Captain Castle. A tale of the China seas, etc

Front matter

CAPTAIN CASTLE "SAVE ME ! SAVE ME !" Pa^e CAPTAIN CASTLE A TALE OF THE CHINA SEAS r.v .CARLTON DAWE AUTHOR OF "YELLOW AND WHITE," "MOUNT DESOLATION "KAKEMONOS," ETC. WITH A FRONTISPIECE LONDON SMITH, ELDER. & CO., 15 WATERLOO PLACE Printed by Ballantyne, Hanson &> Co. At the Ballantyne Press CONTENTS CHAP. PAGE I. I JOIN THE " COREA " I II. STEERING SOUTHWARDS . . . .16 III. A LESSON IN NAVIGATION . . . -31 IV. JI JI GETS ANXIOUS 50 V. THE CAPTAIN'S WIFE 73 VI. MUTINY 92 VII. BESIEGED 112 VIII. I AM OVERWHELMED WITH GRATITUDE . 1 34 IX. THE CAPTAIN DOES SOME SHOOTING . .154 X. IN IRONS 174 XI. THE THREE JUNKS 190 XII. THE ATTACK 208 226 XIII, HOW CRAIGIEMORE PUT OUT THE FIRE XIV. AFTERWARDS 245 XV. A NEW TERROR 261 XVI. TWO BELLS 278 XVII. THE END OF THE VOYAGE .... 286 V

Chapter I

I JOIN THE "COREA" I went out to China in one of the smartest boats of the well-known Red Funnel Line, but an attack of fever — caught, I believe, during a night ashore at Singapore — necessitated my being conveyed to the hospital as soon as we arrived in Hong-Kong. There I lay for some time in an extremely precarious condition, knowing nothing of what was going on about me, and caring less. When, however, I had recovered sufficient energy to think at all, the whereabouts of my ship was naturally uppermost in my mind. I wanted to know if she had yet returned from Shanghai — that port being her outward A destination. The doctor smiled as I put the question. " I should say she has left Penang by this." " Left Penang ? " said I. "My dear fellow," he replied, "you have been lying here practically unconscious for the last six weeks.

Your ship sailed on her homeward voyage some eight days ago." " Six weeks ! " I murmured. It had all been a blank to me, though I had a dim recollection of seeing strange faces at intervals, of hearing strange voices. " They came to see me, of course ? " It was, perhaps, a childish question, but I felt weak and lonely, and home seemed such a long way off. " Yes, all the officers came in turns, and the captain called every day. He left word that you were to want for nothing, and that if you recovered — for I must tell you there was some doubt of it at the time — you were not to bother about a ship, but wait for him." I think I must have blubbered a bit at this, for the doctor, wiping my eyes with his own handkerchief, spoke to me as though he did not approve of such feeble exhibitions, though even his sharpest reproofs had a pleasant ring of kindness in them.

Mine, apparently, had been but an ordinary case. It was not till after that I learned how much he had done for me. But it was weeks before I was able to get about, and when I was at length discharged from the hospital, the doctor stood by me, and gave me a room in his own bungalow, nor would he hear of me looking out for a ship. I was to wait patiently till my own returned, and then if I was well enough he would be only too glad to see the back of me. Truth to tell, I was doubly indebted to his extreme kindness ; for had I gone to sea in my then enfeebled condition, it is probable that I would not have survived a three weeks' voyage. As it was, thanks to his generosity and unceasing attention, I made rapid strides towards recovery. For being young, and of powerful physique, once I had fairly got the upper hand of my weakness I gave it no quarter.

The bout had been a long one, and I was in no mood for trifling. But just then, while I was beginning to entertain hopes of soon joining my old captain, one of the Red Funnel boats came in with the news that my ship would probably not be out for another three months, as she had gone north to the Clyde to be re-engined. This, of course, at once decided me to look out for a new berth, as it was against both my wish and inclination, now that I had entirely recovered, any further to impose on the hospitality of my friend. All my papers being in good order, and the cause of my leaving the Red Funnel boat duly certified, the shipping-master informed me that he did not think I would have much difficulty in getting a berth. True, the Red Funnel Line would have sent me home, or I might, if I waited, get on another boat of the company ; but I preferred to do a little independent cruising on my own account.

