Notes By the Way in a Sailor's Life Part 4

In the latter part of 1862 I left Shanghai on my usual voyage to Hankow.

This port is six hundred miles up the Yangtse River. After we had got about sixty miles up the river, which is here about ten miles wide, our attention was drawn to a number of human bodies floating down the river, most of them mutilated. This lasted about thirty hours. As we steamed along near the sh.o.r.e, the farmers, with their families, were for miles gathered here and there, gesticulating, prostrating themselves, and praying for us to take them on board. The poor creatures were between the Imperialist soldiers and the rebels, or Taipings. Both of these parties were ravaging, devastating, and destroying all before them, and the poor peasants had a very hard time. We could not help these poor creatures, and had to pa.s.s on our way.

On the third day we pa.s.sed a city called Taiping Foo, "foo" meaning "city" in Chinese. We afterwards learned that for some months the inhabitants of the city had withstood a siege from both belligerents, and one day the Imperialist general conferred with the Taotai, or mayor, and said that it was well known that the inhabitants had been very good and had not favored the rebels, and now if they would open their gates to the Imperial soldiers, he would promise them kind treatment; and the people were weak enough to believe him and opened the city gates, and in a few hours nearly the whole population was butchered and thrown into the river, and those were they whom we had seen floating in cl.u.s.ters a few days before.

Conclusion.

In the course of my journey through life I have been in many strange places, and have met many strange people. I have seen many strange sights--some grave, some gay. For many years I was on pa.s.senger-carrying ships, and have carried many travellers, amongst whom some strong and enduring attachments have been made.

Although I have been in some bad places, and met some "hard characters,"

yet was I never molested in any country in which I have been. I have seen some misfortunes, but was never depressed by them. I could always see around me others who stood in need of help. I have spent a long life in foreign lands, and happily I can now look back upon the past and say that I have found much good in all the lands which Almighty G.o.d has permitted me to visit.

My motto has always been, Never despair; persevere, and never give up hope.

And now with the most happy memories of the past I can look back without a moment's regret and ask G.o.d to bless all those who have been good to me. And who has not been good?