The Three Admirals Part 29

Tom, who was highly delighted at thus easily obtaining his liberty, agreed to the proposal. "Poor thing, she will be dreadfully cut up when she hears of her husband's death!" he thought.

As it might be dangerous to remain longer, lest the pirates should change their minds, Tom proposed to set off at once, and the Malay girl agreeing, they started together for the fort, none of the pirates attempting to stop them.

"I wonder whether I ought to tell her about her husband's death?"

thought Tom; "but she will hear it soon enough when we get to the fort."

While he was discussing the matter in his own mind, she turned to him and said--

"They tell me my husband has been killed; if it is true, I hope that some of your people will take care of me. He was a dreadful tyrant; and now, after having lost all his wealth, he would have treated me even worse than before."

This remark showed Tom that all his sympathy had been thrown away. The young lady greatly puzzled him when she proposed that he should marry her. He was too polite to refuse at once, but remarked "that English midshipmen were not allowed to have wives on board, and that he would not think of such a thing without asking his captain's leave."

This appeared to satisfy her, and they continued walking along side by side very amicably, till Tom heard a voice exclaim, "Why, there's Tom Rogers, all alive and merry!"

Immediately several of his messmates rushed out of the fort to greet him. A party were at once despatched to make prisoners of the pirates who were hiding behind the rock, and who were shortly afterwards brought in.

Preparations were now made for destroying the pirates' strong hold. The prisoners were handcuffed and carried on board the junks, with a guard placed over them. The _Gnat_ meantime got up her steam in readiness to tow out the captured junks. The Malay girl kept close to Tom, evidently considering him her protector, and he, of course, in grat.i.tude, could do nothing less than attend to her, and as soon as a boat could be obtained he took her off to the _Gnat_. He explained her wishes to Jack.

"We must carry her to Chusan, where I dare say she will find friends,"

said Jack; "but you must let her understand that I cannot give you permission to make her your bride."

The girl pouted when she heard this, but being evidently of a philosophical turn of mind, soon appeared reconciled to her lot. A considerable amount of booty was found in the fort, the most valuable portion of which was embarked in the captured junks. In the mean time the guns of the fort, several of which were of bra.s.s, and of considerable value, were carried on board the gun-boat. Some powder having been landed and placed in advantageous positions for blowing up the fort, a train was laid, and as soon as all the party had embarked, it was fired.

The junks with the prisoners on board were taken in tow by the _Gnat_, while the other boats took charge of the rest of the junks. As the flotilla moved off, the fort blew up with a loud explosion, its fragments being scattered far around.

"I hope the lesson we have given the rascals will teach them in future to turn to more lawful occupations," observed Captain Rogers, as he witnessed the destruction of the fort.

"They will be at the same work in a few weeks, if they can cut out a junk, and find a fellow to lead them," said Adair, to whom the remark had been made. "Altogether we have had a good morning's work, and rendered some service to commerce by putting a stop for the present to the career of such desperadoes."

The flotilla having got clear of the pa.s.sage, rejoined the larger ships, which, taking the junks in tow, steamed back to Chusan. Jack's chief puzzle was to know in what way to dispose of the Malay girl; but his anxiety was removed when Captain Po-ho, in due form, offered to marry her, an arrangement to which she appeared to have no objection. Jack was at all events very glad to get her out of the ship, as, to say the best of her, she was a determined coquette, and had turned the heads of half the midshipmen, and, it was whispered, of more than one of the lieutenants, during the short time she had been on board.

The prisoners were handed over to the Chinese authorities, to be dealt with according to law. Some lost their heads, others escaped, and the rest were turned over to the Chinese navy. The junks were sold for the benefit of the captors, with the exception of the _Round Moon_, which was delivered back with her cargo to Captain Po-ho, who, considering that he had regained his vessel and property, and a wife in addition, benefited more largely than anybody else by the expedition.

These arrangements having been made as quickly as possible, the commodore continued his course.

In about a week the squadron came to anchor before the lately built town of Yokohama. It stands on a dead flat, formerly a swamp, with bluffs of high land at each extremity, joined by a range of low and picturesquely wooded hills in the form of a horse shoe. Beyond these hills, some fifty miles away, rising to the height of 14,000 feet above the sea, towers the truncated cone of Fasiama. At the southern extremity was seen a long two-storied bungalow, serving as the British legation.

