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J. Smith + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: In Eastern Seas + The Commission of H.M.S. 'Iron Duke,' flag-ship in China, 1878-83 + +Author: J. J. Smith + +Release Date: January 29, 2009 [EBook #27926] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK IN EASTERN SEAS *** + + + + +Produced by a Project Gutenberg volunteer working with +digital material generously made available by the Internet +Archive + + + + + + +</pre> + + + +<div class="figcenter"> +<a name="frontis" id="frontis"></a> +<img class="imgborder" src="images/frontis.jpg" width="600" height="363" alt="Iron Duke aground with other ships nearby" /> +<div class="cap"> +<table border="0" width="600px" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="1st line of names of Ships"> +<tr> +<td class="tdc" style="width: 130px;">O'Kosiri, 1880.</td> +<td class="tdc" style="width: 120px;">Iron Duke.</td> +<td class="tdc" style="width: 80px;"> </td> +<td class="tdc" style="width: 65px;">Themis.</td> +<td class="tdc" style="width: 35px;"> </td> +<td class="tdc" style="width: 75px;">Raiden.</td> +<td class="tdc" style="width: 80px;"> </td> +</tr> +</table> +<table border="0" width="600px" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="2nd line of names of Ships"> +<tr> +<td class="tdc" style="width: 205px;"> </td> +<td class="tdc" style="width: 70px;">Kerguelen.</td> +<td class="tdc" style="width: 5px;"> </td> +<td class="tdc" style="width: 70px;">Champlain.</td> +<td class="tdc" style="width: 10px;"> </td> +<td class="tdc" style="width: 70px;">Modeste.</td> +<td class="tdc" style="width: 10px;"> </td> +<td class="tdc" style="width: 90px;">Naezdnik.</td> +</tr> +</table> + +<p class="caption"><big>H.M.S. IRON DUKE AGROUND AT O'KOSIRI.</big></p> + +</div> +</div> + + +<hr /> +<h1>IN EASTERN SEAS;<br /> +<span class="tiny">OR,</span><br /> +<small>THE COMMISSION OF</small><br /> +H.M.S. "IRON DUKE,"<br /> +<span style="font-size:60%;"><i>Flag-ship in China</i>, 1878-83.</span></h1> + +<p> </p> + +<p class="title"><b><small>BY</small><br /> +<big>J. J. SMITH, N. S.</big></b></p> + +<p> </p> + +<p class="title" style="line-height: 1.2;"><small><span class="smcap">Devonport:<br /> +Printed and Published by A. H. Swiss, 111 and 112 Fore Street.</span><br /> +1883.</small></p> + + +<hr /> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="Dedication box"> + +<tr><td class="tdc br bt bl padlr padtop" style="line-height: 1.6;"> +<big><b>To my late Shipmates</b></big><br /> +<small>IN</small><br /> +H.M.S. "IRON DUKE,"<br /> +<i>The following pages are respectfully inscribed.</i> +</td></tr> +<tr><td class="tdc padlr br bl" style="padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.5em;">———</td></tr> +<tr><td class="tdc padlr br bl bb padbot padlr">Those who voyage beyond sea change their climate<br /> +often, but their affections never.</td></tr> +</table> + +<hr /> +<h2>PREFACE.</h2> + +<p>To write something which shall please one's own +friends is one thing; to undertake the task of pleasing +anybody else is another; and, I take it, a far more +difficult one. The writer of the following pages never +sought to sail beyond the peaceful and well-marked area +of the first, until induced—at the suggestions of his +shipmates, though against his better judgment—to +venture on the dark and tempest-swept ocean of the +second.</p> + +<p>The only originality claimed for the narrative is that +of introducing such a manifestly inferior production to +your notice.</p> + +<p>Shipmates, my little bark is frail; deal gently with +her, and—let me ask it as a special favor—do not +blow too fiercely on her untried sails.</p> + +<p>Much depends on the title of a book. Does it +convey an adequate idea of the subject-matter? I +would claim for mine at least that merit; for is not +every sea over which we have voyaged to the eastward +of England?</p> + + +<hr /> +<h2>CONTENTS.</h2> + +<table border="0" width="80%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="Table of Contents"> + +<tr><td style="padding-top: 2em; padding-bottom: 0em;" colspan="2" class="tocpg">Page</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tochead" style="padding-top: 0em;"><a href="#Page_1">Chapter I.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="toc"> +We Commission our Ship​—​Visit Portsmouth​—​Prepare to Sail +</td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_1">1</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tochead"><a href="#Page_12">Chapter II.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="toc"> +Good-by to Albion​—​Southward Ho!​—​Gibraltar +</td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_12">12</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tochead"><a href="#Page_26">Chapter III.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="toc"> +Up the Mediterranean​—​Malta +</td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_26">26</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tochead"><a href="#Page_39">Chapter IV.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="toc"> +Port Said​—​The Suez Canal​—​Voyage down the Red Sea​—​Aden +</td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_39">39</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tochead"><a href="#Page_47">Chapter V.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="toc"> +Across the Indian Ocean​—​Ceylon​—​Singapore​—​A Cruise in +the Straits of Malacca +</td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_47">47</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tochead"><a href="#Page_62">Chapter VI.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="toc"> +Sarawak​—​Labuan​—​Manilla​—​Heavy weather +</td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_62">62</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tochead"><a href="#Page_71">Chapter VII.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="toc"> +Hong Kong​—​Some Chinese manners and customs +</td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_71">71</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tochead"><a href="#Page_83">Chapter VIII.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="toc"> +Preparations for the North​—​Amoy​—​Wosung, and what befell +us there +</td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_83">83</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tochead"><a href="#Page_94">Chapter IX.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="toc"> +Arrival at Nagasaki​—​Something about Japan​—​A run through +the Town​—​Visit to a Sintoo Temple +</td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_94">94</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tochead"><a href="#Page_113">Chapter X.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="toc"> +The Inland Sea​—​Kobé​—​Fusi-Yama​—​Yokohama​—​Visit to +Tokio +</td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_113">113</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tochead"><a href="#Page_131">Chapter XI.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="toc"> +Northward​—​Hakodadi​—​Dui​—​Castries Bay​—​Barracouta​—​Vladivostock +</td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_131">131</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tochead"><a href="#Page_146">Chapter XII.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="toc"> +Chefoo​—​Nagasaki <i>en route</i>​—​Japan revisited​—​Kobé​—​Yokohama +</td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_146">146</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tochead"><a href="#Page_159">Chapter XIII.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="toc"> +We attempt an overland route, with the result of the trial +</td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_159">159</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tochead"><a href="#Page_181">Chapter XIV.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="toc"> +The new regime​—​Something about Saigon​—​The First Cruise +of the China Squadron​—​An Alarm of Fire!​—​Arrival of +Flying Squadron +</td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_181">181</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tochead"><a href="#Page_210">Chapter XV.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class="toc"> +Second Cruise of the China Squadron​—​Principally concerning +a Visit to the Loo-Choo Isles and Corea​—​Welcome news +from home​—​Conclusion +</td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_210">210</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="toc" style="padding-top: 2em;"> +<span class="smcap"><a href="#AppendixA">Appendix A</a>.</span>​—​Deaths during the Commission +</td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#AppendixA">i.</a></td></tr> + +<tr><td class="toc" style="padding-top: 2em;"> +<span class="smcap"><a href="#AppendixB">Appendix B</a>.</span>​—​Table of places visited and distances run +during the Commission</td> +<td class="tocpg"><a href="#AppendixB">iii.</a></td></tr> + +</table> + + +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[1]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER I.</h2> +<hr class="hr2" /> + +<div class="poem"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="poem"> +<tr><td class="tdstanza"> +<span class="i0a">"We sail the ocean blue,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And our saucy ship's a beauty."<br /></span> +</td></tr> +</table> +</div> + +<hr class="hr2" /> + +<p class="summary">WE COMMISSION OUR SHIP.  VISIT PORTSMOUTH.  PREPARE TO SAIL.</p> + + +<p>On one of those delicious semi-tropical afternoons, +which geologists tell us once bathed the whole of +our island, and which even now, as though loath to +part from its one-time home, still dwells lovingly in Devonia's +summer, I wended my way to Devonport Park to feast my +eyes once again on the familiar scenes of early days. What +I beheld was a fair picture—the Hamoaze, with its burden +of shapely hulls, and its beautiful undulating shores of wood +and dell, lay glittering resplendent at my feet. So still and +peaceful was it all that the din of hammers, the whir of +machinery, and the voices of men were all blended in one +most musical cadence. Scores of pleasure-boats dot the +lake-like surface of the noble sheet of water, for the most +part rowed by the lusty arms of those amphibious creatures +familiarly known as "Jack Tars," recently let loose from the +dear old "Model" or the equally dear "Academy." A voice, +bell-like and clear—surely that of a girl—invited my closer +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[2]</a></span>attention; and yes, there she is! and not one only, but +many ones,—one in each boat, whom Jack is initiating into +that wonderfully difficult branch of navigation—a sailor's +courtship!</p> + +<p>Now, whatever anybody else may say to the contrary, I +hold that the British tar would scarcely be the "soaring +soul" that he is were it not for the influence—not always a +beneficial influence, by the way, of the softer sex. And +here, a word for him with special respect to what people are +pleased to call his inconstancy. With all his vagaries, and +from the very nature of his calling he has many, I think +there are few other professions which would bear weighing +in the balance with his and not be found as wanting in this +quality. True, none is so easily swayed, so easily led; but +the fault is not his, <i>that</i> must be laid at the doors of those +who compel England's sailors to a forced banishment for +long periods of years, in lands where it is impossible the +home influences can reach them. Is it a matter of much +wonderment, then, if he is swayed by the new and intoxicating +forms which pleasure takes in those far-distant climes +where the eye of Mrs. Grundy never penetrates?</p> + +<p>A somewhat curious way in which to commence my +narrative, say you? I think so too, on re-reading it; but +with your permission, I will not dash my pen through it.</p> + +<p>Let me, however, make sail and get under way with my +yarn.</p> + +<p>Cast we our eyes outward once again, beyond the boats +with their beautiful coxswains—I mean <i>hen</i>-swains—to +where that huge glistening iron mass floats proudly on the +main. Reader, that object is the heroine, if I may so say, +of this very unromantic story. She is in strange contrast +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[3]</a></span>with the numerous wooden veterans around her—relics of +Old England's fighting days. I thought as I gazed on that +splendid ship that, had I my choice, nothing would suit me +better than to go to sea in her.</p> + +<p>A month has passed; it is the 4th of July, in the year of +grace 1878, and my wish is likely to be consummated, for I +find myself on this morning, with several hundreds of others, +taking a short trip across the harbour to the "Iron Duke," +for so is she named, corrupted by irreverent mariners into +the "Irish Duke."</p> + +<p>We skip lightly up the side, or through the ports, bundling +boxes, bags, and hats unceremoniously through anywhere; +and find ourselves, though not without sundry knocks and +manifold bruises, standing on the quarter-deck.</p> + +<p>With a few exceptions we are all West-countrymen, +undoubted "dumplings" and "duff-eaters"—at least, so +say our East-country friends, though experience has taught +me, and probably many of my readers too, that at demolishing +a plum pudding the east is not a whit behind the west; +in that particular we all betray a common English origin.</p> + +<p>Though our ship's company is, seemingly, young, very +young, the men are growing, and lusty and strong: and bid +fair, ere the end of our commission, to develope into the +ideal British sailor. A stranger, perhaps, would be struck +with their youthful appearance; for strangers, especially if +they be midland men, have an idea that a sailor is a hairy +monster, but once removed from a gorilla or a baboon; +and if we accept the relationship to these candated gentry, +I don't think his ideas would be far out—say a dozen years +since. But these terrible monsters are all now enjoying +their well-earned pensions in rural quiet, leaving to the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[4]</a></span>youngsters of this generation the duty of supplying their +places in that great fighting machine—the navy.</p> + +<p>The sailor of to-day possesses, at least, one decided +advantage over his brother of the past. In the olden days—not +so very olden either—if one man in a ship's company +could read and write a letter he was considered a genius; +now a sailor is, comparatively, an educated man: and if one +is to be found who cannot read and write well, and accomplish +far more abstruse things with his head, he is dubbed—a donkey. He +is not now the debauched ignoramus which +has made the English sailor a proverb all over the world. +Education is of little value if it is not capable of changing a +man's habits for the better. There is, however, much room +for improvement in certain national traits; <i>apropos</i> of this, +the "Mail" for September, 20th, 1880, lies before me, +wherein the writer, in a leading article, after giving a description +of the combined squadron at Gravosa, goes on to say, +"It is amusing to find that the traditional impression of an +Englishman prevails so largely at Gravosa, Ragrusa, &c., +namely, that he is always drunk, or has just been drunk, or +is on the point of being drunk." Great, though, was the +surprise of the honest Ragusans when they discovered that +their estimate of that erratic creature was at variance with +the testimony of their experience of him; for the writer +further adds, "The conduct of our men ashore, the neat, +clean appearance they present, and their orderly and <i>sober</i> +behaviour has been much commented on."</p> + +<p>But this is a digression—let me bring to the wind again. +At the time of our arrival on board neither the captain nor +the commander had joined. The first lieutenant was, however, +awaiting us on the quarter-deck, and who, with the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[5]</a></span>promptness of an old sailor, allowed no time to be wasted, +but proceeded at once with the work of stationing his crew.</p> + +<p>At length every man knows his place on the watch-bill, +and we hurry off to the lower deck to look after our more +private affairs.</p> + +<p>It needs not that I enter into a long and dry description +of the peculiar construction of our ship, of the guns she +carries, or how she is fitted out. You yourselves are far +more qualified to do that than I am. After just a cursory +glance at these particulars we see about getting some +"<i>panem</i>," especially as a most delectable odour from the lower +regions assails our nostrils, betraying that that indispensable +gentleman, the ship's cook, has lavished all his art on the +production of a sailor's dinner. "Man is mortal," so we +yield to the temptation, especially as we are awfully hungry—when +is a sailor not so? Few meals present so much food +for wonderment to the landsman as does a sailor's first dinner +on board a newly-commissioned ship; all is hurry, bustle, +and apparently hopeless confusion. Bags and hammocks +lie about just where they ought not to lie; ditty boxes are +piled anywhere, and threatening instant downfall; whilst +one has to wade knee-deep through a whole sea of hats to +reach a place at the tables.</p> + +<p>A jostling, animated, good-natured throng is this multitude +of seamen, intent on satisfying nature's first demand; +for dinner is the only meal, properly so called, a sailor gets. +Nor does it matter much, though the ship's steward has not +yet issued a single utensil out of which we can dine; such +a slight annoyance is not likely to inconvenience men who, +in most things, are as primitive in their mode of living as +were our progenitors in the garden of story. Bear in mind, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[6]</a></span>the object we have in view is to clear those tables of their +frugal burdens—hunks of boiled beef, absolutely nothing +else. What, then, though there be no elaborate dinner service, +so long as the end is attained, and that it is, and in +the most satisfactory and expeditious manner, with scrupulous +neatness and perfect finish, our friends from the shore +must bear witness.</p> + +<p>A few words, ere we fall to, descriptive of the lower +deck, which serves us for "kitchen, parlour, and all." +What an altitude between the decks! Can it be that +those concerns up there are meant for the stowage of boxes +and hats? And see, too, this systematic arrangement of +bars, transverse and upright, is it possible they are anything +naval? Their office, though, becomes apparent +when we reflect that there are no hooks, as in wooden +ships, for the hammocks. In this iron age we have +advanced a step, and even sailors can now boast of having +posts to their beds. For the rest, the tables are large and +at a comfortable distance apart; the ports admit a cheerful +amount of light and a wholesome supply of air; and—but +there goes the pipe "to dinner," so I will pipe +down.</p> + +<p>A telegram had been received during the forenoon, +announcing that the captain would join us further on in +the day; and accordingly, at about 4 p.m., he arrived. +A tall, rather slight made man is our future chief, upright +as an arrow, and with an eye such as one sees in men +born to command men. His reputation comes with him +in that vague semi-mysterious manner—such news does +travel—and we hear he is a strict "service" officer, and +an excellent seaman—good qualities both, and such as the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[7]</a></span>generality of man-of-war's men raise no objection to. +Withal we are told he is "smart," meaning, of course, that +there must be no shirking of duty, no infringement of the +regulations with him. His reputation, I say, came with +him, it stuck to him, and left with him. With the +captain's arrival our first day on board came to an end.</p> + +<p>On the 6th the commander joined. In appearance he +is the direct antithesis of the captain, being stout, well +knit, and of medium height—the ideal Englishman of the +country gentleman type—bluff and hearty, and with a face +as cheerful as the sun.</p> + +<p>Let us now pass rapidly over the few intervening days, +and start afresh from July 17th. So much energy and +determination had been displayed by all hands, that long +before most ships have half thought about the matter we +were ready for sea. In the short space of twelve days, so +far as we were concerned, we were quite capable of voyaging +to the moon—given a water-way by which to reach +her, especially with such a chief as "Energetic H." at the +helm.</p> + +<p>On the morning of the 17th, there being nothing further +to detain us in Hamoaze, steam was got up, and ere long +we were leaving, for a few years, the old and familiar +"Cambridge" and "Impregnable," the one-time homes +of so many amongst us; and bidding king "Billy" and +his royal consort a long good bye! until Devil's Point +hides from us a picture many of us were destined never +to behold again.</p> + +<p>Ere long the booming of our heavy guns, as we saluted +the admiral, announced that we had dropped our anchor +for the first time in the Sound.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[8]</a></span>After testing speed on the measured mile, powder and +shell, and other explosives, were got on board and safely +stowed, though it would appear that the engineer authorities +were not satisfied with the results of the steam trial. +A second trial was therefore deemed necessary, and on +this occasion a sort of fête was made of it; for numbers +of officials and un-officials, with their lady friends, came +on board to witness the result. The day was beautifully +fine, and the trip a really enjoyable one—the cruising +ground lying between the Start and Fowey.</p> + +<p>July 22nd.—The "long-expected" come at last, namely, +the admiral's inspection.</p> + +<p>There is a purely nautical proverb, or, at any rate, one +which is so common amongst sailors, that it may be considered +as such, which says "Live to-day live for ever;" +one of those expressions which, somehow, everybody +knows the meaning of, but which none seem to be able +to render intelligible. Well, this idea is peculiarly applicable +to admirals' visits; for if one can manage to live +through such an atmosphere of bustle and worry, such +rushing and tearing, such anxiety of mind, and such +alacrity of movement as follows in the train of the great +man, then surely existence at any other time and under +any other conditions is an easy matter.</p> + +<p>It was with peculiar feelings, then, that we received +the august Sir Thomas, over our gangway. Nor were +these feelings modified by the knowledge that Admiral +Symonds is a thorough old "salt," a tar of the old school; +and, as such, is, of course, <i>au fait</i> with the weak points in +a ship's cleanliness and manœuvring. His inspection +was, I believe, extremely satisfactory.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</a></span>We hoped that with the departure of the admiral we +should have been permitted to land earlier this evening, +as a sort of reward for our late exertions, especially as we +have not seen our homes and families by daylight for +some considerable period. Imagine, then, our feelings +when a signal was thrown out at Mount-Wise that we were +to perform some evolution, which would consume all the +remaining hours of light. But the little cherub on the +royal truck, which, according to Dibdin, is perched at +that commanding altitude, especially to look out that +squalls don't happen to Jack, came to console us in the—at +other times unwelcome—shape of a deluge of rain. +Thus we got ashore earlier, though, as a set-off against so +much happiness, wetter men.</p> + +<p>On July 26th orders came that we were to proceed to +Portsmouth, to take in our armament of torpedoes, and +in a few hours the Start was growing small astern as we +took our way up channel. We were only a night at sea, +but that a dirty one—not rough, but foggy—such as one +usually encounters in this great commercial highway. +Early on the following morning the Isle of Wight lay +abeam, and the view from the sea was most lovely: the +white cliffs of the island, packed in layers like slices of +cake, presenting a learned page out of the book of nature +to the curious. In passing Sandown Bay we caught a +distant view of the operations for raising the "Eurydice." +Our thoughts naturally took a melancholy turn, for many +of us had lost comrades—some few, friends—in that ill-fated +ship. But I think one of the leading characteristics +of the sailor is the ease with which he throws off melancholy +at will. The fact is, he encounters danger so +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</a></span>frequently, and in so many varied shapes and forms, that +if he put on depressing thoughts every time he is brought +face to face with it, then he would be for ever clothed in +that garb.</p> + +<p>With a pausing tribute to the dead, and many a silent +prayer, perhaps—for sailors can and do pray—we steamed +into Spithead, forgetting, in all probability, the Eurydice +and all connected with her.</p> + +<p>As our torpedoes were all ready for us, it was not long +before they were on board and fitted in their places. Our +ship was not originally intended to carry these murderous +weapons, so it was necessary to pierce ports in her sides, +two forward and two aft, that they may be discharged. +The staff of the torpedo school brought with them +twelve of these novel fighting machines, at a cost of about +£300 each, though £500 is the price paid to Whitehead's +firm at Fiume; but as the English Government has the +authority, with certain limitations, themselves to manufacture +the torpedo, they cost England the former price.</p> + +<p>After a short trial of the discharging gear outside the +circular forts we shook hands with the land of smoked +haddock and sour bread, and trimmed sails for the west, +reaching the Sound by the following morning, when coaling +lighters attached themselves to us before you could +say Jack Robinson.</p> + +<p>Work is again the order of the day; for coaling a large +iron-clad over all means some exertion I can assure you. +It is most unpleasant work, nevertheless it has to be done, +so we set to work with a will. Dirty as the ship was, and +dirty as we all were, from the copious showers of diamond +dust falling everywhere, yet nothing could daunt our +friends from paying us the usual dinner-hour visit.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[11]</a></span>It was a curious spectacle to witness that farewell visit, +to see coal begrimed men coming up from below, reeking +with sweat, to clasp the fair hand of a mother, to snatch +a kiss from the soft cheek of a sister or sweetheart, or to +feel the lingering embrace of a wife.</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i1">"Then the rough seamen's hands they wring;<br /></span> +<span class="i1">And some, o'erpowered with bursting feeling,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Their arms around them wildly fling,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">While tears down many a cheek are stealing."<br /></span> +</div></div> + + +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[12]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER II.</h2> +<hr class="hr2" /> + +<div class="poem"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="poem"> +<tr><td class="tdstanza"> +<span class="i0a">"Now we must leave our fatherland,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And wander far o'er ocean's foam."<br /></span> +</td></tr> +</table> +</div> + +<hr class="hr2" /> + +<p class="summary">GOOD BYE TO ALBION!  SOUTHWARD HO! +GIBRALTAR.</p> + + +<p>Farewell, farewell! The last words have been +said! How we would have put off that last hour; +how we would have blotted it out, if, by so doing, +we might have avoided that farewell. I never before realised +how impressive a sailor's parting is. Was it really +but a few hours since that loving, clinging hands rested +within our own, that we heard the scarcely breathed +words which still linger in our ears? How like a dream +it all seems, and how like a dream it must continue to be, +until we shall once more hear those voices and feel those +hands.</p> + +<p>Thus felt we as on the morn of August, 4th, 1878, just +one month from the hoisting of the pennant, we rounded +the western end of Plymouth Breakwater, <i>en route</i> for the +land of the Celestials. It was Sunday, and never Sabbath +broke fairer than that one, or sun shone more auspiciously +on the commencement of a voyage.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span>Our friends, I doubt not, are casting longing and tear-bedimmed +eyes after us; and many a handkerchief flutters +its good bye long after objects on the shore have +ceased to be distinguishable. Let us leave them to their +tears; for us the sterner realities of life. We are not +going away for ever, I trust; and England's sailors are +patriots enough to feel that their own land, and mothers, +wives, and sisters are the dearest and best in the world. +With a short silent prayer, commending them to God's +protection, we take a last look for good and all, at +old Rame Head, and endeavour if we can to banish +melancholy.</p> + +<p>But are we really at sea? for the ship is so steady, and +the water so smooth, that, without the sense of sight, we +have no perception of motion. Sea voyages are, as a +rule, uneventful and monotonous—to the seaman, at any +rate, and ours was no exception.</p> + +<p>A few days after leaving Plymouth we were fairly in the +bay so dreaded by ancient mariners, and which is popularly +supposed to be for ever</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Upheaving, downrolling tumultuously."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>Many a yarn have I heard old salts spin of this special +and favourite abode of the god of storms: how that the +seas were so high that in the valleys between the wind was +taken completely out of a ship's sails; then, fearful lest +each successive wave would engulf her, her trembling +crew see her up-borne with terrible force, and once more +subject to the full fury of the blast: how that no bottom +was to be reached by the heaviest of leads and the longest +of lines,—and such-like awe-inspiring wonders; or, as +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span>that most observant of naval poets, old Falconer, graphically +puts it—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Now quivering o'er the topmast wave she rides,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Whilst beneath the enormous gulf divides.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Now launching headlong down the horrid vale,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Becalmed, she hears no more the howling gale;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Till up the dreadful height again she flies,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Trembling beneath the current of the skies."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>We probably crossed Biscay during the time the presiding +restless spirit was taking holiday or sleeping; for a +lake could not possibly have presented a smoother surface. +Shoals of porpoises, trying their rate of speed under our +bows; the dull flop of a solitary sea-bird astern, seeking +sundry bits of biscuit or other waste; and the everlasting +rythm of the engines were the only occurrences to mar +the sameness of this part of our voyage.</p> + +<p>Internally all the activity usually displayed on board a +British man-of-war was being carried on incessantly; +nothing was neglected, and the captain soon led us to see +that "thorough" was his motto, and that for him there +were to be no half measures. Nor did he, during the +time he was with us, ever require of us more than he +was ready to undertake himself. He set us such an +example of zeal and activity, that though we might +not altogether have approved, yet we were bound to +admire it.</p> + +<p>It is the fourth day of our voyage, and we are in sight +of the high land of the Torres Vedras, at the mouth of +the Tagus. Far, far away in the background, like a magnificent +panorama, rise the high, time-worn summits of +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span>the Sierras of Spain. On approaching near enough to +distinguish objects we discovered several large baronial +castles, or convents, perched high up on bold pinnacled +crags, in positions most inaccessible and impregnable. +One goes back, in fancy, to the feudal days, and recalls +those heroes of our boyish imaginations to the times +when</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Knights were bold and barons held their sway,"<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>with all the consequent ills of that system of government.</p> + +<p>Our sails are filled with the balmy breath of Portugal's +orange groves as we continue our southward way. Cape +St. Vincent soon rises, Dungeness-like, right ahead, and +we call to mind that this was the scene of one of England's +great naval victories. These rocks, so still and peaceful +now, have resounded to the din of deadly strife, when, in +the year 1797, a Spanish fleet, of twenty-seven sail, tried to +wrest the dominion of the seas from its lawful holders, the +English fleet, under Sir John Jervis, numbering only half +that of the enemy.</p> + +<p>Next, never to be forgotten Trafalgar is reached. +Trafalgar, glorious Trafalgar! a household word so long +as England shall endure. How our thoughts love to +dwell on the deeds you witnessed our fathers do, every +man of whom was a hero.</p> + +<p>And now arrives Sunday, August 11th, on which day, +after having been favoured with exceptionally fair weather, +Gibraltar, with its mighty rocky fortress, heaves in sight.</p> + +<p>Before we arrive at the anchorage I would beg a slight +indulgence of my readers whilst I twist a yarn about +"Gib.;" and as, I think, much of the interest attaching +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span>to a place or object is due to a knowledge of its previous +history, I purpose to give just a rapid and cursory glance +at a few of the leading events connected with the past of +the places we visit.</p> + +<p>Gibraltar is of Moorish origin, having been named after +the famous Saracen chieftain, Tarik, who made this rock +the starting point of his conquests in Spain. Hence it was +called Gib-el-Tarik—the hill of Tarik—further Europeanized +into the modern Gibraltar. This magnificent natural +fortress rises perpendicularly to a height of 1300 feet from +the purple waves of the Mediterranean. It and the peak +Abyla, on the opposite (African) coast, were styled by the +Greeks, in their poetical language, "the pillars of Hercules;" +whilst the strait between is said to have been +executed by the same man of muscle, to wile away the +tedium of an idle hour.</p> + +<p>The remnants of this now almost-forgotten race—the +Saracen—are still to be found on the northern seaboard +of Africa, in the kingdom called Morocco, where they +strive to eke out a scant existence from the arid plains of +that parched and burning clime.</p> + +<p>The events I have recorded above happened hundreds +of years ago. Let us leap the gulf of time, and see if +there be anything else worthy of note or interest as +bearing upon Gibraltar. I think there is—much that +is interesting to Englishmen. In 1704, Sir George Rooke +and Admiral Byng had made several attempts to engage +the French fleet, but had signally failed. Deeming it +undesirable to return to Plymouth in this inglorious +manner, the two leaders determined to win laurels for +themselves and fleet somehow and somewhere—it <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span>mattered +not where, and they decided on making a bold +attempt on Gibraltar.</p> + +<p>It was during this memorable attack that the signal +gallantry of the Royal Marines displayed itself in so +brilliant and wonderful a manner—gallantry which has +shed such lustre on the annals of naval warfare, and gained +for them a name and a place second to none in the +British army.</p> + +<p>In 1713, on peace being proclaimed, the fortress was +ceded to England in perpetuity; but the Spaniards had +no intention of abiding by a treaty wrung from them at +such a cost. The result was that several subsequent +attempts were made to regain the place. At length, in +the years 1789-93, occurred that memorable siege—the +greatest, perhaps, on record—when a mere handful of +British soldiers, under General Elliott, successfully withstood +a siege of three years' duration, which settled at +once and, let us hope, for ever the question as to who +were henceforth to be masters here. But it is a bitter pill +to the Spaniards; and even now they can scarcely realize +that it does not belong to them. The Spanish people are +continually being buoyed up with the pleasant fiction, that +it is only <i>lent</i> to its present proprietors; for in all documents +relating to Gibraltar, or in all questions raised in +the Spanish parliament touching that place, the British +are referred to as being only "<i>in temporary possession of +Gibraltar</i>."</p> + +<p>The view of the town from the bay is rather pleasing. +Before us and far away to the left, till hid by an eminence, +the houses stand out boldly, terrace above terrace, against +the rocky background—their white mass and gaily-colored +verandahs glistening in the sunbeams.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span>To prevent loss of time, instead of anchoring we were +at once secured alongside the jetty, thus offering a fine +opportunity for sight-seers, who speedily throng the wharf. +A most motley gathering that same crowd, a few were +undoubtedly British, therefore nothing need be said of +them—a few more, half-blooded Spaniards; and as we +shall become better acquainted on our visiting the town, +we will pass them without comment also; but one remarkable +race, which has its representatives amongst the sea of +faces before us, needs a few words of remark. Their +proud, commanding bearing, clearly-cut features—as if +just from the sculptor's chisel, their sallow complexion—almost +approaching a saffron hue, all are new to us. Red +fez caps on a close-shaven head, loose flowing scarlet +tunics, bare legs, and sandalled feet—these clearly betray +their oriental origin. Who are they? Reader, a few +pages back I endeavoured to claim your interest in a +people who once owned half Spain—the Moors: these +before you are some of their descendants, and are a +portion of the army of the Sultan of Morocco, here for +the purpose of receiving instruction in gunnery. Though +they have such proud looks they are extremely bashful +and restive under our gaze, constantly shifting their +position to escape our scrutiny; as for making a sketch +of one, that is nearly impossible, for immediately he sees +you put your pencil to paper he vanishes in the crowd, as +though he had detected you levelling a revolver at him.</p> + +<p>The other dwellers on the soil are a strange mixture of +the Mediterranean race; and as it is impossible to describe +them, or say what they are, we will just be content with +the title they are proudest of—the reptilian one of "rock +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span>scorpions"—a tough, hardy people, though, notwithstanding +their doubtful ancestry.</p> + +<p>In my description of places I shall always assume that +about twenty or thirty of my shipmates accompany me in +my strolls,—we shall get along much pleasanter, and enjoy +ourselves much better thus than if we were scattered +without any end in view: besides, it will be much less +difficult for me, and I shall be enabled to get rid of that +objectionable personal pronoun, first person singular, +nominative. I will, therefore, with your kind co-operation, +introduce you to the first of our series of rambles.</p> + +<p>The climate is beautiful and the air most exhilirating, +two, at any rate, of the attributes to an enjoyable walk +already manufactured for us. Passing out of the Dockyard +precincts we are at once in the English quarter. As +I said before, the houses are constructed in terraces: +hence we find ourselves continually mounting flights of +steps to get from one street to another, so that there is +really little inducement for pedestrians to move out of +doors at all. Vegetation is very scarce, a want we can +scarcely be surprised at when we consider the soil. Of +course, that camel of the vegetable world, the cactus tribe, +has its representatives in this arid, parched earth, where, +seemingly, it is impossible anything else can take root.</p> + +<p>As we approach the rising ground, which hides a portion +of the town from our view, we observe the walls of an +old ruin boldly outlined against the pure blue of the sky. +This is all that now remains of a Moorish castle, the last +existing monument of that race in Gibraltar.</p> + +<p>But we must hurry on, for we have a lot to do: amongst +other things, a climb to where that flag flutters indistinctly<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span> +in the breeze. After sundry twists and turns, now up +these steps, now down this street, or that, we find ourselves +at the beginning of the ascent, and in as rubbly +and dusty a pathway as one would wish to traverse. What +with the ruts worn by the rain, and the tearing up of the +ground by the passage of heavy ordnance, it would be a +difficult matter indeed to select any particular line of +march and call it a road. Travellers ordinarily engage +mules for the journey; we sailors scorn any such four-footed +assistance, though the next time we voyage this +way it will be as well to remember that ankle boots are +preferable to "pursers' crabs." As we advance, the sun's +rays are beginning to get unpleasantly warm, whilst the +sand most persistently ignores all the known laws of +gravity, by fixing itself in our eyes, mouths, and nostrils.</p> + +<p>Herds of goats, with their attendant shepherds, occasionally +cross our path, changing their pasturage. Query, +what do they live on? I don't think that any of our +party have yet seen anything green since we started, not a +blade of grass nor even a moss to relieve the stony reality +of the hard rock.</p> + +<p>With what a sigh of relief and satisfaction we reach the +top, and enter within the welcome shade afforded by the +signal-house. Refreshments are eagerly sought after, anything +to wash the dust out of one's mouth. There is no +lack of drinks here, very fortunately; beer and stout, and +something—which being put into lemonade bottles passes, +I suppose, for that beverage—are speedily, greedily, gulped +down our parched throats. The supposed lemonade +which, by special desire, fell to my lot, was enough to +engender thoughts of disloyalty to a certain lady and her +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span>cause in the mind of the stoutest champion of the league; +and I took considerable credit to myself that I passed +scathless through such a trying ordeal. What stuff! Just +imagine, you who are drinking your stout with such keen +relish, and smacking your lips in such evident satisfaction, +imbibing a liquid as hot almost as the surrounding air, +and so insipid that I have tasted medicines far more +palatable. Opportunely I call to mind a proverb of our +Spanish friends yonder, "The sailor who would caulk his +boat must not turn up his nose at pitch;" and as, figuratively +speaking, I want to caulk mine, I make a virtue of +necessity, and the obnoxious liquid vanishes.</p> + +<p>Having regaled ourselves at a very moderate cost, all +things considered, we are invited to insert our names +in the visitors' book. To satisfy a curiosity we possess +we turn back over the pages, to see who has honored this +height with their presence. We find princes from +Germany, grandees from Spain, professors from America, +naval officers of almost all nations, and ladies not a few. +One person of a witty and poetical turn thus records his +and his friends' visit:—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"April 17th, 1878.<br /></span> +<span class="i0"> <br /></span> +<span class="i2">Three friends this day<br /></span> +<span class="i2">Walked all the way<br /></span> +<span class="i2">To the signal station;<br /></span> +<span class="i2">There was W. T.,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">With his chum, C. G.,<br /></span> +<span class="i2">And R. H. of the British nation."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>After such an enjoyable rest, suppose we just step outside +on the terrace, and have a look around whilst we +"do" our tobacco.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span>We are at a height of 1255 feet above the level of the +sea; and the fatigue of the ascent is more than compensated +by the view of the splendid natural panorama, spread +out like a map around us. The bay of Gibraltar, with the +houses of the town of Algeciras, are distinctly visible; +so, too, is the southern range of the Ronda mountains, +the purple Mediterranean, with the immense jumble of +Afric's sparkling shores, the Atlas mountains, the Neutral +ground, and the Spanish lines. These are some of the +objects which never tire the eye. The precipices below us +are amazingly steep, in some cases the heights even overhang. +Many precious lives were lost through inadvertent +steps during the first occupation; and this suggests to me +a story I have read somewhere, and which I will ask your +pardon for telling you.</p> + +<p>A young officer of the garrison, who with a brother +officer was on guard one day, suddenly missed his companion; +and on retracing his steps a little he saw his poor +friend's mangled body about 400 feet below. The sub, +however, made no reference or allusion to this accident in +his report. His commanding officer, on being informed +of the sad business, immediately summoned his subordinate +before him, and demanded an explanation of his +conduct, the following dialogue taking place between +them:—"You say, sir, in your report, 'N.B.—nothing +extraordinary since guard mounting,' when your brother +officer, who was on guard with you, has fallen over a precipice +400 feet high and been killed! call you this +nothing?" Our sub, who hailed from 'auld reekie,' thus +replied, "Weel, sir, I dinna think there is onything extraordinary +in that; had he fa'n doon a precipice 400 feet +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span>high, and <i>not</i> been killed, I should ha'e thocht it vera +extraordinary indeed, and would ha'e put it doon in my +report!"</p> + +<p>I think we have found the down journey not nearly so +difficult or wearying as the ascent, for we are in the town +ere we are aware of it, and following in the wake of a +throng of people, seemingly all heading in one direction. +As we have still a few hours left us we will accompany +them, and make a study of Spanish life by gaslight.</p> + +<p>Graceful, black-eyed women, instinct with loveliness +and vivacity, claim our first notice—first, because they +are ladies, and, secondly, because of their becoming attire +and the natural grace of their movements; for theirs is +"the very poetry of motion." We have all possibly seen +pictures of Spanish women, and may have, no doubt, +remarked the head-gear they were depicted with. The +flowing lace adornment, reaching from the head to the +shoulders, and from thence thrown in graceful folds over +the back and one arm, is called the "mantilla," and is the +characteristic costume of the ladies of Spain. Each carries +a fan in her hand—no lady is dressed without it—which +they use, not so much for the purpose of cooling +themselves as to convey the subtle emotions of the +Spanish female mind. It seems to do the duty of eyes, +though they possess very beautiful eyes, too. What I +mean is, that whereas we in our colder climate generally +indicate love, passion, or melancholy by means of the eyes +principally, and through the facial muscles generally, these +ladies interpret all this through the agency of the fan. So +skilled are they in its use, that there is scarcely an emotion, +it is said, which they cannot render intelligible by this +means.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span>To say that we passed them without an impertinent +stare is to confess at once that we are not sailors. This +want of manners, or seeming want, is excusable, I think, +insomuch that in our everyday life we see so little of +them, that when we do fall across "the sex" we regard +them more in the light of curiosities than tangible flesh +and blood like ourselves. I see, too, that some of the +more susceptible of our party are looking behind them. +"Remember Lot's wife," and remember, too, the blue-eyed +girls of your village homes whom you parted from so +recently; for the Spanish maids, with all their charms, +will scarcely bear comparison with our bonnie English +lasses.</p> + +<p>We have said something of the "<i>senoras</i>," now a word +for the "<i>senors</i>." The dress of the men is as picturesque +and gaudy as that of the ladies is not; in the particular, +indeed, the sexes seem to have usurped the other's rights. +Young Spanish swells, in colored velvet breeches and tastefully +embroidered leggings, scarlet silk sash around the +loins, and irreproachable linen, with, here and there, one +with the far-famed guitar, improvising amorous nothings +for the ear of some susceptible damsel, abandon themselves +to the luxury of the hour in true Spanish style.</p> + +<p>But what is this? Whither has the crowd conducted +us? Surely the fairies have been at work! In other +words, we have wandered into the Alameda, or Public +Gardens. I beg to recall a statement which I fear I made +somewhat rashly a few pages back, in which I said that +Gibraltar could not possibly yield any green thing, owing +to its miserable soil. I find I am wrong, for here before +us is a perfect greenery. Stately trees, beautiful blossoms, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span>fragrant and gaily-flowered shrubs, ferns and grasses—all +are here in abundance. How charming it all looked by +the light of many colored lamps! These gardens are +evidently the favorite promenade of all classes of the +people—the Spanish don, the English officer, the Southern +Jew, and the swarthy African—all find a place in its +walks, and glide along its various avenues in twos or +threes, according to taste. The strains of the Garrison +band, too, invite us to linger yet, as the sweet airs of the +reminiscences of Scotland whisper among the branches. +Sombre-clad priests, in long togas and shovel hats, bustle +about here and there, now talking cheerfully to one lady, +now looking correction at another; but all enjoying themselves +with as much evident pleasure as their more +mundane flocks.</p> + +<p>The boom of the Citadel gun cuts short all our pleasing +reflections, and we may (very unwillingly it must be confessed) +tear ourselves away from this happy place.</p> + +<p>On arriving at the Dockyard gates we are summoned to +give the pass-word by the vigilant guard before we are +allowed to pass the ponderous portal. Those who have +read Captain Marryatt's delightful story, "Peter Simple," +and I should hope there are few sailors who have not, will +perhaps recall the amusing scene which took place on +this very spot between lieutenant O'Brien and the soldier +on guard.</p> + +<p>Our days at pleasant "Gib." are drawing to a close. I +feel assured that we shall carry with us, in our voyage to +the far east, many pleasing recollections of Gibraltar—its +balmy air and genial climate—its abundance of grapes, +melons, and oranges. Would we could send some to our +friends in England.</p> + +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER III.</h2> +<hr class="hr2" /> + +<div class="poem"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="poem"> +<tr><td class="tdstanza"> +<span class="i0">Melita! The glory of a triumph clings, odorous as incense,<br /></span> +<span class="i8">Around thy hero dead!<br /></span> +</td></tr> +</table> +</div> + +<hr class="hr2" /> + +<p class="summary">UP THE MEDITERRANEAN.​—​MALTA.</p> + + +<p>With the dawn of August 15th we were rounding +Europa Point, and leaving Gibraltar far away +astern. On our starboard hand three or four +luminous points in the atmosphere indicate the position +of the snow peaks of Atlas, the range itself being lost in +the distance.</p> + +<p>We chanced on a favoring breeze, so all sail was spread +to help us against the strong five knot current always +setting out from this sea. I cannot tell with what feelings +you entered upon this, the greatest highway of commerce +in the world. For all of us it possesses a certain interest, +but to some more so than to others. I refer to those who +love to wander in imagination amidst the departed glories +of Greece and Rome—empires which lived, moved, and +had their being when our forefathers were but tattooed +savages.</p> + +<p>As we advance, the sea begins to widen, the mountainous +outline of the Spanish coast trends boldly to the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span>northward; whilst the African shore grows indistinct and +flatter, save where here and there some mighty peak rears +its head from out of cloudland. Since leaving "Gib." we +have been under the escort of shoals of porpoises, who +ever and anon shoot ahead to compare rate of speed; or, +by way of change in the programme, to exhibit their fishy +feats under the ship's bows. Whether there be any truth in +the mariners' yarn, that the presence of porpoises generally +indicates a change in the wind, I will leave for you to +form your own opinion; but certain it was, that on the +present occasion, the wind did change, and to a "muzzler" +illustrating in the most practical manner that our +ship could be just as lively on occasion as other pieces of +naval architecture. The stomachs of some of our +younger hands, too, seemed to have suddenly acquired a +sympathetic feeling with the movements of the ship, +which, strangely enough, impressed them with a desire to +reveal what they had had for dinner. The ship, though, +dashed onward like a mad thing, regardless of the agony +she was inflicting on some of her human parasites.</p> + +<p>This was but the commencement of our sufferings for +now the heat was beginning to annoy us. To us who +could go on deck when we wished it was bad enough, but +to those poor fellows who had to swelter and toil in the +stokehole it must have been very trying, though compared +with what was yet to come this was a mere bagatelle. We +had encountered that blasting wind known as the +"sirocco"—the scourge of the Mediterranean—which +after gathering force and heat in the African deserts +comes with its fiery and sand-laden breath to sap the +moisture from all who have not the natures of salamanders.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span> +Fortunately we soon passed beyond its sphere of +action.</p> + +<p>Darkness rapidly sets in in these regions of eternal +summer. The sunny shores and genial climes of the +Mediterranean, where the very touch of the air seems a +perfumed caress, lack only one thing to make them a +paradise. Those pleasant hours which obtain in our less +favoured land after the sun has set, and which we call +twilight, are entirely unknown here, hours which England's +youths and maidens generally appropriate to +themselves, and which, in after years, recall some of the +sweetest memories of their lives. Fancy a day deprived +of such hours! No sooner has Phœbus veiled his +glorious beams than there is a general demand for +candles, and we find our liberal supply of two 'dips' a +very inadequate apology for about four hours' illuminating +purposes on a draughty deck.