The only chance of our capturing her was that the beggars might jump overboard from funk. I for one—and I am not ashamed to own it—was heartily glad we got no nearer. I suppose, however, that I should have acted as Goodenough acted had I been in his position.
This same junk was captured next day by the Esk’s boom-boat, armed with brass guns and a force of at least fifty men. They lost twelve killed and wounded. How we should have fared without a gun, without a rocket, and with nothing but two Minié rifles firing at intervals, I don’t know.
We dropped a few poor beggars: it was not easy to miss when firing into a crowd at 350 yards. I do not think I got more than a dozen rounds into them: steering with a paddle and loading a muzzle loader is not an easy combination of duties.
The only thing which this running fight showed us was that the John Chinaman of 1857 was made of ghastly stuff. He simply bolted.
After lying on our oars, we turned back to pick up our “fast boats,” two of which, to our dismay, had got clean off; we found the third—a beautiful boat; but how she stank! We took her in tow, and went down to meet the Hong-Kong, now approaching us with the rising tide; and rattling good cheer they gave us on our return, as they could see from the paddle-boxes a bit of what had gone on, by looking over the land; and much distressed they were that they had been unable to help us.
We had other goes at the pirates; but on no occasion was there much show of fight. The work was harassing, and the constant expeditions were tedious, the heat being very severe.
I now come to the month of July 1856, when I was lucky enough to get the opportunity of seeing further active service, though in a different part of the world.
The operations upon the Canton River had now come to an end. The enemy’s fleet of junks was destroyed, and the fortified posts had been demolished. Certainly the town of Canton had to be taken; but that business required troops, and troops were not yet available. Amid these circumstances, the Commodore thought it advisable to ask the Admiral to appoint us mids to one of the ships of the squadron now forming for a cruise up the north coast of China. This was done; and after a few days’ leave at Hong-Kong, where I was kindly put up by one of the great merchants, Mr. Dent by name, Scott, myself, and Stephenson were appointed to the Pearl, a 21-gun corvette commanded by Captain Sotheby.
During my few days ashore at Hong-Kong I had a capital time of it: complete rest in a charming bungalow, with a lovely garden attached: we lived on the fat of the land. I recollect having a regular Chinese dinner with Colonel ——. It was entirely of Chinese dishes, and we fed ourselves with chop-sticks. One dish consisted of bird’s-nest soup. I was told that a bonâ fide bird’s nest of some sort had been cooked, the interior producing a most choice glutinous substance resembling thick stock. A mid is not supposed to have much conscience: therefore, he is not very particular about his digestion: I found this “plat” very tasty.
I was well into my breakfast one morning at Dent’s house when I received an order to join the Pearl in the evening. She was to start next day: not on the expedition up the northern coast, but post-haste to Calcutta! She was taking in coal, and we were to pick up some troops at Singapore for conveyance to India.