer comes, whatever it may be.”
He then returned to the boat, and the crew gave way rapidly. All these arrangements had occupied quite three hours and a half, and it was then nearly ”one bell,”--half-past twelve,--for I remember the bell being struck at the time the j.a.panese boat was proceeding to the cruiser, which lay about half a mile away.
”Julius,” said the captain, ”tell the engineers and firemen to come on deck; and hark ye, my lad, put on a life-belt.”
”A life-belt! What for?” I exclaimed.
”Do as ye're bid,” he said, descending from the bridge, and entering the chart-room, and later, his cabin. Meantime I gave the order, and the engineers and firemen came up, some went forward to wash.
We had not much time to spare. The Chinese sentries had left the bridge before this, and the ”calm that precedes a storm” had settled upon us. The pause was broken by the expected reply from the cruiser--
”Leave the steamer at once.”
The captain shrugged his shoulders, and called to me--
”Have you told the engineers? Signal, 'I am not allowed,' and ask for a boat for us. Be ready all; there's mischief now.”
When the captain had made this reply, he spoke to the mate, who quitted the bridge, and made some preparations to depart. The next thing I remarked was a red flag at the foremast of the cruiser, and a signal abaft--”Can't send boat.”
”Then we're done,” said the chief engineer. ”What's that red flag?”
”Looks like 'Fire,' but it can't be that,” replied his mate, who had retreated aft with the mate of the steamer.
”She's taking up position,” said the mate. ”See! What's that? By thunder, it's a torpedo! That's another. Hurry, lads. Fly! Jump!
They intend to sink us with the Chinese fools!”
I stood irresolute, not from fear, because I could not realise the extreme danger of the situation. ”A torpedo,” the engineer had said.
I had never seen one before; and was it possible that this black thing which was rus.h.i.+ng like a small porpoise at us was intended as a destructive weapon against a friendly vessel? What would happen if it struck the steamer?
Before it touched us, however, a fearful thunder of guns rang out at one moment, and a curious sound of grinding or rattling.
”A broadside!” shouted the chief mate, rus.h.i.+ng forward. ”Leap, Julius; jump overboard!”
He rushed at a belt, and disappeared as the steamer heeled over under the fearful impact of the shot or sh.e.l.l, and I also dropped in the blue sea behind him. The effect of the broadside was to depress the steamer upon the starboard side.
The crash was fearful! Even as I fell into the water I felt the concussion, and the roar of the discharge was terrific. Since then I have heard ”guns going off,” and have been startled by them, but this hurricane of shot was fearful. When I again rose, supported by my belt, the air was enveloped in steam, and thick with dust, while the sea was sprinkled with coal ashes.
The ”quick-firing” guns were peppering the survivors on the doomed s.h.i.+p, flas.h.i.+ng from the _Naniwa_ like crackers. The Chinese kept firing in reply at anyone in the water, and at the s.h.i.+p's boats, which had been lowered, but not with the intention to save life at first.
The j.a.ps fired without mercy at the wrecked and sinking steamer and the Chinese troops.
Mechanically I swam in the direction of the island. I had no time to fear the bullets, but perhaps I owe my life to the small ladder which supported me, and beneath which I managed to float, and propel myself at intervals, while the firing continued. The Chinese replied aimlessly from the steamer, killing their own people on the principle of the scorpion which attacks itself when in imminent danger of death.