</p> + +<p>But we must haste on our way past the Tunisian Coast, +past Galita, onward through fleets of lateen rigged +piratical looking crafts, with snowy sails and bird-like +movements, dashing their white wings in the surge. We +must not dwell too long on this peaceful and pleasant +shore, for Pantellaria—an island of more interest in one +sense—begins to rise ahead. This, in all probability, is +the "Calypso's Isle" of the classics, but now the less +poetical "Botany Bay" of the Italians. I should think +that a few years' compulsory residence here is a thing to +be desired rather than not, for it is a delightful spot +enough, a sort of embryo continent, and nature seems to +have achieved here some of her grandest works in the +smallest possible space and with the least possible +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span>amount of material. As we near its shore we catch a +glimpse of a pure white town, gracefully reclining on the +slopes of a hill at the head of a perfect miniature of a +bay. Artistically the effect is very pleasing, the glistening +white houses seem as if embowered in the darkest of +green foliage, each roof, each angle standing out most +distinctly. Much as we regret it we see charming Pantellaria +vanishing astern, for our engines will not cease their +everlasting plunges to satisfy any weaknesses of ours.</p> + +<p>How wonderfully strange and new everything seems to +us; the sea, the land, its peoples, all so different to +England; even the very heavens shed milder lights, have +purer depths of colour. At night the stars shine out +larger and with greater brilliance than we are wont to see +them. Our old friend, the Great Bear, still remains true +to us, though he keeps shorter watches in our southward +way, others less loyal, forsake us altogether, yet in +exchange if we get new forms they are not less beautiful.</p> + +<p>Brilliant as are the skies the sea is equally so, for there +seem as many gems beneath as above us; we appear to +be cleaving our way through a yielding mass of liquid +gold. Every dash the ship makes she seems to set the +sea on fire, throwing starry sprays far over our heads on +to the deck where the drops still retain their light.</p> + +<p>At early morning on August 22nd, a great jabbering +outside the ship, as though a colony of monkeys had +encountered another babel, announced that we were at +Malta. Boats by the hundred swarm around us, and never +was seen such a gesticulating, swearing crowd, as their +occupants, nor such pushing and hauling, such splashing +and wrangling, and even fighting to maintain their +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span>stations alongside. One's eyes cannot fail to be arrested +by these boats, but the colouring of them is what attracts +particular attention. We get here our first idea of the +criental love for colour, though at Malta the idea is exaggerated, +because the colours do not blend harmoniously. +For instance, the same boat will be painted with emerald +green, vermillion, cobalt, and chrome yellow, put on +without the slightest regard to effect or harmony. The +eye on the bow is universal, no waterman would dare +venture from the shore without such a pilot.</p> + +<p>These little crafts, in addition to their legitimate use, +have a secondary, though very important one, that of +advertising mediums, not unworthy the genius of our +American cousins. To select an example here and there. +One boat bearing the characteristic and truly Catholic +legend "Nostra Senora di Lordes," also sets forth another +legend to the effect that "Every ting ver cheap here +Jack," though <i>what</i> is cheap and <i>where</i> is not so clearly +indicated; on another this extraordinary piece of English, +"Spose you cum my housee, have got plenty." Of +these same "housees" numerous tales are told; of one +in particular, where you can obtain "ebery ting" except +the right. You ask for beef steak, or ham and eggs, and +the master of the house, in the blandest manner and with +much shrugging of the shoulders, will answer you, "Me +ver sorry, hab got ebery ting but that," and ditto to your +next order, he has also the sang froid to tell you on your +complaining of the toughness of that succulent, that his +cabbage must be tender because it has been boiling <i>ever +since the "Caledonia" went home</i>. If you don't enjoy it +after that, all that I can say is you are over fastidious.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span>But to return to the busy and noisy throng alongside. +Its composition differs very little from that usually encountered +by ships of war in all parts of call. The washerwomen +are the undoubted masters of the situation, and +carry all before them. The alacrity with which they +scramble up the perpendicular side of the ship is simply +astonishing. It struck me that we could not do it with +greater ease, notwithstanding that we possess the advantage +of unfettered extremities. In the twinkling of an eye +they are below, and besieging us in our messes, holding +out for our inspection greasy looking rolls of paper, +purporting to set forth in English, French, Italian and +Spanish, and even in Greek and Turkish, the bearers' +exploits amidst the soap suds. To read the English +certificates while at breakfast is highly amusing and provocative +of much merriment. Here is one. The writer +is one "Bill Pumpkin," H.M.S. "Ugly Mug," who states +that the holder, Mary Brown (who does not know Mary +the ubiquitous Mary), "has a strange knack of forgetting +the gender of a shirt, for it not unfrequently happens that +you may find her with that article of male apparel on her +own 'proper person,' otherwise, he says, she is all that +can be desired." The said Mary B being unable to read +English—or for that matter any other language—holds up +her paper in triumph. Happy, ignorant Mary!</p> + +<p>Having squared yards with the black-eyed nymphs (all +the shady side of thirty), we are next assailed with the +milkmen, who not only bring their cans, but also their +goats on board. When the can is run out "nanny" is +milked, and sent about to look for a feed under the mess-tables, +a locality she is thoroughly acquainted with from +frequent experience.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span>Our first breakfast in Malta is over, a meal not easily to +be forgotten, for fruit is plentiful and good and very +cheap, and milk equally so, and cans full of the latter +added to the chocolate make that nutritious beverage +truly delightful, while luscious grapes supply a wholesome +and refreshing dietary.</p> + +<p>Now for a run on shore. Valetta, or la Valette, in +honor of one of the most famous of the Grand Masters, +the modern capital of Malta, is a fairly large place, though +by no means extensive enough to be styled a City, except +out of courtesy. How dingy the buildings and how +dusty the pavements from the crumbling masonry. The +houses are so lofty that the strip of blue sky can scarcely +send its light to the bottom, whilst the upper storeys have +such an affectionate leaning towards each other, that the +wonder is that any mortar is capable of restraining their +eagerness to fall on each other's necks. But all the +houses are not like this, and the character of the masonry +speedily improves on emerging from the gloomy alleys +into the magnificent Strada Reale, more of a roadway +than a street, for though there are many grand edifices +and numerous shop fronts, yet one may walk to Floriana +on the one hand, and to Civita Vecchia on the other, +without turning to the right or left.</p> + +<p>This crowded thoroughfare presents at this special time +in particular a most cosmopolitan appearance, for we +have dropped in at Malta during the sojourn here of the +Indian Contingent, brought to Europe in anticipation of +difficulties with Russia.</p> + +<p>The Maltese themselves, though unquestionably a small +race, are wiry and capable of enduring great hardships. +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span>They are very skilful artisans, the filigree jewellery of +their silversmiths, for example, is unequalled as a work of +art by anything of its kind in Europe. They are splendid +divers, and seem equally at home in the water as on the +land; the smallest coin thrown overboard being brought +to the surface in a twinkling. Whatever their original +language might have been, that which they now possess is +a most animated one; for they throw their spars about in +a most alarming manner in emphasis of what they say, +inclining one to the belief that sailors have of this people, +namely—if you tie a Maltese hands he can't speak.</p> + +<p>Just a word or two descriptive of the sexes: the men +we will dismiss with a few words; they are, as I said +before, below the medium height, with dark Italian faces +and eyes, but otherwise not remarkable. The women are, +though, or perhaps I ought to have said their appearance +is. Landing in Malta for the first time, a stranger is apt +to conclude that every woman he sees is either a sister of +mercy or a nun. This is due, in a great measure, to their +national costume, about the only national possession they +can now boast of, which consists of a loose gown of rusty +black and a hood-like covering over the head and +shoulders, also black. This construction throws their +face—a rather comely one—into deep shade, almost as +sombre-looking as their dress. No doubt if they could +be induced to wear the various so-called aids to nature +which our ladies use to make "a good figure," the Maltese +women might do as an advertisement for Worth; but +under the present system of dressing well, I would +guarantee to produce as shapely a structure out of a +stuffed bread bag with a spun-yarn around its middle.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span>If a people be religious, in proportion to the number of +priests and sacred edifices seen in their midst, then ought +the Maltese to be pre-eminently a devout people; for it +seems as if every third building is a church, and every +other man one meets a priest; whilst the incessant and +not always melodious clanging of bells all day long, is a +constant reminder that there is no lack of opportunity for +devotees.</p> + +<p>So far as the outward appearance of the priests may be +taken as the index to the man's worldly position, I should +pronounce their calling anything but a lucrative one; for +a more seedy-looking class is rarely to be met with. Their +care-worn faces and rusty and tattered garments testifying +that in Valetta, at least, the proverbial easy and jolly life +of the priesthood does not prevail.</p> + +<p>In spite of the lack of good building material, there +are some very fine buildings in Malta—notably, the palace, +the cathedral of San Giovanni, and the opera house. The +palace has its immediate entrance from the Strada Reale, +by means of an arched gateway of Oriental design, whilst +iron railings extend along the whole front of the structure +on either side the gate. Within is the palace square, +beautifully and tastefully laid out with rare exotics and +flowering trees, floral designs and fish ponds. A grand +marble stairway indicates the direction we are to take to +reach the interior of the pile, at the head of which is a +sort of vestibule, or hall, when all further progress is +barred by the presence of one of the palace functionaries. +We explain our errand, said functionary demurs, pulls a +long face, makes sundry excuses as to its not being the +proper day and so on, whilst all the time he is making a +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span>mental calculation as to the value of the expected "tip." +The workings of that man's mind are as patent as the +day. An English shilling speedily smooths the wrinkles +off that puckered brow as if by a miracle, and makes us +the best of friends. What wonders the little medallion +portrait of the Majesty of England will work, what hearts +soften, what doors unlock, and what hypocrites make! +With a flattering and obsequious bow our guide leads the +way.</p> + +<p>The palace was built by the Knights as their regal +residence, and as everything in it has been most religiously +preserved, the various rooms will present a pretty fair +picture of the manner of life of these soldier priests, +whose portraits adorns the walls around. To the frame +of each a metal label is attached, on which is an inscription +in Latin, setting forth the patronymic and virtues of +the original. Some are represented in military armour +with bold martial air, whilst others are depicted in the +more peaceful garb of priests, or civilians, but all wear +the sash and cross, peculiar to the Order, the latter +symbol—known as the Maltese Cross—being found on +all their coins and possessions.</p> + +<p>Out of the portrait gallery folding doors admit us to +the Parliament House, where the Government officials +assemble for the conduct of State business. The four +walls are enriched and adorned with wonderful specimens +of needlework, testifying to the patience and skill of the +knights' fair friends.</p> + +<p>But the most interesting place of all is the armoury, a +vast hall at right angles to the picture gallery, in which +are weapons and arms of all sizes, workmanship, and ages; +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span>from the light rapier and fencing helmet for friendly +practice, to the two-handed sword and iron casque of +thirty pounds weight, for the more deadly strife. Some +highly interesting relics are here, too, the original document +whereby Charles V. tendered the island to the +Knights—a consumptive looking cannon with very large +touch-holes and very small bores—stone shot, iron shot, +lead balls, all arranged in neat designs. Suits of armour +of delicate filigree work, in silver and gold, in glass cases; +other suits less costly, though of equal ingenuity, ranged +along the walls in erect positions, spear in hand, or +leaning on a huge sword. From the size and weight of +some of these suits, I opine, the Knights must have been +men of large build, a medium sized suit being rather the +exception than otherwise.</p> + +<p>After a glance at the old, lumbering State carriage of +Bonaparte, with its faded, gilded trappings and armorial +emblazonry, we haste away to view something else.</p> + +<p>Next in importance to the Palace, comes the Church of +St. John (San Giovanni), by far the finest building in +Malta. The interior is very gorgeous, with gilded vaulted +roof, finely carved pulpits, rare old crimson tapestries +and monumental floor, resembling one enormous heraldic +shield. Beneath, lie the mouldering remains of the +defunct knights, the arms of each being represented on +the slabs above them, in the most delicate and accurate +designs, in some cases stones more rare and costly than +marble being used.</p> + +<p>At the end of the eastern aisle is the Chapel of the +Madonna, guarded by massive silver bars, saved from the +rapacity of Napoleon's soldiers by the cunning and +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span>ingenuity of a priest, who, perceiving that Bony's +followers had very loose ideas of mine and thine, painted +the rails wood colour, and thus preserved them inviolate.</p> + +<p>Once more in busy, bustling, Strada Reale, with its +gay shops filled with a tempting display of gold and silver +filigree work, corals and laces, the latter very fine specimens +of needlework indeed.</p> + +<p>Thus far, we have performed all our movements on +foot, but now, as we have to go a rather long distance +over very uninteresting ground, we think it more convenient +to sling our legs over a horse's back, for the +journey to Civita Vecchia, better known to sailors as +"Chivity-Vic." This was the former capital of the +island, though now, as deserted almost as Babylon, its +streets overgrown with grass, its buildings crumbling ruins, +and echoing to the tread of our horses' hoofs. But it is +not so much to view these ruins that I have brought you +here, as to visit the Catacombs, or subterranean burying +grounds of the early inhabitants. These are not much +compared with those at Naples, or Palermo, for instance, +but to those who have seen neither the one nor the other, +they will present all the charm of novelty. Though only +a charnel house it is laid out with great care, in street, +square, and alley, just like the abodes of men above. +The bodies are mostly in a fine state of preservation, +reposing in niches cut out of the dry earth, some of the +tombs being double, others, again, having an additional +crib for a child. It is next to impossible that organic +matter can fall to decay, owing to the extreme dryness of +the place, and, except that the colour has changed a little, +the dead people around would have no difficulty in +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span>recognizing their own faces again if brought suddenly to +life. Some of the bodies seem actually alive, a deception +further borne out by their being clothed in the very garments +they wore when sentient, joyful dwellers, in the +city above. It is worthy of remark that, though there is +but one and the same means of ingress and egress, the air +is wonderfully pure, and free from any offensive odour or +mustiness.</p> + +<p>Its extreme dryness though, seems somehow to have +a reciprocal effect on the palates of our party, for I hear +vague murmurs of "wanting something damp," which, +by-an-bye, break out into a general stampede. If there be +any bye-laws in existence against hard riding, we are +happily ignorant of them, nor have we the slightest +sympathy with anxious mothers, whose dusky and grimy +offspring are engaged at a rudimentary school for cookery +in the mud of the road. Sailors, as a rule, don't note +such items.</p> + +<p>August 25th, to-day, after a rather short stay, we looked +our last, for some years, on "the fair isle"—St. Paul's +Melita.</p> + + +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER IV.</h2> +<hr class="hr2" /> + +<div class="poem"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="poem"> +<tr><td class="tdstanza"> +<span class="i0a">"Yet more! the billows and the depths have more!<br /></span> +<span class="i1">High hearts and brave are gathered to thy breast<br /></span> +<span class="i0">They hear not now the booming waters roar,<br /></span> +<span class="i1">The battle thunders will not break their rest."<br /></span> +</td></tr> +</table> +</div> + +<hr class="hr2" /> +<p class="summary">PORT SAID.​—​THE SUEZ CANAL.​—​VOYAGE DOWN THE +RED SEA.​—​ADEN.</p> + + +<p>The voyage from Malta to Port Said was accomplished +without any notable event, except that the heat goes +on steadily increasing.</p> + +<p>August 31st, to-day, we made the low-lying land +in the neighbourhood of Port Said, and by noon had +arrived and moored off that uninteresting town. Coaling +at Port Said is effected with great rapidity, for ships have +to be speedily pushed on through the Canal to prevent a +block, thus, by the following afternoon, we commenced +our first stage of the Canal passage, under the escort of +one of the Company's steam tugs, for ships of our size +may not use their own engines for fear of the "wash" +abrading the sandy banks.</p> + +<p>The character of the scenery soon changes, and we +seem to have an intuitive perception that we are in the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span>land of the Pharaohs. On the one side, far as the eye +can reach, and for hundreds of miles beyond, a desert of +glistening sand is spread before us, for the most part level +and unbroken, but occasionally interrupted by billow-like +undulations, resembling the ground swell at sea. Here +and there a salt pond breaks the monotonous ochre of +the sand. These ponds are, in the majority of cases, +quite dry, and encrusted with a beautiful crystalline +whiteness resembling snow, making even the desert look +interesting. On the Egyptian side, a series of gem-studded +lagoons stretch away to the haze of an indistinct +horizon, the mirage reproducing the green and gold of +the thousand isles in the highly heated atmosphere.</p> + +<p>By 6 p.m. we had reached the first station, or "Gare," +when we brought up alongside a jetty for the night. +When darkness had set in, the wild melancholy howl of +the jackal was borne across the desert by the evening +breeze, a sound sufficiently startling and inexplicable if +you don't happen to know its origin. What these animals +can find to eat in a parching desert is, and remains to me, +a mystery.</p> + +<p>On pushing on the following morning, a quail and +several locusts flew on board; interesting because we are +now in the region of Scripture natural history. As I was +desirous of procuring a specimen of the Scriptural locust, +I expressed a wish to that effect, and soon had more of +them than I knew what to do with, till, in fact, I thought +the Egyptian plague was about to be exemplified. I will +here take occasion to thank my shipmates for their kindly +and ready assistance, in helping me to furnish a cabinet +with natural history specimens. Nothing living, coming +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span>within their reach, has ever escaped them; birds, insects, +fish, reptiles, all have been laid as trophies before me to +undergo that metamorphosis known as "bottling." I +verily believe that had an elephant insinuated himself +across their path, he would have found his way into my +"preserves."</p> + +<p>This was an extremely quiet day, everybody indulging a +siesta under double and curtained awnings, until about +5 p.m., when bump! a dead stop, and a list to port. We +are aground. But grounding on such a soft bed is not a +serious affair, and by extra exertions on the part of +"Robert," our tug, and a turn or two of our own screws, +we were soon in deep water again. This was but the +initiation ceremony; ere the termination of our commission +we were destined to become passed masters in the +art of bumping, as the sequel will show.</p> + +<p>At this juncture the Canal ceases to be such, as +it enters that natural watercourse—the Bitter Lakes. +Herein, we are at perfect liberty to use our own engines, +whereby we are speedily across their glassy surface, and +entering on to the last portion of the passage. On +rounding a point on the opposite side, a scene, truly +Biblical, met our view—two Arab maidens tending their +flocks. Perhaps they had taken advantage of the absence +of man to uncover their faces; if so, they were speedily +careful to rectify the error, on catching sight of such +terrible beings as bluejackets; but not before we had +caught a glimpse at a rather pleasing face, with small, +straight nose, rosy lips, splendid teeth, the blackest of +eyes, and the brownest of skin. The veils, which serve to +hide their prettiness, are real works of art, composed of +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span>gold and silver coins, beads and shells, tastefully and +geometrically arranged on a groundwork of black lace. +After repeated hand kissing from our amorous tars—an +action whose significance is apparently lost on these +damsels—we bid good bye to the "nut-brown maids," +and at 5 p.m., on September 4th, enter the broad waters +of the Gulf of Suez.</p> + +<p>The great feature of the town of Suez is its donkeys; +wonderfully knowing creatures, who, with their masters, +look upon every visitor, as in duty bound, to engage their +services. To say them nay, and to suggest that your +legs are quite capable of bearing you to the town, is only +provocative of an incredulous smile, or a negative shake +of the head. Never was seen such patience and importunity +as that displayed by boy and beast. The most +striking thing about them is their names—shared in +common—which furnish one with a running commentary +on current events in Europe. For example, there were +the "Prince of Wales" and "Roger Tichborne," "Mrs. +Besant" and the "Fruits of Philosophy"! The +"mokes" are so well trained—or is it that they have +traversed the same ground so often? that, in spite of all +tugging at the reins, and the administration of thundering +applications of your heel in the abdominal region, they +will insist upon conducting you to a locality well understood, +but of no very pronounced respectability. I did +hear—but this between you and I—that a rather too +confiding naval chaplain, on one occasion, trusted himself +to the guidance of one of these perfidious beasts, and +even the sanctity of his cloth, could not save him from +the same fate.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span>September 7th. We may now be said to have entered +upon the saddest and most unpleasant part of the voyage, +that of the Red Sea passage.</p> + +<p>The day after sailing, the look-out from the mast head +reported a vessel aground off the starboard bow, with a +second vessel close by, and, seemingly, in a similar predicament. +Our thoughts at once adverted to the two +troopships which left last night, so we hurried on, and, +arriving at the spot, found we had surmised correctly. +One only, the steamer, was aground; her consort, the +sailing ship, being at anchor a safe distance off. We lost +no time in sending hawsers on board, but it was not until +the third day that we were successful in our efforts to +haul her off.</p> + +<p>Our voyage resumed, we had scarcely got out of sight +of the two ships, when the sudden cry of "man overboard!" +was heard above the din of flapping canvas and +creaking blocks. To stop the engines, gather in the upper +sails, let fly sheets, and back the main yard, was the work of +seconds; and before the ship was well around—smart as +she was on her heel, too—the life-boat was half-way on +her errand of mercy. Young Moxey was soon amongst +us again, none the worse for his involuntary immersion, +although his bath was more than an ordinary risky one, +owing to the proximity of sharks.</p> + +<p>From that exalted observatory, the mast head, we +noticed the red colour from which the sea derives its +name. The surface has not a general ruddy tinge, as we +most of us thought it had,—only here and there blood-red +patches appear, mottling the vivid blue surface.</p> + +<p>September 11th.—My "journal" is a blank for three +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</a></span>whole days, owing to the intense heat, which is simply +unbearable. I can only give our friends a faint idea of +what it was like, by asking them to imagine themselves +strapped down over a heated oven whilst somebody has +built a fire on top of them, to ensure a judicious "browning" +on both sides alike. Sleep is out of the question, +"prickly heat" is careful of that. As may be supposed, +the sufferings of the deck hands—bad enough as in all +conscience it was—were not to be compared with the +tortures endured by the poor fellows in the stoke-hole, +who had to be hoisted up in buckets that they might gasp +in the scarcely less hot air on deck. From bad, this state +of things came to worse—men succumbed to its influence, +the sick list swelled, and, finally, death stalked insidiously +in our midst.</p> + +<p>September 13th.—The first victim was John Bayley, a +marine, who died to-day after an illness of only a few +short hours. One curious thing about this sickness is +that those attacked by it exhibit, more or less, symptoms +of madness. One of my own messmates, for instance, +whose life was preserved by a miracle, almost went entirely +out of his mind. I will not dwell too long upon these +sufferings, nor rekindle the harrowing scenes in your +minds.</p> + +<p>At sunset on the 14th the bell tolled for a funeral, as, +with half-masted flag, and officers and men assembled, we +prepared to do the last that ever poor Bayley would require +from man. Funerals are solemn things at any time, but a +funeral at sea is more than this—it is impressive and awe-inspiring, +especially if there be others so near death's +door that one does not know whose turn it may be next. +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[45]</a></span>Decently and in order the hammock-clad form is brought +to the gangway, whilst the chaplain's voice, clear and +distinct—more distinct than ordinary it seems—reads the +beautiful service for the Church of England's dead. A +hollow plunge, a few eddying circles, at the words—"we +commit his body to the deep"—and he is gone for ever.</p> + +<p>Almost simultaneously with departure of one, another +of our shipmates, Mr. Easton, the gunner, died.</p> + +<p>Providentially for all of us, a squall of wind struck us +at this point of our voyage—a squall of such violence, +whilst it lasted, that the air was thoroughly purged of its +baneful qualities, and restored again to its elasticity.</p> + +<p>But what a God-send it was! The iron hull of our +ship, always unpleasantly hot in these latitudes, was rapidly +cooled by the deluge of rain which came with the wind. +Renewed life and vigour entered into our emaciated +frames, and revivified men marked for death; and was it +not delicious to rush about naked in the puddles of rain +on the upper deck!</p> + +<p>Well, all things mundane have an end, even the most +unpleasant—though it must be confessed their finality is +generally lingering. Thus our desolate voyage through +that seething cauldron, known to geographers and schoolboys +as the Red Sea, at length approached its termination.</p> + +<p>Our grim shipmate, death, did not go over the side till +he had marked yet another victim for his insatiate grasp; +for, to-day, Mr. Scoble, one of our engineers, died. He, +too, was buried at sea, though we were only a few hours +from port. On the morn of this day, September 17th, we +passed the strait of Bab-el-mandeb—Arabic for "Gate of +Tears"—an extremely appropriate name, too, I should +think.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[46]</a></span>Aden, which we reached the same evening, has a very +bleak and barren appearance, and is, seemingly, nothing +better than a volcanic rock. Its apparent sterility does +not, as a matter of fact, exist; for it produces an abundance +of vegetables of all kinds, splendid corn with stalks above +the ordinary height, fruits, roses, and other delightful and +highly-scented flowers, in rank abundance. There is +something thriving and go-a-head about the place, in spite +of unkindly nature. It has one terrible drawback, for +rain falls only at intervals of years, sometimes taking a +holiday for three or even more years. The people are +busy and bustling—troops of camels, donkeys, and +ostriches continually stream in and out the town, testifying +to an extensive trade with the neighbouring states. A +peculiar race of people is found here, the Soumali—tall, +gaunt-looking fellows, with a mass of moppy hair dyed a +brilliant red. This head-gear, surmounting a small black +face, is laughable in the extreme. Plenty of ostrich +feathers may be obtained of the Arabian Jews; and +though, of course, you pay sailors' prices for them, yet +even then the sums given are not nearly so much as would +be charged in England for a far inferior feather.</p> + +<p>On the eve of departure we were visited by a novel +shower, composed of sand and locusts, from the African +desert. These things, unpleasant as they seem to us, are, +we are told, of as common occurrence here as rain +showers at home.</p> + + +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER V.</h2> +<hr class="hr2" /> + +<div class="poem"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="poem"> +<tr><td class="tdstanza"> +<span class="i0a">"As slow our ship her foamy track<br /></span> +<span class="i1">Against the wind was cleaving,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Her trembling pennant still look'd back<br /></span> +<span class="i1">To that dear isle 'twas leaving."<br /></span> +</td></tr> +</table> +</div> + +<hr class="hr2" /> + +<p class="summary">ACROSS THE INDIAN OCEAN.​—​CEYLON.​—​SINGAPORE.​—​A +CRUISE IN THE STRAITS OF MALACCA.</p> + + +<p>September 21st.—Having, as it were, given the +go-by to two continents, we commence on an +extended acquaintance with a third.</p> + +<p>With sails spread to a S.W. monsoon we rapidly speed +over that glorious expanse of luminous sea where it is ever +summer, and in whose pearly depths living things innumerable +revel in the very joy of existence.</p> + +<p>Though hot, this part of the voyage is not unpleasant, +for a cooling breeze is constantly setting down the hatchways +from the sails. What one would rather be without, +though, is that tropical tinting known as the "prickly +heat," which now begins to get troublesome; for, like +boils, its spots generally select those parts of the epidermis +where they are likely to become of the greatest nuisance, +making the friction of garments almost intolerable; but +there, one can't have everything.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</a></span>When the sails are trimmed with the same regularity +day after day, with never a tack nor sheet started, existence +does not offer much of variety, so that, like Columbus' +sailors, we were glad to welcome even a gale of wind. +Now, a rolling and pitching ship is capital fun if you can +manage to stay the surgings of a revolutionary stomach; +but it sometimes happens that you can't, when, to vary a +line in "In Memoriam," "you heave responsive to the +heaving deep." Then, too, we are as hungry as "sea +dogs." Ten or twelve days on sea rations are not to be +envied, especially as there is plenty of room for improvement +in the dietary. It is all very nice, nay, pleasant +even, to feel hungry when there is a prospect of a good +"feed" in the tin dish; but how frequently do we find a +"southerly wind" prevailing in that receptacle for +"panem;" and what is there, I ask, in "Fanny Adams" +alternated with "salt junk?" In the one, nausea; in the +other, mahogany.</p> + +<p>Friday, October 14th.—Just at our breakfast hour we +sighted that oriental fairy garden, Ceylon's isle; and +though we must be from fifteen to twenty miles off, a +curiously-constructed native vessel, with perhaps a dozen +persons on board, has just put out to welcome and pilot +us to land. A boat so different to all other boats that I +must say a word about it. It is a sort of double canoe, +constructed of the hollowed out trunk of a cocoanut +tree, to which is attached a couple of outriggers, with a +second canoe-shaped structure at their extremities, but of +lesser dimensions than the boat proper, and differing from +it, too, in not being hollowed out—in fact the latter is +used only as a balance for the other. When it comes on +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[49]</a></span>to blow with any force, the Singalese boatmen may be +observed standing out on their outriggers, to counteract +the force of the wind on the high sails. The stronger the +breeze the further out the men go. Their mode of +expressing the intensity of a breeze is significant. The +Singalese don't say as we do, it is blowing stiff, or half a +gale, or a gale; but that it is a "one-man wind," or +"two," or "three-man wind," as the case may be. I +believe a similar idiom is used by the natives of the +Sandwich isles.</p> + +<p>On nearing the land we could see how really delightful +this ocean gem is. One mass of gorgeous, perfumed +foliage blazes suddenly on the sight from the midst of the +sea; feathery palms, broad trembling leaves, and groves +of lofty cocoanut trees springing from the midst of richly-flowering +shrubs.</p> + +<p>From the inner harbour the view of Galle is very fine. +For miles on either hand stretches a palm-fringed shore, +with the noble cocoanut trees so close to the water's +edge, that at times the sea seems to dash right into their +midst. Cocoanut trees, like volcanoes, seemingly prefer +the proximity of the sea to a more retired position.</p> + +<p>The whole scene reminds one of the beautiful places +visited by captain Cook, in his voyages. Even the boats +are laden with the self-same royal fruits—great green +cocoanuts, pine apples, bananas, plantains, and yams.</p> + +<p>All those curiosities for which India is famous—every +conceivable article which the fancy or ingenuity of man +can possibly fabricate out of such commodities, as sandal +wood, ebony, ivory, and porcupines' quills, richly and +delicately carved, may be had here for a mere song if you +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</a></span>possess only patience. Amongst other things there is a +brisk trade carried on in precious stones. Some of the +dealers in this article have found their way to our lower +deck, and proceed to pull little parcels, containing sparkling +and pellucid gems from their inner garments. There, +before us, in their downy nest, lie rubies, sapphires, opals, +and many more real or fictitious stones, seven-eighths of +which are probably manufactured at Birmingham, though +Ceylon abounds in real gems. It may, I think, be safely +conceded that "Jack" very rarely drops in for one such. +The dealers ask most fabulous prices for their wares—so +many thousand rupees; but after haggling with you for +about an hour or so are glad enough to part with them at +your own price—a proof, should you need it, of the +<i>genuineness</i> of your purchase.</p> + +<p>We are rather dubious at first about entering the canoes, +for they are so narrow as scarcely to admit of our broad +hams being comfortably stowed. However, by dint of a +little lateral pressure in that quarter, we at length manage +to wedge ourselves in. We find the motion pleasant +enough—a sense of security growing with experience.</p> + +<p>I suppose we are not the first, nor, unless some sudden +calamity undertake the place, are we likely to be the last, +who have remarked how exceeding annoying the "boys" +at the landing-place are. Guides they call themselves; +sailors, in their excellently-terse and rotund way, call them +by another name, which certainly does not commence with +a "G." These wasps know just sufficient of English to +make you disgusted with your mother tongue. The +ordinary and generally conclusive argument of applying +the toe of one's boot to the region of their quarter galleries +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</a></span>does not seem to be effective here. It is one of those +things one has to put up with.</p> + +<p>The town follows the sinuous windings of the shore for +upwards of a mile and a half, under an arcade of cocoa +palms, which forms one of the finest promenades imaginable. +Under this quivering canopy the fierce rays of the +outside sun filter through—a soft, sheeny, mellow light—making +his tropic rays deliciously cool, at the same time +imparting to them a mystic coloring of gold and emerald +green in all their wonderful combinations and capabilities +of tone, impossible to set down in writing.</p> + +<p>A noticeable thing about all this wonderful profusion, is +the number of beautiful shrubs, principally spice or perfume +bearing, and the grand harmonies and contrasts of +colour they present. Here, for example, is the nutmeg, +with its peach-like fruit; here the cinnamon, a tree whose +foliage embraces the most delicate gradations of colour, +from olive green to softest pink; there an aromatic gum +tree, the dark-leaved coffee tree, the invaluable bread fruit, +and scores of others beyond my botanical ken.</p> + +<p>The houses, examined in detail, are not by any means +the captivating objects we took them to be from the ship; +and they certainly don't improve on a closer acquaintance. +The air in the vicinity is thick and heavy, with a rancid +odour of cocoanut oil, emanating from the hair and bodies +of the local humanity. Their dwellings are constructed +of humble enough materials, in all conscience; for of the +four sides, three are of mud, the fourth being left open for +the purposes usually supplied by doors, windows, and +chimneys amongst ourselves. A sort of blind of cocoanut-fibre +covers this aperture to about half way, so that +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</a></span>one can easily see what is going on within. Near the door +reclines an indolent, almost nude man, in the most convenient +attitude for sleep; in the far corner his wife or +slave—for the names are synonymous—toiling and moiling +at a stone mill—a gaunt, angular, ugly woman, with +great rings in her nose and ears, and on her wrists and +ankles. Perfectly nude children and mangy-looking curs have +all the rest of the apartment to themselves; and from +the way in which they are enjoying their gambols, one may +judge that for them life is not an unpleasant thing on the +whole. The number of brown imps scattered about the +streets, threatening to upset your every movement, speaks +highly of the prolificness of Singalese matrons; and if a +numerous progeny is a desirable thing, then these mammas +ought to consider themselves blessed amongst women. +Their general aspect, though, conveys the opposite +impression.</p> + +<p>Everybody is addicted to the vice of chewing the betel-nut, +a proceeding which has the effect of dyeing the teeth +and lips a brilliant crimson, and gives to this people the +appearance of an universal bleeding at the mouth.</p> + +<p>Having completed a hasty perambulation of the town +we drive boldly into the undergrowth to where a strange-looking +building lies half-buried in the foliage. It proves +to be a Buddhist temple, an octagonal-shaped structure +with a bell-like roof. As we enter within its precincts, boy +priests are particularly careful to obliterate the marks of +our <i>heathen</i> feet on their beautiful floor of golden sand. +Inside are eight figures of the good Buddha, alternately +standing and sitting, depicted with that calm, inscrutable +countenance so remarkable in the image of this deity +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[53]</a></span>wherever this religion prevails. Before each figure is a +small altar, littered with flowers, the most conspicuous +blossom being the lotus lily, the symbol of this faith. +Other than these devotional oblations there is little to be +seen; what part in the ceremonies the priests take, or +where they perform their functions, does not appear.</p> + +<p>At the gate of the Court on our passing out, stands a +bold, yellow-robed priest, with a metal salver in his hand, +suggestive of donations. We told the old gent with naval +bluntness that we were not in the habit of aiding the +Society for the propagation of paganism—a remark, by the +way, which it was as well, perhaps, he could not understand.</p> + +<p>Sunday, October 6th.—Though sailors are excellent +singers—especially of hymn tunes—I never before heard +a hymn rendered so effectively on board a man-of-war +as that beautiful composition by Bishop Heber, commencing</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0a">"What though the spicy breezes<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Blow soft o'er Ceylon's isle,"<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<p>and which was one of the appropriate hymns for our +morning Service.</p> + +<p>October 8th.—Towards evening we bade good-bye to +this favoured land, and stood away to the eastward. We +had made good an offing, and set everything aloft snug +for the night, when heavy volumes of steam were found to +be issuing from the regions of the engine-room. A steam +pipe had burst, a fracture of so little moment that after a +short delay to effect repairs we were able to resume our +voyage. But though the damage was not serious, so far +as the ship was concerned, to us, personally, it was a +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[54]</a></span>matter of some consequence, on account of our bags and +chests being stowed immediately over the fractured pipe; +and in order to secure our property, we were compelled +to make a blind rush for it, re-appearing from our vapour +bath, as red as boiled lobsters.</p> + +<p>A splendid eight knot breeze brought us, after a few +days, off Acheen head, in Sumatra, and at the entrance of +the Straits of Malacca. And here, the monsoon which +had favoured us over so many miles of the pathless +ocean, suddenly forsook us. Sails were of no further use, +and we braced up our sweat glands for four or five days +of increasing heat. In obedience to the demands of an +imperious, ever-rising, thermometer, we reduced our rig +to the least possible articles consistent with decency and +the regulations of the Service—which latter, by the way, +discriminates not between the caloric of the north pole +and that of the equator.</p> + +<p>Just at this time, we encountered a phenomenon of +frequent occurrence in this region, namely, water-spouts. +One of these tremendous, funnel-shaped, columns of +water actually burst just ahead of us, drenching our +decks in showers of spray, and causing the water to +seethe and vex itself as though some monster were lashing +it into fury.</p> + +<p>October 18th.—The scene which presented itself to our +eyes, as we entered the narrow, gem-studded channel +which leads up to Singapore was such that I trust it may +live long in my mind as a memory picture of grateful and +refreshing beauty. I don't know that it will compare with +the mighty growth of Ceylon's forests, or with the variety +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</a></span>and richness of its forms; but for mellowness of tint and +harmonious blending of soft foliage, Singapore's park-like +views seem to me, as yet, unrivalled. The channel is so +narrow and its banks so high, that one is quite unprepared +for the splendour which suddenly, like the shifting +lights in a transformation scene, blazes out in all its +tropic splendour. <i>Now</i>, the scenes depicted in the +"Arabian Nights" seem to me not so impossible after all, +and, except that gems don't grow on the trees, this fairy +garden might well have stood in the writer's mind as his +ideal of paradise.</p> + +<p>Very reluctantly we turn away, as that grim reality, +known as the Tangong Pagar coaling wharf, heaves in +sight, and alongside which we are rapidly secured. Hundreds +of coolies, in anticipation of our enormous wants—500 tons +of carbon—are already thronging the jetty with +their baskets of coal, which ere long, is rattling down our +coal shoots.</p> + +<p>The Malays, though labouring under the disadvantage +of a bad reputation, are a well developed, muscular race, +of a dark, copper colour. Dress does not trouble them +much, for all that custom and society demand of them in +this respect is a couple of yards or so of white linen +about their lumbar region; the remainder of their +sleek, oily bodies presenting the appearance of polished +bronze. They are great divers, especially the youths +and boys—I had almost said <i>infants</i>, for some of the +little mortals can scarcely have passed the sucking age. +Their stock of English is very limited: "Jack, I say jack, +I dive," delivered all in one mouthful and with no regard +to punctuation, being about the extent of their acquirements +in our tongue.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</a></span>Our first day at Singapore was marked by a sad termination. +Emanuel Dewdney, one of our boys, a weakly +lad and far too delicate for the rough life he had adopted, +died of heat apoplexy in the afternoon.</p> + +<p>Though Singapore lies so near the equator—within +two degrees of it in fact—it enjoys a very healthy, though, +of course, a very hot climate. The town itself is not very +extensive. There is the usual native Malay division with +its system of mud architecture, its dirt and smells; and +that of the European residents—a marked contrast to the +irregular jumble of the other. I don't know that there is +particularly much to see in the island, except, perhaps, +the Botanical Gardens, whose beauties will amply repay +you for the rather long walk to reach them. You may +take a coach if you like, but that will spoil the pleasure. +In these gardens all the choicest and rarest flora, and +much of the fauna, of the East Indies, are brought +together and acclimatized. The most conspicuous +amongst the former, and certainly the most lovely—and +that is saying much where all excel—is a species of +acacia, a large tree with great flaming scarlet and yellow +flowers. Then there is that extremely interesting and +singularly funny creeper, the sensitive plant, which, on +the approach of anybody, has the power of doubling up +its leaves as if in sudden fear. Birds in great variety—all +scarlet, gold, and azure—inhabit spacious aviaries within +the grounds. Lyre birds, argus pheasants, great eagles, +and owls from Java, doves, pigeons, lories, and humming +birds, the metallic lustre of whose plumage flashes in the +light like the sheen of steel. One or two tigers—in a +cage, of course—invite our curiosity. I was not, however, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[57]</a></span>prepared to make quite so close an acquaintance with +these lovely supple creatures, as one of the marines of +our party, who, having indulged too freely in malt, +possibly mistook the animals for cats, the result being he +got so damaged about the bows as to be rendered unfit +for divisions the following morning, and barely escaped +with his eyesight. Drink makes a man do queer things.</p> + +<p>The native men are very picturesquely apparelled in +gaily coloured turbans and sarongs, whilst the women,—tall, +graceful, and pretty—convey a small fortune +about with them, in the shape of jewellery, in the cartilage +of the nose, in the ears, and around the arms and +legs. I saw one woman who had such heavy masses of +gold in her ears that the lobes of those organs touched +her shoulders.</p> + +<p>November 1st.—At 9 a.m. the long-expected "Audacious" +hove in sight, flying the flag of Admiral Hillyar at the +main. How we already envy her fortunate crew!</p> + +<p>November 8th, off to Penang. The pipe "up anchor" +this morning was hailed with delight. Anything to +change the dull monotony of the last few weeks. We +started with an overcast and rainy sky, and by the next +morning had reached Malacca, a small British settlement, +essentially Malay, more a village than a town. It lies +very low and close to the water's edge, the houses of the +natives being all constructed on piles driven into the +mud, and embowered in a dense framework of cocoa +palms. In the distance rises the high cone-shaped peak +of Ophir, now a lovely sight because of the misty covering +which envelopes it to near its summit. Bananas are +very plentiful; so, too, are monkeys and the canes so +highly prized at home.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[58]</a></span>November 9th.—To-day, our own admiral came in, in +the mail steamer, and glad are we that he has arrived, +that we may be again on the move, for you know there +are happier states and more comfortable, than a forcible +detention in a red-hot ironclad.</p> + +<p>Sunday, November 13th.—I see in my "journal" that I +have noted what, under ordinary conditions, would call +for no remark, that a lady was present at our service to-day. +None but those who are banished the softening +and refreshing influence of woman's society can form any +idea how pleasant it is to see an English woman in this +land of yellow bellies and sable skins.</p> + +<p>November 15th.—Now we are really the Flag Ship, for +this morning the "Audacious," with a parting cheer, +bade us good-bye, and started for home.</p> + +<p>November 21st.—By early morning we discovered the +island of Din Ding right a-head.</p> + +<p>Nothing can exceed the wonderful beauty of this tiny +island. From the sea it has so much the appearance of the +bosky slopes of Mount Edgcumbe, that, were it not for +the characteristic palm, one could well imagine one's self +looking at a bit of our own dear England.</p> + +<p>A stretch of sandy beach, white and glistening as silver, +with the graceful waving plumes of the cocoanut tree close +to the water's edge, and behind, the pile dwellings of the +Malays, nestling at the foot of a wooded eminence, capped +to its very summit with a dense and varied growth; such +is the picture viewed from the anchorage. Din Ding, or +Ding Ding—as sailors, by a system of alliteration, very +fashionable amongst themselves—render it, lies at the +mouth of the Perak river.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[59]</a></span>On landing we struck at once into the jungle, under tall +palms, with their great ripening fruit, and other tropic +vegetation. Road, there was none; only a sort of bridle +path, very heavy with mud, and overgrown with great +hawser-like creepers, indicated a way along which we +trudged. Now and then the fallen trunk of a great tree +barred our further progress, or a chasm yawned before us, +or mayhap, a great time-worn boulder stopped the way; +insignificant objects all when matelôts are on the war trail. +Our object was to reach a certain house on yonder point, +in which a most dastardly murder was recently perpetrated +on the British resident, Colonel Lloyd, who, with his wife +and sister, had made this their home. The house is now +quite empty, but in one of the rooms we saw, or fancied +we saw, spots of sanguine dye on the floor.</p> + +<p>We hastened onward through a small hamlet of about +a dozen miserable huts, resting on piles. Tubs of putrid +fish, in all stages of decomposition, gave out a most horrid +stench, whilst other carcasses strewed the ground in advanced +rottenness. Is it not revolting, that amongst these +people, fish in its pure state is rarely eaten, and if it be, it +is always raw. But nature is ever lovely, though the +human part of her does all it can to deface her; if she +were not so what a spoiled world ours would be!</p> + +<p>Holding our nostrils we ran for it, doubtful if we should +ever get rid of the smell. Further on was a hut of rather +larger pretensions, now used as a barrack for the police. +One of these latter, who possessed a tolerable knowledge of +English, struck up a conversation with us, and amongst +indifferent topics we asked about the prisoners recently +captured. He certainly took us by surprise, when he indicated<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[60]</a></span> +they were within the building, alongside of which we +were standing. Would we like to see them? We would. +Yes, true enough, there on the floor were five Chinamen, +lashed and bound so tight that the flesh stood out in +great purple ridges on either side the rope.</p> + +<p>To get back to our boat we had to repass the village of +odours delectable. On this occasion the scantily clad +and polished Malays, whom we had not seen on passing +through, put in an appearance.</p> + +<p>By 4 p.m. the anchor was aweigh, and we heading towards +Penang, which was reached on the following day in +the midst of thick, dirty weather.</p> + +<p>The town is well built, and the cleanest I have yet seen +since leaving Europe. The island is sometimes termed +the "Garden of the East," and if it is always as now, I +should say the name was justly bestowed. A little way +out in the country is a fine waterfall, which all who call +here, make a point of visiting. Jumping into a pony +carriage, locally called a <i>gharry</i>, a comfortable, well +ventilated vehicle, capable of seating four persons, we desire +the turban driver to steer for the latter place. Along +the very fine road to the fall, a profusion of palms and +gigantic tree ferns, between thirty and forty feet high, up +whose great stems gaily flowered creepers wind their +hawser-like fronds, make a delicious and cooling shade. +Yonder tree away there in the background, with delicate +pea-green leaves, is an old friend of ours. Let your +memories go back to your infancy. Cannot you recall +many a wry face; cannot you remember how unpleasant +the after sensations when stern, but kind mothers forced a +nauseous decoction called "senna" down your widely-gaping<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[61]</a></span> +throat? You smile. I felt certain you had all +experienced it. Well that is the senna tree.</p> + +<p>Large mansions lying back from the roadway, with +gates and paths leading up to their entrances, and a smell +of new mown hay, were most home-like and refreshing.</p> + +<p>We should have fared much better had a more mutual +understanding existed between us and our pony. That +obtuse little beast, good enough at curves and tangents, +after half an hour's canter, flatly refused to exert himself +above a walk; nor, though frequently encouraged by the +whip, did he accelerate his movements to the end of our +drive.