Part 21 (1/2)
Having made up my mind, I curled myself up in the brushwood and lay undisturbed, rather hungry and excessively miserable, until kind sleep overtook me about midnight.
As soon as daylight enabled me to see, I examined my dress and pockets, and found that, with the exception of a sum of money in my belt, I had been regularly ”cleaned out.” Everything of any value, except the belt, had been stolen, and I marvelled how the thief had succeeded.
Perhaps the liquor which he had given me had stupefied me; the ”rice spirit” is somewhat ”heady.” At anyrate there I stood, a coolie in appearance, untidy, unshaven, bedraggled, cold and hungry, and quite unable to help myself. I could only draw in my belt tightly to appease my hunger, and prevent the qualms I dreaded. Luckily I found a stream, washed and drank of it, and then made my cast south-east again.
The air was frosty and fresh, and I walked rapidly to warm my chilled frame, but had not proceeded more than two miles, as I judged, when three men who were coming across an adjacent path from another direction espied me. I had no chance of retreat, they saw me at once, and to my dismay I perceived others behind them. No doubt a village was near, or a large farm perhaps, though single farms are not frequent in China. The villages are walled, and every foot of ground belonging to these farmers is utilised and fertilised, so that the best results are obtained by continual attention; and the land is of course taxed, the taxes being paid to the public exchequer. ”Anything,” even the shaven hair of the villagers, is put into the ground; vegetable and animal refuse is of course in request. Tobacco is used to kill insects, and the zebu, or buffalo of the country, is the labouring animal, which takes the place of the horse or ox; and milk, b.u.t.ter, etc., are almost unknown. There are ducks, and fowls, and hogs, the last especially are plentiful, and in China the ”black hog,” instead of the ”black dog” of the British nursery, may very likely ”get upon the children's backs,” and cause ill tempers. The dog and the cat here pa.s.s their time pleasantly, but the stranger must _cave canem_.
The villagers--farmers--came upon me, and stood a little away, staring in wonderment at me. Then they surrounded me, and made inquiries which I ignored,--not from pride,--and then they tried more questions, and searching ones. Fortunately they found nothing, but they conferred together, and indicated that I must return with them to the village.
Of course I had no alternative, and accompanied them, where, in a kind of shed, I was commanded to strip! In the most emphatic fas.h.i.+on I declined, folding my arms and exclaiming, ”Englishman,” and added--what they knew already--”Fan Quei” (foreign devil).
They then paused, but suddenly seized me, and while some held me down, the rest dragged off my clothes, until they came to the belt around my waist, that they did not take away, perhaps thinking it was something magical, it being ornamented and worked, but they felt it, and evidently discussed it. Finding nothing in it--luckily the distributed coin escaped them--the fellows gave me my clothes, and sent for another person. While I was dressing, the person arrived--a true Chinese of Canton breed, such as we may see in East London, England.
He, in turn, stared at me curiously, and asked a question. I made a lamely expressed reply in Chinese as I understood it; but the man, to my great delight, asked in ”pidgin,” ”Wantee go sea? Melican-man?”
”Yes,” was my reply, greatly relieved; ”England. Elopean man--wantchee Shanghai. What fas.h.i.+on man here?”
”Alle samee, Melican-man. Sabee _cash_, chop-chop, eh?”
”Yes,” I nodded; ”plenty much _cash_.”
”Alle light; no watchee long talkee. One piecee man wantee _cash_.
Chow-chow?”
I nodded again. I was hungry. ”See dless?” I said.
”Ah! dless come more better! Makee laugh, not number one.”
No, it certainly was not proper then, but I laughed, and the villagers were surprised at the conversation. The coolie understood my ”pidgin,”
and I felt much happier. I had cash, and even silver, so I could reward him if he a.s.sisted me; but suppose he tried treachery?
This seemed probable, but I must risk something. He said something to the villagers, who replied vehemently. The coolie, who was a waiter from Port Arthur, as I understood, said to me--
”Number one topside-man say plis'ner! No can do: walkee!”
”Cannot you get me away then?” I asked in ”pidgin” of the coolie.
”No lun away. Too much, man--no go long; no tink! Get dless, chop-chop!”
This was unfortunate; escape seemed hopeless. So far as I understood the coolie, he found that we could not escape from the villagers at once. He was quite willing to a.s.sist me, knowing that I would pay him, but the farmers were very suspicious. Had they found out the little pocket in my belt in which I carried the j.a.panese permit, and my small store of coin, they would have killed me. Cowardice is usually cruel.
My captors quickly gave me to understand that they meant business.
They produced a bamboo pole, which they pa.s.sed behind me, and under my arms, to which they tied it. They left my legs free, because they intended me to walk, as I understood, to Putsewo, where the ”pidgin”
man said the Chinese troops were quartered. I hoped the j.a.panese might come up there meanwhile; but then, between Jack and j.a.p, I would be fixed between two stools, and either might cut the support.
As soon as I had been fully dressed, and the pole fixed, I was put in the care of two of the men, with the coolie acting as the go-between.
The last mentioned told me my destination; had he known that my captain suspected me of being a _spy_, I knew my fate would have been sealed.
I begged him to release me.
”No can do!” was the reply. ”Too mutchee fear! Maskee!” (by and by).
I was obliged to be content with this, and when the men had given me a meal of rice and water we set out. The coolie held the end of the rope in his hand, and the farmers walked close behind me, one on each side, so that at the first attempt to escape they could intercept me.