CHAPTER LXVIII
SARAWAK--INDIA--ENGLAND
[Sidenote: 1857. Sarawak, Sept. 16.]
Piloted the yacht as far as the Quop. Up in the gig to Sarawak. How altered! Extended but not improved in appearance. Miss the attap roofs; tiles look heavy. Miss the jungle, and, most of all, the Rajah, who is at Brunei.
[Sidenote: Sept. 17.]
Brooke Brooke and Charlie Grant are here with their wives, and each owns a child. How many happy associations of bygone days. Must wait Rajah’s return. Dine with the Bishop. Took a stroll in the jungle with Alderson’s rifle. Jungle too magnificent. Found the walking bad, and the gun heavy, to say nothing of the wood-leeches that adhered to and feasted off my legs, in spite of my trousers being tied like bloomers round the ankles.
[Sidenote: Sept. 19.]
Took an early walk over two miles of the road cut through the jungle. Somewhat checked by Chinese outbreak. Plenty of wild pig about, but difficult to get at.
[Sidenote: Sept. 20.]
Went to church. Service performed by Bishop, with three assistants. Singing by native Christianized children wonderfully good. Young Brooke and I dining with the Bishop--a good fellow, without guile or humbug.
[Illustration: _In Bornean Jungle._]
[Sidenote: Sept. 21.]
Crossed the river to see a man-eating alligator just caught, length 12 ft. 6 in. Astonishing the ease with which the Malay kris cuts through the thick skin between the joints along the neck and tail of the brute. Started with Charlie Grant, Alderson, and Watson in an excursion up the river by P.M. tide.
[Sidenote: Sept. 22.]
Grant having put us up in his bungalow, where he is about to build a fort and assume the command of that district, we started in afternoon on our deer-shooting excursion, getting as far as the Singy Hill Dyaks, where we slept in their “scullery.” Unclean animals these Dyaks.
[Sidenote: Sept. 23.]
A forenoon walk took us some four or five miles to a hut near the deer ground. In afternoon, before sunset, we went out in two parties. Saw some large red deer; stalked near and shot a doe.
[Illustration: _Whampoa._]
[Sidenote: Sept. 24.]
Long walk of ten miles in the hottest sun, and roughest ground. Back to boat. On arrival at bungalow, heard of Rajah’s return to his capital. Started alone after dinner for Sarawak to join him. Found Brooke in great force; nearly five years since we met; he altered, but not so much as I expected, considering smallpox and what else he has gone through.
[Sidenote: Sept. 29.]
Embarked on board the _Sir James Brooke_ on return to Singapore. Farewell, Sarawak. May you prosper as you so well deserve!
[Sidenote: Oct. 1.]
Arrived in Singapore. Governor being absent at Penang, put up at Whampoa’s, and how comfortable the good fellow made me!
[Sidenote: Oct. 2.]
Waited on by a deputation of the merchants to invite me to an entertainment. Grand dinner given by the residents at the London Hotel. Their kindness preventing my responding as I wished.
[Sidenote: Oct. 4.]
Afternoon agreeably passed at Angus’s small bungalow, where Whampoa, “Thomas,” Briggs, and Harrison dined.
[Sidenote: Oct. 5.]
Dined with Napier. Anniversary of his wedding, at which I was present thirteen years ago.
[Sidenote: Oct. 6.]
Mail steamer coming in, decided on going on. Find myself on flag list, also recommended for the K.C.B. 4 P.M., embarked on board _Cadiz_, mail steamer.
[Sidenote: Penang, Oct. 8.]
1.40 P.M., arrived at Penang. Dined with old friend Lewis, having called on Blundell and the recorder, Sir Benson Maxwell. On board at 6; _Cadiz_ under weigh.
[Sidenote: Galle, Oct. 15.]
Arrived at Galle before 8 o’clock. Took rooms on shore, but as the P. and O. agent was not inclined to let us proceed by way of Bombay without extra payment, accepted an offer to go to Bombay in _Madras_ hired transport. Packed up and off again by sunset.
[Sidenote: Oct. 16.]
Every attention paid to our comfort on board _Madras_. Captain Jenkins of the Indian Navy most kind.
[Sidenote: Oct. 19.]
10 P.M., came to in Bombay Harbour.
[Sidenote: India, Oct. 20.]
Landed after breakfast, having received an invitation to take up my abode with Captain and Mrs. George Wellesley, he in charge of the Bombay Marine. They had a sweet little girl I called the “Râni.” Sir Hugh Rose was here on his way to the Mutiny, having already been home since the Crimea. He was staying with the Governor, Lord Elphinstone, on the hills at Matheran, where I joined them later. Came up, too, with our invalided Doctor Crawford, who found his brother here, a magistrate, with whom I had a good dinner. We went by train to see the wonderful elephant caves with fittings that date two thousand years before the birth of our Saviour.
[Sidenote: Oct. 30.]
Kindly welcomed by Lord Elphinstone. So glad to have a few days with Hugh Rose. Pleasant party, consisting of Captain Colborn and staff. Climate delightful. Blankets pleasant. No mosquitoes.
[Sidenote: Oct. 31.]
At breakfast appeared remainder of staff, Doctor Peel and Colonel Bate. Rode with Governor in cool of evening. Such varied and magnificent scenery! Rode some eight miles without a hill!
