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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.
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.
[149]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.
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 [150]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.
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 "dungaree chicken." 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.
The district has a special manufacture of silk, much [151]prized by our female
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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.
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