The War Tiger Part 21

"Thou hast robbed me of my money, thou antique rat, and shall be punished," said the brute, who, first striking her to the ground, picked her up in his arms, and would have thrown her into the ca.n.a.l but for Chow, who, going to the back of the cart, caught hold of the man's legs and dragged him on to the ground, when, not comprehending the wherefore of his wheelbarrow position, the fellow began to roar for mercy, but turning his face and finding his enemy to be a mere youth, he sprang upon his legs and attacked him with his clenched fists. For a time they had a hard fight, after the fashion of the Chinese, who are as much given to that sport, pastime, or brutality, as the English themselves.

At length, however, with one well-directed blow, Chow settled the transaction, when, admitting himself to be soundly thrashed, as all women-beaters should be, the bully fell upon his knees, and said, that if the woman were a relation he was sorry for what he had done in the moment of vexation at losing his money, and moreover, begged that Chow would purchase her again for half the amount he had paid.

"Take the whole, thou miserable dog," said Chow, throwing down two taels that Nicholas had given him in the morning, to purchase a thick robe for the voyage to Leao-tong, then, lifting the poor creature from the cart, he laid her upon the bank of the ca.n.a.l, and by dashing water in her face brought her to her senses. But why does Chow suddenly fall at her feet, kiss the hem of her garment, take both her hands in his own, gaze in her face for a moment, and then, throwing his arms around her neck, sob like an infant. Surely there was some good reason for such strange conduct?--We shall see.

CHAPTER x.x.xI.

CHOW MAKES A DISCOVERY, AND NICHOLAS A SURPRISE.

While Chow had been engaged in his adventure with the countryman, Yang received intelligence from the commander of his junk, that the vessel was laden, and only awaited his orders for sailing. So far, circ.u.mstances were favorable for the voyage to Leao-tong, and if they could but secure a proper attendant for the princess they might set out that evening. That was the great difficulty to be got over. Many plans were suggested, but all seemed so fraught with danger of discovery, that they were well nigh at their wit's end. While Nicholas and Yang were discussing the matter, there was a great hammering upon the gong at the door. It was Chow, who in another minute stood before them. Alone? No, but to the astonishment of Nicholas, accompanied by a woman, so veiled that no feature could be seen.

"How! what means this? Who is this woman?" exclaimed Nicholas.

"The n.o.ble Nicholas bestowed two taels upon his servant."

"What words are these?" replied Nicholas, impatiently; adding, "Hast thou bought the robe?"

"Pardon, O n.o.ble master, but thy servant can better do without a robe for the rest of his life than the glorious purchase he has made with those taels."

"What purchase is this, thou rogue?" said Nicholas, vexed that he could get no direct answer.

"His dearly beloved lost mother, O my master."

"Thy mother! What words are these?"

Then, when Chow had related the scene with the sacks, and his adventure with the countryman, and how that it resulted in the discovery of his mother, who stood before them, Nicholas heartily and sincerely congratulated him, as did also the merchants, who ordered the servants to take her to the inner apartments, all of which so gratified the delighted Chow that he fell at the feet of Nicholas, kissed the hem of his robe, and with tears of grat.i.tude and joy told them that his mother had made her escape from the slayer of her husband, but having been retaken, the enraged mandarin had ordered her to be sold with the other women. So, O n.o.ble Nicholas, has the great Tien rewarded thy servant for endeavoring to rescue what he thought to be a strange woman from a villain, who was about casting her in the ca.n.a.l.

Now, nothing could be more fortunate for all parties than this discovery of Chow's, for as the mother would not leave Chow, nor Chow leave his mother or his master, if he could help it, it was speedily settled that no better attendant could be found for the princess, and so it was arranged that they should start at once.

The merchant, partly by his great interest with the usurper's government, and partly by bribes, secured a com-ho or pa.s.sport for himself and family; sedan chairs were procured, and the whole party pa.s.sed through the city to the river, where the junk was awaiting them.

Then, having seen them safe on board and given instructions to his captain to obey Nicholas, he placed a purse of silver in the youth's hands, took his leave, and left the travelers to pursue their journey, and with but one interruption from a river mandarin, who stopped their progress to examine their cam-ho, the junk proceeded down the Pei-ho, or white river.

