CHAPTER XCVIII
YANG-TSE-KIANG TRIP
[Sidenote: 1869. April 1.]
Pilot on board; we were ready for a further start up the river, but found I had been imposed on. The pilot had agreed to take us as far as Shi-show, but had not stated when he could take us on to I-Chang. As time was the only thing of which I had none to spare, I-Chang had to be given up. In September and October, I believe the _Rodney_ might be brought up as far as the first rapids. Swinhoe, the two surveying officers, Dawson and Palmer, and the two representatives of the Chamber of Commerce at Shanghai, had to be transferred to the _Faust_ and _Opossum_, and in exchange we received our navigating Lieutenant, Taylor. I doubt the Yang-tse being navigable except to a peculiar class of steamer, adapted to the purpose of ascending the rapids above I-Chang; but that need not prevent enterprising merchants establishing themselves, as the Russians have done for years, in the capital and large cities of the rich province of Se-Chuen; and they might establish a consul, but it is a question whether our relations with China are at present such that our consul and traders would feel secure without the protection of a gunboat. Regret not being able to accompany them farther, but having so much interesting work before me, ought not to be greedy.
Having seen our friends take their departure in the _Faust_, we weighed anchor for our return, and were drifting down broadside on to the stream without room to go ahead, our stern close to the bank, which being of mud, I recommended backing into. Her head immediately paid off down stream, but my advice had been fatal to further rapid progress. Although no shock was felt, the rudder’s head was twisted and the rudder unmanageable. On examination, it was found we had to drift down. I did not like to upset the exploring and surveying expedition by sending for the _Opossum_, but determined on sending an officer to Hankow for the _Zebra_ to come up to Hankow. Nothing could have been more unfortunate than this event, or so completely adapted to upset the arrangements I had made during the short time I was likely to remain on the station. The hot season approaching, my anxiety to get to the northward was great.
My galley, with Mr. Lee, took her departure at about 6 P.M. on a journey of 220 miles to Hankow, but with a strong current and the prospects of an occasional lift by sailing.
[Sidenote: Apr. 2.]
Our misfortunes had not come to an end. The morning was fine. We got under way with the prospects of a good day before us; I had been calculating with our American pilot whether we should not be close on our galley at Hankow. We were coming to a part of the river where there are a succession of islands a-wash, and we ought to have crossed to the opposite or right bank of the river. _Salamis_ awkward to handle. The only way the rudder would act was the wrong one; the American pilot recommended to warp across. The stocks of both bower anchors had broken. In trying to cross, the ship grounded on the upper side of the first of the above-named islands. Our hope was in the rise of the river, while it was possible that the island might rise too! We were in a fix. Twelve long days were spent getting the ship afloat and to rights. The bank shifting occasionally, moved the position.
On the 14th the house-boat _Fanny_ arrived from Hankow. Risk and ourselves went down in her to Hankow, arriving on the 18th. The _Salamis_ followed three days later, when the flag was rehoisted.
On the 25th the French man-of-war _Flamon_ arrived, saluted us, and also, with three guns, the late Viceroy’s wife and son on their departure. Weighed and arrived at Shanghai on the 27th.
[Sidenote: Apr. 30.]
_Salamis_ paid off: recommissioned by Commander Miller.
[Sidenote: May 11.]
Transferred wife and children with Flag-Lieutenant to the care of my kind friend Raby in the _Adventure_, and steamed down the Woosung.
[Sidenote: May 15.]
Came to off Chefoo, a pretty port with red cliffs and good beaches. Found Lord Charles Scott in the _Icarus_. Went on in the afternoon and arrived off Taku in time to pick up our old pilot Bandi. Crossed the bar of the Peiho with the flood-tide, which we carried for 40 miles, making with three boilers, for one hour, over 30 miles.
Started again at daylight and got to Tientsin at 9.30, having fouled but one junk and only touching the bottom once.
[Sidenote: May. 17.]
Mr. Morgan, the Consul, lost no time in making arrangements for our start for Peking. Our party consisted of Charlie Scott, Miller, Risk, and Dob Crosbie, my nephew. We had six boats, covered in and convenient for sleeping, another for cooking, one for servants. A Commander-in-Chief could not travel without a mandarin, who arranged everything and saved much trouble and annoyance. Mandarin Chaing Lao (the fifth of the brothers Chaing) arrived about 6 P.M., and we then spent the next forty-eight hours going up the Peiho, carried by the flood through the crowds of junks which nearly block up the river. The crew were willing enough as long as time was allowed them for “chow-chow” and smoke. We travelled all night.
[Sidenote: May. 19.]
