Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1876-02-10
A CHINESE SPECULATION.

at is tempting offer, Mr. Sin lin-tsi
very tempting" said l, hesitating and
-uzzled.
"Then why you not say, Yes-one great
big Yes-and let US shake hands upon the
bargain ?" returned the Chinese merchant
promptly, but with an odd expression, as
/ fancied, in those long, sly, sloe-black
eyes of his.
Now, the proposal in question was a
tempting one, addressed to poor fellow
like myself, who had suddenly slid down
some rounds of Fortunes ladder /,
Frank Hepburn, bred TO the Sea, had late
ly been chief officer OF noble clipper
ship, the Swittsure, and with the certainty
of becoming her captain in two voyages
more. Our owners, fine old-fashioned
specimens of the British merchant, had
become insolvent through the failure OF
some bank, and their vessels had been sold
for another trade. There was |, reduced
to kick my heels on the quays OF Shanghai,
waiting for an engagement, while my
little venture, as part owner OF the swift
sure, was lost in the general rum. what
made matters worse was that was in love
and betrothed to pretty Lillian Travis, the
niece of worthy member OF the British
mercantile community established in that
strange city that the magician Commerce
has coniured up at the mouth of the great
river, and that now our marriage seemed
to be almost hopelessly deferred. i was
thirty-two years OF age and had nothing
left to me save my robust health and pro-
fessional knowledge. Quite unexpected
ly Sin in-tsi, with whom my acquaintance
was Of the slightest, had accosted me In
his blandest manner, and had proposed
that should assume the command OF a
large and new steamer, the Cassandra,
which belonged to himself and partner.
and was bound on a coasting voyage to
Canton and Singapore, with a valuable
cargo and sundry passengers. The salary
named was liberal one, and the position,
as was assured, permanent.
/. may seem unreasonable On my part
that | hung back, instead of closing ca
perly with so advantageous proposition
but then had heard odd stories coupled
with the names of my would be employers.
Ah.chung and Sin-lin. tsi had, unless fame
belied them, made their money through
queer channels, and were deemed to be
unscrupulous even beyond the average OF
their countrymen Ah-chung was an
enormously corpulent and silent old
III,
darins; but the junior partner, who was
fluent in the English tongue, was well
known in Shanghai as Il pushing man OF
business, while both were reputed TO be
rich. | suppose that Sin las we familiarly
STYLED him in his absence) read my
thoughts, for he lightly laid his claw-like
finger nails on my sleeve anu said: a Aha!
Why, you say, Mr. Hepburn, why Chi
nese give steamer to your just this-you
got stout heart and cool head plenty much.
Not do this dmitating the action OF
drinking); "anf SO save ship, II storm
come or bad thieves come. Chinese trust
you"
/ began to think 1t not improbable that
such reputation NJ had acquired for sea
manship and steadiness might after all
have been the real reason for the prefer
ence shown me.
A fine steamer was the Cassandra, glist-
ening in all the freshness OF her new paint
and trim rigging, AS having acceded to
her owners offer, Sin. lin tsi took me out
into the harbor TO inspect the craft OF
which | was to be commander. Two
lighters or RATS lay alongside OF her,
whence the pig-tailed stevcdores were
busting, like SO many laden ants, over hef
gangway. A fine ship, neat and hut, as
though turned out OF u bandbox, and by
no means the sort of vessel likely to be-
long 70 Ah-chung and partner
I" Your chief officer" remarked Din
carelessly, when had admired the mir,
rors and gliding of the best cabin, +" Will
be first-chop seaman You know Bates 2
mot the Americana Not Brasidas
Bates,'' asked I with a start Sin nod
ded, but looked and felt grave. Thai
Mr.. Bates, OF Baltimore, known as =" Chi
paman Bates" in Shanghai parlsnce, on
account of his taste for Chinese customs
and associates, was first-rate seaman,
could not deny But he bore a dubious
character, and had Sin and his fat partner
made him their Captain, with secret sail
ing orders to plumber and scuttle ever
deienseless junk he sighted, should have
been less surprised than at their selection
Of myself.
F'Duckett," Sin made haste TO say, j,
second officer. He your old shipmate. >
This WAS true, and a good sailor wa
Bill Duckett, When the brandy bottle wa,
kept out of his reach, but i rather won
dered that, the cautious Chinese should
have viewed his besetting weakness so in
diligently And our head engineerf"
inquired; land the third mate: for thres
are needed for so big q steamer"
Sim in-tsi very handsomely left the APP
pointment of these two functionaries Il
myself, and we parted on excellent terms
Throughout the remainder OF that day
and the greater part Of the next The qres
ton would keep recurring 10 my mind, a:
though some haunting demon had whis
pered IL in my ear: Why did Ah-chunl