After all, the fellows on the regular liners see very little of the country, if one may so speak. To go backwards and forwards be tween the same ports is like going from station to station on a railway, or crossing the Alps through a tunnel. Four mornings in succession I called at the shipping office, but without any favourable result. Yet on the fifth, as I entered, the shipping-master called me to him and asked how I would like a run down to Java. I answered with a smile that I would like any thing that came along. He nodded, and went on with his writing. I stood back and waited. Presently a man in white ducks, white shoes, and a big cork helmet, walked quietly into the office. As he entered he cast a quick, comprehensive glance round the room, and for a moment or two his keen eye rested on me.

He was a middle-aged man of medium height, with a thin sallow face, which looked as though it had weathered many a fierce gale, fair hair, and a long yellow moustache, in which was a fair sprinkling of grey. A fine looking man, notwithstanding his heavy under lip ; his eyes were blue and keen, but on the whole not unpleasant. Noiselessly he stepped across to the ship ping-master and shook hands in a lackadaisical sort of way, as though the operation were a most fatiguing ordeal. " Morning to you." Apparently this salutation cost him a con siderable effort. " Morning," grinned who was as agile as slow. the shipping-master, the new-comer was " Have you forgotten what we spoke about last night ? " " No, captain." "I thought, perhaps " and he smiled pensively as at some agreeable recollection.

The shipping-master giggled like a girl, and then looked at me. " Will you step this way, Mr. Quenton ? " I immediately approached his desk and stood on the left-hand side : the captain was on the right. " Let me introduce you to Captain Castle," he said. "Captain, this is Mr. Quenton, the man I have fixed upon for your second officer." The captain eyed me coolly, and at close quarters I saw that his eyes were of a very pale blue and singularly penetrating. He stroked his big moustache affectionately, and was polite enough to drawl out that he was pleased to meet me. " I have told Captain Castle all about you," said the shipping-master, "and I think we may consider this little affair settled, eh, captain ? " The captain was still busy tenderly strok ing his moustache : then he fixed his necktie and patiently scrutinised the set of his pants.

This done, he carefully fondled his moustache again, and replied in his effeminate drawl that he thought so, but that he would leave everything in the hands of the ship ping-master. "And when shall I go aboard, sir?" I asked. " The deuce take it ! " said he, as though the suggestion were sprung on him. " I think you had better go aboard at once." " Very well, sir." Off I went, marvelling much at the style of Captain Castle, who looked more like a swaggering major from the barracks than the master of a tramp. As a rule, the sea dandy is a very dreadful person, a person who assumes sundry exalted airs without possessing the true air of consequence, who outwardly despises the graces of the lands man, yet inwardly cultivates them, with a result incongruous in the extreme. Certainly Captain Castle seemed 'a remarkably quiet man, and in a way a gentleman, which was the more astounding considering he but com manded a China coaster.

I could imagine him on the deck of a big mail boat surrounded by crowds of admiring lady passengers. What a handsome hero they would have thought him, and wouldn't he have played the game for all it was worth ! That afternoon, taking my belongings with me, I hired a sampan and put off to the ship. She was an iron screw-steamer, of about eighteen hundred tons gross, and was called the Corea. Built entirely for the coasting trade, she was in no essential a thing of beauty. Indeed, when I first set my foot on her deck amidships, which was tarred to hide the disgraceful condition of the planks, felt a sudden, ominous twinge shoot through me. Her funnel was low, black and dirty, with here and there great cracks where the tar had peeled off ; while her two short stumps of masts were begrimed with soot.

