The Russian cruiser apparently recognised this fact, for she changed her course, and after taking her boat on board went the way she came. The Japanese man-of-war came up and signalled the Mesopotamia to heave-to. Presently a boat with eight oars came alongside. It was not an ordinary ship’s boat, but, to every one’s wild astonishment, a ‘whaleboat,’ and the tall man with the heavy white moustache, who had the steer oar in his hand, was no other than our old friend Captain Bucklaw (otherwise Hayston), who had volunteered for service with Japan at the beginning of the war, and characteristically risen to his present position.
What a joyful recognition and interchange of greetings was there, and how grateful were all the lady passengers who crowded round him, as he stepped on the deck with his old air of conquest and authority, as of a Viking on a conquered galley.
‘How in the world did you come here?’ asked Mr. Banneret; ‘you are always turning up in the nick of time. In the service of the Mikado, too?’
‘There are few services in which I have not sailed or fought,’ said the Captain. ‘And many a year ago I fought side by side with a crew of [445] ]Japanese sailors. In old South Sea Island days Captain Peese and I were trading in a small brigantine which we owned at the time, when we had to fight for our lives.’
‘Oh, do tell us!’ pleaded the wife of a colonial governor as the passengers crowded round.
‘It was my first visit,’ said he, ‘to the Pelew Islands, whence a young chief, known as Prince Lee Boo, had been taken to England and had there died, to the great grief of all who knew him. An enthusiastic writer had described his countrymen as “delicate in their sentiments, friendly in their dispositions,” and, in short, a people who do honour to the human race.’ The Captain’s description of the undaunted manner in which fifty of these noble islanders, who tried to cut them off, climbed up the side of the brigantine and slashed away at the boarding nettings with their heavy swords, was truly graphic. Stripped to the waist, they fought gallantly and unflinchingly, though twelve of their number had been killed by the fire of musketry from the brigantine. One of them had seized Captain Peese, and, dragging him to the side, stabbed him in the neck, and threw him into the prahu alongside, where his head would soon have left his body, when Hayston and a Japanese sailor dashed over after him and killed the two natives that were holding him down, while another was about to decapitate him. At this stage, three of the brigantine’s crew lay dead and nearly all were wounded. There were twenty-two islanders killed and as many more badly wounded before they gave up the attempt to cut off the [446] ]vessel. ‘Since then,’ remarked the Captain, as he concluded his narrative, ‘I have had my own opinion about Japanese on sea and on land.’
‘But how did you happen to get a naval command?’
‘Well, I knew, of course, that they had Britishers in their employ, both officers and men. So I applied for the first vacant berth. It wasn’t long before I was put into commission with the Hatsuce here. Isn’t she a beauty? One of the two boats bought from the republic of Chile. She has a torpedo delivery, too, and ten 4-inch quick-firers, besides three Maxims, carries heavier metal than any ship of her size, and can work up to twenty-five knots. But I’m disappointed that Russian fellow wouldn’t stop. Our little engagement would have interested the ladies.’
Years had, of course, told upon the bold buccaneer. Silvered were the hair and moustache, but the grand form, the stately bearing, were unaltered. The bold blue eyes had lost nothing of their fire or fascination. He was, as ever, a general favourite and succès de salon, in spite of rumours of wild deeds in other days. On leaving, he carried with him the good wishes of the lady passengers and nearly all those of the opposite sex, especially when he professed his intention of escorting them to within neutral waters.
Colombo, with its brilliant leafage and gorgeous colour-scheme, seemed to be quite a short sea-trip after their sensational adventure. It was familiar to Arnold Banneret, but to his son Reginald the erstwhile Dutch fortresses had all the effect and [447] ]excitement of novelty. The half-European, half-Oriental flavour of all things, the luxurious habits of the residents, the population—various of colour, race, and religion, the paradisial forest surroundings, the wondrous temples, lakes, ruins, relics of a perished civilisation, came with unexpected freshness to the younger man, who on his first journey to England had been too young to appreciate the wonders and glories of this, one of the latest and richest of England’s Crown Colonies.