Part 26 (2/2)
”Pray state, my friend, what it is,” said Jack
”Understand, that nant fever, and that his body is now deposited in the Ning-foo Jos-house, outside the city walls He belongs to Teit-sin, where his fa hied if you will convey his coffin to that place, where it ust ancestors,” was the answer
Adair, when he heard as said, could not refrain frohter Jack tried to compose his countenance as he told the ret he et so far as Teit-sin, and that it was not usual for men-of-war to carry about dead bodies, except in rare instances; that when people died on board, they were buried at sea, and, especially for sanitary reasons, he could not receive that of a person who had died of a nant fever
In vain the htly and would not cause the slightest annoyance Jack was firm, and the mandarin had to return and allow his brother to reation was opened Terence had brought word for the _Empress_ to proceed to the mouth of the Peiho in the Gulf of Pe-chili, as it had been resolved at once to recapture the Taku Forts and to march the army to Pekin, should the emperor not immediately yield to the deun and the weather was reetting up steaht
Gerald and Billy Blueblazes were transferred to the _Orion_, the berth of the _Bellona_ being overcrowded Soon_ were also sent to her, the re other shi+ps of the squadron, whilewith Coe home Mr Joy joined the _Orion_ in lieu of her third lieutenant, as invalided Gerald, as soon as he had an opportunity, having waited in vain for his uncle to speak on the subject, asked to be informed about the matter for which he had been sent for horeat, that I have been unwilling to disturb your mind on the subject,” answered Adair ”You know that you had a distant relative, Lord Saint Maur, who had a fine estate and numerous heirs to succeed him One after the other, however, they have died I this I put the matter into the hands of a clever Dublin lawyer, who tellsdied, it is necessary to go several generations back, to a forrandfather was the lineal descendant, and that all the other lines having becohtful heir to the title and estate Other Desmonds, however, have appeared, who have made out a similar claim, and the question is who has the best They have money, which, unfortunately, you have not; but our Dublin friend is so confident that he has undertaken the , and ain your case; at the sauine on the subject At first being so, I sent for you home, but after a time I arrived at a different conclusion, and would advise you not to think about the ood It will be pleasant to be Viscount Saint Maur and owner of a fine estate, but perhaps you would not be et pro to you a hundred years hence”
Gerald did not quite agree with his uncle in the philosophic view he took of the case; at the same time, he determined not to bother himself about the affair He was sorry to be parted from Tom and Archie, and to have only Billy Blueblazes instead, the rest of his shi+pers to him
The _Bellona_ and _Orion_ had a quick run to the rendezvous off the Sha-la-tung shoal, about twenty ulf, they ca the troops intended to be diseht, as the clouds of canvas appeared covering the blue ocean, the shi+ps' bows dashi+ng up the spray, which sparkled in the sunshi+ne as they clove their onay A fair they were also under sail The despatch vessels and gun-boats wereup the slower craft The shi+ps as they arrived at their destination took up their position in line, according to the division, brigade, and regi avoided by the ad the place in which he was to anchor The next day the French fleet arrived, and the whole force moved nearer the shore The s, at the mouth of which is a town of the saust the signal was un-boats and the small steamers attached to the fleet to take asothers, when the whole flotilla co As it would have been dangerous for the gun-boats to attack the forts in their crowded condition, they proceeded to a spot 2000 yards south of it
The country presented anything but an attractive appearance, as all that could be seen was an extensivetowards Taku, while deep ditches were cut for the purpose of drainage, and were likely to prove disagreeable places to cross The boats of thethe troops Tom had command of one of the _Empress's_ boats, and Gerald one of the _Orion's_, so that they had an opportunity of seeing as going forward As the boats approached, so the strength of the force invading their country, wisely beat a retreat