The junk was upon a small scale something like what the houses of our merchants were, when, proud of their profession, they had their residences attached to their warehouses, one-half being occupied by the cargo, and the other divided into rooms, each of which was furnished in accordance with the quality of its tenant. The two usually set aside for the ladies of the family were tenanted by the princess, who, as became her rank and s.e.x, kept herself secluded from the eyes of the male pa.s.sengers and sailors.

For several days they continued their voyage down the river, till by the fields of millet seed, pulse, and turnips, the numerous mud hovels, the shoals of small boats, and the thousands of starving men, women, and children, who were paddling about the fields, and the very city of huge salt stacks upon the banks, they saw that they were approaching the town of Tien-sin, at which place, in consequence of the number of vessels which had arrived that day laden with timber, they were delayed for some time before the captain could unload his vessel and take in a cargo of salt.

As in our own manufacturing counties many thousands of poor mechanics and artisans make little livings for themselves and great fortunes for their employers, so in Tien-sin, the most miserably poor and shrivelled portion of the vast population in China produce a commodity which places their masters, the salt dealers, among the most wealthy merchants in the Empire. While the captain is unloading his cargo I will tell you how these people produce this common edible.

In addition to the pits of salt, which, like coal, are found in many of the provinces, there are many places where it is discovered by scattered spots of gray earth. To obtain this salt, they level the surface of the earth as smooth as gla.s.s and in a sloping direction so that the water will run off. When dried by the sun, and the white particles of salt are seen, they first raise it in small heaps, like hayc.o.c.ks, then spread it upon sloping tables with ledges, and pour soft water upon it, which, as it soaks in, extracts the salt and runs into an earthen vessel by means of a small channel. The earth thus drained is not wasted, but laid aside, so that after a few days, when dry, they reduce it to a fine powder, and replace it in the spot from whence it was taken, when, after six days, it is again mixed with particles of salt, which are again extracted as before, so that not one atom becomes lost.

While the men are thus engaged in the fields, the women and children are employed in huts, in boiling the salt water in large iron basins, which they place over an earthen stove, with holes made in such a manner that the fire heats all the basins alike. When the salt water has boiled some time, it becomes thick, and changes slowly into a very white salt, which is stirred with an iron spatula till it becomes quite dry.

When the captain had exchanged his cargo for an other of dates, which he intended again to exchange profitably in Leao-tong for peas and drugs, Nicholas purchased a quant.i.ty of furs and mats, which he soon found to be necessary; for, as they approached further to the north, the winds blew keenly, and the iceblocks floated so numerously as frequently to impede their voyage; indeed, the cold was so intense that nothing but the fear of losing life or liberty, or the love of gold, would have induced any one to make the voyage in that inclement season (it was in November). Indeed, by the time they had pa.s.sed the mouth of the Pei-ho and got into the gulf of Pe-tche-Lee, the snow fell so heavily, and the north winds blew so keenly, that, breaking through all discipline, the sailors lighted fires upon the deck, and laid near them, drinking rice spirit so copiously, that had not Nicholas, who knew so well how to manage such insubordinates, thrown the spirit tubs overboard, they must have foundered upon the _Sha-loo-poo-teen_ islands. As it was, so long and so rough was the pa.s.sage across the gulf, that the princess became fearfully ill; so much so, indeed, that at one time they feared she would have died. At length, however, they came to an anchor off the coast of Kin-Chow, a distance of seven miles from the sh.o.r.e, and so planted with dangerous rocks that they were compelled to make fire-signals for the townspeople to put off to them in their lighters or barges.

As the people have these lighters always ready for the purpose, it was not long before several answered the signal, and came alongside.

Choosing the most commodious, Nicholas caused a large fire to be lighted in the cabin, where the princess, who was too ill to walk, was lifted on board, and the lightermen rowed them the roughest seven miles of their journey. Nicholas and Chow paced the deck in no very good humor, as they were obliged to entrust themselves to the slow movements of the boatmen, who neither for love nor money would hasten their pace. Moreover, as the sea rolled so heavily, the distance was lengthened by their being compelled to take a circuitous course between and around the dangerous rocks.

When the boatman, who, although slow, were sure, brought them beneath the huge rocks which form the sea-walls of Leao-tong, Chow looked up with amazement. "Surely," said he, "Yen-Vang must have built these great rocks to prevent the province from falling upon the heads of the people in his watery dominions;" adding, as he saw some little birds, like swallows, flying about the rocks, "Truly, if my eyeb.a.l.l.s are straight, those little creatures promise us some of the soup of life."