</p> + +<p>At the fall we had a very refreshing shower bath under a +thundering cascade of water tumbling over the edge of a +gorge. Near at hand, and conveniently so, too, for the +priesthood, is a small shrine sacred to the Hindoo god +Brahin, a diminutive edition of whom stands on a little +pedestal, amidst braziers, lamps, figures with elephants' +heads and human bodies, and other monstrosities. You +may be certain there was a mendicant priest in attendance +on his godship.</p> + +<p>On the return voyage our hack behaved even more ungentlemanly +than before, for now he most emphatically +refused to budge an inch, indicating his intention of +becoming a fixture by planting his feet obliquely, like a +stubborn jackass, into the ground. Human nature could +scarcely be expected to tolerate such evidence of mutiny, +so, jumping into the first passing carriage, we reached the +town at a fairly creditable canter.</p> + +<p>November 28th.—To-day our short stay at Penang +comes to a conclusion, and a few days afterwards we are +once more at Singapore.</p> + + +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[62]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER VI.</h2> +<hr class="hr2" /> + +<div class="poem"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="poem"> +<tr><td class="tdstanza"> +<span class="i0a">"Merrily, merrily on we sail!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The sailor's life is gay!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">His hopes are on the favouring gale,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And whether it freshens, or whether it fail<br /></span> +<span class="i0">He recks not, cares not, no not he;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">For his hope is ever upon the sea."<br /></span> +</td></tr> +</table> +</div> + +<hr class="hr2" /> +<p class="summary">SARAWAK.​—​LABUAN.​—​MANILLA.​—​HEAVY WEATHER.</p> + + +<p>December 5th.—At 4 p.m. the anchor was hove +short for our voyage to Hong Kong, by way +of Manilla. As we start some days sooner +than we anticipated, we had made no provision +for getting our washed clothes on board, and grave +fears are entertained that we shall be compelled to +sail without it, for as yet there is not so much as the ghost +of a washerwoman in sight. Will they, can they by any +fortuitous combination of circumstances, put in an appearance +before we leave? Despair, we are off! But +surely no, it can't be? Yes, by jove, there are boats pulling +after us with all the might the rowers can command. +We lie to, the proas come nearer. Hurrah! the clothes, +some wholly washed, some half-washed, and some not +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[63]</a></span>washed at all. Piles of fair white linen are bundled up the +gangway pell-mell, Malay washerwomen bundled <i>out</i> ditto, +and for payment, the revolving screws settle that in a +highly satisfactory manner.</p> + +<p>With the "Lapwing" in tow, and the gentlest of +breezes filling the lighter canvas, we shape our course +eastward.</p> + +<p>December 8th.—Late in the afternoon we brought up +in the roadstead of Sarawak, on the northern coast of +Borneo. The place is not at all enlivening; neither +house, human being, nor boat, to indicate we are in +habitable land. The town itself, the capital of a small +rajahship governed by an Englishman, lies some twenty +miles up a river, in the estuary of which we are anchored. +The province was presented by the Sultan of Borneo, in +1843, to Sir James Brooke, uncle of the present proprietor, +who, on the decease of Sir James, in 1868, succeeded +to the territory.</p> + +<p>Here the "Lapwing," after having taken the admiral +up the river, parted company, whilst we continued our +way along the Bornean shore.</p> + +<p>December 12th.—We awoke to find ourselves in the +midst of a labyrinth of isles most wonderful to behold, +vaguely guessing which, out of so many, can be Labuan. +The rattling of the chain through the hawse, decides it. +A small settlement over which England's flag keeps guard, +lies before us. This is the town of Victoria. This small +island, previous to 1846, belonged to Borneo, but in that +year the Sultan ceded it to Britain, as a convenient +station for checking piracy on his sea-board. It lies off +the north-eastern end of the great island of Borneo, and +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[64]</a></span>within view of its precipitous heights and mist-clad peaks.</p> + +<p>December 14th.—Coaling is a long process at Labuan, +first, because the ship lies so far from the shore, and next, +because of the insufficiency of convenient boats, and the +necessary coolie labour to put the coal on board, thus +it took us two whole days to get in as many hundred tons. +By the evening of the 14th however, we had cleared the +islands, and shaped course for Manilla against a head +wind.</p> + +<p>December 19th.—It has taken us twelve hours to clear +the intricate, and gusty approaches to Manilla Bay, the +wind, occasionally meeting us with such force, accompanied +by such a chopping sea, that we sometimes made +no progress at all. On coming to anchor we were rather +surprised to find the "Lapwing" had preceded us, and +was lying close in shore.</p> + +<p>Manilla, the capital of Luzon, the largest of the Philippine +Islands, is a city of considerable magnitude, and has +all the appearance of a Spanish town in Europe, these +islands having belonged to Spain for over 300 years.</p> + +<p>Though we arrived on a Sunday it was anticipated there +would be no difficulty in procuring coal immediately. +Had the British been in authority here we should have +been <i>privileged</i> to do so with impunity. When this conclusion +was arrived at, one potent factor had not been +considered—"the Church"—and for once in a way we +were thankful to the Church. The archbishop of Manilla +and his subordinates hold more real sway over the minds +and bodies of the natives—Indians, as they are called—than +all the temporal power of the governor, backed by +his guards, or even than the king himself.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[65]</a></span>Amidst all the Spanish jabber around, it is refreshing to +hear ourselves hailed in genuine English, and soon the +author of the sound grasps us by the hand and welcomes +us to his house, a request we gladly comply with.</p> + +<p>The houses are very like those of Gibraltar, and one's +memory is rapidly borne back to the "Rock," especially +as everything around is Spanish.</p> + +<p>Perhaps the great feature of the place is its cathedrals; +one in particular, a magnificent structure, so roomy and +lofty that I should think half the devout of the city could +find accommodation therein. In less than two years +subsequent to our visit the whole of this grand pile was +little better than a heap of ruins, from an earthquake wave +which passed over these islands. This most terrible of +natural phenomena is of frequent occurrence in this +quarter of the world. In many parts of the city we +observed whole streets and churches in ruins, as if from a +recent bombardment.</p> + +<p>Cock-fighting is the great national sport, amusement, or +cruelty, which of the three you will, indulged in by the +good people of Manilla. Everywhere along the streets +you may meet Spanish boys and half castes, with each his +bird tucked under his arm ready for the combat, should +the chance passer-by make it worth their while.</p> + +<p>The best place to witness this propensity for blood, +which seems in-born in every Spaniard, is at the public +arena in the heart of the city, where hundreds of cocks +are generally engaged at once, the betting on a certain +bird not unfrequently amounting to thousands of dollars. +I will not trouble you with the sickening details of the scene +I witnessed—to my shame I say it—I think few of those +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[66]</a></span>who are present at a first exhibition of this cruel and +useless sport will be desirous of witnessing a second—except +he be a man of a morbid inclination. One may be +impelled by curiosity to satisfy a human weakness, but +every rightly balanced mind will turn from the scene with +feelings of repugnance and disgust.</p> + +<p>December 23rd.—The last day of our stay, and the last +opportunity we shall have for laying in stock for the 25th. +In the afternoon the caterers of messes having been +accorded the necessary permission, went on shore to make +a general clearance in the Manilla markets. There was +every prospect, when they left the ship, of the day continuing +fine—a bright sun and a clear sky above, and a +smooth sea below. Unfortunately for the success of the +expedition, this happy meteoric combination did not +continue. The heavens began to frown, and the sea—ever +jealous of its sister's moods—put on a restless appearance. +At sun-down the wind suddenly rose to half a gale, +with a cross lumpy sea and drenching showers of rain. +The accommodation for the men to return to the ship was +degrees from being called even fair. They had hired a +rickety steam launch, scarcely capable of holding her own +in ordinary weather, and two smaller boats, or gigs, neither +of which was in a seaworthy condition; and in these was +to be found room for upwards of forty men, besides about +a ton of provisions of all kinds. It was evident, or ought +to have been, that it was madness to attempt leaving the +shore whilst the present weather lasted. I have seen the +offence of breaking leave justified for less boisterous +weather. Orders, however, (especially sailing orders) are +imperative; so the flotilla put off at 7 p.m. in tow of the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[67]</a></span>launch. The following was the arrangement:—The +launch, laden far below her bearings, took the lead; the +second boat contained all the heaviest provisions—flour, +pigs, poultry, potatoes, and such like; whilst far too many +men had stowed themselves in the third boat, to give but +the faintest idea of either comfort or safety.</p> + +<p>When about half-way to the ship, the painter of the +hindmost boat parted, and the launch, rounding to, to her +assistance narrowly escaped swamping. The next mishap +chanced to the second boat—the provision gig—whose +stem piece was tugged completely out of her, and the two +sides, having thus lost their mutual support, parted and +went to the bottom, the onlookers having to endure the +melancholy sight of witnessing all their good things going +to fatten old Davy Jones, or to fill his lockers, or something +of that sort. But the distress of these very distressed +mariners was not yet complete; a strange fatality seemed +to have embarked with them. It was now the launch's +turn: first the third boat, next the second, and now the +launch in proper, though fortunately not arithmetical +progression. It was discovered that the supply of coal +could not possibly last to the ship! What was to be +done? "Opportunity," it is said, "makes the thief;" +it may be also said, with equal truth, that opportunity +makes the dormant abilities of some men to soar above +their fellows, over-riding even destiny itself. The Spanish +crew of the launch were unequal to the emergency, were +worse than useless in fact; but an able substitute for the +engineer was found in Andrews, one of our leading stokers; +and for coxswain, who better than Law, the boatswain's +mate? The former of these at once directed everybody +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[68]</a></span>to pull the inner wood work of the launch to pieces, and, +as the bump of destructiveness has its full development in +the sailor phrenology, he had not long to wait for his fuel; +thus they managed to reach the ship full six hours after +they had left the shore.</p> + +<p>December 25th.—Christmas in merry England is one +thing; Christmas in a gale in the China Sea another, and +so distinct a thing as scarcely to be confounded with the +former. But let us see if we can tell our friends something +about it. Considering the shortcomings we had to put +up with—bare tables, hungry bellies, and the lively movements +of our ship, consequent on a rising malevolent sea—I think +we managed to enjoy a fair amount of fun, whether +it was genuine or not is another point, nor would I like to +vouch for its being altogether devoid of irony. "Father +Christmas" paid us his customary visit anyway, in his +mantle of snow—fancy snow within fifteen degrees of the +line!—which merry, rubicund, and very ancient man was +ably personated by a gigantic marine, the necessary barrel-like +proportions being conveyed by a feather pillow.</p> + +<p>"A hungry man is an angry one;" so runs the legend, +but, if true, and I have every reason to believe that it is, +it held not on the lower deck of the "Iron Duke" this day, +for <i>no</i> man was angry, and <i>every</i> man <i>was</i> hungry, not +counting some who had their heads down the lee scuppers. +Altogether the day passed very smoothly inboard, though +outside a storm was hurrying on us with gigantic strides.</p> + +<p>December 26th.—The overcast sky of last night was +indeed a precursor of what was to follow. About midnight +the wind freshened into a full gale, the first we have +encountered since leaving England. It gave us a proper +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[69]</a></span>shaking down into our places. The sea became wild and +mountainous, the wind shrieking and vicious, and as to +hold our course we had to stem its full fury, it was found +impossible to keep the ship head on except at a much +greater consumption of coal than we were prepared to use. +Crash! What's gone? The jib-boom and all its appurtenances. +The wrecked spar falling athwart the ram +remained there for hours, proving a most difficult obstacle +to clear away in such a whirl as was going on in the +neighbourhood of our bows.</p> + +<p>But there were no signs of the gale moderating, and the +admiral deeming, I suppose, the present state of things +far from satisfactory determined on putting back to +Manilla. The ship was brought around, or "wore" as +nautical men term it, an evolution which, though not of +difficult accomplishment, at a certain moment in its +progress leaves the vessel completely helpless in the trough +of the sea, a fact you all know far better than myself, I +only touch upon it to hint what the result must be to such +a cumbersome mass as our iron hull. As we broached to, +it became a matter of holding on to everything, and by +everything—eyebrows and all—especially between decks. +Delightful times these for ditty boxes, crockery, bread +barges, and slush tubs; 'tis their only chance for enjoyment +and they make the most of it. Such revelry generally +winds up with a grand crash somewhere in the vicinity of +the iron combings to the hatchways. Any plates left, any +basins? Nay, that would be to ask too much of the +potter's art. At length we are put round, and running +back to Manilla under all the canvas we dare shew.</p> + +<p>December 31st.—Completed with coal and left on a +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[70]</a></span>fresh attempt to reach Hong Kong, the black and lowering +sky suggesting either the continuation of, or the sequel to, +the late stormy weather. Being New Year's Eve the usual +attempt at a tin-pot band was made to make the night +hideous. Setting aside the annoyance of this species of +rowdyism to the less exuberant spirits amongst us, the +noise would be most unseemly with the commander-in-chief +on board, and it says much for the would-be +musicians that they saw it in this light.</p> + +<p>We reached the northern point of Luzon without +mishap, and stood away with a heavy cross-sea for Hong +Kong, arriving on January 4th, 1879.</p> + + +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[71]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER VII.</h2> +<hr class="hr2" /> + +<div class="poem"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="poem"> +<tr><td class="tdstanza"> +<span class="i0a">"Then Kublai Khan gave the word of command<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And they all poured into the Central Land."<br /></span> +</td></tr> +</table> +</div> + +<hr class="hr2" /> + +<p class="summary">HONG KONG.​—​SOME CHINESE MANNERS AND CUSTOMS.</p> + + +<p>I suppose there are few amongst us, sailors though +we are, who, as boys at school when reading of China, +have never expressed a wish to see that land for +themselves, to say nothing of making the acquaintance of +its quaint old-world people in their very own homes. In +my imagination I had covered its goodly soil with +wondrous palaces, all sparkling with splendour and +embellished with all that art could furnish or riches +command. I had peopled its broad plains with bright +beautiful forms in silken attire, amongst whom a love of +the elegant and the beautiful pervaded all classes of the +community, and who in long ages ago had attained to arts +and learning which it has taken us centuries of careful +study and elaborate research to acquire. Yea, it was +always a wonderland to me, even down to the present +year; such is the power which the associations formed by +the child exercise over the mind of the man. Yet were +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[72]</a></span>we prepared to meet a people who should, in almost all +things, differ from almost all other peoples. In the last +particular we are not deceived; in all else, yes. But I +wont anticipate.</p> + +<p>In this little book I shall not be able to tell you a tithe +of what may be told of this land did I feel competent to +do so. Volumes have been written on the subject, and +still the half has not been said. I purpose, therefore, +henceforward to intersperse with the narrative of our own +doings, just so much of the manners and customs of the +Chinese and Japanese, as every sailor possessed of the +ordinary powers of vision may see for himself.</p> + +<p>January 4th.—The harbour of Hong Kong is reached +from the sea by means of a rather long and tortuous passage, +with bleak barren heights on either hand,—the +channel being in some parts so narrow that there is scarce +room for the ship to turn.</p> + +<p>The island itself—rendered either "<i>red harbour</i>" or +"<i>fragrant streams</i>," which you prefer, though neither +seems applicable, certainly not the latter if by <i>fragrance</i> +is meant what we mean by it—lies on the southern seaboard +of China. It became British in 1842, on the conclusion +of the first Chinese war. The city of Victoria is +situated on its northern side, and stands on a beautiful +land-locked harbour, formed by the island on the one hand +and the peninsula of Kowloon (also British) on the other +a sheet of water which always presents a gay and animated +appearance, from the thousands of vessels and boats which +cover its surface like a mosaic.</p> + +<p>It is not without some difficulty that we push our way +through the thronging craft, principally little boats termed +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[73]</a></span>"sampans," to our moorings abreast of the Dockyard. +Curious craft withal, and serving a double purpose; for +besides their legitimate one, whole families live and move, +are born, and die in them; the necessary accommodation +being furnished by an ingenious arrangement of hatches, +floors, and partitions, and, as it seems highly fashionable +that the Chinese mammas should be making constant +additions to the population, the squalling of the young +celestials betrays a healthiness of lung, and a knowledge +of its capabilities, scarcely to be credited of such small +humanity.</p> + +<p>The earlier fate of these infantile members of the boat +population is sad. They are exposed to a "rough-and-tumble" +existence as soon as they are ushered into the +world, especially should the poor innocent have the +misfortune to be born a girl baby, for in that case she has +simply to shift for herself, the inhuman parents considering +themselves fortunate if they lose a girl or two overboard. +The boys, or "bull" children, as they are termed, meet +with rather more care relatively speaking. As, from the +nature of their occupation, but little time can be devoted +to nursing—the mother being compelled to constant +labour at the oar—the child is slung on to her back, and, +as she moves to and fro with the stroke of the oar, the +babe's soft face bobs in unison against its mother's back, a +fact which will perhaps explain how it is that the lower +class Chinese wear their noses flattened out on their two +cheeks rather than in the prominent position usually +selected by that organ.</p> + +<p>It is amazing how wonderfully quick the Chinese pick +up a colloquial foreign tongue; the same tailor for +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[74]</a></span>instance experiencing no difficulty in making himself +understood in English, French, Russian, or Spanish; +English, though, is the language par excellence along all +the China seaboard. So universal is it that a foreigner +must needs know something of our tongue to make +himself intelligible to the ordinary Chinaman; and, more +remarkable still, there is such a vast difference between +the spoken dialects of north and south China—nay, even +between any two provinces in the "Flowery Land"—that +I have known some of our native domestics from the +Canton district, when talking with their countrymen of +Chefoo, communicate their ideas and wants in English, +because their own medium failed them; the difference +between the native dialects being as broad as that between +English and Dutch.</p> + +<p>Though such a diversity exists <i>orally</i>, the <i>written</i> +character is common, and expresses exactly the same idea +all over the empire, and beyond it in Japan, Corea, and +the Loo Choo islands.</p> + +<p>The Chinese are splendid workmen, providing you can +furnish them with a model or copy, for there is very little +genius, properly so-called, attached to John Chinaman.</p> + +<p>Their imitative faculty and powers of memory are really +wonderful; as an instance of the former perhaps the +following may not be amiss:—</p> + +<p>"In the earlier days of the first occupation, the English +residents of Hong Kong were often placed in difficulties +about their clothing, Chinamen not having attained to +that perfection in the tailors' art which they now have +acquired. On one occasion an old coat was supplied +to a native tailor as a guide to the construction of a new +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[75]</a></span>one; it so happened the old garment had a carefully +mended rent in its sleeve—a circumstance the man +was prompt to notice—setting to at once, with infinite +pains, to make a tear of a similar size and shape in the new +coat, and to re-sew it with the exact number of stitches as +in the original."</p> + +<p>The old stories we have heard at home about a Chinaman's +tail being designed that by it he may be hoisted to +heaven, and that if he lose it he may never hope to reach +that desirable altitude, have really no foundation in fact, +nor is it a fact, as sailors are apt to believe, that it is +nurtured for their special benefit as a convenient handle +for playing off practical jokes on the luckless possessors; +the truth being that the "queue," now so universally +prized amongst them, is a symbol of conquest forced upon +them by their hated Tartar-masters. Previous to the +seventeenth century the inhabitants of the middle kingdom +wore their hair much after the style of the people of +Corea, but after the Manchu conquest they were compelled +to adopt the present mode.</p> + +<p>The city of Victoria is very prettily situated on the +slopes of an eminence which culminates in a peak at an +altitude of 1300 feet, and from which a most charming +and cheerful view of the sea on the one side, and the +harbour and the yellow sand-stone hills of China on the +other.</p> + +<p>It is allowed to be the most cosmopolitan city in the +world. Representatives of races far in excess of the +Pentecostal catalogue, may be encountered in its streets +in any hour's walk; men of all shades of colour and of +every religious creed live here side by side in apparent +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[76]</a></span>perfect harmony. The Chinese who form the bulk of +the population live entirely apart from the "<i>Ung-moh</i>" +(red hair devils) as they flatteringly term us. English +manners and customs do not seem to have influenced the +native mind in the smallest degree, in spite of our charities +and schools—a fact we cannot wonder at, taking into +account our <i>diabolical</i> origin.</p> + +<p>The town—by which I mean the European part of it—possesses +many public and private buildings of almost +palatial grandeur. Of these, Government house, the City +hall—including the museum and reading room, the +cathedral and college, the various banks, and the residences +of the great merchants may be cited as examples. +There is also a fine botanical garden, not nearly so large +as that at Singapore, but perhaps scarcely less beautiful, +and an extensive recreation and drill ground, where one +may see curious sights! pigtailed, loose-robed Chinamen +wielding the cricket-bat, and dealing the ball some creditable +raps too.</p> + +<p>There is perhaps only one good street in the colony, +Victoria street or Queen's road; this traverses the city +from end to end, and constitutes the great business +thoroughfare of the place. After about an hour's walk +along it, for the first part under an arcade of trees, we +find ourselves in the filthy, unsavoury Chinese quarter, +as the nose is careful to remind you if there be any doubt +about it. They are certainly a very dirty race, these +Chinamen; the dirtiest on earth, I should be inclined to +say, considering their boasted civilization and vaunted +morals; and, though compelled by our sanitary laws to +live somewhat more cleanly than their enthralled brethren +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[77]</a></span>on the continent, still they are dirty, and I'll hazard to +say a sight of the Chinese of this town would soon dispel +any illusions one might have nourished to the contrary. +A subsequent visit to the native city of Shanghai shewed +us to what disgusting depths humanity can descend in +this particular.</p> + +<p>This enterprising people possess some very fine shops, +where you can purchase every known European commodity +at cheaper rates than of the European firms. Every +shop has a huge sign-board depending from the top of the +house to the bottom, whereon is recorded in vermillion +and gold characters, not so much the name as the virtues +of the man within, sometimes, too, his genealogical tree +is appended. Such expressions as "no cheating here" +or "I cannot deceive," are common, but, in nearly every +case, belie the character of the proprietor, who is a living +libel on the word honesty. Honesty! old Shylock even +would blush for them.</p> + +<p>Here, where there is protection for life and property, +a shopkeeper surprises you at the rich and grand display +of his wares. In China proper, a dealer dare not show all +he is worth for fear of the mandarins, who, should one +chance to pass that way, would in all probability, cast his +covetous eyes on the poor man's property, and demand +whatever had taken his fancy. Nor may a poor man be in +possession of an article inconsistent with his position in +the social scale—he may not be the owner of a tiger's skin, +for instance, as none but mandarins and people of similar +position, are permitted such luxuries. This reminds one +of the time, not so very remote, when similar restrictions +were placed on dress in England.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[78]</a></span>This system of mulcting is known all over China as +"<i>cum-shaw</i>," a system, too, which I would advise all sailors +to adopt in their dealings with the slippery race if they +would not be robbed. The vendor dare not say nay to a +mandarin; and, though it is a point of etiquette on the +part of the big man to offer payment, it is equally a point +of etiquette for the tradesman to refuse: a fact, it is said, +the mandarin always calculates on.</p> + +<p>In addition to the orthodox shop, the streets are lined +with itinerants, orange stalls, betel-nut tables, heaps of +rags, and sundries, baskets of vegetables of very strange +appearance and strong penetrating odours, half-cooked +roots and leaves—for the people never eat a well-cooked +root or vegetable; it is from these principally that the +intolerable stench is proceeding.</p> + +<p>What the Chinese eat is a mystery, and such queer +compounds enter into their <i>menu</i> that I would give everybody +who dines with a Chinaman this advice—don't +enquire too minutely into what is placed before you, or +you will eat nothing, and so offend your host; bolt it and +fancy it is something nice—and <i>fancy</i> goes for something +at times, I can assure you. That it requires a tremendous +effort on the part of the human stomach, the subjoined +"Bill of Fare" of a dinner given to Governor Hennessey +by one of the Chinese guilds will, perhaps, serve to shew:</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[79]</a></span></p> + +<table style="font-size: 90%;" border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" summary="Dinner menu"> + +<tr><td colspan="2" class="tdc">Birds' Nest Soup.</td></tr> + +<tr><td colspan="2" class="tdc">Pigeons' Egg Soup.</td></tr> + +<tr><td colspan="2" class="tdc">Fungus Soup.</td></tr> + +<tr><td colspan="2" class="tdc">———</td></tr> + +<tr><td colspan="2" class="tdc">Fried Sharks' Fins.</td></tr> + +<tr><td colspan="2" class="tdc">Beche-de-mer<a name="FNanchor_1_1" id="FNanchor_1_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_1_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a> and Wild Duck.</td></tr> + +<tr><td colspan="2" class="tdc">Stewed Chicken and Sharks' Fins.</td></tr> + +<tr><td colspan="2" class="tdc">Fish Maw.</td></tr> + +<tr><td colspan="2" class="tdc">———</td></tr> + +<tr><td colspan="2" class="tdc">Minced Partridge.</td></tr> + +<tr><td colspan="2" class="tdc">Ham and Capon.</td></tr> + +<tr><td colspan="2" class="tdc">Meat Ball and Fungus.</td></tr> + +<tr><td colspan="2" class="tdc">Boiled Shell Fish.</td></tr> + +<tr><td colspan="2" class="tdc">Pig's Throat, stewed.</td></tr> + +<tr><td colspan="2" class="tdc">Minced Shell Fish with Greens.</td></tr> + +<tr><td colspan="2" class="tdc">Chicken Gruel Salad.</td></tr> + +<tr><td colspan="2" class="tdc">Stewed Mushrooms.</td></tr> + +<tr><td colspan="2" class="tdc">Pig's Leg, stewed.</td></tr> + +<tr><td colspan="2" class="tdc">———</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdl padl">Roast Capon.</td><td class="tdl padl">Roast Mutton.</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdl padl">Roast Pig.</td><td class="tdl padl">Roast Goose.</td></tr> + +<tr><td colspan="2" class="tdc">———</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdl padl">Fruits.</td><td class="tdl padl">Melon Seeds.</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="tdl padl">Preserves.</td><td class="tdl padl">Almonds.</td></tr> +</table> + +<p>Cats, too, are entertained as food, though I believe only +by the extremely poor, to whom nothing seems to come +amiss. One may frequently meet in the streets vendors +of poor puss, easily recognisable by their suggestive cry, +"mow (miow?) youk"—cat-meat!</p> + +<p>One is struck with astonishment at the vast crowds +which always throng the streets, each unit of which seems +intent on some most important business, and looks as +though its accomplishment absorbed his whole being. +Perhaps it is only a few ounces of fish which he carries +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[80]</a></span>suspended from his ringer by a cord; but if it were the +emperor's diamonds he could not conduct himself with +more importance.</p> + +<p>The ordinary means of conveyance in China is by the +sedan chair, a sort of box of cane-work supported on poles +for the convenience of the bearers, of whom there are +generally two, but frequently as many as six. The riding +is comfortable enough, and the springy motion imparted +by the rider's weight is one of the pleasantest sensations +I know of. Of course our tars, immediately they come +on shore and see something new, want to find out all +about it: hence sedan chairs are all the go, and a bad +time the poor coolies have of it, too; for "Jack" is all +motion, especially if he be in that semi-apathetic state +known as "east half south," as it not unfrequently happens +that he is. He compels his bearers to tax their +powers of endurance to the utmost, urging them by all the +endearing epithets in the nautical vocabulary to unheard-of +exertions, regardless of the luckless pedestrians in the +way.</p> + +<p>Whilst we are on the return voyage through Queen's +road, I must just say a word or two about the people's +costume, which, as we observe, is nearly the same for both +sexes; for if there be any difference, it is but slight in +detail. Their dress is the most unbecoming and ungraceful +it is possible to conceive, and yet, we are bound to +admit, most refined. Had the women the redeeming +quality of beauty, or the charm of a pretty face, possibly +even this dress might appear to better advantage. A +coarse-looking black or blue blouse, of that material known +to us as "nankeen," a tiny apron confined to the waist by +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[81]</a></span>a slender scarlet cord—their only bit of bright color—short +wide trousers, almost as broad at the bottoms as +they are long, bare legs and feet—such is a vision of the +Chinese woman of the working classes. The dress of a +lady differs from this only in the nature of the material of +which the garments are made—in their case, silk as a rule—stockinged +feet, and silk shoes with thick while, though +extremely light, soles. Nations, like individuals, have +their fopperies; the celestials display this quality, particularly +in the coverings for the feet. The shoe, especially of +the females, is, beyond question, the most tasteful article in +their costume. It is, as I have said before, made of silk, +generally of a lavender, salmon, or rose color, embroidered +in beautiful and artistic patterns of leaves, flowers, and +insects. The soles are of the whitest doeskin; and so +particular are they that they shall retain their unsullied +appearance, that, like the cats, they seldom walk through +a wet or muddy street.</p> + +<p>The system of binding the feet of the women is by no +means so universal as we have been led to believe, and +we must confess to having been deceived in this matter; +we all thought, probably, to have seen <i>all</i> the women with +that useful member reduced to the dimensions of a baby's +foot—instead of which, what do we really see? scarce one +deformed woman in all our walks. Yet this nation considers +this cramped, tortured lump (it has lost all semblance +to a foot) an index of beauty.</p> + +<p>Their hair is by far their finest possession, which, with +their large almond-shaped eyes, is invariably of a black color. +I once saw a Chinaman with <i>red</i> hair, and you cannot +think how ludicrous his queue looked beside the sable<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[82]</a></span> tails of his brethren. The manner in which the women +dress their hair is most wonderful, and materially helps to +give them their uninviting appearance. They have a +fashion of sticking it out around the head in the shape of +a teapot, stiffened with grease and slips of bamboo. That +this style of head-dress enhances their ugliness very few +Europeans I think will deny; for some women whom we +have seen, with their hair combed neatly back over their +heads and coiled up in a trace behind, looked not altogether +uncomely.</p> + +<p>The head is dressed but once in ten days; and as the +people sleep in their day clothes, the possibility is they +entertain about their persons a private menagerie of those +interesting creatures whose name looks so vulgar in print. +It is one of the commonest scenes in the streets to see a +Chinaman squat on the kerb-stone and turn up a fold or +two of his trousers to manipulate these little pests; and +even the high officials and well-to-do people look upon it +as no outrage to the proprieties, to be seen removing one +of "<i>China's millions</i>" from the garment of a friend or +guest.</p> + +<div class="footnotes"> +<p class="center"><b>Footnotes:</b></p> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_1_1" id="Footnote_1_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_1_1"><span class="label">[1]</span></a> +The <i>Holothuria</i> of naturalists—a species of sea-slug or sea-cucumber +found on the shores of Borneo and on most of the islands +of the Pacific, and which being dried in the sun is considered a +dainty by Chinese epicures.</p></div> + +</div> + + +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[83]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER VIII.</h2> +<hr class="hr2" /> + +<div class="poem"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="poem"> +<tr><td class="tdstanza"> +<span class="i4">——"All the deep<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Is restless change." * * *<br /></span> +</td></tr> +</table> +</div> + +<hr class="hr2" /> +<p class="summary">PREPARATIONS FOR THE NORTH.​—​AMOY.​—​WUSUNG, +AND WHAT BEFELL US THERE.</p> + +<p>Whatever pretensions to beauty our ship may +have possessed on leaving England—and that +she possessed some it is but fair to add—have +been greatly marred by the late voyage, and especially +by the washing down we encountered on the trip from +Manilla. The effect has been to reduce our once fairy +and glistening hull to a jaundiced mass of rust and stains. +Therefore are we to go into "weeds." Black certainly gives +an iron-clad a more man-of-war look, and a more war-like +effect, to say nothing of the superior ease with which it +can be kept clean.</p> + +<p>January 22nd.—The Chinese new-year's day.—I should +consider even such a poor account of the Chinese as this +professes to be very incomplete, did it not contain something +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[84]</a></span>as to the manner the people observe the festival of +the new year. And just a word before I start. It must +not be supposed that I gained the information, if it be +worthy to be classed as such, on a first visit to Hong +Kong. This part of my "journal," including the previous +chapter, has received the corrections and additions of +nearly four years' experience.</p> + +<p>The Chinese new year—a movable feast—depending, +like all their chronological measurements, on the motions +of the moon, may occur as early as it does this +year, or it may fall as late as the middle of February. +It is to the celestials what Christmas day is to us, +and is observed by every true Chinaman most religiously: +not, be it understood, religiously in our and +the common acceptation of the term—for China has +no religion—it possesses a gigantic superstition; but +between a superstition and a religion, I need scarcely +add, a vast difference exists. To the practical mind of +John Chinaman, religious observances are made to subordinate +themselves to worldly interests.</p> + +<p>During the time we have been on the station the +Shanghai district was once suffering from extreme drought. +The rain-god was appealed to—still no rain came. Well, +what was to be done? This. The god was admonished, +that if rain came not within a certain period something +terrible would happen to him. Still no rain. The +exasperated priests and people then took measures to +execute their threat. Putting a rope around the idol, the +people, with their united efforts, pulled him to the ground +to suffer further outrages at the hands of an ungrateful +mob. Thus much for their <i>religion</i>. But to continue.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[85]</a></span>The last month in the old year is spent in elaborate +preparation for the coming one. All arrears of business +are made up, all accounts closed and punctually discharged, +whilst everyone works his hardest to increase his +stock of money.</p> + +<p>At midnight on the last of the old year a bell is heard +to toll, at which signal everybody rushes into the streets, +armed with squibs, crackers, Catherine wheels, and other +blatant pyrotechnical compositions; and as each tries to +outdo his neighbour in the din he creates, the noise +accompanying their discharge is the most satisfactory possible. +The temples and pagodas are brilliantly lighted +with colored lamps and colored candles, whilst similar +candles and "joss-sticks," and gold and silver paper, +illumine the interiors of their, at other times, grimy and +dingy abodes. When morning arrives, the streets present +a curious spectacle—everybody seems to be shaking hands +with <i>himself</i>. A Chinaman, on meeting and saluting a +friend, instead of seizing his hand, as we should, clasps +his own hands together, the right hand grasping the left, +which he sways up and down in front of his body.</p> + +<p>Each person, too, is dressed in the newest and costliest +dress he can afford; and as there is but one universal +fashion of garment in China, everybody tries to surpass +everybody else in the richness of the material of which +his clothes are made. The children, in particular, come +out well, the girls especially, with highly-rouged and powdered +cheeks and necks, gaudily decorated "queue" (for +that appendix is not confined to the one sex), and silk +dresses of the most beautiful colors. The whole scene +has a very stage-like and brilliant effect.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[86]</a></span>It is worthy of remark, as shewing another trait in this +truly remarkable race, that though they manufacture a very +fiery liquor (called "<i>samshaw</i>") from rice, yet you will +rarely see a drunken Chinaman in the streets. As far as I +can remember I have met with only one such, and he a +servant on board our ship, who had adopted a liking for +rum because, I suppose, it is the custom for a sailor to +drink what is issued to him.</p> + +<p>The harbour, too, has its distinctive features on this gay +and festive occasion. Every junk is covered with great +pennons of silk in the most startling colors, whilst from +every available space small oblong pieces of paper, with +characters written on them, flutter to the breeze. These +are "<i>joss-papers</i>," and contain prayers for wealth, prosperity, +and (if they have not one already) an heir, "<i>joss</i>" +is the generic name they give to their idols, and the whole +ritual they call "<i>joss pidgin</i>." The priests they name +"<i>joss-men</i>," an appellation, too, they somewhat irreverently +bestow on our naval chaplains. One of the largest junks, +with a priest on board, and containing all the vessels and +objects pertaining to their ritual, makes the circuit of the +harbour—the priest meanwhile burning prayers and setting +off crackers for a blessing on the supply of fish for the +ensuing year.</p> + +<p>January 29th.—This evening the officers gave their first +theatrical entertainment on board, the acting of some of +the characters being pronounced above the average; one +or two of the younger midshipmen, to whom the parts fell, +made very tempting and graceful ladies.</p> + +<p>February 14th.—This day finds us at the back of the +island preparing for target practice. In one of the bays +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[87]</a></span>here is an admirable natural target: a solitary rock rising +perpendicularly from the sea, with a mark painted on it, +is a most interesting thing to fire at, for you can observe +the effect of your shot. Behind this rock sloped a hill, on +which were seated, though unknown to us, two Chinamen; +the first half-a-dozen rounds were so true that the +unseen watchers had no suspicion they were in dangerous +quarters, or that it was possible that even the Duke's marksmen +were fallible; the seventh round disillusioned them, +for, from a slight fault in the elevation, the shot over-reached +the target and pitched so close to the Chinamen that +stones and rubbish came rattling down from everywhere +about their ears; fear lent them wings, and they scampered +off like the wind. They may be running now for aught I +know, as when we last saw them the horizon seemed to be +the goal they were aiming at.</p> + +<p>March 10th.—We were to have put to sea to-day had +not a melancholy and fatal accident changed the whole +course of events. Richard Darcy, a young seaman, whilst +engaged on the crosstrees fell to the deck, striking the rail +on the topgallant forecastle in his fall. His body was +frightfully mangled and torn, his scull fractured, and all +his limbs broken. Mercifully he never regained consciousness. +Next day we buried him in the beautiful +cemetery of Happy Valley, than which there are few more +picturesque spots in China; 'twas surely a poetic fancy +which inspired the Chinese with the term "<i>happy</i>" when +naming this sylvian vale.</p> + +<p>In the afternoon we slipped from the buoy and steamed +seaward for tactics, returning the following day to prepare +for going in dock.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[88]</a></span>March 26th.—The last day for our stay in Aberdeen. +A special steam launch had arrived from Hong Kong +during the forenoon with all the élite of the city to see the +floating of our ship. However, they were doomed to +disappointment, for, on the tide reaching its highest, it +was found the ship refused to move, nor would she start, +though every effort was made to coax her. It was not +until the next tide, assisted by a strong breeze, that the +ship once more rested in deep water.</p> + +<p>With characteristic expedition and commendable zeal, +our captain had the ship ready for sea, and awaiting orders +in the briefest possible time.</p> + +<p>April 21st.—Early this morning that pleasant sound, +the cable rattling through the hawse, told us that we had +bid good-bye to Victoria, for a few months at least. A +rather stiff breeze was blowing at the time—a sufficient +hint that we might possibly meet with something rash +outside; nor was the hint to be disregarded, for, scarcely +had we cleared the mouth of the harbour, when, what +sailors call a "<i>sneezer</i>," accompanied by a green sea in all +our weather ports, met us as an introduction to our +northern cruise. So threatening was the look of the sky, +and remembering that in these seas old Boreas often +indulges his fancy in a gentle zephyr called a typhoon, it +was deemed expedient to seek shelter for the night.</p> + +<p>On the third day out we reached Amoy, or rather the +outside anchorage of that harbour, to await daylight for +the passage up to the town.</p> + +<p>So far as the little island settlement forming the foreign +concession can make it so, Amoy is a pretty enough place; +otherwise it is like all other Chinese towns, and wont +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[89]</a></span>bear too close a scrutiny. It is built on an island of the +same name, and is walled in by several miles of embrasured +masonry; a fort or barracks on the beach, gay with +pennons, imparting a semi-military look to the place. +Flags seem to play a most important part in the usages +of war amongst this nation, for, in addition to the great +banners of the mandarins and their subordinates, every +soldier bears one in the muzzle of his rifle, or stuck in a +bamboo over his shoulder.</p> + +<p>Resuming our course, after a stay of about forty-eight +hours, we next touched at the island of White Dogs, off +the port of Foo-Choo, the great naval depôt and arsenal +of China. The "Vigilant" had preceded us here to embark +the admiral for Foo-Choo, whilst we put to sea again.</p> + +<p>April 30th.—At daylight we found ourselves amongst +an archipelago of picturesque and richly cultivated islands, +one mass of greenery from base to summit. The effect +produced by the different tints of the foliage was very +fine indeed. Beyond a doubt the Chinese exhibit great +skill and economy in the gardener's art.</p> + +<p>This was the approach to Chusan, the largest island of +the group, at which we anchored at noon. The place fell +under a British attack in 1841, remaining in our possession +until the more convenient and more valuable island of +Hong Kong was ceded to us in exchange. Before us lies +a considerable town called Tinghae, where are buried +many of our poor fellow countrymen and their families +who fell victims to fever and the attacks of a cruel enemy +during the occupation. We found their graves in a very +neglected condition, many of the tombstones having been +appropriated by the inhabitants to prop up those architectural +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[90]</a></span>abominations which it would be a libel to term +houses. Admiral Coote subsequently sent the "Modeste" +down with orders to repair the burial ground; the +misappropriated stones were speedily restored to their +places by the blue-jackets, who dealt with the natives in a +very summary manner by wrecking their houses about +their ears.</p> + +<p>It was not long before a sleek old Chinaman, rejoicing +in the imposing Chin-English name of "<i>Chin-Chang-Jim-Crow</i>," +came on board and introduced himself as "me de +bumboat"; he further explained that it was so long since +a man-of-war had been in that neighbourhood, that +probably he would experience some difficulty in procuring +"<i>Chow</i>."</p> + +<p>In the course of a day or so the admiral arrived from +Ningpo, which was the signal for our at once heaving up +anchor and continuing our voyage.</p> + +<p>We are now in the estuary of one of the noblest rivers +of the world, and the largest in China. It is estimated +that this river, the Yang-tsze-Kiang, "Son of the Ocean," +brings seaward, annually, as much solid matter as would +make an island as large as Ireland! The navigation of +its mouth is extremely dangerous, on account of the +constantly-shifting sandbanks and consequent alteration +of the channel. Fortunately, the European pilots are +very skilful in detecting these changes. It is usual for +large ships to drop anchor on this mud, locally termed +the "flats," until boarded by a pilot, who takes you either +to Wosung or Shanghai, according to your draught of +water.</p> + +<p>Wosung scarcely merits the name of town; perhaps +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[91]</a></span>with more accuracy it might be termed a village. It is +nevertheless, the head quarters of a large junk fleet, and +has one of the finest and strongest forts in China to +protect it from seaward. The place is interesting to us in +one sense, because in 1875 an English company obtained +permission to construct a line of rail from here to Shanghai.</p> + +<p>China, with its four thousand years of existence, looked +on this innovation with a jealous eye, and would have +pitched the whole concern into the river, had she dared; +unfortunately the line was carried near a burying ground, +and thus a ready excuse for stopping the work presented +itself. It was alleged that the noise would disturb the +spirits of the dead, of whom the Chinese are in ghostly +fear. An almost similar difficulty was met when the +arsenal was built at Foo-Choo, and a magnificent temple +was actually erected in that city for the accommodation +of the refugee spirits.</p> + +<p>To bring matters to a climax a man was run over by +one of the trucks and killed. The mandarins could no +longer hold out against the popular voice, and the whole +plant was bought up by the Government for twice the sum +the projectors had spent about it.</p> + +<p>This is the brief history of the first and, up to now, the +only attempt to introduce railways into China; but the +late Kuldja difficulty, and the ease with which the Russians +had brought an army to their Siberian frontier, have +caused the Chinese to open their eyes to the advantage of +railways for strategic, if for no other purpose, and I believe +a line is already in contemplation between Tien-tsin and +the capital.</p> + +<p>Owing to a blunder on the part of the pilot, so some +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[92]</a></span>said, and some others, in consequence of someone else's +blunder, our anchor was dropped too near a mud bank, +with the result that when the ship swung to a firm knot +current, up she went high and dry. Means were at once +taken to get her off, but by the time all the necessary +arrangements were completed—and there was no time +lost either—the tide had ebbed considerably.</p> + +<p>In the middle watch of this, the "Iron Duke's" first night +on the Chinese territory, the steel hawser was brought to +the capstan, but a piece of yarn would have been equally +efficacious; for, under the immense strain, it snapped like +a bow string, and, as there was now nothing to keep the +stern in check, away she went broadside on to the +difficulty.</p> + +<p>Meantime a telegram had been wired to the admiral at +Shanghai, and next day all the available help at that port +came down the river to our assistance; besides the +"Vigilant," "Eyera," "Midge," and "Growler," there +were two American war vessels, the "Monocasy" and +"Palos," also a Chinese paddle steamer.</p> + +<p>On the third night a combined attempt was made to +either haul us off or to pull us to pieces. With all their +tugging they effected neither the one nor the other, and, +had not nature "lent us a fin"—in the shape of a breeze +of wind—we might have been lying there to this day; a +few pulls on our hawsers and we had the satisfaction of +feeling that the dear old craft was once more on her +proper element. The commander of one of the American +ships afterwards commenting on the difficulty experienced +in removing us, hailed our captain with "Guess, Cap'n, +that piece of machinery of yours is lumpy!" "Rather, +Jonothan, I calculate."</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[93]</a></span>Had we not floated to-day the alternative was rather +consoling; nothing less than the removal of all our heavy +guns and spars.</p> + +<p>Before our departure Shanghai was all astir at the visit +of General Grant of the United States. Ostensibly, the +general is travelling <i>incog.</i>, but really as the representative +of the United States, for he flies the "stars and stripes" +at the main, and gets a salute of twenty-one guns wherever +he goes. For some reason or other we did not salute as +he passed up the river.</p> + +<p>May 22nd saw us clearing out of the dangerous precincts +of the Shanghai river and shaping our course across the +turbid waters of the Yellow Sea for pastures new—that is +to say—for Japan. Under double-reefed canvas and a +nine knot breeze we sighted land in the vicinity of +Nagasaki on the 25th, and by evening our anchor "kissed +the mud" in as lovely a spot as ever mortal set eyes on. +But I will reserve my eulogies for another chapter.</p> + +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[94]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER IX.</h2> + +<hr class="hr2" /> +<div class="poem"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="poem"> +<tr><td class="tdstanza"> +<span class="i0a">"It was a fresh and glorious world,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">A banner bright that shone unfurled<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Before me suddenly."<br /></span> +</td></tr> +</table> +</div> + +<hr class="hr2" /> +<p class="summary">ARRIVAL AT NAGASAKI.​—​SOMETHING ABOUT JAPAN.​—​A +RUN THROUGH THE TOWN.​—​VISIT TO A SINTOR TEMPLE.</p> + + +<p>I know not if the author of the above lines had +ever been to Japan. I should think it very unlikely; +and possibly the poet is but describing the scenery of +his Cumberland home. In no disparagement of the +beauteous country of the lake and mountain, yet we must +confess that nothing there can compare with Japan's +natural magnificence.