[Sidenote: Nov. 1.]
Early ride in other direction with Colonel Russell. Matheran such a nice place. Found Harry Parker located on the hill with wife and two children; he came to ride and dine.
[Sidenote: Bombay, Nov. 2.]
Returned by 8.30 train to Bombay. Wellesley and I to dine with Commander Jenkins and officers of Indian Marine.
[Sidenote: Nov. 3.]
Wellesley and I to call on Governor. Among letters by the mail, received the following from my brother-in-law Stephenson.
ROOKSBURY, FAREHAM, HANTS, _September 20, 1857_.
MY DEAR HARRY--You are an Admiral and a K.C.B.; that rejoices my heart.
I transcribe for your information what has occurred in this matter, as it will please you, in some points.
[Sidenote: Copy of Letter to Lord Panmure.]
_August 29, 1857._
It is with very great reluctance and some pain that I request your careful attention to this statement, and that you will favour me with an interview.
The matter of painful grievance is this--
A public, professional, and personal disparagement, I may say _dishonour_, has been inflicted upon Captain Keppel, R.N., in withholding from him the K.C.B. of the Baltic.
There exists at the Admiralty a minute of more than twelve years standing, “that he was entitled to the C.B. for services performed in the China Seas under Admiral Parker and Sir Hugh Gough, G.C.B.”
Keppel gave up the command of the finest ship in the navy, _St. Jean d’Acre_, to serve in the trenches. His predecessor, Lushington, in the command of the Naval Brigade before Sebastapol, upon giving up his command was gazetted on the 10th July 1855. “Captain Stephen Lushington, R.N. to the K.C.B.”
He was not previously a C.B.
Keppel from that time to the fall of Sebastapol commanded that Brigade. The General and the Admiral Commanding-in-Chief in their despatches eulogised the services of Keppel in the highest terms of praise.
He commanded at the fall of Sebastapol, which was the crowning victory of the campaign.
Lord Lyons _told me_ that the French could not have taken Sebastapol but for Keppel’s well-directed fire.
His rank of captain is not sufficient excuse. Lushington was gazetted as captain, and when the distribution of the honours were gazetted there was one captain his senior and one his junior K.C.B. (I have had a correspondence with Panmure and Sir Charles Wood upon this subject.)
I regret, and it is with painful regret I state it, that I can only collect from Wood the “stet pro ratione voluntas,” and that not very courteously given--but let that pass.
The Government had an historical name, a great naval reputation, in Keppel’s case. I beg to challenge contradiction to my statement.
Keppel has added to his naval fame, he ranks among the bravest and ablest captains in the British Fleet.
It cannot be said of him that he has received any _honour_ for his distinguished services in the chief command of the Naval Brigade.
Many officers, when the list was published, and since the peace, and the widows of officers who never saw a gun fired, have received the K.C.B. who have no claim superior to his; do not misunderstand me, that I express any disapprobation that such distribution has been made, I only wish to express the pain I feel--that services less than his have been considered by the Government as deserving of a higher reward.
The Government intends to place before the public men deserving of its respect when these honours are conferred.
In giving to the immediate predecessor in the same command and before the final victory the K.C.B., and withholding it from Keppel, the Government inflicts a stigma on Keppel as being unworthy to receive that which is bestowed upon his immediate predecessor.
I do assure you that extreme surprise and regret are freely expressed by the highest, the ablest, and by a numerous body of the navy at this unmerited stigma.
Keppel does not know of my writing this letter to you. I have known him from a child. I am deeply pained at the publick disparagement.
The recent demonstration at Portsmouth shows the estimation in which he is held by both services. Why should the Government ignore his merit?
Will you, as an old friend, give me some explanation?
On 27th August I received the following from Panmure:--
“MY DEAR STEENIE--The only bone between us is removed. I have taken the Queen’s pleasure in making Harry Keppel K.C.B.--Yours
(Signed) PANMURE.”
God bless you, my dear Harry. Ever your most devoted brother, HY. FRED. STEPHENSON.
[I hope I may be excused for inserting this letter, but I can honestly declare that I had forgotten its existence until the present moment, 27th June 1898, when in turning over a heap of bygone manuscripts I came across it by accident.
H. K.]
[Sidenote: Nov. 3.]
Took leave of my kind host and hostess. 4 P.M., embarked on board _Madras_ (P. and O.) hired transport; weighed at sunset.
* * * * *
Left the _Madras_ at Suez by rail to Cairo; wheels running on inverted iron saucers about five feet in diameter. Embarked at Alexandria on board P. and O. _Ripon_ for Southampton. Among passengers was Mrs. Moir, the widow of a doctor who had been killed by the mutineers, six hundred miles up country. She lost one of her children in her flight, but found it at Calcutta in the care of a friend who had picked the child up on the road. Lieutenant Campbell was also a passenger. He had made a wonderful escape from the mutineers at Fyzabad. The mutiny and its horrors, hairbreadth escapes of our friends, the courage of the English women, and the heroic work of Colin Campbell, Henry Havelock, Outram, Windham, and many more gallant soldiers, was the only subject of conversation on board the steamer.
[Sidenote: Dec. 6.]
On December 6 arrived at Southampton. Joined invalid wife at Bognor.
[Sidenote: Dec. 27.]
At Holkham; where we remained until end of year.
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