A most forbidding object I thought her, but undoubtedly a sturdy craft, as her build showed and her record proved. However, I was in for it now. She was to be my home for the next six weeks or so, and I had not been reared so luxuriously that I could not sleep unless on a bed of down. As I stood with my trunk on the deck and looked about me, I noticed a burly, ginger bearded fellow forward, who was shaking his fist and shouting furiously at some Chinese sailors, whose method of working did not meet with his approval. He pulled the peak of his cap down over his eyes, he jammed his great hands into his pockets and spat derisively. Then in unqualified terms he called upon the mothers to witness the stupidity of their sons, and having duly exhausted a somewhat com prehensive vocabulary, he turned his great back on them in disgust.

This brought me into his immediate line of vision, and after staring at me for a second or two he came aft. A closer inspection of him was not con ducive to unqualified adoration. I thought him more like an orang-outang than a man. His face, or what you could see of it for his thick beard, was burnt to a vivid red, and shone luridly with grease and perspiration. His attire consisted of a pair of greasy brown trousers, a singlet that had been unduly with held from the wash-tub, a pair of sloppy shoes, and no socks. "Hullo," he cried, "who the deuce are you?" I was not enamoured of his style, but I replied as civilly as I could, " My name is Quenton. I have come aboard as second officer." He looked me up and down in a critical, quizzing fashion, cocking his head on one side just as a monkey will before it cracks a nut.

Somehow I didn't feel on roses. For all I knew to the contrary, the baboon might take me for a nut. As his eyes reached my collar and tie, a grim smile flitted over his whiskers. I began to wonder if there were any means of escape handy. "Oh," he said, "you've come aboard as second officer, have you ? Sorry, but we don't have officers aboard this boat." I looked my wonder : he grinned con sumedly. " I'm afraid I don't quite follow you." "Don't you ?" He laughed contemptuously. " Officers are for mail boats. We are only a tramp and have mates!' I smiled affably, thinking that the best way to soothe the monster. When one goes to pat the head of a strange dog, one instinc tively calls him " Good boy." So with a good-natured grin I the head of this brute. metaphorically patted " Very well, then, I mate.

Can you tell aboard ? " have come as second me if the chief is " I can." "Is he?" " He is." "Where is he ? " At your service," and the monster bowed. " You ! You are the chief officer ? " " I am the chief mate," and he grinned again. " Yes," I said, in a reflective, musing sort of way, " there is a difference between a mate and an officer." I don't think he liked the way I looked him up and down. " There is also a difference between a first and a second mate," he replied, and slopped off in his clattering shoes. This was not an auspicious beginning, and had I possessed much wisdom I would have acted more diplomatically ; but somehow the fellow's style got on my nerves, and I grew desperate. Later on, when I came up from below and reported myself as ready for duty, the mate looked me up and down in his leering, impertinent way, and said, " My stars, we are coming out on the old Corea.

Talk about a mail boat. Scissors ! " I knew the brute was referring to my collar and tie, the like of which his red neck had not known for many a long day ; but I smiled good-humouredly, determined not to be provoked into a hostile attitude. Though never reckoned much of a wit, I had an idea that chaff would be the safest outlet for my feelings, and perhaps the most acceptable to my chief. " 1 heard that she was rather a smart boat," I replied, assuming a look of intense gravity ; "that's why I was so anxious to join her. Dress coats for dinner, isn't it ? " His little eyes wrinkled up in a grin ; his heavy eyebrows came down over them like a ragged hedge. He certainly was a most ex traordinary monster. " Only on Sundays — after prayers. Then we put on our patent leathers." " With socks ? " He didn't like this.

It was getting personal. A bad look swept out of his little eyes ; but he laughed in a hard, dry fashion, as he said, " I see. You're a bit of a smarty. We shall get on well together." About six that evening we all took tea together in the saloon, and here I met for the first time the three engineers, they, with the captain, the mate, the third and myself, being the only Europeans on board. All the others, sailors, firemen, &c, wrere Chinese. The engineers, it is perhaps scarcely necessary to say, were Scots. The chief was a pale-faced little fellow called Campbell, with watery blue eyes of a shifty, uncertain gaze, and a broad intelligent brow. The second was a huge fellow of twenty-six called Craigie more, as different in every particular from his chief as a man could be. The third was a nondescript sort of fellow with a mouthful of bad teeth.