</p> + +<p>All who have ever written of Japan, or who have ever +visited its shores, are unanimous in the praise they bestow +on its charms of landscape. Even rollicking and light-hearted +tars, who, as a rule, are not very sensible to the +beauties of nature, are bound to use "unqualified expressions +of delight," when that "bright banner" lies unfurled +under their gaze. And of all this beauteous land no part +of it is more beautiful than the bay of Ommura, in the +month of May.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[95]</a></span>Coming towards Nagasaki, from the westward, is like +sailing on to a line of high, rigid, impenetrable rocks, for, +apparently, we are heading blindly on to land which discloses +not the slightest indication of an opening; but, +relying on the accuracy of our charts, and the skill of our +officers, we assume we are on the right course. By-and-bye +the land, as if by some magic power, seems to rend +asunder, and we find ourselves in a narrow channel, with +well-wooded eminences on either hand, clothed with +handsome fir trees. Right in front of us, and hiding the +view of the town, is a small cone-shaped island of great +beauty. English is a weak language in which to express +clearly its surpassing loveliness. This is Takabuko, or +more familiarly, Papenberg, a spot with a sad and bloody +history, for it was here that the remnant of the persecuted +Christians, who escaped the general massacre in +1838,—when 30,000 perished—made a last ineffectual +stand for their lives and faith. But to no purpose, for +pressed to extremities by the swords of their relentless +persecutors, they threw themselves over the heights, and +perished in the sea.</p> + +<p>The people are not altogether to blame for this barbarous +and cruel persecution. Had the Jesuits been satisfied +with their spiritual conquests, and not sought to subvert +the government of the country, all might have gone well, +and Japan, ere now, been a Christian country. But no; +true to themselves and to their Order, they came not to +bring peace, but literally a sword, and the innocent were +made to suffer for the ambitions of a few designing priests.</p> + +<p>The island passed, what a view presents itself! The +long perspective of the bay, the densely wooded hills and +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[96]</a></span>lower slopes teeming with agricultural produce, rich +corn-fields, ripe for the sickle; picturesque dwellings, hid +in shadowy foliage, and flowers and fruit trees, to which +the purity and rarity of the atmosphere lend a brilliancy +of colouring and distinctness of outline, impossible to +describe; the clear blue water, with here and there a +quaint and curious-looking junk, resting on its glassy and +reflecting surface; the town, sweeping around the shores +of the bay; and, afar, the majesty of hill and vale; such, +dear reader, is a weak and very imperfect word picture of +the charming bay of Omura.</p> + +<p>Recent events in Japan have taken such a remarkable +turn, that history, neither ancient nor modern, presents +no parallel with it. That we may have a more adequate +conception of the Japan of to-day, it is absolutely necessary +that we make some acquaintance with the Japan of +the past.</p> + +<p>Of the origin of the people we can gleam very little, +except from the questionable source of tradition. Several +theories are advanced to account for their existence here. +One authority discovers in them the long-lost "lost +tribes of Israel;" according to another, they are a branch +of the great American-Indian family; both of which +statements we had better accept with caution. Their +own theory—or rather that of the aborigines, the Aïnos of +Yeso,—a race whom the indefatigable Miss Bird has +recently brought prominently before the world—states +that the goddess of the celestial universe, a woman of +incomparable beauty and great accomplishments, came +eastward to seek out the most beautiful spot for a terrestrial +residence, and at length chose Japan, where she +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[97]</a></span>spent her time in cultivating the silkworm, and in the +Diana-like pursuits of the chase; until one day, as she +stood beside a beautiful stream, admiring her fair form in +its reflecting surface, she was startled by the sudden +appearance of a large dog. Tremblingly she hid herself, +but the dog sought her out, and, to her surprise, entered +into conversation with her, and finally into a more +intimate alliance. From the union of these two opposite +natures—according to this account—the Aïnos are +descended.</p> + +<p>One other tradition I will mention—the Chinese—which +perhaps has something of the truth in it. According +to it, a certain emperor of China, ruminating on the +brevity of human life, and of his own in particular, +thought it possible to find a means whereby his pleasant +existence might be indefinitely prolonged. To this end +he summoned all the physicians in his kingdom, and +ordered them, on pain of forfeiting their heads, to discover +this remedy. After much deliberation, one at last +hit upon a plan which, if successful, would be the means +of saving, at least, his own head. He informed the +emperor that in a land to the eastward, across the Yellow +Sea, was the panacea he sought; but that, in order to +obtain it, it was necessary to fit out a ship, with a certain +number of young virgins, and an equal number of young +men of pure lives, as a propitiatory offering to the stern +guardian of the "elixir of life." The ship sailed, freighted +as desired, and after a few days reached the western +shores of Japan, from whence, you will readily imagine, +the wily sage never returned. These young men and +maidens became the ancestors of the Japanese race.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[98]</a></span>Their form of government was despotic in its character, +and feudal in its system. The country was governed by +a powerful ruler with the title of mikado—"son of the +sun"—who was supported in his despotism by tributary +princes, or daimios. Of them the mikado demanded +military service in time of war, and also compelled them +to reside a part of each year in his capital, where quarters +were provided for them and their numerous retainers in +the neighbourhood of the palace. The visitor may still +see whole streets in Tokio without a single inhabitant, +the former residences of the daimios' followers, and the +aspect is dreary in the extreme.</p> + +<p>In addition to his temporal functions, the mikado has +always been the great high priest of the Sintor faith. +On the breaking out of a war with China, it was found +that his attendance with the army would deprive the +religion of its spiritual head, and so indispensable was his +presence in the great temple, that such a deprivation +would be little short of a calamity. In this dilemma, he +called to his aid the general of his forces, an able +warrior and a shrewd designing man, conferred on him the +hereditary title of shio-goon, or tycoon, and despatched +him at the head of the army to carry fire and sword into +the coasts of China. This prince's name was Tycosama, +a name great in Japan's history, and destined to become +terrible to the Christians. As generally happens, when a +clever soldier with a devoted army at his back is placed +in such a position, he finds it but a step to supreme +dominion, the army being a pretty conclusive argument in +his favor. His first act was the removal of the mikado +to the holy city, Kioto, where henceforth he was kept +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[99]</a></span>secluded, and hemmed in by so much mystery, that the +people began to look upon their ancient ruler as little less +than a god.</p> + +<p>It will be readily imagined that the tycoons, by their +arrogant assumption to the imperial dignity, made for +themselves many enemies amongst the powerful daimios. +The disaffected united to form a party of reaction which, +in the end, overthrew the tycoon, restored the mikado +to his ancient splendour, and gave Japan to the world. +In 1853, an American squadron, under Commodore +Perry, came to Yokohama, and demanded a trade +treaty with the United States. After much circumlocution +he obtained one, thus pioneering a way for the +Europeans. England demanded one the following year, +and got it; then followed the other maritime nations of +Europe, but these treaties proved to be of as little value +as the paper on which they were drawn up.</p> + +<p>The adherents of the tycoon displayed a bitter +animosity against the foreigner, and especially a most +powerful daimio, the prince of Satsuma, who nourished a +detestable hatred to Europeans. Through the machinations +of this party, murders of foreigners, resident in +Yokohama, were of almost daily occurrence, till at last +the British consul fell a victim to their hatred. This +brought matters to a head. In 1863, England declared +war against Japan; blockaded the Inland Seas with a +combined squadron of English, French, Dutch, and +American ships, acting under the orders of Admiral +Keuper, stormed and captured Simonoseki, and burnt +Kagosima, the capital of the prince of Satsuma. Having +brought the Japanese to their senses, we demanded of +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[100]</a></span>them a war indemnity, half of which was to be paid by +Satsuma.</p> + +<p>Five years passed. The mikado meanwhile had placed +himself at the head of the reactionary party, pensioned +the tycoon, and made rapid advancement in European +manners and customs. In 1868, Satsuma and his party +broke out into open rebellion against the mikado. But +the prince's levies were no match for the imperial troops, +armed with the snider, and the result was the rebellion, +after some sanguinary battles, was put down, the estates +of the rebels confiscated, and the chief actors in the +drama banished to distant parts of the empire.</p> + +<p>There, dear reader, I am as glad as you that I have +finished spinning that yarn. Now for the legitimate +narrative.</p> + +<p>Nagasaki, or more correctly Nangasaki, is a town of +considerable magnitude, skirting the shores of the bay, +and built in the form of an amphitheatre. On the +terraces above the town, several large temples with graceful, +fluted, tent-like roofs, embowered in sombre and +tranquil pine groves, shew out distinctly against the dark +background, whilst the thousands of little granite monumental +columns of the burying grounds, stud the hills on +every side, giving to Nagasaki almost a distinct feature.</p> + +<p>Immediately ahead of the anchorage is the small island +of Desima, the most interesting portion of the city to +Europeans. Previous to 1859 it was the only part of +Japan open to foreigners, and even then only to the +Dutch, who, for upwards of 200 years, had never been +allowed to set foot outside the limits of the island,—a +space 600 feet long by 150 feet broad—separated from +the main land by the narrowest of canals.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[101]</a></span>Japanese towns are laid out in regular streets, much +after the fashion obtaining in Europe. The system of +drainage is abominable, though personally, the people are +the cleanest on earth, if constant bathing is to be taken as +an index to cleanliness. The streets have no footpaths, +and access to the houses is obtained by three or four +loose planks stretching across the open festering gutters. +As a natural result, small pox and cholera commit yearly +ravages amongst the populace. Another great evil against +good sanitation, exists in the shallowness of their graves. +The Japanese have also a penchant for unripe fruits.</p> + +<p>A native house is a perfect model of neatness and simplicity. +A simple framework, of a rich dark coloured +wood, is thrown up, and roofed over with rice straw. +There is but one story, the requisite number of apartments +being made by means of sliding wooden frames, +covered with snow-white rice paper. The floor is raised +off the ground about eighteen inches, and is covered with +beautiful and delicately wrought straw mattresses, on +which the inmates sit, recline, take their meals, and sleep +at night. These habitations possess nothing in the shape +of furniture; no fireplace even, because the Japanese—like Chinese—never +use fire to warm themselves, the +requisite degree of warmth being obtained by the addition +of more and heavier garments. These abodes present a +marked contrast to the Chinese dwellings, which, as we +saw, were foul and grimy, whilst here all is cheerful and +airy.</p> + +<p>No house is complete without its tiny garden of dwarf +trees, its model lakes, in which that curiosity of fish-culture, +the many tailed gold and silver fish, are to be seen +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[102]</a></span>disporting themselves; its rockeries spanned by bridges; +its boats and junks floating about on the surface of the +lakes, in fact a Japanese landscape in miniature.</p> + +<p>It seems the privilege of a people, who live in a land +where nature surrounds them with bright and beautiful +forms, to, in some manner, reflect these beauties in their +lives. This people possess these qualities in an eminent +degree, for a happier, healthier, more cheerful race, one +will rarely see. Their children—ridiculously like their +seniors from wearing the same style of garment—are the +roundest, rosiest, chubbiest little pieces of humanity ever +born. Everybody has a fresh, wholesome look, due to +repeated ablutions. The bath amongst the Japanese, as +amongst the ancient Romans, is a public institution; in +fact, we think too public, for both sexes mix promiscuously +together in the same bath, almost in the full light of +day; whilst hired wipers go about their business in a +most matter-of-fact manner. This is a feature of the +people we cannot understand, but they themselves consider +it no impropriety. A writer on Japan, speaking of +this says:—"We cannot, with justice, tax with immodesty +the individual who, in his own country, wounds none of +the social proprieties in the midst of which he has been +brought up." These bath-houses are perfectly open to the +public gaze, no one evincing the slightest curiosity to +look within, except, perhaps, the diffident sailor. It is +very evident that Mrs. Grundy has not yet put in her censorious +appearance in Japan, nor have our western +conventionalities set their seal on what, after all, is but a +single act of personal cleanliness. "<i>Honi soit qui mal y +pense.</i>"</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[103]</a></span> Their mode of dress is an embodiment of simplicity +and elegance. Both sexes wear a sort of loose dressing +gown, sometimes of silk—mostly so in the case of the fair +sex—crossed over the front of their bodies, allowing the +knee perfect liberty to protrude itself, if it is so minded, +and confined to the waist by a band. But it is more +particularly of the dress of the ladies I wish to speak. +The band circling the waist, and known as the "<i>obe</i>," is +very broad, and composed of magnificent folds of rich +silk, and tied up in a large quaint bow behind. A Japanese +lady lavishes all her taste on the selection of the +material and in the choice of colour, of which these bands +are composed, and which are to them what jewellery is to +the more refined Europeans. No ornament of the precious +metal is ever seen about their persons. Their taste +in the matter of hues is faultless; no people, I will +venture to say, have such a perception of the harmonies +of colour. Their tints are of the most delicate and +charming shades the artist's fancy or the dyer's art can +furnish, and often wrought in rich and elegant patterns. +They are passionately fond of flowers, the dark and +abundant tresses of their hair being always decorated +with them, either real or artificial. Their only other +adornments are a tortoise-shell comb of delicate workmanship, +and a long steel pin with a ball of red coral in +the end, passing through their rich raven hair. They use +powder about their necks and shoulders pretty freely, and +sometimes colour the under lip a deep carmine, or even +gold, a process which does not add to their personal +attractions. They wear no linen; a very thin chemise of +silk crepe, in addition to the loose outer garment, is all +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[104]</a></span>their covering. But it must be remembered that the great +aim of this people seems to be simplicity, therefore we +wont too minutely scrutinize their deficiencies of costume; +there is much to be said in its favour, it is neither immodest +nor suggestive. The feet are clothed in a short +sock, with a division at the great toe for the passage of the +sandal strap. These sandals or clogs are the most +ungainly articles in their wardrobe. A simple lump of +wood, the length and breadth of the foot, about two or +three inches in altitude, and lacquered at the sides, is +their substitute for our boot. Their walk is a shuffling +gait, the knee bent and always in advance of the body.</p> + +<p>The married women have a curious custom—now fast +dying out—of blacking their teeth and plucking out their +eye-brows to prevent, as their husbands say, other men +casting "sheep's eyes" at them.</p> + +<p>The males of the coolie class are very scantily clad, for +all that they wear is the narrowest possible fold of linen +around the loins; but, as if to compensate for this scarcity +of rigging, they are frequently most elaborately tattooed +from head to foot.</p> + +<p>A Japanese husband does not make a slave of his wife, +as is too often the case amongst orientals; she is allowed +perfect liberty of action, and to indulge her fancy in innocent +pleasures to an unlimited extent. Her lord is not +ashamed to be seen walking beside her, nor does he think +it too much beneath him to fondle and carry the baby in +public. They are excessively fond of their children; the +hundreds of toy shops and confection stalls about the +streets bearing testimony to this.</p> + +<p>The old custom of dressing the hair, which some of +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[105]</a></span>the men still affect, is rather peculiar. A broad gutter +is shaved from the crown of the head forward, whilst the +remaining hair, which is permitted to grow long, is +gathered and combed upwards, where the ends are tied, +marled down, and served over (as we should say in nautical +phraseology) and brought forward over the shaven +gangway.</p> + +<p>One other custom I must mention, the strangest one of +all: they have a legalized form of that vice which, in +other countries, by tacit consent, is banned, but which +even the most refined people must tolerate. But what +makes it more strange still is, that no inconsiderable portion +of the public revenue is derived from this source. +The government sets aside a certain quarter in every city +and town for its accommodation, gives it a distinct and +characteristic name, and appoints officers over it for the +collection of the revenues. I thought it not a little +significant on landing for the first time in Japan to find +myself and "rick-sha" wheeled, by the accommodating +coolie, right into the heart of this quarter. The advances +of the fair sex are likely to prove embarrassing to the +stranger, for, before they are married, they are at liberty to +do as they please, and do not, by such acts, lose caste or +forfeit the respect of their friends and neighbours.</p> + +<p>Here, as in the Indian Seas, our <i>laundresses</i> are men, the +cleanest and quickest washers we have encountered in the +voyage. As an instance of their despatch, they will take +your bedding ashore in the morning, and by tea-time you +will receive it ready for turning in, the blanket washed +and dried, the hair teazed and made so soft that you +would scarcely fancy it was the same old "doss" again.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[106]</a></span> Though the women do not wash our clothes, they do +what is far harder work, <i>i.e.</i> coal our ship. We were surprised, +beyond measure, to see women toiling away at this +dirty, laborious calling. And the Japanese women are +such little creatures, too! There was, however, one +exception, a woman of herculean strength and limb, looking +like a giantess amongst her puny sisters, and fully +conscious of her superior muscular power. This lady, +stripped to the waist as she was, would, I am sure, intimidate +the boldest mariner from a too close acquaintance +with her embrace. They belong to the coolie class, a +distinct caste in Japan, wear a distinguishing badge on +their clothing, form a community amongst themselves, +and rarely marry out of their own calling.</p> + +<p>At noon these grimy Hebes, Hercules as well, all +tripped on board to dine, the upper battery offering them +all the accommodation they required; each carried with +her a little lacquered box, with three sliding drawers, in +which was neatly and cleanly stowed her dinner—rice, fish, +and vegetables; taking out all the drawers, and laying +them on her lap, with a pair of chop-sticks, she soon +demolished her frugal meal. After a whiff or two at a +pipe, whose bowl just contained enough tobacco for two +draws, she was ready to resume her work.</p> + +<p>The European concession occupies the most picturesque +position in Nagasaki, from which city it is separated by a +creek, well known to our blue-jackets, spanned by two or +three bridges. On either side of this strip of water a +perfect cosmopolitan colony of beer-house keepers have +assembled, with the sole intention of "bleeding" the +sailor, and upon whose well-known devotion, to the shrine +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[107]</a></span>of Bass and Allsop, they manage to amass considerable +fortunes.</p> + +<p>Before leaving Nagasaki I would ask you to accompany +me to one of the temples, that known as the Temple of +the Horse, being, perhaps, the best. It is rather a long +distance by foot, but Englishmen, at least according to +Japanese ideas, have too much money to walk when they +can ride, so to keep up the national conceit, but more for +our own convenience, we jump into an elegant little carriage, +or "<i>jin-riki-sha</i>," literally "<i>man-power-carriage</i>," +but in sailor phrase "johnny-ring-shaw," or short "ring +shaw." Away we go, a dozen or more in a line, over the +creek bridge, past Desima, which we leave on our left +hand, and soon we are in the heart of the native city, and +traversing what is popularly known as "curio" street. At +this point we request our human horses to trot, instead of +going at the mad speed usual to them, in order that we +make notes of Japanese life by the way. We pass many +shops devoted to the sale of lacquer ware, for which the +Japanese are so justly famed, catch glimpses of unequalled +egg shell, and Satsuma china, made of a clay, formed only +in this neighbourhood, and which, thanks to the European +mania for collecting, fetch the most fancy prices; get a +view of silk shops, full of rich stuffs and embroideries. +Here an artist tinting a fan or a silk lantern; there a +woman weaving cloth for the use of her household and +everywhere people plying their various callings on the +elevated floors of their houses. I should say needle +making amongst these people is a rather laborious undertaking, +and one which requires more than an ordinary +amount of patience. The wire has first to be cut the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[108]</a></span>desired length, then filed to a point at one end and the +other flattened ready for the eye to be drilled, and finally +the whole has to be filed up and smoothed off, and all by +one man. The Japanese are but indifferent sewers, all +their seams exhibiting numerous "holidays." Pretty +children, with their hair clipped around their heads like a +priest's tonsure, sport around us, but are not intrusive. +Each child has a little pouch attached to his girdle, which, +we are informed, contains the address of the child's +parents, and also an invocation to the little one's protecting +god, in case of his straying from home. We meet +with cheerful looks and pleasant greetings everywhere. +The gentle and musical "<i>o-hi-o</i>," "<i>good day</i>," with its +softly accented second syllable, and as we pass the earnest +"<i>sayonara</i>," the "<i>au revoir</i>" of the French, tell us very +plainly we are no unwelcome visitors, whilst their bows +are the most graceful, because natural, and therefore +unaffected, actions it is possible to conceive.</p> + +<p>We notice, too, that numbers of the males are in full +European costume, which generally hangs about them in a +most awkward manner, reminding one of a broom-handle +dressed in a frock coat. Others, again, don't discard the +national dress altogether, but compromise matters by +putting on, in addition their long gown, a European hat +and shoes, which, if anything, looks worse still. The +ladies have not yet adopted the European style which, +perhaps, they have sense enough to see, is far more complex +and inconvenient than their own. Of this much I +am certain that no mysterious production of Worth would +be more becoming, or suit them better than their own +graceful, national dress.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[109]</a></span>At our imperative "<i>chop</i>, <i>chop</i>," jack's sole stock-in-trade +of that intellectual puzzle, the Chinese language, and +which he finds equally serviceable this side the water, our +Jehus start off like an arrow shot from a bow. What +endurance these men possess, and what limbs!</p> + +<p>After a pleasant half-an-hour's ride, a sudden jolt +indicates we are at our destination.</p> + +<p>We alight at the base of a flight of broad stone stairs +leading to the temple, and which we can just discern at +a considerable altitude above us, peeping out of the dark +shadow of a grove of firs. Arches of a curious and +simple design, under which it is necessary to pass, are the +distinguishing features of a kami or sintoo temple, and +perhaps of Japan itself, as the pyramids are characteristic +of ancient Egypt.</p> + +<p>Two uprights of bronze, stone, or wood, inclined to +each other at the summits, and held in position by a +transverse beam piercing the pillars at about three feet +from their tops. Over this again is another beam with +horn-like curves at the ends, and turned upward, and +simply laid on the tops of the shafts. The approaches to +some of these temples are spanned by hundreds of such +structures, which, when made of wood and lacquered +bright vermillion, look altogether curious.</p> + +<p>On the topmost stair, as if guarding the main entrance +to the sanctuary, are two seated idols of the "god of war," +in complete armour, each with bow in hand and a quiver +full of arrows over his shoulder, and protected by a cage +work of wire. What certainly gives us matter for speculation, +and causes us no little surprise, is to see the golden +scales of their splendid armour, and even their ruddy +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[110]</a></span>lacquered faces, bespattered with pellets of chewed paper +after the manner familiar to us as school boys; when not +satisfied with the correctness of the geographers, we used +to chew blotting paper to fling in recent discoveries on the +wall maps. Do these people desecrate their idols thus? +There is no desecration here. These little lumps of pulp are +simply <i>prayers</i>, pieces of paper on which the priests have +traced some mystic characters for the use of the devout, +and which, because of their inability to reach the idol to +paste the strips on, they shoot through the wire in this +manner.</p> + +<p>We now pass under the last arch, with its monstrous +swinging paper lantern, into the courtyard of the temple. +The first object which claims our attention is a bronze +horse, from which the temple takes its name. The work +of art—for so it is reckoned—would be more like a horse, +if its tail were less suggestive of a pump handle. Near +is a bronze trough filled with holy water, to be applied +internally; and around three sides of the square numerous +empty houses, which, on high days and holidays, +are used as shops for the sale of sacred and fancy articles. +Up a few more steps and suddenly we are on the polished +floor of the temple, and standing amidst a throng of +kneeling worshippers, with heads bowed and hands +pressed together in prayer.</p> + +<p>Their mode of procedure at these shrines seems something +after the following: the worshipper first seizes a +straw rope depending from the edge of the roof of the +temple, to which is attached a bell, of that shape worn by +ferrets at home, only of course on a much more gigantic +scale; this is to apprise the slumbering god of the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[111]</a></span>applicant's presence. He then commences his petition +or confession; places an offering of money in a large +trough-like receptacle for the purpose; takes a drink at +the holy water font, and departs to his home chatting +gaily to his neighbours as he descends the steps. The +whole business occupies about five minutes.</p> + +<p>Sintoo temples have but little interior or body. All the +worshipping is done outside on the beautifully kept +polished floor. A notice in English reminds us vandals +that we must remove our shoes if we would tread this +sacred spot.</p> + +<p>Within, is simplicity itself; a mirror and a crystal ball is +all one sees; the former typical of the ease with which the +Almighty can read our hearts; the second an emblem of +purity. They worship the Supreme Being under the +threefold title, which, strangely enough, we find in the +Book of Daniel, by which we may infer they have no +inadequate conception of the true God.</p> + +<p>We leave the temple court by a different outlet to that +by which we entered, and come out on a charmingly laid +out garden and fish ponds, where are seats and tea houses +for the accommodation of visitors. Each tea house has +its bevy of dark-eyed houris, who use every wile and +charm known to the sex, to induce you to patronise their +several houses. To do the proper thing, and perhaps +influenced by the bright eyes raised so beseechingly to +ours, we adjourn to one of these restaurants. Removing +our shoes—a proceeding you are bound to comply with +before entering a Japanese house—we seat ourselves +cross-legged, tailor fashion, on the straw mattresses I have +previously mentioned, whilst an attendant damsel, with +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[112]</a></span>deft fingers, makes the tea in a little terra-cotta teapot, +the contents of which she poured into a number of doll's +cups, without handles, on a lacquered tray. Other girls +handed us each a cup, in which was a liquid not unlike +saffron water in colour and in taste.</p> + +<p>They use neither milk nor sugar, and the cups are so +provokingly small, that it is only by keeping our attendant +syrens under the most active employment, that we are at +last able to say we have tasted it. With our tea we get +some excellent sponge cake called "<i>casutira</i>," a corruption +of the Spanish word "castile," said to be, until very +recently, the only word of European etymology in the +language. The Jesuits first introduced the cake from +Spain, and taught the people how to make it. Whatever +its origin, it is very good. You get chop-sticks handed +you too, which, after a few ineffectual and laughable +attempts to manipulate in the approved fashion, you +throw on one side. After the decks are cleared the +young ladies bring out their <i>sam-sins</i>, and whilst we +smoke Japanese pipes, they delight our ears with an +overture, which we pronounce excruciating in English, +though with our eyes we say "divine as Patti."</p> + +<p>But we must not tarry longer here for the setting sun +warns us it is time to get on board.</p> + +<p>Our patient "steeds" are at the foot of the stairs, each +ready to claim his rider. These fellows will stick to you +like a leech; follow you about for hours, never intruding +their presence on you, and yet seem to anticipate all your +movements and wants.</p> + +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[113]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER X.</h2> +<hr class="hr2" /> + +<div class="poem"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="poem"> +<tr><td class="tdstanza"> +<span class="i0a">"I looked upon those hills and plains,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And seemed as if let loose from chains,<br /></span> +<span class="i4">To live at liberty."<br /></span> +</td></tr> +</table> +</div> + +<hr class="hr2" /> +<p class="summary">THE INLAND SEAS.​—​KOBE.​—​FUSI-YAMA.​—​YOKOHAMA. +VISIT TO TOKIO.</p> + + +<p>The arrival of the "Vigilant" from Shanghai, with +the admiral on board, brought our stay at charming +Nagasaki to a close. During the absence of our +band with the "Vigilant," one of its members, Henry +Harper, a feeble old man, and far advanced in consumption, +died at Shanghai.</p> + +<p>June 11th.—Left Nagasaki <i>en route</i> for the eastward, +<i>via</i> the Inland Seas. Our way to Simoneski lay through +numerous islands of so beautiful an appearance that a +writer has compared them to some of the fairest spots in +Devon. But this, though it says much, is but a poor +tribute to such enchanting loveliness.</p> + +<p>At daylight the following morning we made the narrow +channel at Simoneski, the western entrance to the seas; +and as there is always a strong rush of water through the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[114]</a></span>passage towards the ocean, we had to steam hard against +a considerable current. The town, of which I spoke in +my last chapter, has a very straggling and neat cleanly +appearance. There are no forts or other defences to indicate +that not so long ago this town offered defiance and a +short resistance to a European squadron.</p> + +<p>The Inland Sea has four chief divisions, which now +commences to open out before us, and is reckoned to +possess some of the finest scenery in the world. I had +often wished to see it for myself; but I must confess I +was unprepared, even with an imagination not liable to +surprise, at a picture of nature's own producing, for such +beauty and grandeur. For hundreds of miles, day after +day, we were borne past a moving diorama of scenery +unrivalled by anything here below. On a smooth blue +sea, and under a cloudless sky, onward we sped, passing, +one after another, the most delightful islets the eye ever +dwelt on, each appearing to us a perfect paradise in +itself. Further on, indicated by a mere purple haze, +appeared others, and yet others, in almost endless perspective. +I should say the islands in this sea may be +numbered by thousands.</p> + +<p>Not many years since, strangers were debarred from +using this passage. I fancy I can imagine the impressions +the first Europeans must have had of this fairy land, of +such a climate, such a soil, and such delightful glades and +woodlands!</p> + +<p>On each of the larger islands we noticed snug temples, +like miniature Swiss chalets, embowered in woods—their +peculiar architecture standing out in relief from a tangled +mass of vegetation.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[115]</a></span>The channels where there are so many islands as here +are necessarily intricate and dangerous; and as it would +be to court danger to continue our course after sundown, +there are several well-marked anchorages where it is customary +to bring up at night. The first of these was a +sheltered bay with twin villages at its head, which I fancifully +designated Kingsand and Cawsand—the promontory +forming one arm of the bay, looking not unlike Penlee +point—greatly adding to the conceit.</p> + +<p>June 14th.—At noon we reached Kobé, or Hiogo, and +let go our anchor far out in what appears to be an open +roadstead. This town is one of the most recent of the +treaty ports—in fact it and Osaca opposite, are the last +thrown open to trade; hence we shall probably find Kobé +more <i>native</i> and less Europeanized than are the other +towns we shall visit.</p> + +<p>The native town is very extensive, reaching far back to +the basis of the hills, and well away to the left of the +anchorage. To the right a stretch of low-lying land, with +its tiny fields of ripe grain, looks very fine. This track +leads to the water-falls—a prettier place for a pic-nic and +one more accommodating one can scarcely find. Between +this plain and the old town of Hiogo the Europeans have +raised their pretty picturesque dwellings. The streets +here are very regular and well kept, the trees planted +along the sides giving the place quite a French appearance.</p> + +<p>There is at least one I was about to say magnificent +street in the town, with an extent of over two miles, +along and in which all the bustle and business are conducted. +Notwithstanding its recent opening, public-houses, +with their alluring signs, have sprung up with mushroom-like +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[116]</a></span>rapidity. One in particular I will just mention, not +that you are ever likely to forget "Good old Joe," but +simply that you may smile, when reading this over, at the +willingness with which you were led as lambs to the +slaughter. I trust you escaped without the mark of the +butcher's knife.</p> + +<p>After traversing about half the length of the street I +mentioned before, the traveller finds himself abreast of +the Nanko temple, a large and imposing structure having +a wide and noble-looking entrance from the street, and +just now presenting a very festive and animated appearance. +On either side the really grand avenue to the +temple a veritable fair is being held, and such a spectacle +was as welcome as it was unlooked for. The amusements +were so like those provided at similar gatherings at home +that the wonder is, that peoples separated by half a world +of varied civilization can possess the details of such festivities +in common. Confection stalls, wild beast shows, +shooting galleries, archery grounds, theatres, music halls, +even a Japanese edition of the thimble-and-pea business +was not wanting. In one of the theatres we visited, the +acting, although considered good from a Japanese point +of view, possessed too many muscular contortions, too +much contraction and expansion of the facial organs, to +please an English audience. Men do all the acting, +women never appear on the Japanese stage.</p> + +<p>The music halls are not more enlivening than are the +theatres, though the sight of an interior is worth the ten +<i>sen</i> fee, if only to see their manner of conducting the +opera. If you imagine the interior of a church, having +all its pews removed, leaving only the cant pieces on +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[117]</a></span>which they were erected, and the spaces between these +pieces covered and padded with the beautiful rice-straw +matting of the country, you will get a fairly good idea of +the simple fittings of a Japanese music hall. A whole +family seats itself in one of these squares; and as a +concert in this country is really a formidable affair, they +bring their braziers, teapots, and chow-boxes with them. +The performer—a lady—is seated, tailor fashion, on a +raised platform, a music desk in front of her, and her +musical instruments near at hand. The Japanese, like +the Chinese, sing from the throat, and the effect produced +on the tympanum is that of an amorous tom-cat chanting +to his lady-love at midnight. The words she is singing, +and has been singing for the—a friend who was with me +said "<i>the last week</i>;" but knowing him to be a joker, I +accept the statement with caution—for the last six hours, +and which she will probably continue to sing for the next +six, contain rather too much levity and grossness, could +we understand them, to be at all suitable even for sailors. +But her present audience receive them with the utmost +indifference, only betraying that they are at all conscious +of what is going on by an occasional clapping of the +hands. Now and again the singer has a spell and a libation +of saki, an attendant keeping her liberally supplied +in this item, of which she manages to drink a quantity +during her song; and, by way of a change at these +times, she enters into a monologue or a recitation. Taken +and viewed in an artistic light, the audience in their rich +gala dresses is a pleasing piece of color and of harmonic +contrasts.</p> + +<p>Close to the temple a crowd is gathered around a horse +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[118]</a></span>box, in which is a milk-white steed—sacred, of course. +Before him a little table is placed, covered with tiny +saucers filled with beans; and the devout—and we in +particular—can have the puerile satisfaction of seeing him +munch his comfits in a strangely horselike manner for the +small sum of a "<i>sen</i>!" Near at hand are some more +sacred creatures—hundreds of turtles in a slimy pond rear +their snake-like heads through the thick green water for +the pieces of biscuit and little red balls of prepared food +which the children are constantly flinging into their midst. +These reptiles, it may be remembered, form an important +figure-subject in Japanese carvings, paintings, and bronzes.</p> + +<p>Within easy distance of Kobé, and connected with it +by rail, are the cities of Osaca and Kioto, the former +being the seaport of the latter, and, possibly, the greatest +trade centre in the empire. It seems to be built at the +delta of a river; and as there are scores of bridges spanning +their several mouths, it has much the appearance of +Venice. Kioto is the sacred city of Japan, and contains, +amongst other interesting sights, a large temple, in which +are no fewer than 33,333 gods! Yearly pilgrimages are +made here; and to provide spiritual ministrations for the +thousands of pilgrims, it is said that the priests form one-fifth +of the entire population.</p> + +<p>June 17th, to-day we completed with coal and started +for Yokohama, leaving the Inland Sea by its south eastern +entrance and entering on the broad bosom of the great +Pacific. By the help of a splendid breeze we are speedily +clear of the Linschoten strait and in view of a strange +picture, for giant Fusi begins to rear his hoary head above +the main.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[119]</a></span>At first it appears but a small conical shaped island, +rising isolated from the midst of the sea, and which in a +few hours we shall reach. But a few hours multiply into +scores of hours, and still that island appears at a tantalizing +distance, and it is not until the main land comes into +view that we discover the misty island is no island at all, +but a superb mountain. It can be seen at an immense +distance from the sea; we, ourselves, are, at the very +least, sixty miles from its base, and yet how clearly +distinct, how tangibly present, how boldly out-lined it +stands against the opal tints of the evening sky.</p> + +<p>Fusi-yama—"the peerless," "the matchless," or "the +unrivalled,"—is an extinct volcano, on the island of +Niphon, though, only a century since, it was in active +operation, and is said to have been brought into existence +in the space of a few days. Few sights are likely to leave +such an impression on one's mind, as solitary, graceful, +cold looking Fusi, which, clothed in a mantle of snow, +may, not inaptly, be compared to a grim sentinel guarding +the destinies of a nation. But who shall attempt a +description of its glories as we saw it that evening at sunset, +and many an evening afterward, with the chance and +transient effect of light and shade playing on its pearly +sides.</p> + +<p>June 19.—The freshening gale soon rattled us past the +town of Simoda, and into the great bay of Yedo, with the +volcano of Vries at its entrance. Hundreds of queer-shaped +junks and smaller craft, laden with the produce of +the busy nation, glide across the rolling seas with duck-like +motions, on their peaceful mission to the capital.</p> + +<p>I have before had occasion to mention these unintelligible +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[120]</a></span>pieces of naval architecture, but as they never +before appeared to me at such advantage as now, as they +struggle up the wind across our track, I have hitherto +refrained from saying much about them. They are constructed +very sharp forward and very broad aft, with high, +rising sterns something after the manner of the Chinese +junk, but far more picturesque and compact than the +sister country's vessel; and, so far as looks go, a far more +seaworthy craft than the latter. They carry an immense +sail of pure white canvas, save where a black cloth is let +in—for contrast perhaps—on the huge characters composing +the owner's name, mar its fair surface; and a stout, +heavy mast placed well abaft the centre of the vessel, and +curved at its upper end, the better to form an overhanging +derrick to hoist the sail by. The sail is made of any +number of cloths laced together vertically—not sewn—by +which method each cloth has a bellying property and +wrinkled appearance, independent of its neighbours, thus +the whole surface holds far more wind than one continuous +sheet would do. The vessels, despite their unnautical +appearance, sail well on a wind. Some writers have +affirmed, that instead of reefing as we do, and as is pretty +universal all over the world—namely, by reducing the +perpendicular height of the sail—that the Japanese +accomplish this by taking in sail <i>at the sides</i>, or laterally, +by unlacing a cloth at a time. This seems to me highly +absurd, and is certainly not borne out by the testimony of +my own observation; and that they should not conform to +the common usage of maritime nations—both savage +and civilized—in this particular is improbable. Even the +Chinese—who are generally admitted to be the most +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[121]</a></span><i>unconforming</i> and irrational people in the world—reef +their sails, at least, in the orthodox way. Besides taking +a practical view of the matter, how are they in any sudden +emergency, and with their limited crews, to undo the +elaborate lacing, without going out on the yard and +climbing <i>down</i> the sail, unlacing as they go? So far as I +am able to judge, their method is a most simple and +effective one, for all that they do is to lower the sail, +gather in the slack at the bottom, and as there are several +sheets up and down the breech of the sail, the thing is +done with the utmost facility.</p> + +<p>The build of a junk's stern is somewhat peculiar, for +there is a great hollow which, apparently, penetrates the +body of the vessel; a mode of construction said to be +due to an edict of one of the tycoons, to prevent his subjects +from leaving the country; for though it seems +incredible, these junks have been known to voyage to +India. The sampan has a similar faulty arrangement of +stern. Though the people obeyed the spirit of the law, +they evaded the letter of it by placing sliding watertight +boards across the aperture.</p> + +<p>By noon we had anchored off Yokohama, now a large +and flourishing town, and the chief naval and foreign +trading port of Japan, though, before the English arrived +here in 1854, it was little more than a village.</p> + +<p>Having got through the noise and smoke of salutes to +no less than four admirals, and other minor consular +expenditures of gunpowder, we prepared ourselves for a +pleasurable stay in the sailor's paradise. Perhaps no +place in the round of sailors' visits, certainly none on this +station, offers so many inducements, so many and +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[122]</a></span>pleasing channels of getting rid of money, as does Yokohama. +Certain it is that the officers, who form the banking +committee on board, never complain of being over +worked, during a ship's stay in this harbour, and plethoric +bank books are frequently reduced to a sad and pitiable +state of emaciation after having "done" Yokohama and +its vicinity.</p> + +<p>The residences of the Europeans are situated out of the +town on a rising ground to the left, known as the Bluff. +Here the merchants live in rural magnificence, each with +his mansion surrounded by its own park-like grounds. +The English and foreign naval hospitals are also situated +in this healthy and beautiful spot; and it was here, too, +that our recent marine contingent to Japan had their +barrack.</p> + +<p>The European concession is a small town in itself, and +from the nomenclature of the landing places it would +appear that the English and French claim the greatest +interests here. These landing stages are called, from the +division of the settlement which they front, the English +and French "<i>Hatobahs</i>"—the "<i>atter bar</i>" of the sailor.</p> + +<p>As this town is the great point of contest between the +Japanese and the foreigner, everything in the shape of +"<i>curios</i>" can be obtained in its marts and bazaars. Most +of the objects are novel to us, and from their attractiveness +generally induce sailors to purchase on the strength +of that very quality. Except in very rare instances a +piece of real lacquer can scarcely be obtained, most of it +having already found its way to Europe; that which we +see here is made chiefly for sailors, who needs must take +something home—they care not what, nor are they very +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[123]</a></span>particular about the price asked. And how well these +people have studied the "tar;" how they have discovered +his weakness for startling colours! I am writing this +about four years subsequent to this, our first visit, and +one would think, that four years was amply sufficient for +the purpose of opening our eyes to deceptions. Have +they though? Not a bit of it, for we are quite as ready +to be "taken in" to-day or to-morrow, as we were four +years since. Still, there are some very handsome and, +now and then, really elegant things to be picked up in +the shops: bronzes, lacquers, china, tortoise-shell earrings, +fans, paintings, or silk, combining in their execution, the +most educated taste, and the most wonderful skill. +Generally speaking a "Japper" after naming a price will +rarely retract. The Chinaman always will, the rogue! +The Japanese know this peculiarity of the Chinaman, and +nothing will wound a Jap's self-respect more than to compare +his mode of dealing with the celestial's.</p> + +<p>They seem to enjoy arguing and chaffering over prices, +and will frequently go to the length of pulling down +masses of paper, supposed to be invoices, to shew that +they are asking you fair. We pretend to examine these +inventories with a most erudite expression on our ignorant +faces, and invariably commence to open the wrong +end of the book, forgetful that the Japanese commence at +what we call the last page. The dealers display the +utmost indifference as to whether you buy or not, and +you may pull their shops to pieces without raising their +ire in the slightest, for they will bow to you just as ceremoniously +on leaving as though you had purchased twenty +dollars' worth.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[124]</a></span>Strange as Japanese art appears to us, there is design +in all their executions. This presents a marked contrast +to Chinese art, which appears to be simply the result of +the artist's fancy. A Chinaman seems to have no idea, +when he commences a thing, what he is going to produce, +he goes on cutting and scraping, taking advantage of, here +a vein in a stone, perhaps, or there a knot in the gnarled +branches of a tree, and his imagination, distorted by the +diabolical forms with which his superstition surrounds +him, does the rest.</p> + +<hr class="tb" /> + +<p>And now I will ask you to take a run with me to Tokio, +the capital of Japan.</p> + +<p>The hour's ride by rail conducts us through a pleasant, +well cultivated country. Fields of ripe grain, clusters of +woods with cottages peeping out of their bosky shades, +and surrounded by stacks of hay and corn, have, for the +Englishman, a farm-like and altogether a home-like look.</p> + +<p>The best and safest method to adopt on arriving at the +terminus is to hire rickshas of the company at the railway +station, by so doing you are saved from being +victimised by the coolies, who are about as honest as the +Jehus of our own streets. You may employ them for as +many hours as you please, but to avoid fractions it is +usual to engage them by the day.</p> + +<p>Until Japan was opened to foreigners, Tokio, or Yedo, +was a mystery to the civilized world. It was supposed to +be fabulously large, and was said to contain more inhabitants +than any other metropolis in the world; some accounts +putting it down to as many as four millions. As +regards its extent, the city certainly does cover an +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[125]</a></span>immense space. Its population, though, is but half that +of London. Its large area is due, perhaps, more to the +manner in which it is laid out, than to anything else—which +is in the form of concentric circles, the mikado's +palace, or castle, occupying the centre. Around this +dismal, feudal looking, royal abode, the various embassies +are erected; buildings which present a far finer—because +more modern and European—appearance than does the +imperial residence. Circling the whole is a large deep +moat, the waters of which are thickly studded with beautiful +water lilies, and spanned by several bridges. Then +come the dingy and now disused houses and streets of +those powerful men of a by-gone age, the daimios. The +whole aspect of this question may be summed up in the +word <i>desolation</i>. This, too, is surrounded by a canal, or +moat. Beyond this, again comes the city proper, with its +busy, bustling population.</p> + +<p>We are entirely at the mercy of our "ricksha" men, and +have not the remotest idea of where they are driving us; +but assuming they know more about the city than we, this +does not exercise us much. They rattle us along over +unevenly paved streets, and whiz us around corners with +the rapidity of thought; an uncomfortable sensation in +the region of the dorsal vertebræ, resulting from the +unusual bumping process, and a fear lest, haply, we may +be flying out of our carriage at a tangent into somebody's +shop front, a pleasing reflection should we take a header +amongst china.</p> + +<p>Our coolies had been directed to a quarter of the city +called Shiba, and here at length we find ourselves, and +are shortly set down before one of the grandest buddhist +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[126]</a></span>temples in Japan. How peacefully the great building +reposes in its dark casket of solemn fir trees! To reach +the main entrance, we traverse a broad pathway lined +with praying lanterns on either hand. These lanterns are +stone pedestals, surmounted by a hollow stone ball with a +crescent shaped aperture in its surface, through which, at +night, the rays of light proceeding from <i>burning prayers</i> +penetrate the gloom. Scores of tombs, containing the +remains of the defunct tycoons and their wives, fill the +temple court; and as each successive tycoon looked forward +to reposing here after death, during life he richly +embellished it, and endeavoured to make it worthy to +receive so august a body as his own.</p> + +<p>A bald-headed priest, standing at the great entrance, +bids us remove our shoes and follow him. He conducts +us up grand stair cases, through corridors, into courtyards, +chapels, and sanctuaries; unlocks recesses, and +produces sacred vessels of massive gold work of vast +antiquity and splendid design, intimating to us that these +are for the sole use of the mikado, when he assumes his +priestly office. Here we get our first idea of what real +lacquer means. Our bonze brought out a small lacquered +cubical box, of a dull gold colour, and about four inches +in height, and gave us to understand that it could not be +purchased for 500 dollars! Just fancy! And then the +carving, gilding, colouring, and lacquer, everywhere, is +something beyond description. Even the very floors on +which we tread, the stairs, the hand-rails, are all gorgeous +with vermilion lacquer. One sanctuary is really resplendent, +its vessel's mouldings and ornaments being of dead +gold work, wrought in all kinds of emblematical designs +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[127]</a></span>and shapes. I feel assured that no thoughtful man can +visit Shiba's temple without being impressed with the high +perfection to which the Japanese have attained in the arts; +a perfection which the foreign mind can rarely grasp. +After a donation to the polite bonze—which he receives +on a gold salver and lays on the altar—we encase our +feet in leather once more, and leave the sacred precincts. +We may possibly never have the opportunity of paying +Shiba a second visit; but the privilege of having done so +once is—to a man of research—a liberal education in +itself.