Although some time before the followers of one of the princ.i.p.al damios had wantonly murdered an Englishman, the people were friendly to foreigners, who did not hesitate to ride out into the country.

The three captains the following day went on sh.o.r.e to see as much as they could of the country and its curious inhabitants, and those fortunate individuals, the three midshipmen, with some of their messmates, were invited to accompany them.

The foreign settlement was soon inspected, as there was but little to see in it, beyond its bungalow-looking buildings and gardens. They then went into the adjoining j.a.panese town. It greatly resembled that of some of the northern cities of China, the princ.i.p.al streets being broad, with neat and clean-looking shops. These greatly resembled those of China, except that the j.a.panese used neither tables, chairs, nor counters. Those in the main street contained lacquer ware, carvings in ivory, bronzes, some very beautiful porcelain, and a variety of toys.

Strange sights were witnessed. Females of no exalted rank were carried about in a basket-like litter, sitting cramped up in a most uncomfortable posture. The basket, which is called a "cango," is suspended from a pole, borne on the shoulders of two men. Ladies and gentlemen of higher rank were seen going about in palanquins, which were smaller, than those used in India. They were formed of wicker work, and covered outside with lacquer. They also were supported by poles on the shoulders of bearers. None of the gentlemen, who sat their horses with apparently such wonderful dignity, really guided them, though they held their bridles in their hands--a groom always leading their gaily-caparisoned steeds. The soldiers, however, of whom a troop was always in attendance on any "damio," or great lord, of course, managed their horses themselves.

The naval officers encountered a party of these gentlemen, and knowing the importance of avoiding any cause of dispute, managed in good time to get out of their way. The "betos," for so the horse-soldiers are called, cast fierce glances at the strangers. Gerald, ever inclined to merriment, could scarcely refrain from laughing as he watched them pa.s.sing by.

"Well, those fellows are the thinnest-clothed rascals I have ever seen.

Look, Tom, at their braided coats, they fit as tight as their skins.

See what curious devices they have on them, both back and front. Look at that fellow with the big dragon--the head and fore part on his chest, its body and tail coming round his back, in blue, red, and yellow colours!"

"Why, that is his skin which is thus tattoed over in that curious fashion," answered Tom. "Not a shred of a coat has he got. See, every one of them has some device marked on him, and they are all in the same style of uniform."

"Take care, lads; don't speak so loud; or should the fellow see that you are laughing or talking about them, they may fancy you are insulting them, and disagreeable consequences may ensue," cried Jack.

The three captains accordingly turned their horses' heads and rode off in a different direction to that which the damio and his followers had taken.

On returning on board, the captains received a summons from the admiral, desiring to see them on important business. Having got themselves up in full fig, as required on such occasions, they pulled away for the flag-ship.

"There is something in the wind, depend upon it!" observed one of the midshipmen to Tom. "Did the captain say anything about it to you?"

"I don't think he knows himself; but if he did, he would not tell me sooner than anybody else," answered Tom. "I'll tell you what I heard him and Captain Adair speaking about, and I shouldn't be surprised if what they are now meeting for is connected with it."

Most of the occupants of the midshipmen's birth were a.s.sembled at tea.

"Well, Rogers, what is it?" exclaimed several voices.

"Most of us have heard of Prince Satsuma, a mighty magnificent three-tailed Bashaw, the chief lord and owner of the city of Kagosima and the adjacent parts. He, it appears, or one of his bare-backed followers, some time ago murdered, without any rhyme or reason, an English merchant, who happened to be riding along the high road. Of course the British Government demanded satisfaction: the punishment of the murderer, and a good round sum as compensation to his bereaved family. These very moderate terms the prince doesn't seem inclined to agree to, and we are, therefore, ordered here to impress him with the necessity of doing so, and, if he does not, we are to batter down his town, to take possession of his fleet--for it is said that he has got one--and to make such other reprisals as may be deemed expedient to bring him to reason. I heard the captain say that he paid a visit with one of the princ.i.p.al merchants residing here, who has transactions with the prince, to a j.a.panese official of high rank in the place--I forget his name--and that during the conversation the matter under dispute was introduced. A j.a.panese who speaks English very well was present to act as interpreter. The great aim of this official seemed to be to induce the British squadron not to go to Kagosima, and he entreated the captain to visit another official, the prince's chief envoy. This, he said, could not be done without permission of the admiral, but, if granted, he would willingly do as he was requested. No sooner had the interpreter translated the captain's reply than the great man, taking out writing materials from a box, seated himself on the floor, and began scribbling away on a scroll of paper, in wonderfully large characters, a note to the envoy. As line after line was finished he rolled it up, and then, with due formality, handed it to the captain, who had the curiosity to measure it, and what do you think was its length? Why, six feet at the very least. Official doc.u.ments, by the same rule, must be thirty or forty feet long, according to their importance."

