Part 6 (1/2)
We were some time getting down the river, for the wind was too light to enable us to stem the tide, and we therefore had to anchor during each flood. It consequently took us five days before we got down to Diamond Harbour. Weighing at daylight the next morning, we got a little below the Silvertree, where we anch.o.r.ed. The next day we pa.s.sed Kedgeree, and anch.o.r.ed in Saugur Roads; furled sails, and veered to forty fathoms. On the following day we pa.s.sed the Torch, the floating light vessel, which is moored in the eastern channel of the tail of the Saugur sand, for the purpose of guiding vessels up the river during both monsoons. When we once more got into blue water, I felt that I had really commenced my undertaking. I am not going to copy out my log, and I must run quickly over the incidents of my voyage. In standing through the straits of Malacca, we sighted the beautiful island of Paulo Penang, or Prince of Wales' Island, a British possession, on the coast of Tena.s.serim, a part of the Malay Peninsula. It is hilly and well wooded, and is considered very healthy. It is inhabited by a few British, and people from all parts of India, China, and the neighbouring islands. Nothing of importance occurred on our pa.s.sage to Singapore. I found cruising in a clipper schooner very different work to sailing on board a steady-going old Indiaman; and had a constant source of amus.e.m.e.nt in the accounts of the wild adventures, in which the master and his officers had been engaged, and their numberless narrow escapes from Chinese custom-house junks, Malay pirates, New Guinea cannibals, storms, rocks, fire and water.
I was surprised, when anchoring in Singapore Roads, to find myself before so large and handsome a town, remembering, as I did, how short a time had pa.s.sed since its foundation by Sir Stamford Raffles. It stands on the banks of a salt-water creek, which has been dignified by the name of the Singapore River; one side contains the warehouses, offices, stores, etcetera, of the merchants and shopkeepers, with fine and extensive wharves; and on the same side are the native streets and bazaars. Opposite to it is an extensive plain, adorned by numerous elegant mansions; and beyond is the Kampong Glam and Malay town, with the residence of the Sultan of Jah.o.r.e and his followers. From this chief the British Government purchased the island, with an agreement to pay him an annual stipend.
Beyond them, again, is an undulating country, backed by thickly-timbered hills, which add much to the beauty of the landscape. It may truly be called a town of palaces from the handsome appearance of its colonnaded buildings, and, still more justly, a city of all nations; for here are to be found representatives of every people under the sun engaged in commercial pursuits. The costumes of Europe, Arabia, Persia, all parts of India, China, Siam, and all the islands of the Archipelago, may be seen in the streets together, while their flags wave above the residences of their consuls, or at the mast-heads of the barks which crowd the harbour. Even at the time of which I speak, there were upwards of twenty thousand inhabitants, while in no place are so many flouris.h.i.+ng merchants to be found. A few years ago this place was a mere swamp, with a few huts on it, inhabited by barbarians. It will be asked, What has worked this change? I reply, Commerce. Its position on a great highway of trade--a strong government, and protection to all comers, and perfect freedom to well-doers. Besides those attracted by trade, numbers take refuge here from all parts of the Archipelago, from the tyranny and misrule of their chiefs; and were other ports established by the English, they would, from similar causes, be peopled with equal rapidity.
The river near where we lay presented an animated scene, from the arrival and departure of native boats, with fruit, vegetables, and live stock, as well as from the numbers of neat sampans plying for hire, or attending upon the commanders of vessels; while at anchor were numbers of the Cochin-Chinese, Siamese, and Chinese junks, as well as the Bugis and other prahus from all the far-surrounding islands.
I went on sh.o.r.e as soon as we dropped our anchor, to endeavour to obtain information regarding the object of my search. I saw several merchants to whom I had letters, and they were all very anxious to aid me; but I could learn nothing, and therefore resolved to proceed to Macao, and to commence my inquiries from thence.