</p> + +<p>The streets and their busy throng are very gay and +lively. Hosts of healthy-looking and prettily clad +children are running here, there, and everywhere in +pursuit of their kites, and other childish amusements. +Vendors hawking their wares, as at home; the shrill +melancholy whistle of the blind shampooer who, with a +staff in one hand and a short bamboo pipe in the other, +thus apprises people of his willingness to attend on them; +ladies bowing and "sayonaraing" each other in musical +tones; the encouraging voice of the driver to his jaded +ox; and the warning "a—a" of the <i>ricksha</i> man; these +are the music of the streets in "the land of the rising +sun."</p> + +<p>The city can boast in the possession of several very +fine and extensive parks, that in which the Naval College +is situate being one of the largest. Here the youthful +Japanese officers of the navy were educated by English +instructors in all the branches and requirements of the +modern naval service, and some of the work we saw in +the different parts of the building shews that the Japanese +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[128]</a></span>have become thorough masters of the technicalities, and +no mean adepts at their practical application. All the +foreign instructors—except one—have now been discharged, +the Japanese feeling themselves strong enough +to walk alone in naval matters. That one exception is a +chief gunner's mate, who so rarely uses the English +language that, on conversing with us, he had frequently +to pause to consider what words he should make use of, +and even then his English was broken, and spoken just as +a native would speak it.</p> + +<p>On the return ride to Yokohama I was fortunate enough +to find myself seated next a gentleman who has been +resident in Japan upwards of twenty-five years, during +which period he has travelled throughout the length and +breadth of the empire. As may be imagined he was a +repository of much valuable and varied information. He +could hoist out facts and figures as easily as you would +fling a weevily biscuit to leeward. From his conversation +with me I gained much knowledge about Japan, which it +was impossible I could have acquired in any other way, +and all of which I have embodied in various parts of this +narrative.</p> + +<p>The manner in which the natural taste is assimilating +itself to European ideas appears more evident when one +comes to observe the hundreds of Japanese who take +advantage of the railway. Stop at what station you like, +you will find the platform suddenly alive with gaily dressed +and clogged passengers, on pleasure bent, loaded with +toys or wares that have been purchased, in the gay +capital.</p> + +<p>A few days after the above events the Japanese squadron +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[129]</a></span>of smart corvettes, and the large ironclad "Foo-soo" +(Great Japan, as we say Great Britain,) got under way and +proceeded to sea. It was rumoured that the mikado was +to have accompanied in his yacht, and in anticipation of +his embarkation all the men-of-war in harbour dressed +ship, though, as it turned out, he did not put in an +appearance.</p> + +<p>July 3rd.—General Grant arrived this morning in the +corvette "Richmond," and escorted by a Japanese man-of-war. +All ships, except the English and German, dressed +in honour of the American flag, which the corvette flew at +her main. The two nationalities I have mentioned seem +to have offered a marked discourtesy to the general, the +German especially so, for just as the "Richmond" was +about to anchor the "Prinz Adalbert" broke the German +royal standard at her royal mast head, which, as it were, +blew the charges out of guns already loaded for the +American. The "Adalbert" has Prince Heinrich, the +second son of our Princess Royal, on board as a +midshipman; hence the standard.</p> + +<p>It would appear that the slight passed on Jonathan +did not go entirely unnoticed by him, for in the evening, +at sunset, when, as is customary with that nation, her +band played her colours down and then the national +anthems, it was noticed that the English and German +tunes were studiously omitted.</p> + +<p>But the "Richmond" had taken up a bad billet to +anchor in, and to find a more secure one she steamed out +to the entrance of the harbour and made a wide sweep +before returning. Some of our jocular shipmates had +quite a different view of this proceeding, for, if we are to +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[130]</a></span>believe them, the American went out to take the turn out +of her flags, or to allow her ship's company to bathe, the +waters of the harbour being too shallow for the latter +purpose!</p> + +<p>Unwillingly my pen has once again to trace the lines +which are to record the death of another of our poor +fellows, Frederick Smyth, a stoker. Returning from leave +in one of the open, dangerous, shallow boats of the place, +and perhaps slightly the worse for liquor, the unfortunate +man fell overboard, his body not being recovered until +some days after the sad event.</p> + +<p>July 22nd.—Up anchor once more! Onward is our +motto, nor are we particularly sorry to be on the move, +for I think everybody is surfeited with Yokohama, and +perhaps the fact that everybody's money is all gone, has +something to do with our eagerness to be off. So, boys, +"We'll go to sea for more," as the old tars did. Just as +the anchor was a-trip two royal personages came on board, +the Princes Arisugawa—father and son; the father being +the commander-in-chief of the Japanese army; the son a +"midshipmite" in the Imperial navy. They were +attended by their suite and Sir Harry Parkes, the British +ambassador at Tokio. We took them a short distance +to sea with us, and after seeing one or two evolutions +they returned to Yokohama in the "Vigilant," whilst we +resumed our voyage.</p> + + +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[131]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XI.</h2> +<hr class="hr2" /> + +<div class="poem"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="poem"> +<tr><td class="tdstanza"> +<span class="i0">From clime to clime, from sea to sea, we roam,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">'Tis one to us—we head not yet for home.<br /></span> +</td></tr> +</table> +</div> + +<hr class="hr2" /> +<p class="summary">NORTHWARD​—​HAKODADI​—​DUI​—​CASTRIES +BAY​—​BARRACOUTA​—​VLADIVOSTOCK.</p> + + +<p>Shortly after rounding Mela Head and shaping +our course to the northward, the temperature underwent +a marked change, in fact so suddenly were we +ushered into a colder zone that everybody is on the +search for pocket handkerchiefs, these articles being in +very general demand.</p> + +<p>The eastern coast of Niphon, along which we are now cruising, +has several admirable harbours and sheltered +anchorages. Two days after leaving Yokohama we found +the ship standing in for the land and making for +Yamada, one of the securest harbours on the coast. +Bold hills and headlands, clothed in the easily recognisable +dark green foliage of the fir, rear themselves on either +hand as we pass into the outer bay. This outer sheet of +water—for there is an inner—has a very broad opening +seaward, but suddenly, on changing course, a narrow +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[132]</a></span>inlet reveals a noble bay, perfectly land-locked with a +village of considerable size at its head. No sooner had +our anchor left the bows than a volunteer party asked and +obtained permission to go fishing. So far, however, as +catching fish was concerned, the expedition was a signal +failure, though, looked at in the light of enjoyment, it +was a perfect success. Along the beach of this arcadia +an abundance of flowers grow in a wild state, amongst +them the rose, whose beauty, bloom, and fragrance +equalled those of the choicest culture in our English +garden; and on looking at them and the other familiar +flowers around, we might have been forgiven for fancying +ourselves at home. Whence come our associates, +and why is it that even the fragrance of a flower is +capable of seizing hold on the mind, and transporting it +to the utmost limits of a continent?</p> + +<p>The usual wondering throng of natives speedily gathered +around us, eager to participate in the viands which we were +endeavouring to stow away. Fortunately we had plenty +of biscuit with which to satisfy their curiosity; but it was +a long time before they could be prevailed upon to drink +out of a basin of cocoa. When we offered it to them +they touched their heads and swayed their bodies to and +fro, making a very creditable pantomime of intoxication. +At length, however, one of us used the Japanese word +"<i>tcha</i>" (tea) which had the desired effect, for one man +advanced, took a drink, and liked it; and though he of +course discovered it was not tea, he also found out it was +not rum.</p> + +<p>July 27th—We have now reached the northern end of +Niphon, and turned westward into the broad strait of +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[133]</a></span>Tsugar, which separates the greater island from Yesso. +The scenery about the strait is very lovely; all day we +have coasted the land down, and alternate hill and dale, +and here and there a giant volcano peak were most +refreshing objects on which to rest the eye. Towards +evening the great open bay of Awomori came into view, +and in a short time we had entered it, and cast anchor +opposite a small town, built on a level grassy plain. The +irregularly scattered houses, amidst trees and greensward, +have something the appearance of Singapore, when +viewed from the seaward.</p> + +<p>Our stay was but short, for on the following morning +our anchor was at the bows, and the ships heading for +Hakodadi. This town—the largest in Yesso—reminds +one very forcibly of Gibraltar. There is a similar high +rock standing sheer out of the sea—almost the same +narrow strip of land connecting it with the main; whilst +the town is built on the slopes of the eminence, and +circling the bay as at Gib. The town is not over large, +and commodities are very scarce, the only thing obtainable +being dried salmon.</p> + +<p>During our stay the ship's company landed under arms—a +by no means pleasurable treat, as you shall see. +The waters near the shore were so shallow that the men +experienced great difficulty in reaching the beach, and +were only able to accomplish it after wading through +about twenty yards of mud and water, dragging guns and +ammunition with them. Add to this the inconvenience +of drilling and marching in dripping clothes, and the +knowledge that the same performance must be repeated +to embark again; and you will see that a sailor's life is +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[134]</a></span>not all sugar. Hakodadi is not a place that sailors are +likely to fall in love with, for there is no accommodation +on shore for them; yet leave was given, and the men had +to "bunk it out" where they could. On this occasion—let me +record it in the reddest of red letters, or in the +most emphatic italics—<i>a liberty boat was granted</i>.</p> + +<p>August 3rd—To-day is Sunday, and a sort of preliminary +inspection by the admiral, but—would you believe it?—he +completely ignored the beautifully cleaned deck and +stanchions, the glistening whitewash, and all the other aids +to appearances, well known to sailors, and put on specially +for the occasion! Yes, he actually took not the slightest +notice of these, but, instead, poked his head into all the +holes and corners where he was likely to find sundry and +various small gear, such as dirty towels, "duff" bags, +ditty bags, and so forth. The result might have been +anticipated. He turned out so much that, before he had +gone a third of the way around the lower deck, he gave +the captain orders to make a personal inspection first, and +then report to him; and as everyone knows, when once +Captain Cleveland gets into that canvas suit of his, he is—in +naval phrase—"a dead rivet."</p> + +<p>One night, as we lay here ready for sea, a man-of-war +was observed entering the harbour, and as soon as the +flashing lights were brought to bear, and her number +made, she proved to be the "Charybdis," last from Yokohama. +She informed us that, subsequent to her leaving +that port, cholera had broken out amongst her crew, one +man having died of it on the passage, whilst a second was +down with the disease, though he was now in a fair way +towards recovery. She was at once ordered into quarantine, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[135]</a></span>and to hoist the "yellow jack" at the fore. Young +Prince Arisugawa was also on board, taking passage to +join our ship as naval cadet; however, he was not permitted +to come to us until he had been overhauled by the +doctors on shore, and his clothes fumigated. Immediately +he had left her the "Charybdis" was ordered to sea; the +bracing sea air of a more northern clime being about the +most effective medicine for her crew.</p> + +<p>August 9.—To-day Prince Arisugawa came on board, +and in due course was consigned to the tender mercies of +the young English gentlemen in the gunroom; his future +messmates—and shall I be wrong if I say <i>tormentors</i>? At +the same time a most acceptable gift to the ship's company, +consisting of eight bullocks, was brought alongside; the +present, I believe, of the Emperor, whose health we <i>ate</i> +next day.</p> + +<p>Steam was already up when the prince embarked, and +there was nothing further to detain us except the weather. +That, indeed, was very threatening, and not to be ignored. +Terrific peals of thunder and blinding lightning, accompanied +by such heavy and persisted showers of rain that +it was a mystery how the soil could withstand such an inundation, +delayed our sailing for upwards of four hours. +At the end of that time nature again resumed her wonted +smiling appearance, the sun chasing away such evidences +of bad temper with the rapidity of thought.</p> + +<p>Nothing of moment occurred on our voyage up the +gulf of Tartary, except that, during one middle watch, the +ship narrowly escaped running on a rock; but as she did +not actually touch, we verify the adage that "a miss is as +good as a mile." The day following, the lifting of a fog +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[136]</a></span>bank revealed to us the "Charybdis" close in shore, under +small sail. On signalling us that she had pitched her late +unwelcome visitor overboard, she was allowed to join +company, and afterwards proceeded on to Dui, to coal and +order some for us.</p> + +<p>August 13th.—Sad misfortune! direful calamity! Why? +Read, and you will be as wise as myself. In the middle +watch of this night, our two cats—have I told you +that we brought two cats from England with us?—as +was their wont, were skylarking and cutting capers on the +hammock nettings and davits, when tabby the lesser, instead +of jumping on something palpable, made a leap on +space with the natural result, for he lighted on water and +was rapidly whirled astern by the inky waters of the +Tartar gulf. Poor pussy, little did we dream, or you +either, that Siberian waters were to sing your requiem! +We feel very sorry at the loss of our pet, for he was a +thorough sailor, thinking it nothing to mount the rigging +and seat himself on the crosstrees, whilst on his rounds; +and as to the item "rats," shew me the rodent that could +ever boast of weathering him, and I will shew you a +clever beast.</p> + +<p>At daybreak we made the harbour of Dui, in the island +of Saghalien, a Russian penal settlement and coaling +depôt, though coaling is under such severe restrictions +that the trouble to secure it is worth its cost. For +instance, only a certain number of tons can be had each +day, and then only for one ship at a time; and instead of +using large lighters to bring it off, small boats are employed, +rendering it necessary to make a multiplicity of +visits to the shore. This island, until recently a part of +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[137]</a></span>the Japanese empire, is rich in coal, and other minerals, a +fact Russia was careful to note when casting her covetous +eyes over its broad surface.</p> + +<p>It may be remembered, perhaps, that in the year 1879, +Russia sent her first batch of Nihilists and other political +offenders to Siberia, by the more expeditious sea route, +and that alarming reports had crept into the European +press, and especially into that of the national censor, the +English, as to the cruelties and inhumanities these poor +people had to endure on the voyage. The vessel, with the +convicts on board, was lying at Dui on our arrival, and +our admiral was not slow to avail himself of the means of +satisfying himself, and, through him, the English press, as +to the alleged enormities. He found, I believe, that far +from being badly treated, the prisoners had every consideration +allowed them consistent with their position as +state prisoners. Indeed, the convicts on this island seem +to enjoy almost perfect liberty of action, short of being +permitted to escape, for I encountered about a score of +them on shore—big, burly, well-fed fellows—smoking, +playing at pitch-and-toss, and singing, as if to be a convict +was a state to be desired rather than otherwise. Possibly, +these were good characters, for I certainly saw some in +the coaling hulks with heavy chains on their wrists and +legs, and with half-shaved heads—a distinguishing mark +which those I met on shore had not.</p> + +<p>By dint of extra pressure we managed to procure our +coal next day, though it took us till after sundown to get +in 140 tons. We and the "Charybdis" then sailed—she +for Yokohama and we for Castries bay—about sixty miles +on the other side of the gulf—where we dropped anchor +on the following morning.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[138]</a></span>We felt the weather bitterly cold, as contrasted with the +temperature of our experience since leaving England, +though, I suppose, at home such would be called genial.</p> + +<p>There is not a sign or semblance of the human species, +near this spot. All around us is forest, forest to the utmost +limit of vision. Pines and firs, firs and pines, for +acres upon acres; sufficient, I should think, to furnish all +the navies of the world, present and yet unborn, with +spars. What a solemn and wintry aspect these northern +forests have; what weird murmurs and ghostly sighs +haunt their virgin glades. Sometimes in the midst of this +almost black greenness, some forest monarch, bleached +and scared by the icy breath of generations of Siberian +winters, stands out with skeleton distinctness. A dreary, +desolate place altogether. There must be a town somewhere +in the vicinity, though, for in the afternoon the +military commandant hove in sight. This official had on +the enormous bearskin head-dress, and dark green uniform +of the Cossack regiment. An insignificant-looking +man, all moustache and swagger.</p> + +<p>On Monday, the day following our arrival, to all those +who cared to avail themselves of it, a regular day's outing +was granted. We started early, so as to have a long day +before us. We had permission to fish to our heart's content, +in waters where fish is specially abundant and good. +It was rather a long pull to the shore, and shallow water +there when we reached it, for we had gone a considerable +distance up a small river. The town (so it is called) of +Alexandrovsk—at the same time the village of "Tighee" +(Torpoint) would make four such towns—was passed on +our way up. We pushed on into the interior as far as we +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[139]</a></span>could drag our larger boats, and selected our encampment +on a spit of beach, near the dwellings of some natives. +These huts were of tent shape and constructed of bark, +and covered with the skins of the reindeer, numbers of +which animals we can see grazing in the vicinity.</p> + +<p>The inhabitants of this little-known part of the great +asiatic continent, are mongolian Tartars. They are possessed +of a rather forbidding cast of feature, have great +square, flat faces, the nose scarcely distinguishable, and +swallowed up in the flattening process (this though, by +the way, is an index of beauty amongst them), low foreheads, +and dreamy-looking obliquely-set eyes. Their +head-gear is much after the Chinese style, except, that in +addition to the queue, they allow the remainder of the +hair to develop itself, which it does in the wildest and +most elfish manner. For dress, the untanned skins of the +animals caught in the chase, with the hair outboard, +answers all their requirements. At first one experiences a +great difficulty in distinguishing the sexes, for the ordinary +bearings by which we sight "danger" ahead are entirely +wanting. Stay, are they <i>all</i> absent? Scarcely, for the +vanity inherent in woman displays itself even here. These +ladies have large <i>iron</i> rings in their ears, and through the +cartilage of the nose a similar pendant is hung, on which +is an additional ornament of a green stone, much resembling +the mineral malachite. Their dress is a very capacious, +continuous garment of the yellow skin of the hair +seal, seamed with sinews, and very rudely put together. +Hundreds of yelping dogs lay about in all possible +attitudes of laziness, whilst a few other village pets, <i>e.g.</i>, a +great bald-headed eagle, of a most bloodthirsty and +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[140]</a></span>ferocious aspect, and a couple of large brown bears with +uncomfortable looking teeth and arms, suggestive of a +long embrace, stood unpleasantly near, though their +owners had thought fit to secure them.</p> + +<p>This people's religion is a strange mixture of heathenism +and Greek church Christianity. The czar's soldiers +have a very short and effective manner of converting the +subjugated races which bow before their swords, by +driving the whole batch at the point of the bayonet into +the nearest stream, whilst a little Greek cross is put round +the neck of each, and a copy of the bible given them. +Near these huts I observed an idol of the rudest construction. +It was supposed, I presume, to represent a man's +shape—but it was merely a flat board, with the lower end +sharpened to a point to fix in the ground, and the upper +end fashioned into a very ambiguous circle to form a +head; the mouth, nose, and eyes being afterwards added +in pigment. One old gent pulled from some obscure +retreat in the internal structure of his ample ulster, a +pocket edition of the Acts of the Apostles, in English, and +from the careful manner in which it was preserved, and +the security of its hiding place, he seemed to set great +store by it. I tried to surmise how such a volume could +have come into his possession, and could only account +for it by supposing it had washed up on the beach; but +then, if so, why such reverential care of the book. Missionaries, +say you. Well, a missionary would scarcely +provide himself with copies of the English scripture for +distribution amongst gilyaks and calmuck Tartars.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile our fishers had pushed on still further +inland, dragging the dingy after them, and had met with +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[141]</a></span>such success that they returned to camp with their boat +laden to the gunwale with salmon and salmon trout. But +of all the fish taken that day, by far the finest specimen +was that captured near the camping ground. This was a +magnificent salmon, of over forty pounds weight, that +had become entangled in the long grass with which the +surface of the river was covered, a circumstance which +rendered him an easy prey to his enemies.</p> + +<p>Resuming our southward voyage, our next place of call +was Barracouta harbour. It was here, if I am rightly +informed, that a French naval officer shot himself, +because he had allowed the Russian squadron to overreach +him. It was during the Crimean war, the English +and French squadrons had hunted the station all over to +come up with the Russians, but though they often sighted +the enemy, they never succeeded in engaging them. From +China to Japan, from Japan to Corea, and away in +Siberian waters, it was all the same; the Russians were +perfectly successful in out manœuvring their enemy. At +length the squadron was again sighted, and their capture +seemed a dead certainty, when suddenly it disappeared +into a small inlet, apparently in the iron-bound coast +of Kamtschatka. Without charts, or the remotest knowledge +of the locality, it would be madness to follow. The +British, indeed, did manage to find their way into +Petropoloski, and succeeded, I believe, in setting fire to +one old hulk. It was a most inglorious business throughout, +and so worked on the exciteable temperament of the +French commanding officer, that he decided to die by his +own hand rather than survive such a questionable victory.</p> + +<p>On entering the harbour we observed the "Pegasus" at +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[142]</a></span>anchor, seemingly in a wilderness of fir trees. This is +the first time we have seen this smart little sloop, as she is +a recent addition to our fleet.</p> + +<p>There is an abundance of wild fruits here; the raspberries, +in particular, being specially fine in size, and +delicious in flavour. These and sloes were the only two +we recognised, and we took especial care to go in for none +of the others; wisely deciding that it was better to confine +ourselves to the known. After traversing a virgin forest—soft, mossy, and velvety to the naked feet—and now and +again wading muddy streams, studded with artificial +islets, composed of roots and other <i>debris</i>—in fact floating +islands—we at length came out into a clearing, in which +was a collection of huts, and a number of women engaged +in the preparation of fish, but for what purpose I am to this +day ignorant. The manner in which they set about their +work is most revolting. Unpleasant though I know it will +look in print, nevertheless it must be described. Each +woman is armed with a sharp, crescent-shaped blade—seemingly +of steel—with which she makes an incision in +the back of the neck of the fish, sufficiently deep to penetrate +the skin; then taking the animal in both her hands, +and applying her teeth to the wound, she tears a long +strip off towards the tail, which disappears down her +throat with the rapidity and movements of an eel, or of +macaroni "down the neck" of a Neapolitan beggar. This, +I presume, is called the tit-bit, for the remainder is thrown +on one side into a pit, amongst a heap of putrid, festering +fish, to undergo the rotting process, necessary to a perfect +cure. The appetite of these squaws seem unsatiable; for +during the short time we looked on, three of them +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[143]</a></span>managed to get outside of about twenty salmon trout, in +this manner.</p> + +<p>After a stay of three days in this pretty little spot, we +started, under very unfavourable circumstances. The +weather was very cold and foggy, and rain fell in abundance, +so altogether it was very unpleasant. But this was +not all, for on making the open sea the wind began to rise, +and we close to a lee shore. We speedily prepared for a +gale, as night was coming on, and no indications of the +wind going down. The "Pegasus" was still in company; +and the two ships kept up a pretty lively conversation +with each other during that night of fog, by means of that +nautical toy, the steam whistle. Fast and furious they +went at it, singing sweet lullabys to the slumbering tars of +the watch below. Such horrible shrieks and appalling +yells would startle a Red-Indian war-whoop into fits. I +feel certain, from subsequent remarks on the subject—let +fall in the manner peculiar to seamen—that if their wishes +had been answered that night, all the waters in the sea +would not have been sufficient to cool the place where +they would have consigned the whole apparatus.</p> + +<p>At daybreak, the little patch of blue up aloft that +mariners so delight to see, shewed us hopes of a fine day. +Shortly afterwards we observed a Russian corvette +standing out from the land, having just left the anchorage +we are about to visit, namely, Olga bay, another fine +harbour on the Siberian seaboard. Here we found the +Russian admiral, the "Vigilant," and an Italian frigate—the +"Vittor Pisani." From hence the "Pegasus" was +despatched to Nagasaki, whilst we and the "Vigilant" +headed for Vladivostock, calling at Nayedznik bay on the +way, and anchoring for the night.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[144]</a></span>We made three or four attempts to start in the morning, +but each time were compelled to delay our departure, +out of respect for the heavy fogs which would gather so +rapidly in our vicinity. When at length we did get outside, +things did not improve, by which we infer that the maritime +region of Siberia is a dangerous one at this season. +However we steamed along at a pretty brisk rate, and by +10 a.m. had the satisfaction of seeing Vladivostock open +out before us. This town is Russia's principal seaport +and naval station in this part of her dominions—the head +quarters of her navy, and the great military depôt. It has +an extremely pleasant appearance from the harbour. On +going on shore, though, and examining things in detail I +saw that the houses which looked so charming from the +ship were constructed of rough unhewn logs of timber, +the crevices being filled up with mud. The inhabitants +are principally Russian, of course—soldiers and sailors, +with their wives; but, in addition, there are Coreans, +Chinese, and a few (very few) Japanese. The Russian +women are coarse and masculine in appearance, are +dressed in cotton print gowns put on very slovenly, wear +no covering on the head except their unkempt and dishevelled +hair, ride on horseback like a man, and have +their feet and legs encased in enormous sea-boots. Everybody +wears these leather boots just as everyone is an +equestrian. Even the officers' wives have a slovenly, +faded look; and I can honestly say that I never saw one +amongst them whom, from her appearance, I should style +a lady. There is scarcely a street or road in the place, +and the only thoroughfare is that suggested by the deep +and sloppy ruts made by the heavy lumbering cart and +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[145]</a></span>the uncomfortable <i>drosky</i>—the latter a four-wheeled concern +peculiar to Russia, possessing a couple of seats +running fore and aft, and so near the ground that the +passengers' feet are in imminent danger of being brought +in contact with stray stones and other inequalities.</p> + +<p>In a town such as this one would expect to find commodities +both reasonable in price and plenty in variety. +Not so, however; what little business there is in the provision +line is in the hands of the "ubiquitous"—I mean +the Chinaman. Lemonade is a thing unknown, and none +of us was bold enough to tackle that vile brew—Russian +beer. Of course, like all salt water fish, after being on +shore for a short time we wanted "damping;" but there +seemed no possibility of our wants being understood, as, +seemingly, nobody could speak English. Now, when the +British seaman particularly wants anything to drink, and +can't get it, he generally uses language which (all things +considered) is rather more forcible than polite—that is to +say, we would not care for ladies to hear it. It was so +here. Vladivostock was this, that, and the other, garnished +with sundry and manifold adjectives; in fact it was anything +but a town. I dare say, had our sailors the least +inkling that all this while they were listened to and understood, +they would have reserved some of their more choice +figures of speech. It was so, however; for suddenly +somebody asked, in splendid English, "Do you require +anything, gentlemen?" Our interrogator was a Russian +military officer, with several ribbons and crosses on his +broad breast. We stated our difficulty, and he very +politely directed us to a French hotel, and even accompanied +us part of the way. I certainly was not prepared +to hear English spoken so well by a Rooski.</p> + + +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[146]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XII.</h2> + +<hr class="hr2" /> +<div class="poem"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="poem"> +<tr><td class="tdstanza"> +<span class="i0a">"Come, friends, who plough the sea,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">A truce to navigation, let's take another station."<br /></span> +</td></tr> +</table> +</div> + +<hr class="hr2" /> + +<p class="summary">CHEFOO​—​NAGASAKI EN ROUTE.​—​JAPAN +REVISITED.​—​KOBE.​—​YOKOHAMA.</p> + + +<p>August 31st.—At the early hour of four this +morning the shrill sound of those ear-piercing +instruments, the boatswains' pipes in combination, +resounded clearly and distinctly in the pure raw air, as +"all hands" summoned the sleepy crew to heave up +anchor. In less than an hour, thanks to the modern +sailors' help, the steam capstan, our white wings were +spread for the expected breeze outside the harbour. As +yet, however, the wind has not been enticed, it being, as +one of our shipmates from the sister isle put it, "a dead +calm, with what wind there was dead ahead." Further +on we overhauled a splendid breeze, which caused our +canvas to strain in every fibre as we careened to its pressure. +This gave us such material help that by noon of +next day we had carved a good big slice out of the six +hundred miles to Nagasaki.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[147]</a></span>September 3rd.—From the greasy appearance of the +moon last night, and from a study of other varied phenomena +whereby sailors, from time immemorial, have +learnt to forecast the weather, we "smelt" a change of +some sort was about to happen; and we sleepers, on turning +out in the morning, were in no wise surprised to find +that the wind had headed us, that all the sails were furled, +and the ship poking her nose into a nasty sea. But this +was a blind: the clerk of the weather was evidently meditating +a stronger blow from the original direction, and +had only gone on ahead to seek some of his refractory +forces to give us the full benefit of the combination. All +sail again, fast and furious we drove through it, and succeeded +in knocking "seven and a bit" out of the old +"Duke;" 'twould take something like a hurricane to persuade +her to more. We tore past Tsu-sima, an island in +the Corea strait, and laughingly cleared the run down to +Nagasaki.</p> + +<p>September 4th.—As information had reached us at +Vladivostock that cholera was raging pretty freely at +Nagasaki, instead of proceeding at once to the anchorage +we brought up at the mouth of the harbour, under the lee +of Tacabuco, until such times as we should hear more +definite and accurate accounts of the extent of the +enemy's depredations. Like another much-libelled personage, +who is often painted much blacker than he perhaps +is, the cholera, through undoubtedly present, was confined +to the poorer haunts of the city, so that with necessary +precautions there was nothing to fear. Stopping everybody's +leave, though, unfortunately happened to be a +necessary precaution, and communication with the shore +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[148]</a></span>was limited to the visits of the bumboat and washermen.</p> + +<p>On the following morning we commenced to fill up with +coal. I have before remarked that in this port we have +lady coal heavers. It so chanced that for once they were +rather short-handed, and to expedite the work a party of +blue-jackets were sent to clear a spare lighter. Whether or +not they mistook the commander's order, or whether their +eyes had got blinded with coal dust I can't say, but sure +am I that they failed, every man-jack of them, to go into +the indicated boat. May be, the sight of women at +"unwomanly work" was too much for Jack's chivalry—at +any rate, they had jumped in among the women and were +cheerfully heaving out the coal whilst the latter bad a +smoke. Now this, however laudable in itself, was clearly +not the commander's intention, and the gallants, much +against their will, had to yield to pressure and clear the +bachelor lighter.</p> + +<p>September 7th.—In company with the "Growler" and +"Sylvia" we left the shores of fair Nagasaki; and after +despatching the small fry about their business we shaped +our course for Chefoo. The wind for a short distance +was again fair; but having, presumably, discovered its +mistake, and that we had had a full share of his favors +lately, old boisterous suddenly changed his tactics, and +intimated to us in unmistakable language, by alternate +lulls and squalls, that he was about to do something rash. +At noon of the second day out, after, we must confess, +ample warning, he had apparently decided what to do, +the wind came up as foul as it could well be. We were at +this time off the island of Quelpart, still carrying reduced +sail and barely going our course.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[149]</a></span>The breeze, though strong, was steady and all went +well until the ship reached the western extremity of the +mountainous island, when, with a roar and a screech truly +terrific, a squall struck us in wild, fitful gusts. We were +carrying reefed topsails and trysails at the time, and it was +fortunate that we had no more sail on, or surely our spars +must have gone over the side. As it was, the fore trysail +split with the report of a cannon, and the main-topsail, +unable to stand the enormous strain, was torn from top to +bottom. To make things more cheerful, the clouds, in +their sport, hurled blinding slanting sheets of water at us; +for it would be an error to say that rain fell. An effort +was made to furl sails; but though there was no lack of +cheerful hands speedily on the yards, numbers became +powerless to manipulate canvas which by the combined +elements had been converted into deal boards. As it was +impossible that orders could be heard from deck, the +officers went aloft and lay out on the yards amongst the +men, encouraging them by voice and example. The +attempt had to be given up and the sails secured to the +yards by lashings.</p> + +<p>September 11th.—The dreary, monotonous, unenlivening +coast line of China, with its interminable sand hills +and granite peaks, once more in sight. The landscapes +of north China are, if anything, more dreary than ever. +We must however take the bad with the good. Chefoo +lies before us, and into Chefoo we are bound to go. We +cannot, as yet, see any town, because of a sort of natural +breakwater of sand and rocks which stretches almost +across the harbour's mouth; but that there is an anchorage +beyond is clear, from the thousands of masts pointing +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[150]</a></span>skyward. So slow was our progress into the harbour that +it seemed as if we were never going to get there at all; +but eventually we dropped anchor at about three miles +from what I suppose pretends to be a town, but which +from such a distance looked more like a straggling village. +We had gone in quite far enough, though, for every revolution +of the screws discoloured the water with sand and +mud, and, furthermore, I believe we touched, for a distinct +not to be mistaken vibration was clearly felt by all +hands. This part of the anchorage is much exposed to +the sea; and, in the event of a blow from the northward, +we are in a position to encounter its full fury. Chefoo, +notwithstanding its uninteresting appearance, seems to be +a pretty regular port of call for men-of-war, several of +which are lying at anchor within the bar.</p> + +<p>There must be some spots in the neighbourhood capable +of cultivation, for our bumboat is loaded with an +abundance of tempting fruits—grapes of rich bloom and +large growth, apples which would do no discredit to a +West of England orchard, and peaches scarcely inferior to +those v of the Mediterranean. And how cheap everything +is—eggs you can get for the asking almost, whilst a whole +fowl (prepared and cooked in a manner which, out of +charity to the Chinese culinary art, we wont pry into too +closely, but which our sailor gourmands relish nevertheless) +is obtainable for five cents! I refer, of course, to that +bird which our shipmates denominate "<i>dungaree chicken</i>." +Our first impression of Chefoo is that it is the place of all +others on the station to send emaciated ships' companies +to regain their stamina.</p> + +<p>The district has a special manufacture of silk, much +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[151]</a></span>prized by our female friends at home, made from the fibres +of the bamboo. Did you ever see such a wonderful plant +as that same bamboo? I could not enumerate half the +uses to which the natives of China and Japan apply its +beautiful slender golden stem. The silk, of a color resembling +brown holland, is really very good, and makes +excellent summer out-door dresses for the European ladies +and girls at Chefoo. Some of the best costumes I noticed +on shore were made of this material.</p> + +<p>Shortly after our arrival the "Vigilant" came in, en +route for Tientsin, a port further up the Gulf of Pe-chili, +and to the westward of us. You may perhaps remember +that it was here the recent massacre of some helpless +French sisters of mercy took place, an event which at +one time seemed very likely to have embroiled China into +a war with France.</p> + +<p>I wonder if I should be wrong in saying that one of +the principal reasons which makes this so desirable a port +for navy ships is the advantages presented by the sand-bar +at the mouth of the harbour for shore evolutions? This +may or may not be so; but scarcely a week passed +without our captain taking us ashore to play at soldiers, +and sometimes two or even three times a week. The bar +has many qualities suitable for military operations; a +rocky grass-covered mound at the western extremity in +particular forming an excellent position for the field guns +and assaulting parties. This spot will be always remembered +by our ship's company by the name of Fort Cleveland, +a name they themselves bestowed on it, because the +captain, who conducted these landing parties with strict +regard to military tactics, so frequently made it the culminating +point in the day's manœuvres.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[152]</a></span>After all it was deemed advisable to shift out of our +present unsafe anchorage to a more secure one inside the +bar, and, as the "Modeste" was about to leave for Chusan, +she came alongside and took us in tow. We have met +with no heavy weather here yet; but we shall be fortunate +indeed if we don't get a "brew" at this season.</p> + +<p>We had been here somewhere about ten days when the +Chinese governor came on board, attended, as is the +custom in China, by a numerous suite of lesser mandarins +and their retainers. Chefoo is an important military command, +as well as one of the chief naval ports in the +empire; hence the governor is a high military mandarin. +From the governor downwards they were all dressed +pretty much alike. The mandarins were distinguishable +only by a button, worn on the top of their mushroom hats. +The colour and material of this button, like the "tails" +of a pasha, indicate the position of the wearer, the red +being considered the highest of all. In addition to the +button the military insignia of a tuft of horse hair, dyed +scarlet, depended from the top of the hat of each, whilst +some of the more fortunate wore a peacock's feather +stuck jauntily under the button. I say more fortunate +because, like our K.C.B.'s, only a very few can ever hope +to attain to such a mark of the sovereign's favor. These +feathers are bestowed by the emperor, generally in person, +on such of his subjects as have achieved some renown, +either as a soldier or in the equally honorable province +of letters. We may well believe, then, that amongst such +a people as the Chinese, whose very breath almost is at +the emperor's pleasure, such a distinction is the chiefest +ambition of every man; for <i>all</i> may aspire to it.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[153]</a></span>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.</p> + +<p>Shortly before sailing the admiral inspected the ship. +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 <i>looked</i> the words of that conceited bird +as he strutted proudly along before the admiral; and I +feel assured that, though the commander-in-chief may +not have thought much about the matter, there was no +doubt in pussy's mind as to <i>his</i> being one of the "greatest +folk here to-day."</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>October 23rd.—At four o'clock this morning we dashed +through the strait of Simoneski under steam and canvas, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[154]</a></span>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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>"Fair luna" had scarcely left us to gladden another +world of night before the anchor was at the bows and the +ship 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 passages, 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 Kobé.</p> + +<p>Our arrival was most opportune, both for ourselves and +also for society on shore. 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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[155]</a></span>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.</p> + +<p>Whilst at Kobé 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 cockroaches, 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.</p> + +<p>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.</p> + +<p>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 assent, to +the attendance of the troupe. They performed before a +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[156]</a></span>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 unbutton his +pockets to further that end.</p> + +<p>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 nobility of Japan.</p> + +<p>Recent arrivals from the southward having reported +stormy passage, more than the usual precautions were +taken to prepare the ship 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 passage 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; +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[157]</a></span>now one ship, now another, until up to this time they +can reckon up eight such shifts.</p> + +<p>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 circumstance, that +we became aware that we had lost a shipmate. 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.</p> + +<p>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 +repetition 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.</p> + +<p>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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[158]</a></span>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 anticipate by +describing the present, but will reserve for a subsequent +page the pleasure of telling you all about it.</p> + + +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[159]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XIII.</h2> + +<hr class="hr2" /> +<div class="poem"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="poem"> +<tr><td class="tdstanza"> +<span class="i0a">"And there on reef we come to grief,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Which has often occurred to <i>we</i>."<br /></span> +</td></tr> +</table> +</div> + +<hr class="hr2" /> + +<p class="summary">IN WHICH WE ATTEMPT AN OVERLAND ROUTE, WITH THE +RESULT OF THE TRIAL.</p> + +<p>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 muffs +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.</p> + +<p>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 transhipment 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 +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[160]</a></span>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.</p> + +<p>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 ship separate +work—and provisioning, swallowed up the greater part of +the month of January.</p> + +<p>February 11th.—To-day the "Tyne" arrived from England. +To the expatiated seaman the arrival of a troopship +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.</p> + +<hr class="tb" /> + +<p>And now came April 15th, not so rapidly as would +appear from the above sketch; but it came, and with it +the commencement of a second voyage to the northward.</p> + +<p>In the interval between the sailing of the "Tyne" and +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[161]</a></span>our departure we were not idle. We had gone outside +twice—once at target practice and once on steam tactics. +The "Armide," French flag-ship, had left for Europe, and +her relief, the "Thémis," had arrived on the station, losing +several sheets of copper off her starboard bow on the +passage up from Singapore.</p> + +<p>It is curious to observe the different customs of foreign +sailors when sailing, homeward bound. The French, for +instance, rig up a dummy man and trice him up to the +main top, where he is made to oscillate with a pendulum +movement until he gains sufficient impetus to clear the +side, when he is let go overboard amidst the cheering of +the men. The Russians man yards, white caps in hand, +which, after waving in the air to make their cheering more +energetic, they fling into the sea.</p> + +<p>But to return to April 15th.—We had but cleared Hong +Kong when we sighted the "Charybdis," with the long +pennant flying. Fortunate fellows! how long, I wonder, +before we shall be similarly decorated? I write this +almost three years afterwards, and still the question +remains unanswered.</p> + +<p>On the way we put in to White Dogs, in expectation of +finding the "Vigilant" with our mail. The mails latterly +have been very erratic in their arrivals, due to a change +in the postal system at home. Henceforth there is to be no +penny mail—a fact which, seemingly, our friends have not +yet grasped; hence it is no uncommon thing to go weeks +without letters, and then suddenly to find oneself inundated +with—say six or eight <i>billets doux</i>.</p> + +<p>The "Vigilant" was only a few hours behind us; and +after giving us our mail she left for Foo-chow, with the +admiral and captain on board.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[162]</a></span>That night we rode out a very stiff gale. The seas +were so heavy that all ports had to be barred in, and even +then, such was the violence of the storm that water was +occasionally shipped through the upper battery ports. +From the manner in which the cable "surged" and +bumbed, it was deemed expedient to let go a second +anchor, and to get up steam; for in the event of the wind +chopping around—nothing more likely—we should be on +a dead lee shore, and our only alternative to slip and go +to sea. Still the gale increased, and still the one anchor +and cable held. How the wind did howl and screech +through our cordage! This lasted for over two days. On +the third day the "Moorhen" came down from Foo-chow +with our captain; and as there was still a big lump of a +sea on, she capered about in the lively manner peculiar +to gun vessels.</p> + +<p>April 21st.—We rounded the Shun-tung promontory in +a thick fog, groped our way towards Chefoo in the same +hazy atmosphere, and picked up our anchorage in nearly +the same spot as last year, glad enough to get in anywhere +out of such dangerous weather.</p> + +<p>The cutter's crew of the "Pegasus," a day or two after +our arrival, reminded us of a challenge they had previously +thrown out, to pull any boat of similar size in our +ship for forty-five dollars. Accordingly, one fine afternoon +when the sea was as smooth as a pond, and on the +occasion of a dance given by our officers, the contest +came off. Contrary to the expectations of most, our +boat beat almost without an effort. That same evening +the "Lily's," with more pluck than discretion, tossed +their oars under our bows. Well, like a great good-tempered +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[163]</a></span>Newfoundland dog, we can stand a deal of +snapping at from insignificant puppies, but when at +length their attacks begin to get acrimonious, we rise, and +shake our shaggy coat; and in salt water language "<i>go</i>" +for the torments. Thus we "<i>went</i>" for the "Lily's," +beat them, and pocketed thirty-six dollars more.</p> + +<p>On the arrival of the admiral a court-martial was held +on a marine, of the "Mosquito," for insubordination. +I mention this because of the extreme sentence of the +court—twenty-five lashes with the "cat." The admiral, +though, came to the rescue, and with mercy seasoned +justice, for he refused to sign the warrant for the +punishment.</p> + +<p>We left Chefoo for Japan, calling in at the Golo islands—a +group about 90 miles from Nagasaki—on the way. +'Twas a lovely spot, and recent rains had made nature +look all the fairer for her ablutions. The gentle breeze +wafted off such a delightful fragrance of pine, fir, hay, +and flowers, so welcome after China's reeking smells. +Slowly, and with caution, we wended our way up an +intricate channel, meandering amongst the hills in a most +striking and artistic manner, until further progress was +barred, by the shores of a tiny bay, with a town at its +head. We found ourselves so perfectly land-locked that +everybody was wondering how we got in. Around us +high volcanic hills, and under us,—not a volcano—but, +between twenty and thirty fathoms of water. We could +not anchor here, that was evident, so we set the spanker, +slued about, and made tracks as rapidly as we could +before the darkness should set in. Next morning we +were at Nagasaki.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[164]</a></span>Early on the morning of the 29th of May we sailed +for the eastward, by way of the Inland Seas. We turned +slightly out of our course to call at Yobuko, a real bit of +Japan, lovely and enchanting. We were objects of +absorbing interest to the simple islanders. They wore +very primitive and airy garments, some even none at all. +They are not much like, in fact very unlike, a community +of Japanese; for cleanliness amongst them is an "unknown +quantity;" and their dwellings remind me very forcibly +of the squalid dens in Chinese native towns. The people, +though, were hospitable and kind to a degree, and highly +glad to see us, offering us of their little saké and tea—nor +would they take money, or accept any payment, +though we pressed it upon them. At first they were shy, +following us about in curious, respectful, distant crowds; +but seeing we treated their chubby little children kindly +they soon made friends with us.</p> + +<p>We reached Kobé in due course where nothing of +moment took place, if we except a gale of wind which +compelled our liberty-men—<i>much against their will</i>, of +course—to remain on shore all night. "Well '<i>'tis</i> an ill +wind that blows <i>nobody</i> good,' is it not?"