CHAPTER XXIV.
Commodore arrives at last—Preparations for a Start—Delay—Washington's Birthday—The Clipper Challenge—Prisoners from her—Homeward Bound!—Reflections on Leaving—Case of Small-Pox—Second visit to Anger.
The flag-ship being now daily expected, we unmoored, and came down to Macào, awaiting her arrival in the outer Roads. Lay there, rolling, with occasional trips on shore, until the fourth of February, when the Commodore's broad pendant hove in sight. He anchored in the roads: and after we had reported, ordered us, by signal, to accompany him to Hong-Kong. Here we anchored, and remained until the squadron were all assembled, when we were ordered back to Macào, to take in provisions for the voyage home, and remove the invalids from the hospital. This accomplished, we returned again to the rendezvous, to receive our final orders, which were to relieve us from duty on the station, and send us home!
Were delayed by the investigation of a mutiny on board the American clipper ship Challenge, the ringleaders being then in custody in the Hong-Kong jail, and the case before the United States Consul.
Washington's birthday came round again whilst we remained in the harbor of Hong-Kong, and was celebrated by our squadron, the guns of which made quite a noise in the ears of the descendants of those who had once denounced him as a rebel.
Took an opportunity to look at the "Challenge." She is an immense vessel, 243 feet long, with 43 feet beam, and over 2,000 tons burthen, but so beautifully proportioned as not to appear above 1,200. Her spars are immense, and she spreads a cloud of canvas. Depend upon it, she will not belie her name, but with any kind of a chance, is destined to make a voyage, which she may confidently challenge the navies of the world to beat!
On the twenty-fifth of February, the prisoners from the Challenge were sent on board, six in number; and at 6 bells P. M. got up anchor, and fired a parting salute, which was returned by the Commodore, gun for gun. Exchanged cheers with the squadron, made an evolution in the harbor, by way of "salaam," and then stood out, with studding-sails set, homeward bound!
There is a sort of unexpressed concern, a kind of shock, that sets one's heart ajar at leaving even the most unpleasant people and places, says one who ought to know, for he had travelled much, and I could not help agreeing with him, as we took our departure: There was but little to regret in leaving China. I had formed few ties there. The places and people (with but few exceptions), if not unpleasant, were at least indifferent. Yet I must admit this unexpressed and inexpressible concern, as our vessel glided out of the harbor of Hong-Kong, towards home.
But we had a long passage before us, and much water to sail through, ere we reached our homes. The China and the Java seas had to be traversed ere the Straits of Sunda gave us a passage to the Indian Ocean, whose bosom we had to plough until the southern point of Africa passed, the Atlantic could be pressed by our keel;—and then not the Ocean of our hemisphere: for many degrees of longitude must be tracked, before we could set them down as West; and the imaginary "Line" divided us from the Northern Ocean, in which lay our port.