Narrative of a Recent Imprisonment in China after the Wreck of the Kite

by John Lee Scott

CHAPTER VIII.

Sampan—Description of junk—Preserved eggs—Reception from the English—H. M. S. Blonde—Mrs. Noble—Leave Chusan—Narrow escape—H. M. S. Samarang—Leave Macao—Arrive at Spithead.

On getting outside the gate, we found an immense crowd assembled; they did not molest us in the least, but we passed on very quietly. We were taken through a different quarter of the town to any I had been in before, but the streets were built and ornamented in the same manner; they were lined, on both sides, with such a number of people, that where they could all have come from I could not imagine. We went on thus till we came to the gates of the city, where the mandarins were assembled to see us pass out. The walls were about eighteen feet thick, and twenty-five feet high; but the materials (stones and bricks) seemed so loosely put together, that a swivel might very soon have made a breach in them.

We were now in the suburbs, and close to the river, to which we were taken; and each sedan being placed in a separate boat, we were soon ferried across. The river here was divided into two branches, across one of which we had just been carried; and we went down the left bank of the other; it was about the breadth of the Thames at Westminster. As they conveyed me over, I got out of the sedan, and looked back at the place of my imprisonment. It seemed a large town, walled all round; but in some places the walls were in a very ruinous condition. On the ramparts and plain, outside the city, were thousands and thousands of people.

We were carried down by the water-side, still in our sedans; and as it was a cold day, and there was a good stiff breeze right in our faces, I got out of the sedan, and walked between the poles. I observed that I was not the only one, for I saw that all the white men were walking also; the Lascars, having their legs still chained, were unable to walk. The people in the villages turned out everywhere in great numbers, to stare at us.

The crops were in some places beginning to make their appearance, and almost every inch of ground was cultivated; all that appeared bad unprofitable land was covered with tombs, and particularly the sides of the hills; in summer, the white tombs peeping out from the high grass and shrubs would have a very picturesque effect. The coffins were placed on the ground, and some were covered over with bamboo and matting; a very slight defence, which in many instances had given way, and left parts of the coffins exposed; other graves had square tombs over them, built of brick, and covered with a slab of red stone; but in some of these the bricks had given way, and the slab falling in on the coffin, had burst it open: others being, I suppose, for the superior class, were built entirely of stone, curiously and rather tastefully ornamented. The coffins being made of slight materials, the smell on passing the burial places was very unpleasant.

We continued our journey, sometimes walking, sometimes in the sedan, the officers scarcely ever allowing the bearers to rest, and indeed beating them severely with sticks, and their heavy sheathed swords, if they stopped for even a moment without leave. The old jailer was with us, in a sedan, and seeing us walking, he spoke to the officer commanding the party, who came and made signs for us to get into the sedans; but it was far too cold for an open carriage, and besides, after so long a confinement, the walk was agreeable. About dusk we came to the gate of another city, walled round in the same manner as Ningpo. We passed through several streets till we came to a large joshouse, before which a number of people were assembled. We went into the outer court, and perceived, by the sedans, that many mandarins and other officers were within. Passing through a building in which were four colossal figures, about twenty feet high, and painted in Chinese style, we came to another yard, out of which Mrs. Noble and Mr. Witts were taken in sedans just as we entered. I heard them speaking, but they went past so quickly, that by the time I had jumped out of my sedan, they were gone. I saw Lieut. Douglas and Captain Anstruther, who told me that we were all to be released immediately, and that Mrs. Noble and Mr. Witts had already started for Chusan, whither we were to follow as soon as possible.

The interpreter then made his appearance, and desired me to follow him; this I did, and soon found myself in the grand hall of the temple, in the presence of a number of mandarins and other officers. The other prisoners were here; and another interpreter, whom I had never seen before, came round and asked our names and country; he could also speak Bengalee, and therefore interpreted for the Lascars. They then took the irons off the Lascars' legs, and after the mandarins had looked at us for a short time, they took their departure, leaving us, with a few officers, in the temple. I now had time to look about, and found I was in a large hall, in the centre of which were three colossal figures, gilded all over, very much resembling in appearance the Hindostanee idols; under them was a smaller figure of a woman, painted in gaudy colours, and on each side of her a small model of a temple. Round the hall were other images, placed in niches, and amongst them I particularly noticed one of a woman, with a glory round her head, and holding a child in her arms, bearing altogether, a strong resemblance to the virgin and child; two others sat side by side, of rather singular appearance, one having a black face and hands, with a white dress, and the other a white face and hands, and a black dress.

Several torches were placed in different parts of the wall, and the flickering light from these, glancing over the gilded images and the rich dresses of the officers, contrasted with our miserable appearance, produced rather a singular scene. We did not remain here long, for we soon had to return to our sedans, and were carried to the head mandarin's house, to wait till a junk was ready for us. On the way to his residence, I came to an open space, and before me could see a number of small lights dancing about. I imagined this to be the river, and the lights to be in boats, particularly as there was a curious noise exactly like an immense number of ducks feeding; but, on approaching nearer, I found myself in a camp, pitched on a large plain. I was carried between two long rows of small tents, and before every other tent was a sentinel, with a piece of bamboo in one hand, and a stick in the other, with which he incessantly struck the bamboo, and thereby caused the clacking noise which had deceived me. Before every tenth tent another sentinel was stationed with a gong, which he struck at intervals; they were keeping the first watch of the night, which was about eight o'clock of our time. Having passed through the camp, we came to the mandarin's house, and were conducted into a court, where we found Lieut. Douglas and Captain Anstruther. A piazza ran round this court, and under it we sat, having the pleasure of seeing the mandarins' supper taken in, but none was brought for us, and we had had nothing to eat since the morning.

Through Lieut. Douglas's remonstrances, a few cakes and some hard-boiled eggs were at length presented to us; and Lieut. Douglas, going to one of his boxes, brought out two bottles of rum, which were very acceptable, and helped to pass away the time till twelve o'clock, at which hour we left the house.