</p> + +<p>July 2nd.—We are at Yokohama, and are a-taut; for +to-day some members of the Japanese imperial family +are to visit us. At noon they arrived amidst salvoes of +artillery from the shore and from the Japanese men-of-war. +The party consisted of prince Arisugawa's father and +sister, her maids of honor, and two admirals. The +princess was of course the "lion"—excuse the +gender—of the party. But how lost, how utterly bewildered, she +looked in reaching our quarter-deck! like little Alice in +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[165]</a></span>wonderland. I hear it is the first time she has ever been +afloat. Her style of dress is different to anything we +have yet seen in this country. A red silk skirt clothed +her lower limbs, whilst a transparent gauzy purple tunic, +figured with the imperial emblem, fell from her shoulders +to the ground. But her hair was what drew most of our +attention, for it was the most remarkable piece of head +architecture possible. How shall I describe it? Imagine +a frying-pan inverted, its inner rim resting on the crown +of the head, and the handle depending down the back, +and you will have a correct, though a homely idea, of the +fashion of her hair. Each individual hair seemed as if +picked out from it fellows, stiffened by some process until +it appeared like a wire bent into shape; gathered in and +tied a little below the nape of the neck, and from thence +downward traced into a queue. Hers was the ideal type +of Japanese feature, so rarely seen amongst the common +people, and considered so unlovely by Europeans. A +long face, narrow straight nose, almond eyes, very +obliquely set in the head, and a mouth so tiny, so thin the +upper lip, that it looks more like a scarlet button than any +thing designed for kissing.</p> + +<p>She was childishly pleased at everything she saw whilst +accompanying the admiral around the decks, twitching at +his arm incessantly that she might indulge her curiosity +as to hatchways, stoke-hole gratings, and so on; clapping +her hands continually in the exuberance of her joy.</p> + +<p>The "Modeste" accompanied us in our trip to the +north on this occasion.</p> + +<p>A few days out we called in at Kamaishi, in the neighbourhood +of which are the imperial copper mines and +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[166]</a></span>smelting works. The people here lack the rosiness and +freshness of face of the Japanese, and have a dowdy, +sickly look, due, I suppose, to the unhealthy exhalations +from the copper.</p> + +<p>Instead of calling in at Hakodadi we continued on +along the eastern coast of Yezo until we reached Endermo +harbour, sentinelled at its entrance by a grim vomiting +volcano which, in addition to its charred and fire-scored +crater, has innumerable other little outlets in its sides, +giving out jets of steam and sulphurous smoke until the +very air is loaded with the oppressive vapour.</p> + +<p>At the anchorage we saw the "Pegasus."</p> + +<p>Here we are then! in the country of Miss Bird's Aïnos, +a people whom she describes as the most gentle and +docile in the world. We had ample opportunity of +making their acquaintance, for during our stay the decks +were daily thronged with them. In these men the +advocates of Darwinism might well behold the missing link. +From head to heel they are covered with thick shaggy +unkempt masses of hair; that on their heads and faces +hanging down in wild elfish locks. They wear but scant +raiment, a sort of over-all, which does not pretend to the +use of even the most primitive covering. It is of the +men I speak. Strangely enough, though, they all have +their ears pierced, metal ornaments are not worn by any, +but, instead, they have a thin strip of scarlet cloth, just +simply placed through the hole. The women are strange +looking creatures. Their garments are modest enough, +far more so even than those of their southern sisters with +whom, by the way, they have nothing in common, save +their sex. Can it be that this is the primitive Japanese +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[167]</a></span>race—that the more enlightened people of Niphon trace +their origin to such a degraded source? I should be +inclined to say no, if I did not remember that history +furnishes us with so many parallel cases of similar +degraded origin—our own for example.</p> + +<p>Well built, but oh! so ugly these women; and, as if +nature had not done enough for them in this particular, +they render their faces still more repulsive looking by +tattooing the lips on the outside to the depth of an inch +all around, elongating the mark at the corners. This, of +course, does not tend to lessen the apparent size of an +aperture, already suggestive of a main hatchway. This +unhandsome, open, flat countenance, is also further +decorated with bands of blue on the forehead. The +females wear large rings of iron—some few of +silver—in their ears.</p> + +<p>Now, though of course I don't pretend to the faithfulness +of portraiture, nor to the accuracy of observation of +the travelled lady I have before quoted, yet I must add +that my estimate of this people, in my own small way, is +antagonistic to hers. To me they are only a very little +removed from savages. Their women seem to be in +abject slavery to the men, and are treated by them in the +most shameful manner. An instance, which came under +my own observation, will perhaps shew this. Whilst on +shore fishing, I had wandered away from the main party +to where I saw a native engaged at work on an upturned +canoe. Up the beach was his hut—I have seen many a +stye a king to it—and in the doorway his—wife must I +call her? Curious I suppose like all her sex she came +down the strand to get a look at the white-skinned, light-haired +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[168]</a></span>stranger, and was rewarded for temerity in a most +summary manner. The man, at first, seemed to expostulate +with her, and so far as I could judge, ordered her back to +her domicile; but as the lady did not seem prompt to +obey the mandate, he further emphasised his meaning +and accelerated her movements by flinging a billet of +wood at her with all the irresponsible and unrestrained +force of a savage nature. In the face of this can I agree +with Miss Bird? My first feeling was one of indignation +and an angry twitching of my ten digits to form themselves +into bunches of fives, but on second thoughts, +seeing that the poor woman took the chastisement as a +matter of course, and that she was seemingly used to such +like gentle reminders, my indignation cooled down to +matter of fact surprise.</p> + +<p>This place is the exile home of one of the banished +daïmios I spoke of in a former chapter.</p> + +<p>From Endermo we retraced ours steps to Hakodadi, +where, during a short stay, we had some amusement in the +shape of messes pulling for bags of "spuds" (the potatoe +of the non-sailor world) and other comestibles.</p> + +<p>July 30th.—The date of the most important event of +the commission. Referring to my "journal" I find +recorded below this date that word of terrible import, +"stranded." Yea, truly are we. And this is how it all +came about. We had sailed from Hakodadi with a fair +wind, through the strait of Sangar and out into the sea of +Japan, shaped our course for Aniwa bay, in Sagalien, with—except +that the atmosphere was rather hazy—every +prospect of a fair and quick passage.</p> + +<p>Off the south western corner of Yezo, and about ninety +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[169]</a></span>miles from Hakodadi, lies the small island of O'Kosiri, in +the track of vessels going north. By morning we had +reached its neighbourhood—it could be seen in fact—when +suddenly a thick fog enveloped it, us, and the surrounding +sea. We were to have gone outside the island, +though the inner passage is navigable, still, to avoid any +possibility of an accident, it was deemed best to go to seaward +of it. At 4 a.m., whilst steaming at six knots, the +look out man reported land dead ahead. The officer of +the watch, seemingly pretty confident as to his whereabouts, +altered course a point or so, and kept on at the +same speed. An hour passed, the fog had settled thicker +than ever. At ten minutes past two bells in the morning, +without any warning—the lead even shewing deep +soundings—a crashing, grating sound was heard, accompanied +by a distinct trembling vibration, proceeding, +apparently, from under the ship's bottom. Even then, no +one dreamed we were ashore; such a sound, such a sensation, +might have been produced by running over a junk. +At this moment the leadsman got a throw of the lead, +and "<i>a quarter less four</i>," indicated only too plainly the +origin of the sounds.</p> + +<p>With his usual promptness—as if running ashore was +a matter of ordinary evolution—our captain at once gave +orders for engines to be reversed, for boats to be hoisted +out, and anchors placed away, where they would be of +most use; at the same time directions were given to have +the steam launch coaled and provisioned to go back to +Hakodadi for assistance. On soundings being taken along +the starboard side plenty of water was obtained; it was +only on her port bottom that the ship had grounded. Efforts +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[170]</a></span>were made to roll her off, all hands rushing from one side +of the deck to the other, but without result. Through +the crystal clear water, and in the deep shadow of the +ship, the nature of the bottom could be clearly seen—coral +rocks and yellow sand. Fortunately the sea was +a flat calm, or it must have fared ill indeed with us.</p> + +<p>At ordinary times the sailor prefers plenty of sea room, +and the further he is from land the safer he feels; but +when one's ship has suddenly converted "<i>mare</i>" into +"<i>terram</i>" with, may be, a hole in her to boot, then +indeed the proximity to some friendly shore is his first +consideration.</p> + +<p>The lifting fog revealed to us our whereabouts; within +a hundred yards of us the surf washed edges of a reef, +and before us the low shores and high hills of O'Kosiri.</p> + +<p>The unusual sight of a large ship so near their island +soon brought the natives off in their queer canoes. By +means of our interpreter we learn that the people had +never seen a man-of-war before; that there was no rise +and fall of tide there; and much more about the ways +and means available for opening up communications with +Hakodadi.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile shot and shell were got out and sent on +shore, and coals pitched overboard, because no lighters +were obtainable at this stage in the proceedings. The +divers having gone down reported the ship aground in +three distinct places, aft, amidships under the batteries, +and forward. Thus ended the first day. With the morrow +a swell set in from seaward, which caused us to bump +heavily, though it did not alter our position. On this day +the expected assistance arrived from Hakodadi. Close +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[171]</a></span>on each other's heels the following ships bore down upon +us:—the "Modeste," with lighters in tow, the +"Kerguelen," "Champlain," and "Thémis," Frenchmen, +the latter the admiral's ship; and the Russian corvette +"Naezdnik," with the admiral's flag at the mizen.</p> + +<p>These five ships at once anchored in the best positions +consistent with their own safety to help us; the +"Kerguelen" a little on our starboard quarter, and the +"Champlain" right astern with our steel hawsers on board +and two anchors down.</p> + +<p>With the second night came a chapter of accidents.</p> + +<p>At sunset a rolling sea again set in, heavier than that +of the morning. The swell and the weight of our hawsers +acting on the necessarily short cables of the "Champlain" +caused that vessel to drag and take the ground on our +port quarter. In her attempts to extricate herself, our +steel hawser got foul of her propeller and wound itself +around it in such a confused mass, that the vessel's +machinery became practically useless. Thus, side by side, +the two companions in distress kept the watches of that +night. But this was not all; the "Modeste" coming to +the rescue of the "Champlain," ran into the "Kerguelen," +but fortunately without any serious result.</p> + +<p>Sunday, August 1st.—At daylight the "Modeste" succeeded +in towing the "Champlain" out of her perilous +position. As she did so a large piece of the Frenchman's +false keel floated to the surface, whilst she was found to +be making two and a half tons of water per hour. A +turn of her propeller the other way caused the now useless +hawser to fall off. When recovered by the divers, this +mass of steel wire was a gordian knot of utter confusion.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[172]</a></span>The swell of last night, though it did our ship and the +"Champlain" some harm, rendered us at least one +service, by causing a higher influx of water than usual, +which resulted in lifting us off our pinnacled and dangerous +resting place into deep soundings again. And now it +was discovered that we too were taking in water in one of +our compartments which, however, thanks to our double +bottom system, we were enabled to confine to the one +space.</p> + +<p>As we passed slowly by the anchored ships, cheer after +cheer rent the still air, whilst the bands played our national +anthem. An analysis of the sounds of this multitudinous +chorus of men's voices, was a very interesting, though not +a difficult matter. The sweet cadence of the Frenchmen's +low cheer was clearly a distinct sound from the Russian's +ursine growl; whilst the Englishmen's "hip, hip, hurrah!" +if not so musical as the first, nor as bearish as the second, +was a more honest sound than either.</p> + +<p>On the following evening, after having bundled all our +stores on board, we put back to Hakodadi for coal and to +allow the admiral to turn over to the "Modeste."</p> + +<p>August 6th.—Off for Hong Kong by the Japan sea +passage, touching at Nagasaki for coal, and hence on to +Amoy against a south-west monsoon, and into the scorching +heat of the southern summer. A few hours at Amoy +sufficed us to take in enough coal for the short distance +to Hong Kong, where we had the satisfaction of finding +ourselves, without mishap, on August 18th. Almost +immediately the hands were sent on board the "Victor +Emmanuel," whilst the ship was undergoing repairs at +Aberdeen.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[173]</a></span>Whilst resting on the chocks in the dock the extent of +the damage sustained by us was plainly visible; and, +when we come to consider, that fourteen plates had to be +removed and replaced by new ones, and this too in the +immediate neighbourhood of the keel, the wonder is that +Chinamen accomplished the cumbrous work satisfactorily.</p> + +<p>September 20th.—Exactly one month ago to-day the +ship was docked—to-day she came out; what do you +think of that for expedition? On floating it was found +that a slight damage to the Kingston valve had been overlooked, +and as the ship was still making water, it was +thought a second docking would be necessary. Fortunately +our very effective diving staff were able to repair it +without the bother and additional expense of being +shored up again.</p> + +<p>September 22nd.—A fed-letter day. Why? Oh, only +because—"tell it not in Gath"—the captain "<i>spliced the +main brace</i>!" Yea, yea, verily! The fact was, his ship +had been got ready for sea in <i>two days</i>; hence the <i>splicing</i>.</p> + +<p>September 23rd.—We were to have gone to sea to-day, +but "<i>l'homme proposé</i>." Rumours of an approaching +atmospheric disturbance had been telegraphed from +Manilla, within the previous forty-eight hours. Other +usual and confirmatory indications were also observed; +the presence of an unusual number of jelly-fish in the harbour +till the sea stank with them; the lurid appearance of +the sunset sky, as if the heavens were bathed in blood; +the arrival of hundreds of junks from seaward seeking +shelter: all these signs summed up were considered satisfactory +reasons for preparing for a typhoon—than which, +I suppose, no wind is more violent and destructive. It +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[174]</a></span>is said that persons who have never witnessed the sublime +and terrible spectacle can scarcely realize, even from the +most graphic descriptions of eye witnesses, what a typhoon +really means. A Chinaman informed me that the last +typhoon destroyed not less than 18,000 persons in this +neighbourhood alone—not a large number when we +bear in mind the enormous floating populations in +Chinese towns. All the day the air was ominous of a +coming something. At noon I asked a Chinaman when +it might be expected. His answer shewed me how even +this mighty destroyer is guided by a far mightier hand—"Suppose +he no' com now, he com by'm by, nine clock." +Well, "he" did not come now; but at 9 p.m.—and +almost simultaneous with the firing of the gun—it came +on to blow; but, mercifully, not a typhoon, only the +spent violence of one. Even this necessitated the letting +go a second anchor and the steaming head on to it, for +upwards of five hours.</p> + +<p>With the morning the gale had considerably abated, +and as the barometer was on the rise, and the captain +impatient to clear out, we put to sea. But clearly the +weather was in a very unsettled state, and outside Amoy +the glass again went down with a rising head sea. That +we might put into Amoy for shelter, all the furnaces were +called into requisition; so we lashed into and almost +buried ourselves in seas rearing themselves up a-head of +us like walls of solid glass. We brought up in the outer +harbour just as the shades of night and the roar of the +coming storm gathered around us. That night the wind +and sea played fast and furious with our ship; again we +had escaped a typhoon—it was subsequently ascertained +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[175]</a></span>that one did actually visit the adjacent coasts and sea; but, +as this wind travels in a circle of many miles diameter, +with its greatest force distributed near its circumference, +its centre only passed over Amoy. On steaming seaward +the next morning desolation, destruction, and wreck were +everywhere manifest.</p> + +<p>In due course we reached Nagasaki. In the bay +was the Russian iron-clad, "Minin," a ship—if all we +hear about her be true—capable of blowing the "Iron +Duke" sky-high. She is, however, inferior to us in many +desirable qualities, particularly in the essential one of +being able to keep the sea, and fight her guns in all +weathers. The "Comus," one of our handsome steel +corvettes, was also here.</p> + +<p>The hard steaming from Nagasaki, against exceptionally +heavy winds, had pretty well cleared us out of coal, and, +as there was not enough in store here to supply us with, +we were ordered off to Kobé to fill up.</p> + +<p>On our return, and just as we had cleared the strait of +Simonoseki, we fell in with what sailors term nasty +weather. The ship behaved so saucily that a seaman, +Alexander Mann, whilst engaged lashing the anchor was +washed completely overboard and borne away astern. +Daniel Mutch, the captain of his top—a petty-officer who +has already been instrumental in saving life at sea—observing +the accident, at once rushed aft to the stern, +plunged boldly into the turbulent waves and succeeded in +rescuing his topmate. It is satisfactory to be able to +state that the captain recognised Mutch's bravery by +applying for the Humane Society's Medal, which honorable +decoration was received shortly afterwards.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[176]</a></span>Next day an event of a similar nature, but unfortunately +with a sadder termination, took place. In setting the +starboard stunsail, John Irish, A.B., lost his hold of the +scarping on the starboard fore-and-aft bridge, through the +wood treacherously giving away with his weight, and, +being unable to swim, the poor fellow soon sank exhausted, +just as Joseph Summers had arrived on the spot. +Irish had but lately come into a legacy from some of his +friends at home.</p> + +<p>Early in December we left Nagasaki for Hong Kong, +touching at the Rugged Isles, on the opposite Chinese +coast, on the passage. We spent about as uncomfortable +a week in this delicious retreat as can be well conceived; +our appetites sharpened to a keen edge by a north China +winter—a week never to be forgotten. Opportunely the +admiral came in at the expiration of time and terminated +our miseries by ordering us to proceed.</p> + +<p>December 20th.—To-day, and on the two subsequent +days, the "one gun salute" at eight bells from the +"Victor Emanuel" announced that somebody's fate was +to be sealed. Three of our officers—the captain, staff-commander, +and Lieutenant Clarke—are to be tried on a +charge, preferred by the admiral, of negligently stranding +Her Majesty's Ship "Iron Duke." Much interest +naturally centred around this trial; the reporters from +the local papers exerting themselves to the utmost for +information on such an engrossing topic. On the third +day the sentence of the court was announced:—the +captain and Mr. Clarke to be reprimanded, and the staff-commander +to be severely so.</p> + +<p>December 25th.—To fulfil a promise of twelve months' +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[177]</a></span>standing, from the 20th to the 25th discipline was relaxed +that we might prepare for our one festival; and as the +admiral had again rendered us pecuniary help, and as this +would be his last Christmas with us we were determined +on making it a success. Meanwhile, whilst the decorations +are pushing ahead, I must pause to notice the naval +regatta of the 23rd, and especially the race which came +about between our cutter and a similar boat of the "Lily," +which it will be remembered we beat at Chefoo recently; +but so confident were the "Lily's" that our victory on +that occasion was the result of a "fluke," that they challenged +us again to pull for sixty dollars. The race was +conclusive to the "Lily's," and they handed over the +"Mexicans" with the best grace a small ship's company +can be supposed to exhibit—on the eve of Christmas, too.</p> + +<p>An interesting feature in the regatta, and one which +caused no end of fun, was the get-up of the copper punts. +These naval abortions are, for the nonce, handed over to +the funny fellows on board, who proceed to elect a +"captain," and appoint themselves to the various offices +connected with the proper management of their craft. +With great rapidity and no little skill these punts are +metamorphosed into brigs, full-rigged ships, paddle-wheeled +steamers, and ram-bowed ironclads. The "captain's" +get-up is the most gorgeous and elaborate thing +possible—a profusion of gold lace, a monster cocked hat +suitable for the top of the great pyramid, and a tremendous +speaking trumpet whose bore would do very well for +a tunnel. His crew generally attire themselves in the +fantastic dress of niggers. Just as the proceedings for +the day were about to begin, a pigmy paddler was +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[178]</a></span>observed bearing down on the flag-ship—her puffing +funnel and foaming bows betraying no mean steam +power. On closing she was made out to be one of the +punt fleet come to pay a visit to the admiral. As she lay +to she ran the St. George's Cross up to the main, and +saluted it with seventeen guns (wooden ones), out of +compliment to Admiral Coote, who shortly receives his +promotion. She next asked permission (by signal) to part +company, a request the admiral answered by hoisting the +affirmative. It was indeed real fun.</p> + +<p>By the 24th our lower deck looked a veritable fairy +bower, but essentially English—a character which the +arrival of the "Thèmis," on Christmas eve, modified +somewhat. With characteristic good feeling and with, +perhaps, a spice of national vanity, we determined on +asking the Frenchmen to dine with us on the morrow—first, +because having just come in from sea they would be +unable to prepare for themselves; and, secondly, that we +might shew them how Englishmen observe Christmas day. +Our invitation asked that three hundred men might be +allowed to come, but half that number only could be +spared.</p> + +<p>It now became necessary to make our surroundings as +international as possible, and as, happily, the French flag +does not demand any very great skill in its formation, we +soon had the tri-color stuck up everywhere; whilst in the +most conspicuous positions French mottoes shewed out +from the greenery. The wording of these latter was a +tremendous effort, so limited was our knowledge of our +nearest neighbour's tongue. Just to quote a few:—surrounding +every pudding a scroll with "Bien venue +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[179]</a></span>'Thèmis'" painted on it; in the mess shelves, "Vive la +France;" whilst, occupying a commanding place, the following +long yarn—"Servons nous votre reine mais honneur +à la republique français," shone out in great gilt +letters. Then, too, there were plenty of legends in +English; and noticing these, one would be surprised at +the wit, no less than at the talent, exhibited in their +execution. For example, here is a sailor depicted with a +most lugubrious and "I-wish-I-might-get-it" expression +on his rather florid face, looking into an empty grog-tub; +and that there may be no ambiguity about the matter, the +word <i>empty</i> is printed on the tub, and attached to his +mouth a balloon-shaped sack containing the following +visible speech—"Three years on the 'Alert' but no +'Discovery.'" A second tar is represented holding a +stranded rope up to his captain, whilst he naîvely remarks, +"It wants splicing, sir." There were also several mottoes +specially designed as compliments to the admiral.</p> + +<p>At noon on Christmas day we awaited on the quarter +deck the arrival of our guests, who, as soon as they came +inboard were ushered below and placed in the posts of +honor at the tables. After the admiral, captain, and +officers had made the round of the decks, preceded by +the band playing the immortal strains of "The roast beef +of Old England," the shrill whistles piped "fall-to."</p> + +<p>And now might have been witnessed a laughable scene, +men rushing and hurrying about here, there, and everywhere, +exclaiming "Have you seen our Frenchmen?" or +"I've lost a Frenchman," and so on. But at length the +lost were found, and were, ere long, contemplating the +formidable heap of indigestible stuff set before them. +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[180]</a></span>Such mountains of pudding, goose, ham, mutton, beef, +and pickles—all packed on one plate—I suppose it rarely +falls to the lot of the more polished Frenchman to behold. +Well might they look aghast at the miracle required of +them. It is the proverbial hospitality of the Englishman, +enacted over again, which always imagines its guest +starving. Considering that not one word of the other's +language was understood on either side, a very kindly +feeling sprang up between us during the afternoon, and +the time of departure arrived all too soon. After the tea, +which was to all intents and purposes a repetition of the +mid-day meal, the Frenchmen's boats came alongside, the +crews invited inboard and loaded with the dèbris of the +feast. When at length they left us, the Frenchmen all +stood up in their boats, whilst we lined our bridges and +spar deck, and a succession of deafening cheers brought +the happy day to a close—cheers which most of the ships +in port took up as the boats passed their bows. So ended +Christmas, 1880.</p> + + +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[181]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XIV.</h2> + +<hr class="hr2" /> +<div class="poem"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="poem"> +<tr><td class="tdstanza"> +<span class="i0a">"Each earing to its cringle first they bend—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The reef-band then along the yard extend;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The circling earings round th' extremes entwin'd,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">By outer and by inner turns they bind;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The reeflines next from hand to hand received,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Through eyelet-holes and roban legs were reeved;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The folding reefs in plaits unrolled they lay,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Extend the worming lines and ends belay."<br /></span> +</td></tr> +</table> +</div> + +<hr class="hr2" /> + +<p class="summary">THE NEW REGIME.​—​SOMETHING ABOUT SAIGON.​—​THE +FIRST CRUISE OF THE CHINA SQUADRON.​—​AN ALARM +OF FIRE!​—​ARRIVAL OF THE "FLYING" SQUADRON.</p> + +<p>Sunday, January 2nd.—For some time past we have +been exercised to know how we could best signify +to the admiral our appreciation of his many kindnesses +to us during the time we have served under him. +His approaching promotion gave us the desired opportunity, +and it was decided that the most fitting present +would be a silk flag of the largest size, to be hoisted at +the main on that auspicious occasion. With this end in +view we had purchased some 130 yards of silk at Nagasaki, +which had been made up on board so quietly that few +even of those most interested in it knew of its progress.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[182]</a></span>To day he was to hoist his flag as full admiral for the +first time; and on this morning a deputation of the ship's +company awaited on him in his cabin to make the presentation. +The captain, in a few suitable words, having +introduced the representatives, and the admiral having +responded to their presentation address in simple, unaffected, +heartfelt language, the flag was soon fluttering in +lazy folds aloft, to be saluted at "eight bells" by the shore +battery and foreign men-of-war in harbour. A most +innocent thing that flag, and scarcely could we conceive +that it was destined to become the occasion of newspaper +paragraphs, parliamentary questionings, admiralty minutes, +and that sort of thing, but it was so to be. By one of the +regulations of the service no officer may receive presents +or testimonials from his men—hence the correspondence. +It is, however, satisfactory to know that in the present +instance the admiralty allowed the admiral to retain our +flag.</p> + +<p>January 7th.—To-day's mail proved a complete hoax. +By it we were speedily to be relieved—so said all our +private letters, so corroborated the officers, and even the +admiral seemed to give a certain amount of credence to +the rumour. But need I say it was a chimera. The +papers are to blame for all this; for they stated that +Admiral Willes had inspected the "Swiftsure" and had +found her in every way fit for his flag-ship. This was all +true; but what wasn't, was—that she is to come out to +relieve us.</p> + +<p>February 16th.—A month since—and if anyone had +asked us where we should be bound when next we slipped +from the buoy, we should have answered with a joyful +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[183]</a></span>"<i>homeward</i>!" To-day we know better. We are speeding +Singapore-ward, it is true, but not to meet our relief. +The voyage into those torrid seas was not momentous, +and a week afterwards we lay alongside the coaling jetty +before spoken of.</p> + +<p>And now we became aware that quite an unexpected +and perhaps in some respects—judging from after experience—not +altogether a welcome change was about to +be made in our executive. The admiral, of course, leaves +under any circumstances; but, further, the captain, commander, +and staff-commander were to be superseded, their +reliefs being already on the passage out. In addition, the +chaplain and Mr. Clarke were to leave, though at their +own request.</p> + +<p>By the mail of the 26th the first instalment of our fresh +officers arrived. These were the admiral, G. O. Willes, of +Devonport dockyard celebrity and traditionally known to +us; the commander, nephew to the admiral; and the flag +lieutenant.</p> + +<p>February 28th.—So quietly, that the majority of us +scarce knew of it, the admiral left to-day for England, and +with him the good wishes of everybody on the lower deck. +With the hauling down of the flag at the main, and its +re-hoisting at the fore, a new departure in the conduct of +the fleet on the China station was inaugurated. Henceforth +a season of activity, seasoned with salt junk, is to be +the order of the day.</p> + +<p>After a short cruise with the squadron in Singapore +waters, during which period the "Tyne" arrived with our +new captain, and having bid good-bye to Captain Cleveland, +we stood away for Hong Kong, encountering such heavy +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[184]</a></span>weather on the passage that we were compelled to put +into Saigon for coal.</p> + +<p>The anchorage to seaward of Saigon—which town is +the French capital of Gambodin, part of the kingdom of +Anam, and situated some miles up the river Dong-nai—is +Cape St. James, where we brought up until the tide should +suit for the river passage. In the first watch we commenced +to go up the river by the light of a brilliant moon, +which, however, did not allow us to judge of the beauties +of what is really a beautiful river. By the following morning +we had arrived off the town; and what a surprise it +was to see a popular European town in such a situation, +well laid out, clean, and—well, thoroughly French. The +river here is so narrow, and yet of so even a depth, that, +in turning, our dolphin striker was buried in the foliage +on the one bank and our stern almost touching the opposite +one. The town is seemingly built on a well-drained +swamp or marsh, and consequently lies very low, in fact, +from our topgallant forecastle we could command a pretty +general view of the whole of it. Ashore the place is just +as pretty as it looks from the ship. It is almost a miniature +of Paris. A great cathedral, Notre Dame—an exact +model of that on the island in the Seine; a palace for the +governor, which might well accommodate an emperor; +streets with Parisian names; boulevards and champs, all +bearing the well-known nomenclature of the gay capital; +cafés, hotels, all remind one of the Paris of Dumas' +charming novels. It is the boulevards, streets, and promenades, +planted with trees, which make Saigon so beautiful, +so cool, and so refreshing towards the evening even +in a temperature where to live is a punishment. It is not +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[185]</a></span>until sunset that we see anything of the French population,—then, +indeed, the cafés and restaurants are in full +swing, and gay with music and laughter. These places of +refreshment are generally <i>al fresco</i>; and as each tiny pure +white marble table is presided over by pretty wholesome-looking +French girls and matrons, we must have less +impressionable hearts than sailors are known to possess if +we can pass so much mischief by unnoticed, so courteous +as these demoiselles are too.</p> + +<p>The native population is Anamese, a race something +like the Chinese in feature, but differing from them slightly +in dress. They do not shave the head, but gather all +their hair into a knot at the top, which—in the case of +the females—they decorate with rolls of brilliantly +colored silks, generally scarlet or emerald green. The +dress of the ladies is far more graceful than that of their +"celestial" sisters, for though they wear the indispensable +trousers, yet that masculine garment is hid by a long sack-like +robe, something after the style of a priest's toga, of—in +nearly every case—emerald-green silk, a color which +seems to harmonise well with their complexion. The +men wear a similar garment of black silk.</p> + +<p>Their walk is peculiar. They go barefoot, and strut, +rather than walk, without bending the knee, with chest +and stomach pompously projected. From this gait results +a certain balancing of the body and a movement to the +hips, which gives to the women a bold, and to the men +a pretentious air. Most of the women hide their faces +when a stranger heaves in sight; but it must not be +supposed from this that they are either modest or retiring, +on the contrary, for young girls and women yield their +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[186]</a></span>persons indiscriminately to men until they are married: +before that they are at liberty to do as they please, and +do not, in consequence, lose the respect of their fellows. +In fact, I am given to understand, most strangers find the +advances of the fair sex rather embarrassing.</p> + +<p>At the landing place, and thronging the fine bronze +statute of Admiral Genouilly, the hero of Saigon, an +immense crowd had gathered to witness the embarkation +of the governor, on a visit to our admiral. His barge is +a splendidly got up affair. A large boat of native build, +painted and gilded till one could scarcely look on it, and +rowed by fourteen French seamen standing, clothed in +spotless white, with broad crimson sashes around their +waists. This equipage had such a holiday look about it, +that one of our fellows irreverently asked if "Sanger's +circus was coming!"</p> + +<p>Only a day at Saigon, and off again. Instead of shaping +course direct for Hong Kong we hugged the coast of +Cochin China, thinking thus to cheat the monsoon. In +this we were mistaken, for the wind and sea proved so +strong that lower yards and topmasts had to be struck. +Thus it was not until the 25th, and after hard steaming, +that we reached Hong Kong.</p> + +<p>April 16th.—To-day, William Edwards, second captain +of the main top, died in hospital of a complication of +debilitating complaints.</p> + +<p>April 21st—Started on our yearly trip. Between Hong +Kong and Amoy we encountered a series of baffling fogs, +compelling us to anchor for days at a stretch. One clear +day the "Lapwing" passed, bound for Hong Kong. She +had recently been in collision with a Chinese merchant +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[187]</a></span>steamer, and inflicted such telling damage on the latter +that now her bones lie rotting at the bottom of the +Formosa channel.</p> + +<p>At Amoy we found the first division of the cruising +squadron at anchor, under the command of Captain East, +of the "Comus." From Hong Kong here they had +been under the convoy of the admiral, who had, to use +an expression of one of the interested, given them a +thorough "shaking up," especially in the night watches.</p> + +<p>Before sailing the "kit" of our late deceased shipmate +was disposed of at a public auction, and realised the sum +of £25. This, together with a general subscription, +allowed us to send the comfortable sum of £100 to his +widow. It is at these sales that one sees the sailor come +out in—what shall I say, a new character? Well, in a +way, yes; for he certainly exhibits a carefulness of thought +and an enlargement of the organ of feeling, for which the +world would scarce give him credit perhaps. I have often +thought it the most beautiful trait in an otherwise rough +and crude nature. Let it but be known that a poor +woman is left helpless to struggle through a hard and +selfish world, may-be children to add to her difficulties, +then you shall see that the sailor's heart is in the right +place; then all private animosity against the deceased +is swallowed up in the "charity which is kind." +The ancient Romans were not more eager to obtain a +memento of dead Cæsar than they for some article of the +deceased's clothing; not so much for the sake of the +thing itself, but simply that, by the purchase of it, they +may exercise their generosity, by giving for it, perhaps, +four times its value.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[188]</a></span>We have orders to cruise to Chefoo <i>under sail</i>. Fancy +an iron-clad making a passage under canvas! With the +"Iron Duke's" usual luck we encountered either boisterous +head winds or flat calms all the way, compelling us +to reef our canvas or to endure the tantalizing and +provoking agony of witnessing our sails hang in +picturesque, but useless, festoons up and down the masts.</p> + +<p>For ten days we scarce saw the sun; for ten days the +sextants lay idle. When at length the sun did condescend +to slash the sky with his hopeful beams, we found we had +made the satisfactory average of <i>ten miles</i> a day. Our +potatoes, too,—that self-provided esculent upon which +sailors depend so much, and without which the admiralty +allowance assumes such skeleton proportions—now began +to fail us. As it was useless to attempt to reach Chefoo +under sail alone, steam was got up, and we managed to +make the harbour on June 6th.</p> + +<p>Here again we picked up the squadron and the admiral, +the former of whom had been lying idle for fourteen days, +eating of the fat of the land, whilst we, like certain +ruminants, have been consuming our own fat, for want of +more natural food.</p> + +<p>On the 11th, the squadron departed for evolutions in +the gulf of Pe-chili, outside, the admiral accompanying +to put them through a little practice.</p> + +<p>Whilst at Chefoo, this time, we became acquainted with +the ladies and gentlemen of the China Inland Mission, +of whom Mr. Judd is the pastor. These toilers in God's +vineyard, for the better carrying out of their work, adopt +the Chinese national dress. The ladies are young, seemingly, +for such work, but possess unbounded enthusiasm. +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[189]</a></span>Their visits to the ships were frequent, but not the less +welcome in consequence; and long before we left we had +got to look upon them as very dear friends. On one +occasion they provided a temperance entertainment for as +many as could come in the Seamen's Hall, on shore—a +real floral fête, where the fair English faces of the ladies +seemed to vie with the lovely blossoms around. There +were many in that audience who went there under the +impression of being bored, but who, long before the +proceedings had finished, declared they had not enjoyed +so pleasant an evening since leaving home. That was it, +these kind Christian friends made that gathering so home-like, +that one could scarce fail to be happy. For a few +short hours only we rough sailors were permitted to enjoy +the refined and cultured society of our generous friends, +and it is to be hoped we came out the purer for the +contact.</p> + +<p>June 24th—The sweetest pleasure has its after-pang; +the most beautiful rose its latent thorn. So, too, I see, is +it with those who undertake to narrate facts. This day +marks the loss of another shipmate, from one of those +suddenly awful deaths to which the sailor is, above all +other men, perhaps, ever liable. One of our boys, +William Edwards, whilst at work on the main crosstrees, +fell to the deck, sustaining such fearful injuries that he +died a few moments afterwards. We buried him in the +little cemetery on shore, where an unpretending gothic +cross now records the simple fact that a sailor has died.</p> + +<p>After all, our ship is not entirely useless; so thinks the +admiral, for he left orders that we were to repair to +Wosung to fill up with provisions for the squadron, and +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[190]</a></span>from thence to proceed to Nagasaki to await their +arrival; a feat we performed, I believe, to his entire +satisfaction.</p> + +<p>Another of our old officers left us here to take command +of the "Lapwing," her captain having shot himself in +consequence of the decision of the court against him in +the affair of the late collision. Much regret was felt at +losing Mr. Haygarth—about the last of the executive +officers who commissioned us.</p> + +<p>Sometime after the sailing of the squadron, we left, with +the "Zephyr" in company, to rejoin the admiral in +Posiette Bay, Siberia. But the little ship being minus +several sheets of copper, we put in at the island of Tsu-sima +to allow her effective repairs.</p> + +<p>August 7th.—And now we may be said to form a +component part of the squadron; henceforth, the ships +are to follow our lead, for the St. George's cross once +more flutters from our fore-royal mast head.</p> + +<p>Posiette is certainly a magnificent anchorage, capable +of accommodating many fleets. All around richly clothed +hills, admirably suited for grazing and agricultural purposes, +shelter the great sheet of water from all winds. +Nature, however, seems to hold undivided sway on those +still, solemn hills, or those broad glassy plains; for not +an animal nor house to betray the presence of the +universal devastator can be seen, though I hear that +only a short distance over the hills several thousands of +Russian soldiers are under canvas, pending the conclusion +of negociations with China, relative to Kashgar.</p> + +<p>August 11th.—At noon the squadron, comprising the +following ships: "Iron Duke," "Comus," "Encounter," +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[191]</a></span>"Curaçoa," "Pegasus," "Albatross," "Zephyr," and +"Vigilant," were signalled to get under sail, except our +ship, the "Zephyr," and the "Vigilant." Unfortunately +for the accomplishment of this evolution, the wind, after +holding out hopes that it would last all day, with the +force of the morning fell light just as the ships had +tripped their anchors. The little "Zephyr," in this +emergency, proved of invaluable service. She was here, +there, and everywhere to the rescue of her great sisters, +which could not be induced anyhow to come to the wind. +We were over four hours clearing the harbour, and even +then steam had to be got up for the purpose.</p> + +<p>Next day we reached Vladivostock, anchoring in a +semicircle in front of the town. Scarce had our anchor +left the bows when another of our young lads, William +McGill, was suddenly ushered into that unknown world +that lies beyond. Whilst uncovering the mizen gaff, he +lost his hold, fell, and was so shattered that he died ere +he could be borne below. He lies in the Russian +cemetery on shore, a wild, neglected, "God's acre," +without any pretensions to the sanctity usual to such +places. Another of the "Iron Duke's" crosses, of stout +old English oak, also marks this spot.</p> + +<p>I must now request the reader to take a leap with +me—permissible enough to book writers, though scarcely +possible to pedestrians. You are now in the straits +of Tsugar, and near the scene of our former misadventure. +Before you are the ships of the squadron +drawn up in line for a race—no, not all, for the +"Mosquito" parted company during the night through +stress of weather. The breeze is now blowing at force +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[192]</a></span>eight; or, as we should say, "slashing." During the night +we had met with a few casualties to our sails, but so slight +were they that in the morning we were able to take our +place among the coursers, as judge, referee, and starter. +At this moment the admiral signals "chase to windward." +What takes place now is a pretty sight. Clouds of snowy +balloon-like canvas spring, as if by magic, to masts and +yards, straining and bellying out with tremendous effort. +The steel corvettes were able to carry all plain sail with +impunity. Not so with the "Encounter," however, for she +is obliged to take a reef in her topsails and to furl her +royals, a proceeding which does not lessen her chance of +coming in first in the slightest, for she is known to be such +a good sailer, that a few yards of canvas, more or less, +does not affect her much. Away they go, listing over +under the strong pressure, and rising and falling in all the +majesty of ships of war. The "Pegasus" now shoots +ahead, bidding fair to overhaul the corvettes, but her +ambition is speedily curbed by the springing of her main-topsail +yard. Placed <i>hors de combat</i>, she drops astern +to shift her wounded spar. Many little accidents such as +this, calling for prompt seamanship, occurred during the +forenoon, and hence the value of such trials of speed.</p> + +<p>For eight hours the squadron disported themselves in +this manner, when the "Encounter" was declared the +winner by 400 yards. At the moment of shortening sail, +our lame duck, the "Mosquito," hove in sight astern, in +a sad plight, as is usual with lame ducks. She had lost +her fore-topmast and jib-boom during the night, off +O'Kosiri. She was at once signalled to repair to +Hakodadi with all speed, to effect repairs.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[193]</a></span>By the time the race was finished we were broad off +Hakodadi, on the opposite side of the strait, but as it was +not intended to push on until next day, easy sail was kept +on until daylight.</p> + +<p>September 7th.—At daybreak a man-of-war, with the +Japanese royal standard at the main—sky blue, with a +white chrysanthemum in the centre—was observed +making out of Hakodadi. Our larger ships at once +saluted, the smaller ones lowering their upper sails at the +same time. Subsequently we fell in with a Japanese +squadron, all with royal flags displayed. They were in +attendance on the mikado, who is now on a tour of his +empire.</p> + +<p>By the evening we had arrived and anchored in a double +line, at right angles with the town.</p> + +<p>We have, doubtless, all seen, heard, or read of the +various devices adopted by the different peoples of the +globe in the capture of the finny tribe, from our own +familiar hook and line to the Chinaman's trained cormorant +or the Chenook Indian's tame seal. These are all +good in their way, only they involve a great loss of time +and require no end of patience. But the method illustrated +to us the morning after our arrival, besides being a +more certain is also less cruel than anything else in the +shape of fishing I have yet seen. Observing a vast quantity +of fish disporting themselves near the ship, our +experimental torpedo officer armed himself with a small +torpedo, pulled himself into their midst, quietly dropped +the missile overboard, and pulled away again. The beautiful +unsuspecting creatures still played on, unconscious +of the doom that awaited them. The effect on firing the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[194]</a></span>torpedo was terrible: for a space of 150 yards all around, +the surface was like one mass of silver, from the closely-packed +and upturned bellies of a species of pilchard. +The slaughter was complete—not a fish moved after the +awful stun it had received. Boats from the squadron +were signalled to gather up the slain, which will perhaps +convey a pretty fair idea of their number.</p> + +<p>Of late the admiral's barge has been attracting much +attention by her sailing qualities. She has been taken in +hand by the same energetic officer previously alluded to, +who has altered the service rig, and provided a new set of +sails, more suited in every way to develop the boat's +qualities. We had not long to wait for a challenge, for +the "Comus'" people, ever jealous in all such matters, +offered to match their sailing pinnace against her. The +challenge was accepted, and bets were concluded in the +customary manner. The admiral, in particular, was +especially pleased to think that, at last, he would have an +opportunity of verifying his remarks about his boat; for +he has reiterated again and again that, in his opinion, the +boat wanted only proper handling to go. Well, as you +know the race came off, and as you may also remember +the "Comus'" boat was beat—in common phrase—"all +to smash."</p> + +<p>September 15th.—Southward once again. It was +intended to call in at Yamada on the way down, but +by some unaccountable reason we overshot the mark +and found ourselves in Kama-ichi instead. The mistake +was, of course, speedily discovered; the squadron hove +around and headed north for Yamada.</p> + +<p>Next we put in to Sendai bay, a commodious anchorage, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[195]</a></span>but very much exposed seaward from its broad and unprotected +mouth. Great rollers and heavy swells come +thundering in with nearly all winds.</p> + +<p>Previous to leaving, the admiral conveyed his intention +that certain ships would prepare to take the others in tow. +Acting on this the "Curaçoa" took us and the +"Mosquito;" the "Comus," the "Albatross" and +"Zephyr;" and the "Swift," the "Lily." Thus we +started, and under these conditions logged five knots, and +all went merry until the sky began to frown, and displayed +evident signs of bad temper. Half a gale blew, +ships still towing, but cutting a violent caper because their +freedom of action was curtailed. With the night the wind +increased to a full gale, and as the ships were making the +most frantic efforts to free themselves from the imprisoning +hawsers, and likely to become bad friends over the job, +signal was made to cast off. Now in her impatience the +"Mosquito" was not content to wait until we gave her +her freedom, but proceeded to wrest herself free by pulling +one arm of our main bitts clean off to the deck. +Annoying, was it not? But this is a quality generally +conceded to mosquitoes I believe. The squadron now +re-formed under reefed canvas, and though we could see +scarcely 400 yards ahead, from the obscurity of the +weather, we managed to reel off eight and a half knots, +the "Duke" of course under steam.</p> + +<p>Very cold and bleak blew the ice-cold breath of Fusi +this morning as we headed into the bay of Yedo. +Contrary to all our expectations, instead of making our +way at once to Yokohama we turned aside, and anchored +at the naval arsenal of Yokusuka, on the opposite side of +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[196]</a></span>the bay, presumably for the purpose of making the ships +presentable to the argus-eyed naval critics in Yokohama.</p> + +<p>On the 24th we slipped across in gallant style, and confessedly +in first-rate order and trim. Even the "Yanks" +conceded this, with a rider, of course, to the effect that +they "guess'd" the "Alert"—did'nt they mean the +"Palos," I wonder—"would knock saucepans out of the +whole bilin'." On account of the great number of men-of-war +already at anchor we had to take up stations +as most convenient. As the flagship's anchor dropped, a +signal from main, mizen, and yard-arms, drew the attention +of the squadron. This great display of fluttering pennants +and parti-colored squares conveys to the initiated the +following sentence: "cruise at an end; satisfactory to +both officers and men."</p> + +<p>September 28th.—Before the dispersal of the ships to +their winter quarters, and as a pleasant finale to an +unpleasant cruise a regatta, under the sole patronage of +the admiral and officers, was to be held on this and the +two succeeding days. The two first days were allotted to +the pulling contests, the third day to the sailing boats. +Of the pulling races it will, perhaps, suffice to say that +they were contested in the usual close and lusty manner.</p> + +<p>The morn of the third day came in most auspiciously, +so far as the wind was concerned; but by mid-day heavy +rain clouds began to darken the weather horizon, and by +their aspect, threatened to mar the pleasure of the proceedings. +The race, however, had started long before +this. More than ordinary excitement was felt concerning +it, as the prize was to be a splendid silver cup, presented +by the admiral, and which he hoped—which we too +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[197]</a></span>hoped, nay, confidently expected—would be won by his +own boat. So beyond question it would had the breeze +held. But it didn't, it fell to a flat calm, with not a breath +to ripple the harbour's glassy surface. In some manner +to wipe out their late defeat, and by a persistency really +most laudable, the "Comus'" men <i>rolled</i> their pinnace +all around the course, and ended by winning the cup. +Some idea of the labour entailed on her crew may be +formed from the time at which they were at it. At 10 a.m. +the boats started, and it was not until 5 p.m. the race +finished; the crews being all this time without a drop of +water, and under a vertical sun.