Once more at sea, away we flew over the light curling waves, thrown up by the fresh but favouring breeze. In ten days we came in sight of the Ladrone Islands, off Macao, at the entrance of the Tigris river, on which Canton is situated. The captain and crew were now on the alert to guard against surprise from any of their enemies, either from the pirates who take shelter among the islands I have named, or from the Chinese revenue cruisers--not that the latter are much feared. We ran into the harbour of Cap-sing-moon, and went alongside a large opium-receiving s.h.i.+p, into which we were to discharge our cargo. From this s.h.i.+p it would, I learned, be conveyed up to Canton in Chinese smuggling boats. These boats are well manned and armed; and if they cannot get away from the mandarin boats, the crews will often fight very desperately.
I, in the meantime, proceeded to Macao. This ancient colony of the Portuguese in China has a very picturesque appearance from the sea, and has received its name from the supposed resemblance of the peninsula, on which it stands to a mallet, of which _macao_ is the Portuguese name.
The streets are narrow, dirty, and ill-paved, but the houses of the merchants are large and commodious. Besides the Portuguese and Chinese, there are a large number of English and also American residents. Of course I had but little time or inclination for visiting the objects which usually interest strangers. I managed, however, to take a glance at the Cave of Camoens, the poet of Portugal, where it is said he composed his immortal _Lusiad_. It is rather a pile of granite rocks than a cave; and the garden in which it is situated is full of shrubs and magnificent trees--a romantic spot, fit for a poet's meditations.
After many inquiries, I found that the vessel in which my friends left Macao had been consigned to a Mr Reuben Noakes, an American merchant; and to him I accordingly went, in the hopes of gaining some information to guide me. His counting-house had not an attractive appearance; nor did I like the expression of countenance of two clerks who were busily writing in an outer room. When I asked for Mr Noakes, one of them pointed with the feather of his pen to a door before me, but did not get up. I accordingly knocked at the door, and was told to come in.
”Well, stranger, what's your business?” was the question asked me by the occupant of the room, a tall lank man, with a cadaverous countenance.
He was lolling back in an easy chair, with a cigar in his mouth, a jug and tumbler, containing some potent mixture, by his side, and account books and papers before him.
Wis.h.i.+ng to be as concise as he was in his questions, I asked, without attempting to look for a chair, (he did not offer me one):--
”Were you the consignee of the _Emu_ brig, which sailed from here last year, and has not since been heard of?”
”Well, if I was, and what then?” said he.
”I wish to know full particulars about her,” I replied.
”By what authority do you ask me?” he said, looking suspiciously from under his eyebrows.
”I had friends on board her, and wish to know what has become of them,”
I answered.
”Oh, you do, do you? Well, I wish, stranger, I could tell you; good morning.”
I soon saw the sort of man with whom I had to deal.
”Now, to be frank with you, Mr Noakes, I have not come all the way from Calcutta to Macao to be put off with such an answer as you have given me,” I said, looking him full in the face. ”I have determined to learn what has become of my friends; and if I find them I shall find the brig, or learn what has become of her; and at all events I will take care that you are not the loser.”
”I see that you are a young man of sense,” he remarked, looking up at me with one eye. ”What is it you want to know about the _Emu_? But I guess, you smoke now?”
”No, I do not touch tobacco,” I answered. ”But I wish to know if a Mrs Clayton, a little girl, and servant embarked on board her.”
”I'd have sold you a chest of fine cheroots, if you did,” he observed.
”Yes, those people embarked on board her; and what then?”
”I wish to know who was her commander; what sort of a man he was; and what sort of a crew he had,” I replied.
”Oh, well, then, her master was one Stephen Spinks. He wasn't a bad seaman, seeing he was raised for the sh.o.r.e; but he had a first-rate hand for a mate, an old salt, who knew a trick or two, I calculate; and had a crew of five whites--Yankees, Britishers, and Portuguese--and ten Lascars; so the brig wasn't badly manned at all events. She sailed for a trading voyage, to touch wherever Spinks thought he could pick up a cargo, or do a bit of barter. There never was a better hand at that work than Spinks.”