We might have reached Tung-Chow this evening, but as the gates of Peking are closed at 6 P.M., we enjoyed a quiet night by stopping short of the town.
[Sidenote: Peking, May 20.]
Peking.--We had not arrived many minutes before Sir Rutherford’s stud-groom, with two mounted orderlies, arrived, bringing letters from His Excellency, stating that horses had been sent on over night. Carts for our luggage would leave Peking early in the morning. “Don Juan,” the same horse I rode during our delightful excursion into Mongolia in 1867, was sent for me. By 9 A.M. we were at the British Legation, received with the same welcome and hospitality I had experienced when last here. Conolly took care of Risk; the rest of us were distributed over the Legation. I was in my old quarters. The baths were luxuries after our journey, for the water of the Peiho is too muddy for bathing. Lady Alcock and her daughter joined us at the 12 o’clock breakfast: the latter a bright, pretty girl, nice to everybody. Those who had not been in Peking before were shown the sights within reach by Conolly. I had much to discuss with Sir Rutherford. We agreed that although our late proceedings had not been approved of by the Foreign Office, what we did was for the best, and so far from drawing the country into war, the steps taken were the only ones that averted such a misfortune. Went to see the Joss that the Sergeant of Minister’s Bodyguard has brought for me.
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I sent a photograph of it to General Knollys. It came home in the _Rodney_ and is now comfortably housed at Sandringham.
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The interpretation of the inscription at the foot of the Joss is as follows:--
Respectfully made on a lucky day of the tenth month of the twenty-eighth year of His Majesty K’-ang-Hsi.
In English dates, October or November 1690.
The dinner-party this evening included Mr. and Mrs. Robert Hart. He holds a high position in the Imperial Customs, and has control over a larger revenue than was ever held by a foreigner in China, or perhaps any other country. Hart has the appointing of all the heads for collecting the foreign duties, as well as of the Harbour Masters and Commanders of Revenue cruisers. He chooses the positions and raising of lighthouses as well as the placing of lightships. Two years ago he applied to me for opinions respecting the proper positions of these lights, which I directed Commander Brooker to furnish. He took great pains and wrote several folios of information on the subject.
I was gratified to learn that Hart had, upon my recommendation, reserved the appointment of Commander of a revenue boat, with £800 a year, for my old friend Claude de Crespigny. Dob Crosbie, who had kindly undertaken the duties of Master of the Horse to the Commander-in-Chief, took an early ride with Conolly to the Horse Bazaar to look for a quiet pony or two. He got hold of a fairish Dun, which is docile enough, I think, to carry Colin at Yokohama.
[Sidenote: May 23.]
To forenoon church--a modest little building with no appearance of extra ceremonies.
[Sidenote: May 24.]
Our traps started by early carts for Tung-Chow. The Joss went off on Saturday. Sir Rutherford directed that it should be carefully covered with matting for fear any _dévote_ Chinaman should take umbrage at a god being removed from the Celestial Empire. The mandarin who accompanied us was anxious to know if I should burn incense before it when I got home. I have no doubt he thought I was a convert to Buddhism.
The fur merchants had many pretty things, but I selected a small piece of the sea-otter skin, sufficient to make a muff, and was told it was valued above sable. I had also some commissions with the silk-seller, and chose some pieces of maize and other silk, which, as Mr. Pepys would have said in his diary, “did me much pleasure.”
After _déjeuner_ we took leave of our friends, and mounted our horses to ride quietly back, much tried by hot wind and clouds of dust. Ice, however, was plentiful and cheap. Late in the evening our small fleet was again under way, increased now by two more boats containing the Joss and sundry carved stones. We had likewise to distribute through the fleet 8 good-sized cages, containing 16 pheasants from Mongolia for my friend Tom de Grey. “Crossoptelon Manchuricum” worth “some” should they reach England alive. Drank Her Majesty’s health _en route_ with honours.
[Sidenote: Peiho River to Tientsin, May 25.]
This has been a scorching sun with a burning wind, while hot sand found its way into the interior of our boats, as well as into our eyes and everything we ate or drank. We managed a walk of two or three miles, which can always be accomplished without detaining the boats by watching on the chart (the Admiralty one is very good) where the river takes an unusual sweep round, when you walk across to the nearest point. No rain having fallen for three weeks, the ground was hard and hot; and the natives anticipated a bad harvest.
Among the odds and ends one sees in the shops in Peking, nothing is more curious, as well as absurd, than the children’s toys. Conolly’s Chinese servant was put in requisition to make a double collection--one for our children and the other for them to send by the _Rodney_ to numerous cousins.
[Sidenote: May 26.]
It was near midnight before we got alongside the _Salamis_.
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