</p> + +<p>October 9th.—We are now in Nagasaki and about to +go in dry dock on the morrow.</p> + +<p>If we had previously made up our minds to any +enjoyment in Japan's westernmost port we were doomed +to disappointment, for we had not been an hour in the +bay before alarming accounts reached us of the prevalence +of a most virulent cholera on shore. Leave is of course +out of the question—provoking, to say the least of it, in +lovely Nagasaki. The captain at once issued a memo., +couched in terms which ought to have appealed to each +man's common sense, and containing the most accurate +information with regard to the epidemic. In the face of +all this, and notwithstanding the British consul's statistics, +our men would not believe in the urgency of the case at +all; and several, despite all that could be urged against it +crossed over to the town.</p> + +<p>The days in dock were not, however, allowed to pass +altogether unpleasantly or devoid of interest, for the +officers—no whit better off than we in the matter of +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[198]</a></span>leave—recognising the necessity of making an effort to divert +ennui, and to set an example of cheerfulness under +depressing circumstances, got up a series of athletic sports +on the limited space afforded by the dock. It will suffice +to notice a few of the leading items in our highly amusing +programme, for amusing it really was from beginning to +end, exemplifying to the letter the committee's motto, +"fun, not dollars," though dollars were not lacking.</p> + +<p>The sports commenced at 1 p.m. on the 13th, with a +closely contested flat race of 100 yards. A sack race +which followed was, of course, rare fun, though not to +some who took the most active part in it, for I am afraid +one's nose coming in contact with hard gravel is anything +but fun to the owner of such organ. The jockey race +which came next must be noticed as exhibiting steeds in +entirely a new light. In the present instance, they so far +threw aside the nature of the equine race that, they +selected for themselves jockeys from the arms of fearful +Japanese mothers, who had come to see the fun. Clearly, +as the referees decided, this class of jockey did not come +within the scope of the programme.</p> + +<p>But one of the most entertaining items was the obstacle +race, and considering, as I said before, the small space at +the committee's command, several severe obstacles had +been placed in the way of the competitors. Eighteen +entered for this race. First, half a pound of pudding, +minus anything oleaginous, and a basin of water was +administered to each. At a given signal the "gorging" +commenced. He who first got outside his "duff and +water" started, and so on with the next. One would scarce +believe with what incredible rapidity that pudding was +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[199]</a></span>metamorphosed. The next obstacle to be surmounted +was a huge balk of timber raised at the ends, about a +foot off the ground, under which the coursers were compelled +to <i>crawl</i>. A row of eighteen barrels, with the ends +knocked out, came next; then a climb up slack ropes, +and over a transverse bar; and finally another balk of +timber—if anything less than a foot off the ground—under +which they had to squeeze and wriggle in the best +manner possible.</p> + +<p>As a finale to our excellent programme, the most amusing +and entertaining thing of all was yet to be carried +out. A stunsail boom had been rigged out over the +caisson, and rendered extremely fit for pedestrianism by +plentiful libations of slush and soft soap. At the extreme +end a basket containing, in the words of the programme, +"a little pig" was slung. About thirty men stood to the +front, as would-be possessors of "porcus." Each of the +thirty, as valiant heroes as ever trod a plank or fisted +handspike, tried and failed—and tried again with a like +unsatisfactory result. Piggy still lay nestled in his swinging +stye. True, once or twice he had cocked out his +head with an enquiring squeal as the pole now and then +received an extra hard shake, making the foundations of +his house rather insecure. The affair was at length +decided in an unlooked-for manner. As the thirty could +not get the pork out, the latter took the initiative and got +out himself—of course falling overboard, where he was +secured by an amphibious sailor below.</p> + +<p>As the time anticipated had not been consumed in the +pork affair, a tug-of-war between the fore and aft men was +decided on; and as it is a generally understood thing +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[200]</a></span>that our men can pull on occasions, a four-and-half hemp +hawser was hauled to the front, experience having proved +that ropes of lesser diameter are like as much tow in their +hands. As no prize could be conveniently awarded +for this, about six dollars' worth of that ambiguous compound, +known as gingerbread, was supplied and laid on a +piece of canvas in a formidable heap within view of the +antagonists, with the intention that the winners might +regale themselves afterwards. But this highly laudable +and very proper intention was frustrated, for the <i>losers</i> happening +to be nearest the heap took base advantage of their +proximity to pillage the store, which, by the aid of a score +or so of Japanese imps, in all manners of reversible attitudes +in the crowd, they managed to raze to its foundations. +So ended one of the most enjoyable days of the commission.</p> + +<p>By the way I must not omit to mention that the +ubiquitous "Aunt Sally," of immortal memory, was +present on the occasion, and contributed the usual amount +of sport.</p> + +<p>October 14th.—By midnight, all hands having relegated +themselves to the close embraces of the sleepy god, a +terrible din and an unusual alarm was circulated throughout +the ship. At first, in our semi-wakeful state, and +before we could adjust our ideas, we had the most confused +notions of what was the matter. Most thought that +the shores under the ship's bottom had carried away, and +that we had fallen over on our bilge; and, strange to say, +in our imaginary terror our eyes seemed to convey that +impression. The ominous word "fire!" followed by the +maddening unmusical efforts of a crazed bell, reduced +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[201]</a></span>all this din and uncertainty to a logical something. But +where was it? What was on fire, the ship? Fortunately +no; but a fire so close to the ship that she was in imminent +danger of taking the flames every minute. Ahead +of us, and within a biscuit's throw of our flying boom, a +long shed containing kerosene and other inflammables +had taken fire, but how does not so clearly appear. But +that doesn't matter. In a moment there was a general +conflagration. It burst out with sudden and alarming +fierceness, threatening speedily to overwhelm the whole +yard.</p> + +<p>Our captain's first consideration was the safety of his +ship. To this end the dock was flooded, and pumps rigged +on board in readiness for any possible eventuality; for, +though we were not in immediate contact with the danger, +yet it was so unpleasantly hot on our top-gallant forecastle, +and such quantities of sparks and lumps of burning wood +were so constantly lodging on our tarry ropes and rigging, +that there was no saying how soon we too might add to +the general glare.</p> + +<p>The means for putting out fires in Japan are, as everybody +knows, of the most simple and primitive kind. But +simple and ineffective as their method is, we were compelled +to adopt it until there should be a sufficiency of +water in the dock to enable us to work our pumps. One +would have thought that in a Government yard like +this the machinery for pumping out the dock might have +been utilized for such a purpose. Possibly if fires were +of less frequent occurrence amongst the Japanese this +plan might be considered.</p> + +<p>After the ship had been attended to we next turned our +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[202]</a></span>attention to the fire. From the first we saw it was useless +to attempt its subjugation, even had we the ordinary +appliances at hand, so our efforts were mainly directed to +the prevention of its spreading to another shed standing +near, containing vitriol, and to the preservation of a stack +of huge balks of timber, adjoining the burning shed. We +succeeded in the former, but the timber proved too +cumbrous to be interfered with, and it was not until four +o'clock in the morning that the fire was got under—or +rather, burnt itself out is, I suppose, the more correct +expression. After a good hour and half's delay a Japanese +fire brigade arrived on the scene. The appearance of +this body of men was such that they claim a few words of +description. They were attired in tight-fitting blue garments, +and mushroom-shaped hats of bamboo, with each +an umbrella over his shoulder, the use of which will +become apparent directly. Before the cortege marched a +man blowing a large conch, which emitted, not "the +murmur of the shell," but a much more ear-splitting +music. Next to him came a personage bearing the insignia—I +suppose we must term it—of the brigade. This +affair reminded me of nothing at home so much as the +stall or stand of the itinerant vendor of boot and corset +laces in our streets, the laces in this case being represented +by strips of gilded leather, and surmounted by a ball, on +which was traced a great character in gold, signifying fire, +in the language of the children of the "rising sun." +Then followed their box-like engine, borne on bamboos +across the shoulders of the main body. Notwithstanding +the ludicrousness of the whole cavalcade, the men set to +work most energetically, and displayed that dash and +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[203]</a></span>intrepidity of conduct for which the Japanese are famed, +and which must eventually raise them to the dominance +of the peoples of the far east. Right into the midst of +the fire dashed these fellows, their only shelter from the +fierce glare being the before-mentioned umbrellas. These +frail shades, though made only of paper, seemed to +answer the purpose admirably.</p> + +<p>October 26th.—Left for Wosung, anchoring in the +Yang-tsze, after a quick run of four days across the +Yellow Sea. We are to await here the arrival of the +flying squadron. Meanwhile an opportunity was given +us of visiting the great European metropolis of China. +The "Foxhound" was ordered down from Shanghai, and +converted into a passenger steamer, for the benefit of our +ship's company. Shanghai at this time offered plenty of +scope for enjoyment to sailors. The city is divided into +three principal parts or "concessions"—English, French, +and American—the English being far more extensive +than the other two combined, and much more beautiful, +with clean broad streets, houses like palaces, and shops +which would do no discredit to Regent street or the +Strand. The great attraction was the races, held outside +the city, on the Nankin Road, near which is an extensive +race-course.</p> + +<p>Of the native city—well—perhaps the less said the +better. It is full of the foulest filth and abominations in +which it is possible for even a Chinaman to exist. I will +not afflict my readers with a description of its horrors; +it would scarcely be fit reading for our friends. Fever +and plague are ever rife within the city gates, a fact so +well established that the European residents never visit +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">[204]</a></span>this quarter. We had not been warned of this, however, +and the result was that some of our men, who had +weakened their systems with poisonous liquor, fell victims +to some disease very like cholera, which in two cases +proved fatal within twenty-four hours. I trust these +awfully terrible examples were not without their lesson to +us. (Shipmates, there is a higher aspiration within the +reach of every sailor than that of blindly devoting himself +to the service of the "boozy" god, a self-immolation +which leaves no enjoyment—no healthy enjoyment, I +mean—to its devotees. It must be, and I know it is so, +that every one such feels ashamed of himself afterwards, +and calls himself by hard but honest adjectives when the +"bad head" period comes on.) I am thankful to state +that our other cases recovered, though not until almost +all hope had well-nigh gone.</p> + +<p>November 22nd.—To-day the long-expected flying +squadron arrived, and took up positions ahead of us. +The following ships comprised it—"Inconstant" (flag), +"Bacchante," "Cleopatra," "Tourmaline," and "Carysfort."</p> + +<p>For days past much activity has existed amongst the +junk fleet in this neighbourhood. Dozens of these trim-built +and picturesque-looking craft have lately accumulated +here to give the princes a proper reception. Day after +day they have duly gone through some extraordinary and +to us meaningless evolutions, all flags, gongs, yells, and +gunpowder.</p> + +<p>November 24th.—Leaving the squadron to the joy and +festivities of Shanghai, once more we head for Hong +Kong. We thought then it was for the last time; but +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[205]</a></span>hopes have been shattered so frequently of late that we +were not prepared to bet on it.</p> + +<p>Whilst at anchor, awaiting the tide to cross the outer +bar, our attendant pilot boat came to grief under our +bows. Everybody who knows anything of Chinese +rivers—of the Yangtsze in particular—will have often +remarked how great a velocity the current attains at near +low water, making boating alongside a ship an almost +impossible and extremely hazardous proceeding. The +water hisses, seethes, and boils past the sides as if the +ship was under weigh in a heavy sea; thus when the +little vessel reached our bows there was nothing to save +her. Fortunately she came down upon us in such a +manner that she escaped with the loss of mainmast and +sail, whilst a little damage was done to our head-gear +in the scrimmage.</p> + +<p>November 30th.—Again the well-known rig of the +Canton fishing junks heaves in sight, and ere long the +equally well-known outline of Victoria Peak, the most +welcome sight on the station, after all said and done. In +a few hours that prince of bumboat men, old Attam, had +paid us a visit, giving us a kindly welcome, with his +good-tempered, ever-smiling, and flat celestial face.</p> + +<p>December 20th.—To-day at noon the flying squadron +came in from the northward. Their arrival was awaited +by eager and expectant crowds thronging the shore, in +anticipation of witnessing the landing of the young royal +middies. In this they were disappointed. The same +absence of ceremony and reserve was to be observed +here, with respect to the queen's grandsons, as was +recently followed out in Shanghai, and which gave so +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">[206]</a></span>much umbrage to the residents of that city. It was soon +officially known that whilst staying at Hong Kong, the +princes would be publicly recognised simply as "mids."</p> + +<p>The Europeans and other foreign residents were quite +prepared to do the honors handsomely, had things been +ordered differently. These shortcomings were however +amply compensated for by the magnificence of the +Chinamen. It did not signify to them as to <i>how</i> the +princes were to be treated; to them they were the queen's +grandsons, midshipmen or not.</p> + +<p>The two nights immediately preceding Christmas Day +were devoted to the grandest display of fireworks and +illuminations I have ever witnessed, and which, possibly, +few men see but once in a lifetime. All accounts of +China agree that in the pyrotechnic art the Chinese stand +alone, unequalled.</p> + +<p>We have all, no doubt, been struck when reading of +the wonderful changes of form assumed by their fireworks +in the air. This, like many other descriptions about this +people, is rather misleading. What actually does take +place I will endeavour to show; only bear in mind the +most perfect description must fall far short of the startling +reality.</p> + +<p>In the present instance two skeleton, tower-like structures +of bamboo were erected in the soldiers' drill +ground, and within this simple framework all the business +was to be transacted. Seats for the accommodation of +the governor and other high functionaries, and for the +leading Chinese, were set up at a convenient distance, +whilst the respectable public were permitted within the +enclosure. For several hours before dusk, relays of +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">[207]</a></span>coolies had been bearing into the open space curious-looking +balls of wicker, innocent of anything like the +gorgeous things they really were. At sunset the programme +opened. One of the balls was hoisted to the +top of a tower, and set fire to in its ascent, so that by the +time it had reached its highest altitude it was all one +blaze. But behold the change! so sudden and brilliant +that a shout expressive of admiration was involuntarily +sent up by the sea of faces around. In place of the +homogenous ball, hundreds of small figures of mandarins +and ladies, some seated at tables, some riding on mules, +others playing at shuttlecock or flying kites, and all +clothed in the most beautiful garments, and around which +innumerable squibs were hissing and cracking, revealed +themselves to our astonished gaze. Another change! +The human element disappears. Birds and flowers, with +swarms of brilliant butterflies flitting amongst them, and +alighting on their gorgeous petals, the light all the time +ever-changing and varying in color. These in their +turn disappear, and a grand pagoda suddenly drops, as +from the skies, out of the burning mass, its different +storys all distinctly marked by parti-colored lamps, +whilst little rockets are continually going off at all its +windows. What, not finished yet? No; exit pagoda, +enter a royal crown, dominating the Prince of Wales' +feathers, with the initials "A V" and "G" underneath. +Bear in mind all these changes emanated from the <i>same</i> +ball, which was but one of scores such, and all different. +Each ball generally wound up in one tremendous report, +and a rocket, which shot far into the night, and whose +sparks, scintillating for awhile in space, rivalled in +brilliancy the tints of the stars.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">[208]</a></span>This was but the first part of the entertainment; a far +prettier was yet to come. Starting from the various +Chinese guilds, and uniting in front of the governor's +house, a grand procession, over a mile long, commenced +the perambulation of the streets of the city. Each man +bore on his shoulders exaggerated representations of all +the domestic and food animals used in the Chinese +menage, principally fish, fowls, and pigs, constructed of +bamboo framework covered with tinted gauze, and illumined +from within by colored candles. Illuminated +shops, trophies, interiors, representations in character +from the sacred books, the figures being real and resplendent +in the most beautiful silks, were amongst the most +important objects in the ceremonial. Bands of music—save the mark!—filled +up the intervals. Towards the +end of the procession came two dragons—a gold one and +a silver one—of such a length that each required somewhere +about thirty pairs of bearers. They were divided +into sections, to every one of which a pair of men was +attached, illumined from within, and covered with a rich +scaled brocade, in which the bearers themselves were also +enveloped, their legs and feet appearing from underneath +like the legs of a huge centipede.</p> + +<p>Whilst on the subject of dragons I may just mention a +curious ceremony I witnessed, during the earlier part of +the day, in connection with one of these—the gold one—in +the present ceremonial. The occasion was the instillation +of life into the legendary monster. He was conducted +by his bearers to the largest temple in the city, where a +yellow-robed bonze was in waiting to receive him. On +the huge head being brought to the door the farce commenced. +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[209]</a></span>Taking a live cock in his hand, the priest +pricked its comb in three several places, and with the +blood proceeded to mix some vermilion paint, in a small +china vessel. With this pigment he now described three +cabalistic signs on a piece of yellow paper, which he stuck +on the monster's forehead, at the same time touching +with his brush the eyes, the cavernous jaws, and horrible +fangs of the animal. This completes the business, and +the dragon proceeds on its sinuous way amidst the +howling and contortions of a superstitious and excited +mob.</p> + +<p>It is not to be supposed that the flying squadron +could be permitted to leave for England without the +usual challenges for boating contests being thrown out. +We, of course, came in for the lion's share of their +attacks. A match was pulled, in which our green galley +came in the victor; then a second, in which the +"Bacchante's" cutter beat our crack boat. This unexpected +defeat set our men on their metal, in fact raised a +bit of a storm in the lower deck, so that dollars were +freely tendered towards a high stake to pull them again. +But the "Bacchante" wanted not our two hundred +dollars. "They had beat us," they said, "and to their +entire satisfaction; what more could they desire?" The +"Tourmaline's" men appeared highly delighted at our +defeat. On a black board, fixed up in their fore-rigging, +they had written, "'Iron Duke' no can do 'Bacchante.'" +This was met by a counter taunt from us, "'Iron Duke' +can do 'Bacchante'—200 dollars." I am inclined to the +belief that had the "Dukes" and "Tourmalines" met on +shore that night there would have been work for the +doctors.</p> + + +<hr /> +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[210]</a></span></p> +<h2>CHAPTER XV.</h2> + +<hr class="hr2" /> +<div class="poem"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="poem"> +<tr><td class="tdstanza"> +<span class="i0">Heave, heave, heave! around the capstan,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Up with the anchor with a will;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">For the "Duke," you may rely,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Will be home by next July,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">If you'll only put old <i>Tom Lee</i> to the wheel.<br /></span> +</td></tr> +</table> +</div> + +<hr class="hr2" /> +<p class="summary">THE SECOND CRUISE OF THE CHINA SQUADRON.​—​PRINCIPALLY +CONCERNING A VISIT TO THE LOO-CHOO ISLES +AND COREA.​—​WELCOME NEWS FROM HOME.​—​CONCLUSION.</p> + + +<p>Before starting for the north, suppose we just +glance at a few of the leading events which transpired +at the beginning of the year. The flying +squadron has sailed after having awaited the return of the +"Inconstant" from docking at Nagasaki.</p> + +<p>The arrival of the yacht "Wanderer" must also be +noted; for Mr. Lambert, her princely owner, gave a magnificent +cup worth 200 dollars as a prize to be sailed for +by the boats of the men-of-war in harbour. It was borne +off by the French admiral's barge.</p> + +<p>In stripping our yards serious defects were discovered +in the fore and main, necessitating the replacing of the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[211]</a></span>latter by a new one, and the splicing of the former. +Whilst awaiting these repairs the admiral hurried us off, +stripped as we were, up the Canton river to a bleak open +spot above the Bogue forts. The scenery of the river is +flat and uninviting, but eminently characteristic. Almost +every hill has its pagoda at the top, every bank that +peculiar fishing apparatus—a lever net, and the river is +swarming with great lumbering junks, not a few of which, +if rumour speak correctly, engaged in piracy.</p> + +<p>On the way up we obtained a fine view of the Bogue +forts. The old ruins still remain, mute witnesses of the +completeness of our cannonade during the Chinese war. +At a short distance from the old, a much stronger and +more formidable structure is reared, which in the hands +of Europeans would form an almost impassable barrier. +In addition to the large fort, two small islands off in the +river are also strongly fortified with eighteen-ton guns.</p> + +<p>Ten days—such was the term of our banishment. +Economically considered, I suppose it was all right; no +doubt the fresh water of the river succeeded in removing +the saline incrustations from our bottom. One of the +home papers, more sensationally than truthfully, remarked +that our ship's company were all such a disreputable, +boosing set, and proved themselves so reckless and recalcitrant +when on shore, that the admiral took this means of +punishing us. Now I call this a gross libel on the ship's +company at large. To speak honestly, I don't believe the +admiral did send us here for such a purpose, nor do I +believe we are one whit worse than those who stigmatize +our characters in so wholesale and careless a manner.</p> + +<p>Next in order of events comes the admiral's inspection—searching, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">[212]</a></span>of course, as all his inspections are known to +be. He has a curious knack of catching people on what, +in lower-deck phrase, is styled the "ground-hop," and +generally succeeds, by his rapid and pertinent questions, +in putting people into such utter confusion of ideas that +negatives and affirmatives are bundled out indiscriminately, +if indeed the mouth can be induced to open itself at all, or +to frame any speech. However, in one department, at +least, he got as good as he gave. Whilst visiting the magazine +he suddenly gave the order, "fire on the flat!" +The gunner's mate in charge of the magazine, whom we +will call "Topper," immediately closed the hatch and +stood on guard over it. Turning around, the admiral +said "I want to go into the magazine;" but observing that +"Topper" still stood motionless, he again repeated the +order. "You can't, sir," was the rejoinder, "because there +is fire in the flat." "Oh! very well," replied the admiral, +"cease fire!" With great promptitude and despatch the +hatch was removed, and the admiral prepared to descend, +but was once more checked, and was informed that if he +complied with the magazine regulations, and left his shoes +and sword behind, he might do so. He fared no better +down below, I believe, and left the magazine perfectly +satisfied with the conduct of affairs in that region.</p> + +<p>A few days before sailing, a suggestion made by Mr. +Robinson, the officer whose kindnesses I have had occasion +to note before, met with universal favor. For a very +small sum each man, a telegram was sent to Mr. R——'s +agent in London, in the following words—"When will +'Audacious' commission, and probably sail?" For +three days nothing else was spoken of, and various were +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">[213]</a></span>the speculations as to the answer. It came—"Early +September." Very short, but to the point, though to +some rather ambiguous. To which did the answer refer, +the <i>commissioning</i>, or the <i>sailing</i>? Reason implied the +former, as, knowing it, the latter might be inferred. A +subsequent telegram set the matter at rest.</p> + +<p>April 19th.—After a more than ordinarily long stay at +Hong Kong, to-day sees us clearing out of the harbour +on our projected summer cruise. The following ships +besides ourselves comprised the squadron—"Curaçoa," +"Encounter," "Albatross," "Swift," "Daring," and "Foxhound," +with the "Vigilant" and "Zephyr," which +accompanied us out of the harbour. On parting company +with the admiral we shaped course for Manilla, the admiral +being specially careful to give Captain Tracey injunctions +not to forget to bring him 2,000 cigars from that place. +We were then sailing under sealed orders.</p> + +<p>April 24th.—This morning, having sent the "Swift" +back to Hong Kong, the sealed orders were opened, and, +to the surprise of everybody—to the captain's not less +than to our own—we were not to go to Manilla at all! +This in the face of what the admiral said to the captain! +Well, up helm, and away we go for Loo-Choo; it does +not signify much where we go for the next six or eight +months, I suppose.</p> + +<p>April 25th.—<i>Caught our first shark.</i> Yes; one out of +the many scores in the vicinity actually meditated an +attack on our four-pound piece. However he discovered, +to his cost, that a barbed hook is no easy matter to digest. +He was landed inboard in a trice, and handed over to +the tender mercies of the forecastle hands. Now it was +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">[214]</a></span>a most unfortunate thing for that shark that one of these +same <i>tender</i> hands had, that very morning, lost a "hook +pot" of fish off the range, through the kind services of +some obliging shipmate. Hence revenge was the dominant +feeling in that man's breast. Electing himself butcher-in-chief, +sharko's spirit was soon gathered to his fathers.</p> + +<p>A most devilish contrivance—torpedo, electric wire, +and all complete—was invented by our torpedo officer for +the accommodation of the next friendly shark. With this +little affair safely stowed within his stomach, he would find +his internal arrangements subject to sudden and unaccountable +tension. Enough this to make the shark +parliament pass a bill condemning all illicit grabbing.</p> + +<p>April 20th.—Off the east of Formosa, and during the +middle watch, the ships of the squadron were caught +aback in a sudden squall. There was a deuce of a commotion +up aloft, sails flapping and splitting, ropes cracking, +and blocks rattling till further orders. To establish order +amongst these refractory things the hands were called. +Next day the wind crept ahead and gradually freshened +to what looked and felt extremely like a gale. The poor +little "Foxhound" had a lively time of it, and proved +herself unequal to such a buffetting. The "Curaçoa" +was signalled to take her in tow, and the two fell rapidly +astern, and finally disappeared, to rejoin us about the +third day afterwards. On May first the "Daring" parted +company for Napa, the capital of Great Loo-Choo, our +destination being Little Loo-Choo.</p> + +<p>May 3rd.—I don't know if we do, but sailors ought to +feel it a great privilege that they are enabled to see all the +wonderful and varied sights so constantly surrounding +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">[215]</a></span>them—the many countries and people they come in +contact with. Of all strange, out of the way, scarce +heard of places, perhaps, Loo-Choo has been less subject +to the visits of vandals from Europe than any. If I am +correctly informed it is now close on thirty years since a +ship of war put in to Little Loo-Choo, and certainly +never before such a squadron as the present.</p> + +<p>But two visits of consequence have taken place during +the present century; that of Captain Maxwell in the +"Alceste," in 1817; and that of Commodore Perry, of +the U.S. navy, in 1853; so that the little we do know of +this <i>ultima thule</i> is derivable from these sources. +Strangely enough, the two accounts are broadly opposed +to each other. Captain Maxwell found the people +gentle, simple, and courteous; possessed of no money, +no arms, without police, or punishments; whilst the land, +he said, was an earthly paradise. I have in my possession +an old print entitled "the voyage of the 'Alceste,'" +written by the surgeon of that ship; and that part of it +which refers to this visit is most pleasurable reading. The +commodore, on the other hand, endeavours to shew many +of Captain Maxwell's eulogies to be erroneous. It is +certain, says he, that the Loo-Chooans possess and +understand the use of both money and arms; and that +they have a very severe and cruel code of punishment. +So far as we are able, let us judge which of the two +descriptions comes nearest the truth.</p> + +<p>The Loo-Choo group of islands lies in the North +Pacific, and forms a semi-circle, extending from Japan to +the island of Formosa. The inhabitants number under +three millions, perhaps. The two principal islands of the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">[216]</a></span>group are known as Great and Little Loo-Choo. It is to +the latter that the following remarks must be understood +to refer. This island is almost intersected by a +narrow arm of the sea reaching far, far away inland +amongst the richly clad hills and mountains. This, +according to the charts, is Hancock bay, up which we are +steaming. Nature is looking her best as we pass, and +wafting off to us her sweetest smells; a green summer +mantle clothes every eminence and gentle slope; and the +nestling villages have such a quiet, peaceful look, that it +seems almost a pity to disturb them—as we certainly +shall—from their dream-like repose. Each village +possesses its water mill or mills, so that the natives are +not entirely ignorant of mechanics.</p> + +<p>Hundreds of canoes, of the rudest construction, +crammed with men, women, and children, put off to us +when we came to anchor. Though it is said they are of +mixed Chinese and Aïno origin; the people are of cast +countenance, and style of dress peculiar to the Japanese; +they have, however, a way of doing their hair, all their +own. The men gather all theirs into a tuft at the poll, +where it is secured with a silk marling, the extreme ends +forming a sort of fringe, like a plume of feathers. The +very fine, long, and glossy hair of the women is rolled +jauntily on the top of the head in a loose spiral coil, +resembling the volutes of a shell. Through this rather +graceful head-dress they stick a long silver pin, in some +cases a foot long.</p> + +<p>They appear a very timid race. This is particularly +noticeable on board. Whether it was because they saw +none of their own sex amongst us, I know not; but I +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">[217]</a></span>doubt if the women saw much of what they had come to +see, as most of their time was passed in eclipse under +their husbands' lee, and whose hands they never once +loosed from the time of entering the ship until they left +us again. We treated them to sailors' fare, allowing them +the free run of our bread barges, and endeavoured all we +could—but without success—to set them at their ease. +They were all highly perfumed with the penetrating odour +of garlic. I noticed that the married ladies, in common +with Aïno women, tattoo the backs of their hands, though +not their mouths.</p> + +<p>One king generally suffices a people,—and even one is +often found too much—but this race tolerates <i>three</i>, or +did until very recently; one of their own; the emperor +of China, whom they call father; and the mikado of +Japan, whom they style mother. To both their "parents" +they pay an immense tribute, which annually absorbs two-thirds +of their produce. It will be inferred from this that +the condition of the lower classes is very unfavorable.</p> + +<p>Since we have been on this station these islands have +been a bone of contention, between China and Japan, as +to which shall possess them; the old "father" and +"mother" farce being recognised as played out by mutual +consent. The Japs, in 1877, took the initiative, and sent +an expedition to Napa, and forcibly made the native king +prisoner; and before the Chinese were aware of what +was taking place, the Japanese were administering the +laws in all parts of the little kingdom, and gradually +absorbing it into their empire. The question between +the two nations is far from being settled yet, and may at +any future time prove a <i>casus belli</i>.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">[218]</a></span>The appearance of the houses on shore has given rise +to not a little speculation. All that we are enabled to +make out of them from the ship is a thatched roof raised +about ten feet off the ground, and supported on four +stout uprights. Can these be dwelling houses? On +landing, and coming close up with them, we at once saw +that whatever else they were intended for, they were not +places of abode. Close under the admirably palm +thatched roof is a strongly-made, tray-shaped floor, with +a small locked door beneath the eaves. Such was their +simple structure. After a little thought, we arrived at the +conclusion that they must be granaries for the stowage of +grain, possibly the government tribute houses, as they +were of different design and vastly superior build to the +mud and stick hovels in which the people live. In their +surroundings the natives exhibit all the squalor and dirt +of China, with none of the cleanlier qualities of the +people of Japan. Though they followed us about in +droves, they never attempted any familiarities; in fact +our first overtures were treated with awe-like silence. +The only words we understood, in common with them, +were "tabac" and "Ya-pun" (Japan); indeed Japan is +the beginning and end of their ideas—their one standard +of perfection. Everything they noticed about us—watches, biscuit, +the buttons on our clothing, our <i>boots</i> +even—were all qualified with the word "Ya-pun," in a +most admiring and reverential tone. Seemingly the Loo-Chooans +have never heard of England, though on passing +a school house—wherein were about a score of children +on their knees behind a similar number of box-like +desks, one of the youngsters jumped up and shewed me +an English spelling book!</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">[219]</a></span>We saw no money amongst them. They however +recognised the Japanese silver yen, but more on account +of the inscription on it than from any knowledge of its +money value, I think. Buttons were eagerly sought after.</p> + +<p>Their wants seem to be extremely few and simple; +and being excellent agriculturists and expert fishers, the +land and sea amply supply these demands. Their chief +export is raw sugar. We noticed some women at rude +looms engaged in manufacturing a coarse kind of cloth +out of cocoa-nut fibre; but from its appearance most of +their wearing apparel is of Japanese fabrication. The +parents are very affectionate towards their children—who, +by the way, don't trouble their mammas for more clothes +than they were born in, until they are about seven or +eight years old.</p> + +<p>The earth teems with beautiful and profuse vegetation—for +the most part in a wild state. Magnificent convolvuluses +and lilies, rare ferns—of which I gathered, +perhaps, as rare a collection—amongst them two or three +species of tree ferns, great raspberries and gooseberries; +and a very arcadia of flowers, lovely objects all for the +artist's pencil.</p> + +<p>The women seem devoid of that quality we so much +admire in Englishwomen, and which is so rarely found +beyond England's shores—the quality of modesty. It is +rather embarrassing, for instance, whilst bathing to find +your clothes—which you had left on the beach—the centre +of an admiring and criticising crowd of ladies, handling +and trying on each separate article of your rather intricate +wardrobe, and wishing, no doubt, the owner would swim +to shore and help them in their efforts. Such unaffected +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">[220]</a></span>simplicity and ingenuousness is most refreshing to witness.</p> + +<p>How extremely alike child nature is all over the world! +Observing a little half-famished girl in a canoe alongside, +I handed her a piece of jam tart through the port. At +first she was at a loss what to do with it, but soon following +out an universal law in such cases, she ventured to put +it to her mouth. The result may be expected; for no +matter how widely tastes differ, every child likes jam. It +was real good to see the hearty way in which that copper-skinned +maid smacked her tiny cherry lips, and looked +her grateful thanks through her great lustrous almond +eyes. With the intention, perhaps, of sharing the +delicacy with her brothers and sisters, who shall say? she +carefully wrapped up the remainder, and placed it inside +her only garment. How often, dear reader, have you and +I not done similarly at school feasts? Though this little +Loo-Choo's heart was willing, the flesh was weak; the +parcel was again taken out, re-examined, and re-tasted—but +with evident reluctance—till, finally, after a few +ineffectual efforts to overcome selfishness, the whole was +consumed.</p> + +<p>It is satisfactory to be able to write that in their dealings +with this simple people our men acted always with +kindness and consideration; paying, or offering payment—for +it was generally refused—for everything they had.</p> + +<p>The arrival of the "Swift" with our mails was the signal +for our departure from pleasant Loo-Choo.</p> + +<p>Perhaps it may be remembered that just about this +time English society at home seems to have undergone a +mental crisis which, at one time, certainly threatened the +fabric of its reason; and all about that absurd pachyderm +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">[221]</a></span>"Jumbo." Of course, more or less, any agitation emanating +from home must in time reach Englishmen abroad; +thus the "Jumbo" wave visited these seas, and day after +day, week after week, it was nothing but "Jumbo." You +would have thought the whole ship's company was +sickening for elephantiasis. Some funny fellow in the +squadron noticing this weakness, attached the name to our +ship which, amongst the blue jackets at least, has entirely +supplanted the original one. But this by the way.</p> + +<p>Well, we reached Nagasaki without accident; coaled, +and left for Kobé,—south of Kiusiu—with a rattling +breeze fair abaft. All went smoothly until we arrived off +Satano-Misaki, the southernmost point of Kiusiu. The +word "Satano," if it be, as is said, of Portuguese origin, +needs no comment. Here the fine breeze forsook us, and +left us in a flat and quite unexpected calm; for, generally +speaking, in rounding this cape the reverse of calms is met +with. To make matters still more unpleasant, a heavy +ground swell began to set through the straits, and the +squadron having fires drawn at the time we all found +ourselves in the doldrums. Still, however, there was +something of a current which had its effect on the ships, +so that it was impossible to keep in anything like station. +In this state of affairs the "Curaçoa" drifted on top of +the "Daring," and cracked her up a bit, rendering extensive +repairs to her absolutely necessary. She was +despatched on to Kobé for this purpose.</p> + +<p>After varying fortunes, now a calm—anon a gale, we +arrived at Kobé on June 3rd. This makes the sixth time +during the commission we have touched at this place, +and strange coincidence! on fives times out of the six we +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">[222]</a></span>have anchored at noon, and have dined off that delightful +compound, pea-soup, on entering the harbour.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile the admiral and the "Swift" are away in +Corea, negociating a treaty with that nation.</p> + +<p>On reaching Yokohama we found our anticipated +pleasures doomed to disappointment; for that yearly +visitant, cholera, was holding high revel in the town, and +doing pretty well just as it pleased. Nevertheless, the +admiral arrived the previous day, and gave leave to the +squadron until 9 p.m., with injunctions against visiting +certain localities.</p> + +<p>A few days subsequently we were joined by the +"Cleopatra," late of the flying squadron, but detached at +Suez for service on this station. The "Comus," meanwhile, +is about to leave for the Pacific to replace the +"Champion," ordered to join our flag.</p> + +<p>In spite of the precautions supposed to have been +observed, cholera at length discovered itself in the fleet; +and on the 27th June a case from the "Vigilant" and +another from the "Encounter," were conveyed to the +hospital. At once further restrictions were placed on the +leave, and though not absolutely stopped it was curtailed +to sundown.</p> + +<p>July 2nd.—Resumed our cruise (now under the admiral) +to the northward. The "Foxhound," outside, was +signalled to repair to Hong Kong, and the "Zephyr" +ordered up to take her place. The "Foxhound" has +shewn herself to be a most indifferent sailer and steamer, +and not at all suited as a handy auxiliary to the squadron.</p> + +<p>July 5th.—Four years in commission to-day! Are we +ever to hear anything of our relief? I think we shall be +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">[223]</a></span>preparing for eventualities if we meditate a serious study +of the Chinese and kindred languages to fit us for an +indefinite stay in the far east. Have they forgotten us at +home?</p> + +<p>On the passage to Hakodadi the "Cleopatra" and +"Curaçoa" each lost a poor fellow, of cholera. Thus it +is evident had we not cleared out of Yokohama when we +did the epidemic might have taken alarming hold on the +squadron.</p> + +<p>We have left Hakodadi, and are now cruising up the +gulf of Tartary to as far north as our first year's round. +Passing by Dui we braced sharp up, encountering, with +double reefs, a strong wind and heavy sea for the sixty +miles stretch across to Castries bay, making that anchorage +in a dense fog. Hence we recrossed to Dui, +coaled, and continued southward to Barracouta harbour. +For the future this anchorage will possess a melancholy +interest for the "Cleopatra;" for, a day before sailing, +the squadron was startled to hear that a shocking and +fatal occurrence had happened to an officer of that ship, +who was unfortunately shot through the inadvertent discharge +of a fowlingpiece. He was an officer much beloved +by the ship's company.</p> + +<p>August 12th.—A day's sail from Vladivostock we fell in +with the "Champion," one of the "Curaçoa" class. I +suppose, from her appearance, black must be the uniform +of the Pacific station, a color which looks confessedly +proper and ship-shape, but one which our admiral will not +allow on any account.</p> + +<p>On arriving at Vladivostock, scraping operations were +commenced on her, and by the following morning early +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">[224]</a></span>her crew had greeted us with "Good-bye, 'Jumbo,'" +which they had erased in great straggling letters along one +broadside.</p> + +<p>Our last mails, brought up by the "Zephyr," have narrowly +escaped total destruction—at least such might have +been the fate of one of them; for the steamer conveying +it to Yokohama struck on a rock in the Inland Seas, and +foundered—the mails being immersed for so long a period +that when our letters reached us they were reduced to +what Sala would call an "epistolary pulp." But no news +came of the "Audacious," only what the poor mothers +and wives say.</p> + +<p>August 24th.—For the first time during our already +long commission we are about to make an acquaintance +with the "hermit kingdom"—that, I believe, is what one +writer calls Corea. Japan has for a number of years held +a sort of <i>quasi</i> intercourse with this country, and has even +gone so far as to send an embassy to the court at Seoul, +and to establish two or three settlements along the coast +within the last two years. But the Coreans, taking their cue +from their suzerain, China, have ever looked with a jealous +eye on the Japanese and any other foreign relations. However, +China's Bismarck, the astute Li-hung-Chang, has +recently altered his tactics, and is now as anxious that +Corea should enter into the community of nations as he +was before, that it should stand outside; thus, when our +admiral, at the beginning of the recent treaty, solicited +the prime minister's aid it was readily given; for, argued +he, what Corea, concedes to foreigners surely China has a +right to demand.</p> + +<p>Since we have been on this station two countries have +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">[225]</a></span>attempted to enter into treaty relations with Corea—the +"Vittor Pinani," for Italy, in 1880, and Commodore Shufeldt, +for America, in the "Ticonderego," in the same +year; but both, I believe, have resulted in failure—the +first because, instead of the Italians calling China to their +aid, they relied too much on the mediations of Japan, a +nation whom the Coreans mortally detest: and the second +because, though Li-hung-Chang was the medium, Corea, +whilst admitting her inferiority to China, claimed equality +with America, or with any other of the great civilized +powers.</p> + +<p>Of course no European nation is willing to concede so +much; hence, for the present, that treaty is annulled. It +remains to be seen if ours is a more honorable one or +not.</p> + +<p>At present Corea is in a state bordering on anarchy. +Sundry rumours have reached us recently of some disturbance +south. So far as I am able to glean, this is +what is actually occurring. The late king dying without +issue, his adopted son, the present king, ascended the +throne. During his minority his father acted as regent—a +position the latter found to suit him so well that, +by-and-by, when his son became of age he refused to +abdicate the throne in favor of its lawful occupant, threw +off all semblance of allegiance, and assumed a high-handed +and arrogant bearing, especially exhibited towards +the queen and her family, with whom the regent was at +bitter feud. To compass their destruction was then his +first care, and he openly declared to the mutinous palace +guard that their grievances would not be redressed until +they had compassed the queen's death. He even suggested +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_226" id="Page_226">[226]</a></span>to them how they were to set about it—nay, even +offered to aid them. On a certain night during last July, +and according to previous arrangement, the soldiers +repaired to the palace, shouting "the queen, death to +the queen." That innocent lady, turning to her unnatural +father-in-law, asked what the shouting meant and what the +people wanted of her? and he, pretending to advise her +for her good, told her that rather than live to be outraged +by the soldiers it was better she should die by her own +hand, at the same time placing a cup of poison before +her, which she in her extremity actually drank, sharing it +with her son's wife, a girl only eleven years old. The +king was compelled to seek safety in flight, and according +to last accounts is still in hiding.</p> + +<p>The regent, now left master of the situation, next +turned the people against the Japanese embassy, of whom +there were twenty-eight in all. The subsequent adventures +of this little band of brave men reads more like a page of +a romance than a fact of to-day's occurrence. After fighting +their way through immense odds—crossing rivers in +open boats amidst flights of stones and arrows—lying +down to rest, to find themselves, on awaking, surrounded +by a revengeful and infuriated people—they at length +reached the shore to find no junk or vessel of sufficient +size to convey them across the narrow sea to their own +country. Driven to face their enemies on the very verge +of the ocean, they eventually succeeded in retreating to +some small boats—in which, wounded and bleeding, but +all alive, they confided themselves to the sea, as being +more merciful than their relentless and cruel foe. All +this, I say, savours of the romantic. Fortunately for the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227">[227]</a></span>poor worn-out voyagers help was at hand, for soon H.M.S. +"Flying Fish" hove in sight, on board which they were +kindly received, and brought to Nagasaki.</p> + +<p>These stirring events have actually occurred whilst we +have been lying quietly at anchor, in Gen San and Chosan. +Under such a state of affairs, who shall predict the fate +of Admiral Willes' treaty?</p> + +<p>I trust I may be pardoned for being thus prolix; but +surely, we who are actually on the scene of events ought +not to be more ignorant of what is going on in our +immediate neighbourhood than our friends who are so +many thousands of miles removed from it.</p> + +<p>I cannot say much of the Coreans, for, in the first +place, the usual sources of information are almost silent +on the subject, there being about only one reliable +English work on Corea; and secondly we have no means, +had we the desire, to study this people, who are so jealous +of their women that they wont allow you to approach +within a mile of their dwellings. On one occasion I +remember I sought, for the purposes of this present +narrative, to set aside this prohibition, and feigning +ignorance of it I penetrated to the outskirts of a village, +when half-a-dozen big fellows rushing up to me, and +gesticulating, I thought it advisable to "boom off." +However, I saw what I had ventured thus far to see, +notwithstanding—one of their women; but I am afraid +an ugly specimen of the sex. So far does this feeling +prevail that they would not permit even our admiral's +lady to satisfy a woman's curiosity about women; though +the chief of the village did condescend to allow her to sit +beside him on his mat, and even went so far as to offer +her a <i>smoke of his pipe</i>.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228">[228]</a></span>One of the accounts of their origin is peculiar. A +certain beautiful goddess once descended from the +celestial regions and sojourned in Corea. But it would +appear that she left her hat behind, for shortly after +arrival she received a sun-stroke, which caused her to lay +an egg of abnormal size, out of which there stepped—minerva-like—a +full blown Corean of gigantic stature. +This young fellow, in one of his incursions into the +mountains, one day returned to his mamma with a +beautiful white-skinned maid whom he had picked up in +a fairy bower. His mother was not at all pleased—so the +story goes—with this maid of earth, and made it so hot +for her that in a fit of rage the son, whom she had +hatched with such tender solicitude, slew her. Remorseful +at the deed, he swore that henceforth a similar +misfortune should never again occur to any man; hence +the seclusion of the women. I need scarcely add that +from this stalwart first Corean and his pale bride all the +present race is descended.</p> + +<p>The mandarin at Gen San came on board, attended +with great ceremony—flags, banners, pennons, soldiers, +and trumpeters, in boat loads; the latter gentlemen being +furnished with brass instruments, such as angels are +usually depicted with, but which can be made to shut up +like a telescope to vary the music. The men are certainly +a fine race—tall and upright as an arrow, and rather +intelligent looking than otherwise. They wear long +coarsely-fabricated, white cotton garments, split up +behind, in front and on the hips—all tails in fact; but +the great national peculiarity seems to be the hats, some +made of bamboo, others of horse hair, of very delicate net +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_229" id="Page_229">[229]</a></span>or gauze work, and shaped like a reversed flower pot with +a rim attached. Its purpose cannot be to keep the head +warm, to protect it from the rain, or to answer any +other purpose to which a hat may be applied: for +instance you could not get a drink of water by means of +it, nor would it serve as a pillow. The ordinary color of +these hats is black, but in consequence of the queen's +demise they now don a white one—white being, as in +China, the symbol of mourning. Some who cannot +afford, or have not the inclination, to purchase a white +one, paste a patch of white paper over the crown of the +black one which answers the purpose just as well.