Craigiemore and I seemed to hit it off at once. His fearless eye, his open brow, his well-built frame, were points no ordinary observer could easily pass. I know I admired him immensely. He came and sat beside me at tea, and generally made himself agreeable ; and it was all done in such an awkward, kind, shy sort of way, as to make me doubly cherish his civility. After tea was. over we went up on deck and smoked a pipe together, and during a long conversation he told me most of the things I wished to know concerning the Corea. As a rule, the English he spoke was excellent, though when he grew excited, or emphatic, he came out with words that would charm a chronicler of the kailyard. But being a Scots man he knew just how much to say ; and though I was sure he could have told me a good deal about Captain Castle, he would never go beyond the statement that the cap tain was a "verra good man — a verra good man indeed."

I could not help admiring his caution, though I knew how unnecessary it was. Of my friend, the mate, whose name was Minton, he would say nothing one way or the other. He admitted that the chief engineer and Minton got on well together : also the captain and his chief officer. Indeed, from what I could gather, the Corea was a sort of floating mutual admiration society. A little later on the captain came aboard, but only to change his light suit for a darker one. Before going off again he called the mate aside to give him an order, and I could not help noticing the obsequious manner of the man ; though truth to confess, the cap tain did seem a being of another world. As he passed me I saluted, but he merely gave me a curt little nod. It was evident that there was only one master on the Corea when Captain Castle was aboard.

Chapter II Steering

southwards Early the next morning some carpenters came off from the shore, and immediately pro ceeded to demolish the bulkhead next the captain's cabin, thus knocking two cabins into one ; and though at first we wondered at the reason of this enlargement, it soon leaked out that our gallant captain was about to marry, and that his bride was to accompany him on the voyage. This news caused considerable commotion on board. No one had suspected such a thing, though Captain Castle, true to the traditions of his profession, had ever been a warm admirer of the gentle sex. Our gorilla of a mate grinned consumedly when ever he spoke of it ; the chief engineer looked serious ; Craigiemore confessed that it was "verra curious." I couldn't see it myself. Was marriage such a singular thing to these Bohemians of the waves ?

What was more natural than that the captain should take his bride with him ? He was a lucky fellow. Had he been in the Red Funnel Line he would not have been allowed such a luxury. But in the meantime the carpenters went on with their work, and when they had finished, some upholsterers and decorators came off and transformed the huge cabin into a charming bed-sitting-room. Then a couple of days before we sailed the captain brought his bride elect off to inspect the ship, and whatever she may have thought of us above deck, she could not have thought ill of the nest he had rigged up for her below. I saw her as she came up after her inspection, and a stylish, fine-figured woman she seemed ; but as she wore a thick grey gossamer over her face, my imagination had to supply the cut of her features.

We hadn't much in the way of cargo : a miscellaneous collection of odds and ends, with enough coal to last us the round trip. There were no passengers aft, and only about a dozen coolies forward. We were to load with sugar at Java, and from what I could v, make out the fellows on board agreed that the charter was a good one. Whether they knew for certain, or merely guessed, I did not know, nor was I curious enough to in quire. Personally I was glad of the change. I had never been to Java or through the Java Sea, and I looked forward with pleasur able anticipations to getting out of the beaten track. At last the day of sailing arrived. The blue peter went up at the fore, our gorgeous house-flag at the mizzen. I have invariably noticed that the more insignificant the com pany, the greater its show of house-flag, badge, and band ; nor were we in the least exceptional.

