Part 22 (2/2)
As ti further, the boats put off and returned to the shi+p
Captain Murray, while deeply regretting the loss of the _Dragon_, her officers, and creas especially grieved to believe that his young cousin, in whom he had taken so deep an interest, had perished also
Both officers and ot over their sorrow for shi+p-ht be their own fate sos, they hoped to escape it and die in their beds at a good old age, their fighting days over and their gallant deeds done
The _Bellona_ continued her course, passing through the Bashee Channel to the south of Forth the lofty heights which extended froth of the island caht, and the _Bellona_ steered for Sulphur Channel, which lies between the larger island and the little island known as Green Island
Steering through this channel, she entered the harbour of Victoria, which assu shut in on one side by the Kowloon Peninsula and on the other by a point jutting off fro only about ais of irregular shape, about nine e there are a series of high lands on either side of it The Western end rises to the height of 1825 feet; Victoria Peak, at the foot of which stands the town of Victoria, creeping up the height from the beach There are several other harbours--Ly-tu-ma-kok On the western side of the neck of the peninsula which forms the latter harbour is the military station of Stanley, where barracks have been erected, as it was supposed that it would prove a healthy position fro exposed to the south-west e near Victoria A the shi+ps in the harbour was the _Eers was destined to command There were several vacancies, and Tom, Desmond, and Billy Blueblazes accoet them appointed to her Bird, Nolan, and Casey were also entered on her books, and Peter, fro been well treated on board the _Bellona_, expressed his wish also to join; Jack, at Tom's reco his gratitude for the kindness he had received, went on shore, intending to remain until he could join an American shi+p, either a man-of-war or a merchantman
No sooner was the anchor dropped than the shi+p was surrounded by Chinese boats with all sorts of provisions Murray had not forgotten Captain Jull and his wife Before Captain Rogers left the shi+p, he sent Toain to ascertain where he was going To that Jull and his wife, with their chest, had disappeared, and no one could tell what had becoed, while the officers and h a port into a native boat alongside
No one had, however, seen him; his Chinese dress and the cloak his ould have prevented the observed
”There is soht about that fellow, depend upon it,” said Jack ”He had good reason for not wishi+ng the junk to be brought into harbour, and he would have taken good care to destroy her even if we had had her in tow We ht hiht have been recognised”
Onthe subject afterwards on shore, Murray learned that a large fleet of piratical junks were said to be colishman, but little was known about them, except from the depredations they co, and occasionally on that of other nations, although they had hitherto avoided the risk of interfering with English vessels
The first inquiry Murray and Rogers on_; but as neither she nor any of her crew had been heard of, their fears that she was the vessel they had discovered on the reef were confirmed
The _Empress_ had been some time on the coast, and the members of the midshi+pmen's berth were full of what they had seen and ready to impart the infor of what had taken place They found several old acquaintances on board, a as Charley Roy, whom they had met frequently in the Black Sea Charley could talk, and was not loth to make use of his talents
”You felloant to know all we have done and all we expect to do out here,” he began, the very first day they were on board ”The Chinese, in my opinion, are the most obstinate fellows in the world; besides which they beat all others in cunning and deceit--at all events, their diplomatists do They have a wonderful opinion of thein has found that out You, of course, have heard of the thrashi+ng we gave the Celestials at the Bogue Forts, Canton, Pekin, and dozens of other places, and of the expedition hundreds of , till we supposed that we had brought them to order, but they were still too clever for us, as you shall hear You ht up to Pekin to exchange the necessary ratifications of the lately forun-boats was sent up to escort him As soon as they arrived off the Peiho, the admiral sent an officer to announce the approach of the British ambassador, but the Chinese commander refused him permission to land
Of course this showed that they ”
”Before we commenced operations, however, a reconnoissance was made to ascertain what obstructions were in our way In the first place we found that the forts, which before had been destroyed, were replaced by earthworks, her up on the left bank were so placed as to rake any vessels which ht, these forts being united by raised causeways Right across the river also were no end of stakes and booht, forked above and below so as to rip up any vessel striking them There was also a boom composed of three stout cables, one of hemp and two of iron chain, while soreat rafts of ti left between theun-boat to pass through
In front of the line of forts were ditches and wide spaces of softparties to pass
The Chinese declared that these arrange, and that they would be immediately re been taken by the Celestials to do as they had promised, the admiral sent in word to say that if the obstructions were not re waited three days, he resolved to bombard the fort on the left As our shot would have fallen into the town of Taku, the admiral sent an officer to advise the inhabitants to provide for their safety by leaving the place
”They, however, replied that they did not receive orders froners, and that if we touched the barriers the batteries would open fire upon us Of course it now becaer shi+ps and nine gun-boats were sent in two divisions to attack, in the first place, the Taku forts on the right bank, and one of the gun-boats was directed to pull up the stakes so as to afford a passage to the rest of the squadron She at length succeeded and made her way up to the boom The moment she struck it, the Chinese batteries opened on her with heavy guns The other gun-boats took their stations astern of her Two unfortunately got aground, one on the northern extremity and the other on the southern
”The for still able to render soainst the forts further down the streaun-boats was completely disabled; her commander killed, and out of a crew of forty men, nine only re severely wounded On this he shi+fted his flag into another vessel, hich he went close under the forts Here he received a second wound, but still would not quit the fight Unable to ainst which he was leaning was shot away, and he was thrown to the deck with such violence that one of his ribs was broken Three tiht have been supposed that he would have retired; but again shi+fting his flag to another vessel, he remained on deck in his cot, and directed the battle until, faint from loss of blood and pain, he consented to yield up command to the senior captain, who took his place
”Still the battle continued; but three of our gun-boats were on shore and reduced to mere wrecks We had, however, vessels and ht At last it was determined to storm the forts
The soldiers, marines, and the blue-jackets detailed for the purpose were landed; the co his sy detachone out, had left large banks of h this our uns of the _Lee_, which opened fire for their protection Scarcely, however, had they left the boats than every gun still serviceable in the fort, with nualls, rifles, and muskets, were directed upon them
”One captain was mortally wounded, another severely hurt, and the colonel of the marines fell desperately wounded The third in co party
”The first ditch being nearly empty of water, was crossed, but a second, close under the walls of the fort, was full; and here, finding his ier party behind was al been stricken down in their disastrous rush across the mud--he felt that it was his duty to wait for reinforce officer was obliged to refuse the request and to order him to retire, as there were no men to be spared As it was, they were nearly cut off, for the tide rising, several boats had drifted up the stream Some were taken possession of by the Chinese; but others were recovered During the retreat the Chinese kept up a galling fire on our ranks, striking downtide put an end to their sufferings by washi+ng over theht did the co collected all the men they could discover, embark in the last boat and return with heavy hearts to their shi+ps Six gun-boats were on shore, and it was feared that all would be lost; but the tide, rising higher than usual the next day, three were floated off, the others, however, reether we lost 80 men killed on the spot, and 350 wounded, allant officers in the service, Captain Vansittart
”This disaster has shown us that, after all, when the Chinese have the advantage of strong fortifications, they are no contemptible enemies, and that it will not do to despise theo unpunished for this last proceeding As soon as the troops can be collected and the shi+ps are ready, we expect to go back to Peiho to capture the Taku Forts and proceed on by land and water to Pekin, which, if the eive up, we are to bombard and take possession of So you see you fellows have plenty of work before you You need not be afraid of that”