</p> + +<p>They betray a weakness for rum, and a knowledge of +the vessels in which it is usually issued on board a +man-of-war, scarcely credited of a people who have so few +means of acquiring such familiarity. But so it is, and if +noses can be accepted as indices of truth in such matters, +something stronger than water has been used in tinting +them.</p> + +<p>The soldiers of the party presented the appearance of +guys, rather than men of "fight." What do you say to a +mixed uniform of pink and light blue glazed calico, over +dingy under-garments of impossible analysis, and a mushroom +hat of the coarsest felt, with the distinguishing red +horse hair attached to the crown; wooden shot and +powder pouches of the roughest and rudest make slung +across the shoulders by a piece of thin cord? And such +shot! irregular pellets of raw iron and lead, of which all +I can say is that dying by such help would be far from +an æsthetic operation. And yet these same soldiers, as a +mere pastime, are employed in a service which requires +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_230" id="Page_230">[230]</a></span>no mean bravery. When not fighting the two-legged +enemies of their country, they are engaged waging war +against the four-legged ones, their land being infested +with tigers of great size and strength.</p> + +<p>In the evening the local mandarin sent a present of +fruits, fowls, eggs, vegetables, and a pig, to the admiral. +"Dennis," however, made a terrible fuss at the prospect of +being converted into a toothsome dish for the sailors, and +sent up such a squeal, in choicest pig-Corean—piercing, +prolonged, torturing—that the band was compelled to +cease, in the midst of the most pathetic part of "<i>La +Traviata</i>," out of respect of his superior music.</p> + +<p>As the ladies of this country are for ever immured +within the four mud walls of their houses, the men have +usurped a right generally conceded to females, namely, +that of indicating by some sign their state in life—married or single. +The married men do their hair up in +a knot at the top of the head; those who have not yet +seen the girl they like better than themselves wear theirs +in a loose trace behind; whilst some others who have +successfully passed through both states, and are quite +willing to try it again—for marriage amongst them is +honorable and universal, as in China—indicate this desire +by donning a sort of skull cap. I thought it not a little +curious that the men, and not the women, should take +the initiative in this matter. Men, in general, after +having committed a mistake, don't like to admit it.</p> + +<p>After Gen-San we moved a little further south to +Chosan, where, scarce had we anchored, when the arrival +of a small steamer threw the whole squadron into violent +commotion. She had been chartered either by Sir +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_231" id="Page_231">[231]</a></span>Thomas Wade or Sir Harry Parkes expressly to convey +despatches to the admiral—what the subject was none of us +could even guess, though it subsequently leaked out that +a disturbance of some sort had broken out at Foo-Choo. +The "Zephyr" was at once signalled to raise steam; and +all the admiral's staff were warned to hold themselves in +readiness to turn over to the "Vigilant" on the following +day. Next morning the admiral sailed, preceded by the +"Cleopatra" by a few hours, and followed by the "Swift."</p> + +<p>September 12th.—We are now at Port Hamilton, and +drawing towards the end of our cruise. The "Vigilant" +came in this morning with Mrs. Willes on board to +witness the regatta got up for the squadron. It was a +success in every way—especially so to the crew of our +first cutter; in fact a more than average share of prizes +fell to "Jumbo." I quote the flag borne by our boats +(arms, an elephant passant-argent; motto, "Jumbo"). +The sailing races were to have come off the following day, +but at daybreak it was blowing so hard, and the barometer +falling so rapidly, that a second anchor had to be +dropped. On the gale increasing cable was veered; and +it went on increasing until a third anchor was let go.</p> + +<p>The third day came in fine, with a breeze all that could +be desired. To prevent loss of time, and to simplify +matters, all the boats, of no matter what race, started at +once. It was a pretty sight to witness this mosquito +fleet clapping on sail after sail—balloons, outriggers, skyjibs, +and other extraordinary bits of duck. Our second +cutter—under the joint control of the commander and +Mr. Alexander, midshipman—went around in splendid +style, the manœuvring of Mr. Alexander being beyond all +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_232" id="Page_232">[232]</a></span>praise. She came in first, and carried off the admiral's +cup. The whaler was managed equally well by Mr. Patey, +and came in an excellent second.</p> + +<p>This regatta brought the cruise practically to an end, +though each ship has to repair to Chefoo for provisions, +independently of the other.</p> + +<p>On the passage we ran against something dirty, which +succeeded in whipping our main-topsail clean off the yard, +and left it dangling by the starboard sheet, at the lower +yard-arm; and as misfortunes don't happen singly, the jib +made most energetic and partially successful efforts to +hang up beside it. It did not reach quite so far aft as +that, but it did manage to coil itself around the fore yard +arm. Such a terrific squall we have never encountered +before. And such lightning and rain! who ever saw the +like?</p> + +<p>But joyful news was awaiting us at Chefoo. Mr. +Robinson, in fulfilment of a promise he made on leaving +us at Nagasaki, telegraphed the welcome, long-expected +intelligence that the "Audacious" commissioned on the +5th instant.</p> + +<p>And now, dear shipmates, I must leave you, and I do +so at once regretfully and joyfully; regretfully, that I +have to bid farewell to what has given me not a little +pleasure to write; joyfully, that I have—as I would fain +hope—been enabled to bring my narrative to a successful +termination. If any of you are disappointed that I have +not pursued it further, think how necessary it was that +my manuscript should be in the printer's hands as +speedily as possible. I thought no more opportune +ending could have offered itself to me than the telegram +before quoted.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_233" id="Page_233">[233]</a></span>If "In Eastern Seas" shall have in the slightest degree +contributed one pleasure to you or your friends, or shall +be the humble instrument of calling to your mind some +pleasant memories of the commission, I shall indeed +feel amply rewarded for any little trouble I may have +been put to in helping you to such pleasure or to such +memories.</p> + +<p>We have seen many lands together, many and strange +peoples, much that is delightful beyond description in +this, our beautiful world; but, after all, one feels his +soul filled with enthusiasm at the thought that he is an +Englishman, though he may be but a sailor. Persons at +home scarcely realise what an inheritance that is.</p> + +<p>In conclusion, may we all find happy homes; happy +mothers, wives, sisters, and sweethearts, all the more +willing to treasure us because we have been loyal to them +for such a long, long time. I don't drink—as you know—but +I don't mind cracking a bottle of lemonade to the +future success in life, and happiness of all my +late, much-respected, shipmates. God bless them all.</p> + + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="AppendixA" id="AppendixA"></a>APPENDIX A.</h2> + +<p class="center"><i><big>Deaths During the Commission.</big></i></p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="Deaths during commission"> + +<tr><td class="loghead">NAMES.</td> +<td class="loghead">Rank or<br />Rating.</td> +<td colspan="2" class="loghead">Date of<br />Death.</td> +<td class="loghead">Place of<br />Death.</td> +<td class="loghead br">Cause of<br />Death.</td></tr> + +<tr><td colspan="6" class="logyear">1878.</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="log">John Bayley</td><td class="log">Pte. R.M.</td><td class="logmth">Sept.</td><td class="logdate">13th</td><td class="log">Red Sea</td><td class="log br">Heat Apoplexy</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="log">Mr. Easton</td><td class="log">Gunner</td><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">14th</td><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logditto br">"</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="log">Mr. Scoble</td><td class="log">Engineer</td><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">17th</td><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logditto br">"</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="log padbot08">E. Dewdney</td><td class="log">Boy</td><td class="logmth">Oct.</td><td class="logdate">18th</td><td class="log">Singapore</td><td class="logditto br">"</td></tr> + + +<tr><td colspan="6" class="logyear">1879.</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="log">Richd. Darcy</td><td class="log">Ord.</td><td class="logmth">March</td><td class="logdate">10th</td><td class="log">Hong Kong</td><td class="log br">Fall from Aloft</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="log">Hy. Harper</td><td class="log">Bandsman</td><td class="logmth">May</td><td class="logdate">10th</td><td class="log">Shanghai</td><td class="log br">Decline</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="log">Fredk. Smyth</td><td class="log">Stoker</td><td class="logmth">July</td><td class="logdate">3rd</td><td class="log">Yokohama</td><td class="log br">Drowning</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="log padbot08">Ch. Allen</td><td class="log">Ord.</td><td class="logmth">Dec.</td><td class="logdate">11th</td><td class="log">Amoy</td><td class="logditto br">"</td></tr> + + +<tr><td colspan="6" class="logyear">1880.</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="log padbot08">John Irish</td><td class="log">A.B.</td><td class="logmth">Oct.</td><td class="logdate">26th</td><td class="log">At Sea</td><td class="logditto br">"</td></tr> + + +<tr><td colspan="6" class="logyear">1881.</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="log">Wm. Edwards</td><td class="log">2d. C.M.T.</td><td class="logmth">April</td><td class="logdate">15th</td><td class="log">Hong Kong</td><td class="log br">General Debility</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="log">Wm. Edwards</td><td class="log">Boy</td><td class="logmth">June</td><td class="logdate">24th</td><td class="log">Chefoo</td><td class="log br">Fall from Aloft</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="log">Wm. McGill</td><td class="log">Ord.</td><td class="logmth">Aug.</td><td class="logdate">12th</td><td class="log">Vladivostock</td><td class="logditto br">"</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="log">John Higgins</td><td class="log">Pte. R.M.</td><td class="logmth">Novr.</td><td class="logdate">6th</td><td class="log">Wosung</td><td class="log br">Choleraic Diarrhoea</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="log">Wm. Young</td><td class="log">A.B.</td><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">8th</td><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logditto br">"</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="log bb padbot08">Wm. Drew<small>[A]</small></td><td class="log bb">A.B.</td><td colspan="2" class="logditto bb">?</td><td class="log bb">Hong Kong</td><td class="log br bb">Ruptured Blood-vessel</td></tr> + +</table> + +<p> </p> + +<div class="footnote"><p><span class="label" style="font-size: 100%;">Note A:</span>Discharged to hospital, +and died during our cruise to the north. +Date of death not procurable in ship's office.</p></div> + + + +<hr /> +<h2><a name="AppendixB" id="AppendixB"></a>APPENDIX B.</h2> + +<p class="center"><i><big>Table showing places visited and actual distance run, in miles, +by H.M.S. "Iron Duke" during commission.</big></i></p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" summary="Itinerary"> + +<tr><td colspan="2" class="loghead">Date of<br />Departure.</td> + <td class="loghead">From</td> + <td class="loghead">To</td> + <td colspan="2" class="loghead">Date of<br />Arrival.</td> + <td class="loghead br">Actual Distance<br />run. (miles)</td></tr> + +<tr><td colspan="7" class="logyear">1878.</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logmth">July</td><td class="logdate">25</td><td class="log">Plymouth</td><td class="log">Portsmouth</td> +<td class="logmth">July</td><td class="logdate">26</td><td class="logmiles">139</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logmth">August</td><td class="logdate">1</td><td class="log">Portsmouth</td><td class="log">Plymouth</td> +<td class="logmth">August</td><td class="logdate">2</td><td class="logmiles">150</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">4</td><td class="log">Plymouth</td><td class="log">Gibraltar</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">11</td><td class="logmiles">1022</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">15</td><td class="log">Gibraltar</td><td class="log">Malta</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">22</td><td class="logmiles">931</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">25</td><td class="log">Malta</td><td class="log">Port Said</td> +<td class="logmth">Septr.</td><td class="logdate">1</td><td class="logmiles">865</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logmth">Septr.</td><td class="logdate">2</td><td class="log">Port Said</td> <td class="log">Suez</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">4</td><td class="logmiles">86</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">7</td><td class="log">Suez</td><td class="log">Aden</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">17</td><td class="logmiles">1144</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">21</td><td class="log">Aden</td><td class="log">Point de Galle</td> +<td class="logmth">Octr.</td><td class="logdate">4</td><td class="logmiles">1950</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logmth">Octr.</td><td class="logdate">8</td><td class="log">Point de Galle</td><td class="log">Singapore</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">18</td><td class="logmiles">1434</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logmth">Novr.</td><td class="logdate">18</td><td class="log">Singapore</td><td class="log">Malacca</td> +<td class="logmth">Novr.</td><td class="logdate">19</td> <td class="logmiles">100</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">19</td><td class="log">Malacca</td><td class="log">Din Ding</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">21</td> <td class="logmiles">164</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">21</td><td class="log">Din Ding</td><td class="log">Penang</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">22</td> <td class="logmiles">102</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">28</td><td class="log">Penang</td><td class="log">Din Ding</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">29</td> <td class="logmiles">112</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">30</td><td class="log">Din Ding</td><td class="log">Singapore</td> +<td class="logmth">Decr.</td><td class="logdate">2</td> <td class="logmiles">271</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logmth">Decr.</td><td class="logdate">5</td><td class="log">Singapore</td><td class="log">Sarawak</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">8</td><td class="logmiles">368</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">9</td><td class="log">Sarawak</td><td class="log">Labuan</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">12</td><td class="logmiles">325</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">14</td><td class="log">Labuan</td><td class="log">Manilla</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">19</td><td class="logmiles">724</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">24</td><td class="log">Manilla</td><td class="log">Manilla</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">28</td><td class="logmiles">511</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto padbot08">"</td><td class="logdate">31</td><td class="log">Manilla</td><td class="log">Hong Kong</td> +<td class="logmth">Jany.</td><td class="logdate">4</td><td class="logmiles">640</td></tr> + + +<tr><td colspan="7" class="logyear">1879.</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logmth">March</td><td class="logdate">11</td><td class="log">Hong Kong</td><td class="log">Chino Bay</td> +<td class="logmth">March</td><td class="logdate">12</td><td class="logmiles">101</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">14</td><td class="log">Chino Bay</td><td class="log">Hong Kong</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">15</td><td class="logmiles">101</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logmth">April</td><td class="logdate">21</td><td class="log">Hong Kong</td><td class="log">Merz Bay</td> +<td class="logmth">April</td><td class="logdate">21</td><td class="logmiles">61</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">22</td><td class="log">Merz Bay</td><td class="log">Amoy</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">24</td><td class="logmiles">262</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">26</td><td class="log">Amoy</td><td class="log">White Dogs</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">27</td><td class="logmiles">152</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">28</td><td class="log">White Dogs</td><td class="log">Chusan</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">30</td><td class="logmiles">283</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logmth">May</td><td class="logdate">5</td><td class="log">Chusan</td><td class="log">Wosung</td> +<td class="logmth">May</td><td class="logdate">7</td><td class="logmiles">111</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">23</td><td class="log">Wosung</td><td class="log">Nagasaki</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">25</td><td class="logmiles">388</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logmth">June</td><td class="logdate">11</td><td class="log">Nagasaki</td><td class="log">Takasima</td> +<td class="logmth">June</td><td class="logdate">12</td><td class="logmiles">230</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">13</td><td class="log">Takasima</td><td class="log">Sojasima</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">13</td><td class="logmiles">96</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">14</td><td class="log">Sojasima</td><td class="log">Kobé</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">14</td><td class="logmiles">39</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">17</td><td class="log">Kobé</td><td class="log">Yokohama</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">19</td><td class="logmiles">319</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logmth">July</td><td class="logdate">24</td><td class="log">Yokohama</td><td class="log">Yamada</td> +<td class="logmth">July</td><td class="logdate">25</td><td class="logmiles">231</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">26</td><td class="log">Yamada</td><td class="log">Awomori</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">27</td><td class="logmiles">200</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">28</td><td class="log">Awomori</td><td class="log">Hakodadi</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">29</td><td class="logmiles">53</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logmth">August</td><td class="logdate">9</td><td class="log">Hakodaté</td><td class="log">Dui</td> +<td class="logmth">Augst</td><td class="logdate">15</td><td class="logmiles">597</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">16</td><td class="log">Dui</td><td class="log">Castries Bay</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">17</td><td class="logmiles">51</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">19</td><td class="log">Castries Bay</td><td class="log">Barracouta Hr.</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">20</td><td class="logmiles">132</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">23</td><td class="log">Barracouta Hr.</td><td class="log">Olga Bay</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">26</td><td class="logmiles">380</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">26</td><td class="log">Olga Bay</td><td class="log">Askold Is.</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">27</td><td class="logmiles">146</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">28</td><td class="log">Askold Is.</td><td class="log">Vladivostock</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">28</td><td class="logmiles">32</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">31</td><td class="log">Vladivostock</td><td class="log">Nagasaki</td> +<td class="logmth">Septr.</td><td class="logdate">4</td><td class="logmiles">666</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logmth">Septr.</td><td class="logdate">7</td><td class="log">Nagasaki</td><td class="log">Chefoo</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">12</td><td class="logmiles">580</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logmth">Octr.</td><td class="logdate">18</td><td class="log">Chefoo</td><td class="log">Takasima</td> +<td class="logmth">Octr.</td><td class="logdate">23</td><td class="logmiles">662</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">24</td><td class="log">Takasima</td><td class="log">Sojasima</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">24</td><td class="logmiles">94</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">25</td><td class="log">Sojasima</td><td class="log">Kobé</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">25</td><td class="logmiles">48</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logmth">Novr.</td><td class="logdate">5</td><td class="log">Kobé</td><td class="log">Yokohama</td> +<td class="logmth">Novr.</td><td class="logdate">6</td><td class="logmiles">346</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">24</td><td class="log">Yokohama</td><td class="log">Matson Is.</td> +<td class="logmth">Decr.</td><td class="logdate">3</td><td class="logmiles">1311</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logmth">Decr.</td><td class="logdate">3</td><td class="log">Matson</td><td class="log">Amoy</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">4</td><td class="logmiles">185</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">12</td><td class="log">Amoy</td><td class="log">Hope Bay</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">13</td><td class="logmiles">132</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">14</td><td class="log">Hope Bay</td><td class="log">Hong Kong</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">15</td><td class="logmiles">146</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logmth padbot08"> </td><td></td><td class="log">At Hong Kong</td><td class="log">Target Practice</td> +<td class="logmth"></td><td></td><td class="logmiles">147</td></tr> + + +<tr><td colspan="7" class="logyear">1880.</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logmth">April</td><td class="logdate">5</td><td class="log">Hong Kong</td><td class="log">Tong Sha</td> +<td class="logmth">April</td><td class="logdate">9</td><td class="logmiles">423</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">15</td><td class="log">Tong Sha</td><td class="log">Chefoo</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">21</td><td class="logmiles">844</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logmth">May</td><td class="logdate">11</td><td class="log">Chefoo</td><td class="log">Nagasaki</td> +<td class="logmth">May</td><td class="logdate">15</td><td class="logmiles">581</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">29</td><td class="log">Nagasaki</td><td class="log">Yobuko</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">29</td><td class="logmiles">88</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">31</td><td class="log">Yobuko</td><td class="log">Himesima</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">31</td><td class="logmiles">109</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logmth">June</td><td class="logdate">1</td><td class="log">Himesima</td><td class="log">Obe-hito-ura</td> +<td class="logmth">June</td><td class="logdate">1</td><td class="logmiles">60</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">2</td><td class="log">Obe-hito-ura</td><td class="log">Sojasima</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">2</td><td class="logmiles">89</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">3</td><td class="log">Sojasima</td><td class="log">Kobé</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">3</td><td class="logmiles">45</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">9</td><td class="log">Kobé</td><td class="log">Yokohama</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">12</td><td class="logmiles">364</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logmth">July</td><td class="logdate">8</td><td class="log">Yokohama</td><td class="log">Kamaishi</td> +<td class="logmth">July</td><td class="logdate">10</td> <td class="logmiles">339</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">10</td><td class="log">Kamaishi</td><td class="log">Endermo</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">12</td> <td class="logmiles">240</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">17</td><td class="log">Endermo</td><td class="log">Hakodadi</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">17</td> <td class="logmiles">68</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">29</td><td class="log">Hakodadi</td><td class="log">O'Kosiri island</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">30</td> <td class="logmiles">94</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logmth">August</td><td class="logdate">3</td><td class="log">Okisiri Island</td><td class="log">Hakodadi</td> +<td class="logmth">August</td><td class="logdate">3</td> <td class="logmiles">80</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">6</td><td class="log">Hakodadi</td><td class="log">Nagasaki</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">10</td> <td class="logmiles">830</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">11</td><td class="log">Nagasaki</td><td class="log">Amoy</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">16</td> <td class="logmiles">922</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">17</td><td class="log">Amoy</td><td class="log">Hong Kong</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">18</td> <td class="logmiles">295</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logmth">Septr.</td><td class="logdate">25</td><td class="log">Hong Kong</td><td class="log">Amoy</td> +<td class="logmth">Septr.</td><td class="logdate">27</td> <td class="logmiles">349</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">28</td><td class="log">Amoy</td><td class="log">Nagasaki</td> +<td class="logmth">Octr.</td><td class="logdate">5</td> <td class="logmiles">896</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logmth">Octr.</td><td class="logdate">16</td><td class="log">Nagasaki</td><td class="log">Sojasima</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">18</td> <td class="logmiles">369</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">19</td><td class="log">Sojasima</td><td class="log">Kobé</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">19</td> <td class="logmiles">51</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">23</td><td class="log">Kobé</td><td class="log">Sojasima</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">23</td> <td class="logmiles">68</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">24</td><td class="log">Sojasima</td><td class="log">Nagasaki</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">26</td> <td class="logmiles">312</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logmth">Decr</td><td class="logdate">2</td><td class="log">Nagasaki</td><td class="log">Rugged Isles</td> +<td class="logmth">Decr.</td><td class="logdate">5</td> <td class="logmiles">440</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">10</td><td class="log">Rugged Isles</td><td class="log">Pirates' Bay</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">10</td> <td class="logmiles">10</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">11</td><td class="log">Pirates' Bay</td><td class="log">Amoy</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">14</td> <td class="logmiles">495</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto padbot08">"</td><td class="logdate">15</td><td class="log">Amoy</td><td class="log">Hong Kong</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">17</td> <td class="logmiles">258</td></tr> + + +<tr><td colspan="7" class="logyear">1881.</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logmth">Feby.</td><td class="logdate">16</td><td class="log">Hong Kong</td><td class="log">Singapore</td> +<td class="logmth">Feby.</td><td class="logdate">24</td> <td class="logmiles">1415</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logmth">March</td><td class="logdate">3</td><td class="log">Singapore</td><td class="log">Malacca</td> +<td class="logmth">March</td><td class="logdate">4</td> <td class="logmiles">106</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">4</td><td class="log">Malacca</td><td class="log">Din Ding</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">6</td> <td class="logmiles">170</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">6</td><td class="log">Din Ding</td><td class="log">Penang</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">7</td> <td class="logmiles">97</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">8</td><td class="log">Penang</td><td class="log">Singapore</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">11</td> <td class="logmiles">412</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">13</td><td class="log">Singapore</td><td class="log">Cape St. James</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">17</td> <td class="logmiles">658</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">18</td><td class="log">Cape St. James</td><td class="log">Saigon</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">18</td> <td class="logmiles">38</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">19</td><td class="log">Saigon</td><td class="log">Hong Kong</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">25</td> <td class="logmiles">1067</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logmth">April</td><td class="logdate">21</td><td class="log">Hong Kong</td><td class="log">Chino Bay</td> +<td class="logmth">April</td><td class="logdate">22</td> <td class="logmiles">148</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">25</td><td class="log">Chino Bay</td><td class="log">Tungao Bay</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">25</td> <td class="logmiles">33</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">26</td><td class="log">Tungao Bay</td><td class="log">Namoa Is.</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">26</td> <td class="logmiles">55</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">30</td><td class="log">Namoa Is.</td><td class="log">Rees Is.</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">30</td> <td class="logmiles">40</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logmth">May</td><td class="logdate">1</td><td class="log">Rees Is.</td><td class="log">Amoy</td> +<td class="logmth">May</td><td class="logdate">1</td> <td class="logmiles">57</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">7</td><td class="log">Amoy</td><td class="log">Lamyet Is.</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">8</td> <td class="logmiles">117</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">13</td><td class="log">Lamyet Is.</td><td class="log">White Dogs</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">13</td> <td class="logmiles">64</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">14</td><td class="log">White Dogs</td><td class="log">Matson</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">14</td> <td class="logmiles">18</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">19</td><td class="log">Matson</td><td class="log">Chefoo</td> +<td class="logmth">June</td><td class="logdate">6</td> <td class="logmiles">1269</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logmth">July</td><td class="logdate">3</td><td class="log">Chefoo</td><td class="log">Wosung</td> +<td class="logmth">July</td><td class="logdate">6</td> <td class="logmiles">467</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">10</td><td class="log">Wosung</td><td class="log">Nagasaki</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">14</td> <td class="logmiles">426</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">28</td><td class="log">Nagasaki</td><td class="log">Tsusima</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">29</td> <td class="logmiles">127</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">31</td><td class="log">Tsusima</td><td class="log">Posiette Bay</td> +<td class="logmth">August</td><td class="logdate">7</td> <td class="logmiles">606</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logmth">Augst.</td><td class="logdate">11</td><td class="log">Posiette Bay</td><td class="log">Vladivostock</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">12</td> <td class="logmiles">78</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">19</td><td class="log">Vladivostock</td><td class="log">Olga Bay</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">22</td> <td class="logmiles">190</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">29</td><td class="log">Olga Bay</td><td class="log">St. Vladimir Bay</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">30</td> <td class="logmiles">24</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logmth">Septr.</td><td class="logdate">3</td><td class="log">St. Vladimir Bay</td><td class="log">Hakodadi</td> +<td class="logmth">Septr.</td><td class="logdate">7</td> <td class="logmiles">373</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">15</td><td class="log">Hakodadi[A]</td><td class="log">Yamada</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">17</td> <td class="logmiles">239</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">18</td><td class="log">Yamada</td><td class="log">Sendai Bay</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">19</td> <td class="logmiles">104</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">20</td><td class="log">Sendai Bay</td><td class="log">Yokosuka</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">22</td> <td class="logmiles">274</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">24</td><td class="log">Yokosuka</td><td class="log">Yokohama</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">24</td> <td class="logmiles">13</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logmth">Octr.</td><td class="logdate">2</td><td class="log">Yokohama</td><td class="log">Kobé</td> +<td class="logmth">Octr.</td><td class="logdate">4</td> <td class="logmiles">372</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">5</td><td class="log">Kobé</td><td class="log">Sojasima</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">5</td> <td class="logmiles">42</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">6</td><td class="log">Sojasima</td><td class="log">Gogosima</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">6</td> <td class="logmiles">92</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">7</td><td class="log">Gogosima</td><td class="log">Himesima</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">7</td> <td class="logmiles">51</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">8</td><td class="log">Himesima</td><td class="log">Nagasaki</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">9</td> <td class="logmiles">210</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">26</td><td class="log">Nagasaki</td><td class="log">Wosung</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">29</td> <td class="logmiles">448</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logmth padbot08">Novr.</td><td class="logdate">23</td><td class="log">Wosung</td><td class="log">Hong Kong</td> +<td class="logmth">Novr.</td><td class="logdate">29</td> <td class="logmiles">804</td></tr> + + +<tr><td colspan="7" class="logyear">1882.</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logmth">Feby.</td><td class="logdate">11</td><td class="log">Hong Kong</td><td class="log">Titam Bay</td> +<td class="logmth">Feby.</td><td class="logdate">11</td> <td class="logmiles">22</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">13</td><td class="log">Titam Bay</td><td class="log">Titam Bay</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">13</td> <td class="logmiles">6</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">14</td><td class="log">Titam Bay</td><td class="log">Bogue Forts</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">14</td> <td class="logmiles">60</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">27</td><td class="log">Bogue Forts</td><td class="log">Hong Kong</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">27</td> <td class="logmiles">61</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logmth">April</td><td class="logdate">19</td><td class="log">Hong Kong</td><td class="log">Osima, Loo Choo</td> +<td class="logmth">May</td><td class="logdate">3</td> <td class="logmiles">1193</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logmth">May</td><td class="logdate">11</td><td class="log">Osima, Loo Choo</td><td class="log">Nagasaki</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">16</td> <td class="logmiles">416</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">27</td><td class="log">Nagasaki</td><td class="log">Kobé</td> +<td class="logmth">June</td><td class="logdate">3</td> <td class="logmiles">532</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logmth">June</td><td class="logdate">10</td><td class="log">Kobé</td><td class="log">Kaneda Bay</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">14</td> <td class="logmiles">368</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">15</td><td class="log">Kaneda Bay</td><td class="log">Yokohama</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">15</td> <td class="logmiles">21</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logmth">July</td><td class="logdate">2</td><td class="log">Yokohama</td><td class="log">Hakodadi</td> +<td class="logmth">July</td><td class="logdate">9</td> <td class="logmiles">665</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">12</td><td class="log">Hakodadi</td><td class="log">Castries Bay</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">22</td> <td class="logmiles">636</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">27</td><td class="log">Castries Bay</td><td class="log">Dui</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">28</td> <td class="logmiles">54</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">30</td><td class="log">Dui</td><td class="log">Barracouta</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">31</td> <td class="logmiles">131</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logmth">August</td><td class="logdate">4</td><td class="log">Barracouta</td><td class="log">Vladivostock</td> +<td class="logmth">Augst</td><td class="logdate">13</td> <td class="logmiles">480</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">19</td><td class="log">Vladivostock</td><td class="log">Gen San[B]</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">24</td> <td class="logmiles">393</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">30</td><td class="log">Gen San</td><td class="log">Fusan[C]</td> +<td class="logmth">Septr.</td><td class="logdate">3</td> <td class="logmiles">288</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logmth">Septr.</td><td class="logdate">7</td><td class="log">Fusan</td><td class="log">Port Hamilton</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">8</td> <td class="logmiles">134</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">15</td><td class="log">Port Hamilton</td><td class="log">Chefoo</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">19</td> <td class="logmiles">429</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logmth">Octr.</td><td class="logdate">4</td><td class="log">Chefoo</td><td class="log">Wosung</td> +<td class="logmth">Octr.</td><td class="logdate">8</td> <td class="logmiles">482</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">20</td><td class="log">Wosung</td><td class="log">Nagasaki</td> +<td class="logmth"></td><td></td><td class="logmiles">388</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logmth"></td><td class="logdate">[D]</td><td class="log">Nagasaki</td><td class="log">Hong Kong</td> +<td class="logmth"></td><td></td><td class="logmiles">1217</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logmth">Decr.</td><td class="logdate">7</td><td class="log">Hong Kong</td><td class="log">Singapore</td> +<td class="logmth"></td><td></td><td class="logmiles">1415</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">20</td><td class="log">Singapore</td><td class="log padbot08">Point de Galle<br />or Trincomalee</td> +<td class="logmth"></td><td></td><td class="logmiles">1434</td></tr> + + +<tr><td colspan="7" class="logyear">1883.</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logmth"></td><td class="logdate">[D]</td><td class="log">Point de Galle</td><td class="log">Aden</td> +<td class="logmth">Jany.</td><td class="logdate">15</td> <td class="logmiles">1950</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logmth">Jany.</td><td class="logdate">17</td><td class="log">Aden</td><td class="log">Suez</td> +<td class="logmth"></td><td></td><td class="logmiles">1114</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logmth"></td><td class="logdate">[D]</td><td class="log">Suez</td><td class="log">Port Said</td> +<td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">27</td> <td class="logmiles">86</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logditto">"</td><td class="logdate">28</td><td class="log">Port Said</td><td class="log">Malta</td> +<td class="logmth">Feby.</td><td class="logdate">4</td> <td class="logmiles">865</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logmth">Feby.</td><td class="logdate">7</td><td class="log">Malta</td><td class="log">Gibraltar</td> +<td class="logmth"></td><td></td><td class="logmiles">931</td></tr> + +<tr><td class="logmth padbot08 bb"> </td><td class="logdate bb">[D]</td><td class="log bb">Gibraltar</td><td class="log bb">Plymouth</td> +<td class="logmth bb"></td ><td class="logdate bb"> </td><td class="logmiles bb">1022</td></tr> + +</table> + +<p> </p> + +<p>Total number of miles made during the commission, 55,566; +or a distance equal to 2¼ times around the earth.</p> + + +<div class="footnote"><p><span class="label" style="font-size: 100%;">Note A:</span>Touched at Kamaishi <i>en route</i>.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><span class="label" style="font-size: 100%;">Note B:</span>Port Lazaref.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><span class="label" style="font-size: 100%;">Note C:</span>Cho-San.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><span class="label" style="font-size: 100%;">Note D:</span>The writer assumes that these places will be visited on the voyage +home; and—as will be seen by referring to the earlier part of the +table—we have touched at the same places before, the same distances +are quoted. The dates necessary to make the form complete it is +hoped the reader will be able to supply.</p></div> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<p class="center"><small>PRINTED AT THE "BREMNER" PRINTING WORKS, DEVONPORT.</small></p> + +<p> </p> +<p> </p> + +<div class="tnote"> + +<p class="center"><b>Transcriber's Notes:</b></p> + +<p class="p2">Every effort has been made to keep to the original text as much as +possible. Non-standard spelling and grammar have been mostly preserved. +Changes have only been made in the case of obvious typographical +errors, and where not making a correction would leave the text +confusing or difficult to read. There is a fair amount of inconsistency +in the author's transliteration of foreign words, especially in place +and person names. Such inconsistency has been mostly preserved but in +some cases names have been made more recognizable or the spelling has +been standardized so that it is easier for the reader to follow the +author's narrative. All changes are documented below.</p> + +<p>Inconsistencies in the hyphenation of words preserved. (ahead, a-head; +bluejackets, blue-jackets; cocoanut, cocoa-nut; eyebrows, eye-brows; +Gen San, Gen-San; ironclad, iron-clad; Loo Choo, Loo Choo; outlined, +out-lined; ricksha, rich-sha; seaboard, sea-board; semicircle, +semi-circle; sundown, sun-down; stokehole, stoke-hole; Tientsin, +Tien-tsin; Tsusima, Tsu-sima; topgallant, top-gallant; Yangtsze, +Yang-tsze;)</p> + +<p>The author's inconsistent style of making a diary entry has been +preserved. In some cases, a date is followed by a period and emdash and +then the entry proper. In others, there is a date, no period and an +emdash. In yet others, the date is followed by a comma and then the +entry proper.</p> + +<p>Pg. 7, word "smart‘", in the original there was a lefthand or opening +single quote mark just after the letter "t" and the whole word +including the single quote mark was enclosed in double quote marks. The +opening single quote mark is more plausibly a comma which printer has +placed upside down. Changed to comma. (we are told he is "smart," +meaning, of course, that)</p> + +<p>Pg. 8, "fete" grave accent changed to circumflex, matching spelling on +page 289. (a sort of fête was made of it)</p> + +<p>Pg. 10, period after "aft" changed to comma, which is more appropriate +in the context. (two forward and two aft, that they may be discharged)</p> + +<p>Pg. 20, "aud" changed to "and". (beer and stout, and something)</p> + +<p>Pg. 21, duplicated word "are" removed (we are invited to insert our +names)</p> + +<p>Pg. 28, "Pontellaria" changed to "Pantellaria", to match spelling later +in the same paragraph. (for Pantellaria—an island of more interest)</p> + +<p>Pg. 30, "criental". The word "oriental" might possibly have been +intended, however, the original text is preserved. (criental love for +colour)</p> + +<p>Pg. 31, "ubiquitious May" changed to "ubiquitous Mary". The phrase +"ubiquitous Mary" seems more appropriate in context, changed +accordingly. (who does not know Mary the ubiquitous Mary)</p> + +<p>Pg. 50, "laterel" changed to "lateral". (by dint of a little lateral +pressure)</p> + +<p>Pg. 54, "Simatra" changed to "Sumatra". (off Acheen head, in Sumatra)</p> + +<p>Pg. 56, "liries" changed to "lories", seems more appropriate in +context. (doves, pigeons, lories, and humming birds)</p> + +<p>Pg. 61, "to the Hindoo god Brahin". Unclear what author's intended to +refer to: "Brahmin", "Brahma" are among several possibilities. The +author's original text is preserved.</p> + +<p>Pg. 61, "becomiug" changed to "becoming". (becoming a fixture by +planting his feet)</p> + +<p>Pg. 64, "Lebaun" changed to "Labuan", to match spelling elsewhere in +the text. (Coaling is a long process at Labaun)</p> + +<p>Pg. 72, "Rowloon" changed to "Kowloon". (the peninsula of Kowloon)</p> + +<p>Pg. 72, "wont". Throughout the text, when "wont" is used as a +contraction for "will not" or "would not" the author did not insert +an apostrophe. This original style is preserved in all instances. In +other contexts the author also uses "wont" to mean "habitually".</p> + +<p>Pg. 74, "Cirea" changed to "Corea", matching the spelling elsewhere in +the text for the country now more commonly called "Korea". (beyond it +in Japan, Corea, and)</p> + +<p>Pg. 75, "Cirea" changed to "Corea", matching the spelling elsewhere in +the text for the country now more commonly called "Korea". (after the +style of the people of Corea)</p> + +<p>Pg. 85, "blatent" changed to "blatant". (and other blatant +pyrotechnical compositions)</p> + +<p>Pg. 85, "univeral" changed to "universal". (there is but one universal +fashion of garment)</p> + +<p>Pg. 91, "as" changed to "at", which seems more appropriate in +context. (arsenal was built at Foo-Choo)</p> + +<p>Pg. 92, ship name "Eyera". Author was possibly referring to "Egeria", +an English warship which is also mentioned elsewhere in the text. +Original spelling preserved.</p> + +<p>Pg. 92, ship name "Monocasy". Author was most likely referring to the +USS Monocacy but the author's original spelling is preserved as it is a +plausible rendering of an unfamiliar name as he heard it.</p> + +<p>Pg. 94, a closing double quote mark is presumed after the word +"delight" and has been inserted. ("unqualified expressions of +delight,")</p> + +<p>Pg. 96, "Yeso" also spelled "Yesso" and "Yezo" elsewhere in the text. +The original text is preserved in all instances.</p> + +<p>Pg. 97, "panace" changed to "panacea", seems more appropriate and +easily understood in the context. (was the panacea he sought)</p> + +<p>Pg. 98, "Sintor", elsewhere, also "Sintoo". This refers to the Japanese +religion now more commonly spelled "Shinto". However, the author's +original spelling is preserved as they are plausible transliterations +of the foreign words as heard by an English seaman with no knowledge of +Japanese.</p> + +<p>Pg. 98, "Kivto" changed to "Kioto", matching spelling elsewhere in the +text. This refers to the Japanese city now more commonly spelled +"Kyoto". (to the holy city, Kioto, where)</p> + +<p>Pg. 108, "by putting on, in addition their long gown" would read more +smoothly as "by putting on, in addition to their long gown". The word +"to" has been added. (by putting on, in addition to their long gown, a +European hat)</p> + +<p>Pg. 110, "coure" changed to "course". (only of course on a much more +gigantic)</p> + +<p>Pg. 119, "shades" changed to "shade", seems more appropriate in +context. (effect of light and shade playing)</p> + +<p>Pg. 119, "Fusi-yama" refers to the mountain now more commonly spelled +Fujiyama. The author's original spelling is preserved as it is a +plausible rendering of an unfamiliar word as he heard it.</p> + +<p>Pg. 119, comma after "days" changed to period, seems more appropriate +in context. (of a few days. Few sights are likely)</p> + +<p>Pg. 120, "usuage" changed to "usage". (the common usage of maritime +nations)</p> + +<p>Pg. 121, "part" changed to "port", seems more appropriate in context. +(chief naval and foreign trading port of Japan)</p> + +<p>Pg. 129, "nationalites" changed to "nationalities", seems more +appropriate in context. (The two nationalities I have mentioned seem)</p> + +<p>Pg. 136, "Saghalien" is also spelled "Sagalien" on page 168. Original +text preserved in both instances.</p> + +<p>Pg. 150, "infer" changed to "refer", seems more appropriate in context. +(I refer, of course, to that bird which)</p> + +<p>Pg. 159, "unusal" changed to "unusual". (such heavy and unusual +evolutions)</p> + +<p>Pg. 161, "billets deux" changed to "billets doux", seems +more appropriate in context. (six or eight <i>billets doux</i>.)</p> + +<p>Pg. 162, "bumbed". The author might possibly have intended "bumped" but +unclear, so original text preserved. (From the manner in which the +cable "surged" and bumbed)</p> + +<p>Pg. 162, "their was still" changed to "there was still", seems more +appropriate in context. (and as there was still a big lump of a sea on)</p> + +<p>Pg. 163, "Golo islands". Author was probably referring to the "Goto +islands". However the author's original spelling is preserved as it is +a plausible transliteration of an unfamiliar word as he heard it.</p> + +<p>Pg. 166, comma changed to period at end of sentence. (their sex. Can it +be that this is)</p> + +<p>Pg. 168, "daïmios". This is also spelled "daimio" without diaeresis +above the "i" elsewhere in the text. The original spellings have been +preserved in all instances.</p> + +<p>Pg. 173, "unusal" changed to "unusual". (presence of an unusual number +of jelly-fish)</p> + +<p>Pg. 175, "Liminoseki" likely to be "Simonoseki", as mentioned on page +99 and also as "Simoneski" on pages 113 and 153, both plausible +transliterations. The author was most likely referring to the place now +more commonly spelled "Shimonoseki". Changed to "Simonoseki". (we had +cleared the strait of Simonoseki, we fell in with)</p> + +<p>Pg. 176, "legecy" changed to "legacy". (come into a legacy from some of +his)</p> + +<p>Pg. 178 and 179, ship name "Thèmis" is more correctly spelled "Thémis" +and "Themis". The original spelling is preserved in all instances as +all are plausible renderings on the part of the author and there is no +ambiguity in reference.</p> + +<p>Pg. 183, original text "January 28th" probably ought to read "February +28th" in order to conform to the chronological sequence. Changed +accordingly. (February 28th.—So quietly, that the)</p> + +<p>Pg. 185, "populaton" changed to "population". (The native population is +Anamese)</p> + +<p>Pg. 188, "gulf of Ne-chili" changed to "gulf of Pe-chili". (for +evolutions in the gulf of Pe-chili)</p> + +<p>Pg. 192, "slighest" changed to "slightest". (does not lessen her chance +of coming in first in the slightest)</p> + +<p>Pg. 192, period changed to comma after "sail". (At the moment of +shortening sail, our lame duck)</p> + +<p>Pg. 195, place name "Yokusuka" also spelled "Yokosuka" elsewhere in the +text. Both are plausible transliterations and so the original is +preserved in all cases.</p> + +<p>Pg. 196, "pupose" changed to "purpose". (for the purpose of making the +ships)</p> + +<p>Pg. 204, missing period at sentence end, added. (in this neighbourhood. +Dozens of these)</p> + +<p>Pg. 211, "recalcitant" changed to "recalcitrant". (proved themselves so +reckless and recalcitrant)</p> + +<p>Pg. 217, missing period at sentence end, added. (set them at their +ease. They were all)</p> + +<p>Pg. 225, ship name "Vittor Pinani" is more correctly spelled "Vittor +Pisani" on page 143. The author's original spelling is preserved as it +is a plausible rendering of an unfamiliar name as he heard it and there +is little ambiguity. Also closing double quote mark added after +"Pinani". (the "Vittor Pinani," for Italy, in 1880)</p> + +<p>Pg. 225, ship name "Ticonderego" is more correctly spelled +"Ticonderoga". However, the author's original spelling is preserved as +it is a plausible rendering of an unfamiliar name as he heard it and +there is little ambiguity.</p> + +<p>Itinerary, entry for 1879, August 9, point of departure "Hakodaté". +This should probably read "Hakodadi", a spelling which is used in the +entry just above and also, consistently, elsewhere in the text +(although the place name is in fact more commonly spelled Hakodate +today). The difference in spelling between the names in the two +adjacent itinerary entries is rather easy to spot, and so the +inconsistency is puzzling. To allow for the possibility that the author +might well have spotted the inconsistency and chose, for whatever +reason, to let it remain, the original text is preserved.</p> + +<p>Itinerary, entry for 1880, August 3, point of departure, "Okisiri +Island". This should probably read "O'Kosiri Island", a spelling used +in the entry just above and elsewhere in the text, being a place of +some importance in the narrative. However the original spelling is +preserved for the same reasons as for "Hakodaté" above.</p> + +</div> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of In Eastern Seas, by J. J. 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