But in the meantime the usual hurry-skurry and bustle of preparing for sea went on. The mate, in a clean singlet, looked im portant as he drove the loiterers down the gangway into their sampans ; while our Chinese bo'sun, Ji Ji, swore at his compatriots in his very best style. Then, about half-past eight, a launch from the Hong-Kong and Shanghai Bank came off with some $80,000 in silver, which the mate and I saw carefully stowed away in one of the after-cabins. This done, we were ready to up anchor ; but as yet neither the captain nor his lady had put in an appearance. We smiled, of course ; but when we recollected that the marriage had taken place only the day before, we had no inclination to be severe. However, about half-past ten, we saw a launch making rapidly towards us, the forward part of which was heaped up with trunks and packing-cases.

Presently, away aft, we discovered a man and a woman, and in a few minutes the captain and his wife were aboard. Our worthy mate smiled affably as he saw the trunks, bandboxes, and packing cases come up the gangway, though that smile had something of lofty condescension about it. After all, it was pretty woman's pretty way. No doubt the mate was a man in feeling, though a satyr in appearance. The skipper looked extremely affable. He shook hands with Minton, and was good enough to greet me with a pleasant nod. He asked if everything was ready, and receiving a reply in the affirmative, escorted his bride below. In about half-an-hour's time he reappeared, having donned a brass-bound reefer jacket and a gorgeously-braided cap. Arrayed thus he sauntered forward, the lady accom panying him. I was on the bridge as they came up, but as she still wore her veil I had not much chance of getting a good peep at her features.

Once the captain trod the bridge he seemed to increase in size and in importance. He was as different from the lackadaisical dandy of my early acquaintance as a man could well be. His slow, drawling voice gave way to sharp, stern tones of command. It was, "Now then, put her hard over," and "Are you ready there, forward ? " There was no mistake about the tone either. "Ay, ay, sir," yelled the mate. "Then haul away." Rattle, rattle went the winch, and the great cable rolled up rapidly link on link. Then came the mate's voice — " All clear, sir " Slow ahead," cried the captain. I, who was standing by the telegraph, signalled accordingly : the gong clattered, an answering clatter came from below. A moment of suspense followed : there was a low thud from the engines, and the ship began slowly to forge ahead.

Carefully we threaded our way through the shipping, the old man yelling out the orders in his firm, commanding tones ; and when ever he said port, starboard, or steady, his bride turned upon him and positively beamed through her veil. Certainly he was, in her estimation, the most wonderful man that ever trod a bridge. It was really so very clever of him to say starboard or steady, just when starboard or steady was the right thing. I envied him such intense worship. I almost fancied I was smart enough to gain it myself. When we finally cleared the channel she squeezed his arm, and said he was a clever old dear. He patted her hand and called her his love, or something equally nice. It was most affecting. But she had yet a lot to see, and hav ing exhaustively scrutinised the compass she turned to scrutinise me.

Not that I was much, but I suppose she regarded me as an instrument for working the ship, and as such a sort of curiosity. I was standing by the engine-room telegraph : the captain was over in the port corner of the bridge. She came quite close to me and looked me straight in the eyes, and though her veil was fairly thick, 1 saw that she had a startling pair of lamps and an extremely well-cut face. " What is that thing ? " she said, pointing to the telegraph. Her voice, if somewhat sharp, was of a very fine quality, and had a curious little foreign accent, Portuguese or Spanish, I could not quite make out ; but I was not surprised when I heard afterwards that she had lived many years in Manilla. I was explaining to her the uses of the instrument, when the old man happened to overhear me. A sudden scowl darkened his yellow face ; but when he saw her and guessed who was the real culprit, he tried to smooth away the frown, and succeeded wretchedly.

He came over, and in half-a-dozen sharp words explained the use of the instrument. Then as he led her away, I heard him mutter, " My dear girl, I think I ought to tell you that I never permit any one to speak to my officers on duty." This was said so that I could hear it. She tossed her head and laughed, and added something that I couldn't catch ; but whatever it was it didn't seem to please him overmuch. On ordinary occasions the Corea could steam her nine or ten knots ; but a somewhat lengthy spell in the harbour of Hong-Kong had given the barnacles an admirable opportunity to accumulate, of which they took such advantage that our present rate of progression was not expected to exceed six or seven. However, that should be of little consequence to a fellow who is paid by the month ; though it is really astonishing how eager a sailor always is to drop anchor.