A the first to approach the shore was the coet close to the bank He surveyed the extent of s, and rolling up his trousers, he leaped overboard, his exaether they splashed and waded for upwards of half a ade landed on the left, and in the saround, were the first to reach the causeway A cavalry picquet now appeared on a drawbridge across the causeatching the movements of the allies, but they also, as the troops floundered on, nified pace southward towards Taka The whole day was occupied in landing troops
In the evening it was ascertained that the forts of Pehtang were abandoned It was intended at once to march in and take possession, but private inforarrison had left nu fuses that they would explode aiven the information was at once coines of destruction were hidden, and they were removed by some men sent forward for that purpose The army which had now landed, if so it could be called, had to pass the night on the mud flats and causeway, destitute of water and food, without tents, and wet ground alone on which the men could stretch then Jack and Des their own co at daybreak the gun-boats entered the river, and the troops advancing from their position occupied the town, the unhappy inhabitants being ejected to make room for them It was one of the sad necessities of warfare that they were compelled to turn out the poor people Children in arms, old men and women, who had not for years left their homes, were forced to seek for shelter, which was not to be found; and many of the men destroyed themselves and their families rather than expose thelish took up their quarters in one part of the town, the French in the other
It was said to have contained 20,000 inhabitants, but when it was abandoned by the ar those who thus destroyed theiven the i the infernalput theh, except as volunteers, the blue-jackets and their officers had but little prospect of fighting, they had work enough to do in landing the troops and stores, they being thus engaged at all hours of the day and night for lory to be gained, that I can see, though we are very useful, I dare say,” observed Desmond to Tom, after they had been in their boats for twelve hours on a stretch ”However, I don't mind if we can help the soldiers to lick the Celestials, who deserve a sound drubbing, at all events”
The soldiers orse off than their sailor brethren Rain ca the town almost uninhabitable by the horrible smells which arose, while the mud in many places was several feet deep Such was the detestable spot in which the arht
The allied ar captured the Taku Forts, the sreatly aided the ar troops and stores to Teit-sin; but very few navalof the subsequent operations, which terminated in the surrender of Pekin and the destruction of the emperor's summer palace, and the establishment of peace between the British and Chinese
CHAPTER EIGHT
BELLONA AND EMPRESS IN VICTORIA HARBOUR--A COMPLAINT OF PIRACY--MR JULL AGAIN--THE TWO shi+PS SAIL IN SEARCH OF HIS FLEET OF JUNKS--CAPTAIN PO-HO GOES AS PILOT--FAIL IN WITH ORION--ORDERED TO japAN--EXPEDITION TO ATTACK A PIRATICAL FLEET COMMANDED BY JULL--THE PIRATE FLEET SIGHTED-- TOM AND DESMOND SENT IN CHASE OF JUNKS--TOM hoarDS A JUNK, AND HAS GOOD REASON FOR GETTING OUT OF HER AGAIN--TOM, PURSUING THE ENEMY, IS CAPTURED--BILLY PULLS AFTER THE OTHER BOATS--THE FIRST JUNK BLOWS UP-- VAIN SEARCH FOR TOM--RETURN TO THE GNAT--THE FORT AND JUNKS ATTACKED-- THE ROUND MOON RECOVERED--JERRY RECOGNISES JULL--THE SEAMEN AND MARINES ON Shore PREPARE TO ATTACK THE FORT
The Taku Forts had been captured, the march to Pekin accomplished, the summer palace destroyed, the pride of the emperor humbled, and once more peace was established
Her Majesty's shi+ps _Bellona_ and _Empress_ lay in Victoria Harbour, the broad pennant of Commodore Murray, for he had lately been raised to that rank, flying on board the forers were seated in the cabin of his shi+p after dinner The officers who had been the co previously received a polite hint to go on deck and ascertain which way the wind blew
”I heartily hope we shall soon be ordered away from this most undelectable coast,” observed Jack
”So do I, in truth,” answered Murray ”From what I hear, we shall soon be sent to japan, which seems to be in a very unsettled state with the Mikado, Tycoon, and the Daerheads If the latter especially are not put down, they will get the upper hand of their two spiritual and tens, and then set to work to murder each other, and the whole country will be thrown into a state of anarchy”
”I should be glad of soun-boats have all the work nowadays, and as we have reduced the Celestials to order there is notwanted”