Pagoda Island, on the River Min.
CHAP. XXI.
ENGAGE A PASSAGE IN A JUNK.—LEAVE THE DISTRICT OF THE MIN.—AN ATTACK OF FEVER.—RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES ON BOARD THE JUNK.—ATTACKED BY PIRATES.—SCENE ON BOARD.—COWARDICE OF THE CHINESE.—PIRATES BEAT OFF.—GRATITUDE OF THE CREW.—A SAFE ANCHORAGE!—ANOTHER FLEET OF PIRATES.—ATTACK AND RESULTS.—ARRIVE AT CHUSAN.—INGRATITUDE OF THE CREW.—MODE OF MAKING THEM KEEP THEIR WORD.—KINDNESS OF FOREIGN RESIDENTS AT SHANGHAE.—LARGE PEACHES.—COLLECTIONS PACKED.—LEAVE THE NORTH OF CHINA.—SAIL FOR ENGLAND.—ARRIVAL IN THE THAMES.—CONCLUSION.
At the time when I visited Foo-chow-foo, although it was open to the English as a place of trade and had a British Consul, it was little known in a mercantile point of view. The entrance to the river Min was described as extremely difficult and dangerous, and, consequently, few foreign vessels ventured to touch at this port. When, therefore, my botanical researches were completed, and I was ready to return north to Shanghae, I was obliged to apply for a passage in a Chinese junk, a whole fleet of which were to sail in a few days for Ningpo and Chapoo. Knowing the dislike and jealousy which most of the natives manifest towards foreigners, I had some doubt whether I should be able to induce them to take me as a passenger, and, in that event, I had determined to go down to the mouth of the river, and, "sans cérémonie," get on board, whether they consented or not. I was, therefore, agreeably surprised, when, on sending my servant to make inquiries as to the time when they were likely to sail, he returned, bringing with him the captain and some of the sailors, who were all not only willing, but most anxious, that I should go with them.
The principal part of the cargo carried by the Ningpo and Chapoo junks is wood. This is stowed on deck, and also lashed firmly to the gunwales and sides with large ropes of bamboo which are of great strength. Several hundreds of these vessels may be seen loading at the port of Foo-chow-foo, particularly in the summer season, when the monsoon is fair for their voyage home. The mandarins are extremely jealous of so large a fleet, and will not allow them to carry guns, even for their own defence; evidently fearing that some day or other these might be turned against the government. The consequence of this regulation is, that these poor sailors and all they possess on board often fall an easy prey to the pirates who abound all along this coast.
When the cargo was completed, the captain of the junk came to inform me that he was ready to start, and requested me to come on board. Whilst I was packing up my luggage, he began to examine my fire-arms very minutely, and said to me, "I hope your gun is a good one, and that you have plenty of powder and shot?" "What is your reason for putting this question?" said I: "I am sure we shall have nothing to shoot in our voyage up the coast." "Oh yes, you will," answered he; "we are very likely to be attacked by the Jan-dous, who swarm outside amongst the islands." "Who are the Jan-dous?" said I, to my servant, never having heard the name before. "Oh! they are pirates," said he, "and we are all very much frightened at them." "Nonsense!" I exclaimed: "no pirates will attack us; and if they do, they will repent it." At this time I had no idea that the coast was so infested with these lawless characters, and I put it all down to the cowardice of my informants.
As soon as I got on board, we hove up the anchor and dropped down to the mouth of the Min. We here found a large fleet of junks—about one hundred and seventy sail—all, like ourselves, loaded with wood, and ready to start for the northern parts of Ningpo and Chapoo. That evening a meeting of the captains was held on board of our vessel, and a deputation appointed to wait upon the mandarins to request them to send a convoy of war junks to protect the fleet from the pirates. These negotiations were carried on for several days; but the demands of the mandarins were so exorbitant, that the junk people would not comply with them, and it was at last determined to sail without the convoy. Just as they came to this decision, the wind changed and blew a gale from the north for three days, when it veered round to the south, and blew nearly as strong from that quarter, and for the same space of time. These vessels never go to sea in stormy weather, even if the wind is fair; and, what with gales of wind and negotiations with mandarins, I was obliged to content myself with a junk life for a fortnight at the mouth of the river.