"Can you tell us the length of a lover's _billet-doux_?" asked the a.s.sistant surgeon.

"That depends very much on the excess of his ardour, and what he has got to say," answered Tom; "though, from what I've heard, I don't think the j.a.panese are addicted to writing love-letters."

"And what happened next?"

"That's more than I can tell, though I believe that the letter was delivered and answered, with a hint to Prince Satsuma that whatever might be said, he had better look sharp and yield to our demands, or that he might expect to have his town tumbling about his ears. The British envoy and admiral have been waiting a reply, and I suspect that it has arrived and is not satisfactory; consequently we shall proceed immediately to teach the haughty damio that Englishmen are not to be murdered with impunity. These j.a.panese will be like the Chinese until they are taught better. They fancy that their castles are impregnable, and as they have never been attacked, except by each other, that they can beat off an English squadron with perfect ease."

This information given by Tom afforded intense satisfaction, and all hands waited with considerable anxiety to hear how soon they might expect to exchange shots with the j.a.panese. They had heard that the batteries they were likely to be engaged with were somewhat of a formidable character, having already fired on an American and French man-of-war and inflicted considerable damage; the American indeed, being unsupported, narrowly escaped destruction. The captain, on his return, brought intelligence which confirmed their hopes. The emperor had, however, sent a doc.u.ment fifteen feet in length, earnestly requesting that the expedition might be put off; but as he gave no guarantee that by so doing a satisfactory result would be arrived at, the British envoy kept to his determination of immediately enforcing the demands of his government.

Early the following morning, the official gentlemen having embarked on board the flag-ship, the signal was made for the squadron to weigh, and the ships, steaming out of the harbour, shaped a course for the Bay of Kagosima. The distance was considerable, the voyage occupied four days, during which all preparations were made for the expected attack on the capital of the Prince of Satsuma. At last, through a wide entrance they steamed into the beautiful Bay of Kagosima, where they came to anchor some miles below the town, intending to wait there until the following morning.

The midshipmen, as might be supposed, during the evening talked over the work they expected to be engaged in the next day. Some thought that they should land and storm the town, others that the admiral would be content with bombarding it at a distance.

"One thing I know that if there is work to be done my brother Jack is the man to go in and do it," observed Tom to Desmond. "We are certain, therefore, to see the best part of the fun, whatever it may be."

"I don't think my uncle Captain Adair will be far astern of him if he has a chance," said Desmond, for he very properly always stuck up for his relative.

One thing only was generally known, that the admiral had orders to bombard the place and burn it down if the j.a.panese did not accede unconditionally to all demands made on them. The weather did not look so promising as could have been wished, but still hopes were entertained that it would allow the ships to take up their positions.

At an early hour the next morning, the signal was made for weighing, and the squadron steamed up the bay until they arrived off the town to be attacked, when they again dropped anchor. It was no trifling work in which they were about to engage, for they could see a long line of fortifications extending across the whole front of the city, the flag of Prince Satsuma flying from one of them. The guns, however, remained silent.

"We shall soon knock that place to pieces," said Billy Blueblazes, as he surveyed it with a look of contempt.

"Don't be too sure of that," answered Tom; "there are some pretty heavy guns inside those forts, and the j.a.panese know how to handle them too."

Still the guns did not open fire, and in a short time a boat was seen putting off from the sh.o.r.e. She contained a party of two-sworded officials, who came on board the flag-ship, where Captain Murray and Archie happened at the time to be. Archie afterwards related all he saw and heard.

One of the princ.i.p.al of the two-sworded gentlemen inquired, with an air of surprise, "why the ships of war had come uninvited to the town?"

adding that he concluded the ships had brought a letter from the British Government on some subject or other.