Nevertheless, a fortnight or thereabouts seemed rather a long time in which to make Batavia. For the first three or four days things went along quite as well as I expected. The weather was gloriously fine, the sea smooth. We had safely passed the Macclesfield Bank, and were well on our way down the China Sea. Every thing worked smoothly, from the engines to the captain. Sometimes his wife accosted me as I passed aft, and occasionally she made her way to the bridge during my watch ; but her husband finding her there one day, called her down to him, and she seemed rather afraid to look at me after that. I was a little annoyed, and not a little sorry. It seemed unreasonably boorish that he should forbid her to speak to me, for by no possible stretch of the imagination could I believe him to be jealous so soon.

To say the least of it, I thought it extremely inconsiderate of him. I also feared that she had already found marital bliss a little disconcerting. Hour after hour she sat under the awning aft, a book in her lap, her eyes fixed dreamily on the sea. I could see her quite plainly as I walked up and down the bridge, and I used to try to fathom her thoughts. Sometimes she appeared to look absolutely wretched. Her face was pale, and when in repose singularly careworn. Taking her thus at such a disadvantage I built fancy upon fancy, and a foolish edifice constructed. And yet it was curious how her face changed when she wished to please. Then it lit up grandly : her great dark eyes shone till she seemed all eyes. But it was a sad face all the same, and I caught myself thinking about it much more than was good for me.

That Captain Castle was the proper mate for such a woman I already began to doubt, which doubt, though the result of much observation, consisted of mere surmise. After the first day out he left her pretty much to herself, sleeping below while she wandered aimlessly about the decks, or sat under the awning reading. In the course of time I mentioned my doubt to Craigiemore, but that cautious Scot merely shook his head mysteriously. " My dear man, be thankful for sma' mercies." "You're a mysterious beggar, Craigiemore." " Ay," he said. " Do ye ken that wisdom was never born wi' a lang tongue ?" " My dear fellow, I grant you the wisdom. I am even aware that that admirable lady was born in Scotland." "Ay," he cut in, "every Scot kens that." "Granted; but why should this particular Scot refuse to gratify a most commendable craving after knowledge ?

" He took a glance round before speaking. Then he said, " My dear man, Captain Castle is a verra curious individual, and if you kenned him as well as I do, you'd thank your stars that he has brought his wife wi' him this voyage. Look ye, I think we'll see him at his best." " Really ! But honestly, Craigiemore, aren't you trying to make a fool of me ? " " May the deil slap me if I am." "Then in what way is Captain Castle so verra curious ? I can't say that I have found him so extremely different from other men." " Indeed I hope ye will na," was all he said. Here the captain appeared out of the deckhouse aft, and after taking a few hurried turns up and down beckoned to me. As I advanced he stood bolt upright, and looked me up and down somewhat contemp tuously. His face was flushed, his eye singularly forbidding.

He had the look of a man who has suddenly been wakened from sleep, and who is surly in consequence. Watching me for a moment or two as I stood before him, he said abruptly, " I think it's your watch below ? " " Yes, sir." " Then why don't you keep it there ? " I looked my surprise : his face darkened. The transition was as sudden as it was un expected. " Why don't you keep it there ? " he repeated harshly. " I don't like to see my officers loaf ing about the decks." " It was very hot below. I came up to smoke a pipe." " And gossip with that canting Scotchman ! " " Sir ! " " Oh, I know your style," he blurted out angrily ; " you're all alike. But I tell you it won't do for me. Why don't you smoke your pipe below ? " "Why should I ?" " Why should you ! " he shouted, his yellow face flushing a deep crimson.