"Truly our eyeb.a.l.l.s play us false, O Chow, for these birds are seldom found but on the coast of Tonquin, Java, and Cochin-China," said Nicholas doubtfully.

"It is true that the servant has not the wisdom of his master, yet the stomach and the nose are excellent diviners. Moreover, it is said that this bird-nest soup is strengthening to the weak. The princess is weak, O my master, and Chow would obtain some of those nests."

Then, as they were near a jutting point of the rock of no very difficult ascent, Nicholas ordered the barge to stop, while Chow ascended and procured some half-dozen of the nests, from which to the present day, one of the most popular dishes of China is made.

As Nicholas had said, these birds' nests are seldom found except on the coasts of Java, Cochin-China, and Tonquin. The birds are not unlike swallows, as to their feathers; the nests, which they build high up in the clefts of the rocks, are supposed to be composed of small sea-fish, fastened together by means of a viscous juice, which distils from the beaks of the little creatures, and serves as a gum to fasten the nests to the rock. They are also seen to take the froth that floats upon the sea, with which they cement every part of their nests, in the same manner that swallows build with mud and clay. This matter being dried, becomes solid, transparent, and of a greenish color; but, while fresh, it is generally white.

When Chow had procured these nests, the boatmen resumed their toil, and in a short time reached the harbor; Chow landed first, and having procured a litter, the princess and his mother were conveyed through the rows of dirty-looking granite houses, which form the town of Kin-Chow, till they arrived at a small inn.

CHAPTER x.x.xII.

NICHOLAS PUNISHES AN UNGRATEFUL INNKEEPER, AND ESCAPES FROM HIS TREACHERY.

Rejoiced that the tedious sea-voyage was at an end and that the princess would, in all probability, by a few day's rest, gain health and strength sufficient for the long land journey before them, you may guess the vexation of Nicholas, on arriving at the inn, to find a crowd of persons around the door enjoying the following scene. The innkeeper was kneeling before the chair of a tax-gathering mandarin, surrounded by his bamboo sticks in waiting, who seemed to have in their charge three beggars.

_Mandarin._--"Thrice hath the dog's hide been corrected, and yet his tribute is not ready."

_Innkeeper._--"Is it not true, O tribute-collecting lord, that but little may be gleaned from an empty purse?"

_Mandarin._--"Therein is thy crime, slave, that having thrice received our paternal correction, thy vile purse should still remain empty. Know, thou mean dog, that the purse of the subject should be ever at the service of the Emperor."

_Innkeeper, giving his empty purse._--"The laws of the empire must be obeyed, there is thy servant's purse."

_Mandarin, angrily._--"Would the vile innkeeper laugh in our face?"

_Innkeeper._--"Surely, O great mandarin, the owner of an empty purse hath but little cause for laughing!"

_Mandarin._--"Thou incorrigible dog, where hath been thy industry, that thou hast not sufficient even to pay thy taxes?"

_Innkeeper._--"Truly the wars and the robbers have driven from the province its trade, and thy servant hath not rice sufficient to sustain life in the mean bodies of himself and family."

_Mandarin._--"If these are straight words, the dog's life cannot be of value to him; let him, therefore, pay the debt he owes to the Emperor, by humbly begging of the Tartar-subduing General, Woo-san-Kwei to let him offer his carca.s.s of full measure to the barbarians, that he may shield the life of a better man."

_Innkeeper._--"Truly, O fountain of wisdom the officers of the rebel-subduing general have already stolen from thy servant his four sons."

_Mandarin._--"Stolen, thou vile rat! Let the rogue receive twenty blows for this word of disrespect, and fifty for half the debt he owes to the Emperor."

In an instant the innkeeper was thrown upon his face, and while one man held his head, and another his feet, a third belabored the poor fellow till he roared again. When the punishment was concluded, and the innkeeper had, according to custom, thanked the official for his kindness, the mandarin said, "Such is the punishment of rogues who will not pay their taxes;" adding, "But that the cheating innkeeper may not escape too easily, let him provide food and lodging for these three poor people till his debt be paid."

"May thy servant inquire the amount of this innkeeper's debt; for it is fitting that the taxes should be paid?" said Nicholas, coming forward to the astonishment of the official, who said, sternly, "The sum, bold stranger, is one ounce of silver."