The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1879-05-22

gers for Sodom and Gomorrah will
change carsm
We had hardly time to see the mosque
of Mehemet Ali and buy some altar OF
roses, when we were hurried off to Alex
andria, so that our only sight of the
Pyramids was from the train. None OF
US were "griffins," but those majestic
structures command interest Mt all times,
and then we had borrowed that Won
derful book, "Our Inheritance in the
Great Pyramid" from the captain of the
steamer, and read it carefully, so that we
were as eager as schoolboys. shall never
forget the scene which ensued. We
were craning our necks to get the first
sight, and two or three of us cried out,
There they are!" Manson had been
leaning back in his seat with an ex-
preston OF WEAKNESS on his countenance.
He raised himself slightly with his
hands, took one look, and sank back in
his old place with the remark: Zone
more sensation gone!"
The summer of 1856 was an unusually
hot one in China. Residents of Shang-
hal passed their time in an artificial tenn
perature produced by "punkahs" hung
over desks, dining-tables and beds-in-
deed. in every practical situation. The
despotic, implacable sun rose each morn
ing as if invigorated for q new career of
persecution, and Knocked at bamboo
shades, blinds and even tiled roofs.
Crews Of vessels coming up the river
were driven from aloft, and strong men,
like the.Shunamite boy in Scripture, cried
out, MY head! my headm In the lat
ter part Of September came the first re-
lief-cool nights; then, at last, refreshing
days. l was dressing one morning, with
4 serene satisfaction in the thought that
l might put on q flannel instead of a
linen coat, when my hoy" announced,
lone piecee gentleman hab got down
side; wantchee see you" Stretched out
on an extension-chair on the veranda |
found, on descending, my friend Manson.
Responding to my delighted and surprised
greetings, he told me that he had sud-
denly made up his mind to visit the far
East, and had started without rejecting
that he would reach India and Southern
China at just the wrong time. He had
been nearly dead with heat, narrowly
escaped n sunstroke Mt Canton, and was
caught in typhoon between Manila and
Hong Kong. | had q room made ready
for him, found him Il good Canton ser
want and introduced him at the club.
He was unanimously voted q success.
10 people as busy as we all were with
the new seasons teas, a perfectly lazy
man was refreshing spectacle; and his
languid Indifference and dry converse
ton were declared extremely "good
FORM"
In few weeks I made up my mind to
take q two or three days holiday and
carry out a cherished plan of q boat
trip on the Yangtsze, and Manson agreed
to accompany me. We had q large
" house-boat" of Chinese model and rig
a fair sailer and very comfortable; and
our two Canton ,boys-Ah Wing and All
How-and our cook were sure, to give
us good living. | was obliged, on ac-
count of the illness of my " lowdah," or
captain, to engage new one ut short
notice. | did not know much about him,
and did not like his looks, but / never
dreamed of any trouble with him or the
crew which he engaged. There was q
gun-rack in the cabin, and | had put in
a couple of Enfield rifles belonging to
the volunteers and two Sharp's rifles
from the hong, thinking that we might
compare their performance at 4 target.
Manson, to my amusement, added to the
armory an elephant rifle, carrying q
heavy ball, which he had brought from
Ceylon, and his own old Kentucky hunt
ing rifle, which he had been " backing"
he said, against all others. laughed at
this battery Qittle thinking what was
to owe to it), and threw in n couple Of
revolvers to complete our assortment.
shall never forget the sail down the
Wongpoo, OF Shanghai river, that pleas
ant afternoon. To appreciate the cool
breeze from the southwest one must
have endured the sufferings of the sum-
mer, and it seemed to blow rather from
some breezy upland "at home," than
from the low-lying, damp paddy-fclds.
As we left the settlement behind l felt
like a boy having first holiday, and
even fancied that the ordinary sunset re-
minded me of some of the gorgeous ones
| had seen in more favored latitudes.
We passed Woosung and the dilapidated
earth-works below, rounded PaouShan
Point, and ran long way before we an
chored for the night. In the morning
we were under way in good season, and
bore for the north shore. We had our
coffee and toast, and were sitting aft,
when All Wing, my favorite servant, as
clever and "plucky" boy rs ever wore
a pigtail, came aft to speak to me.
master" said he, "jussee now mi see
two piecee junk come. Mi thinkee he no
good, Junk. Mi fear he b'long lallee-loon
(they are ladrones or pirates). Mi askec
that lowdah-he moufno speakee ploppa
(his mouth does not answer me prop
erly). He say junk b'long he flen Gs his
friend). Mi welly fear he no good man."
l ran forward and looked at the two
junks. We had changed our course and
were running west, with the wind on
our beam. They were coming toward
us, but both considerably to the north,
and one more so than the other. Their
character was unmiStakable. rs was the
expression on the lowdah's face. He spoke
q few words ofpidgeon English, and on
my telling him to turn, said with grin !;
mo wantchee go back Shanghai"
There was not u moment to lose. l
had not even time to explain matters to
Manson. II anything can make one
tnlllk anu dcI qulChlS, IL 10 lHe aPPIoaSh
of Chinese pirates. | jumped down the
companion-l ladder, seized u large revol-
yer, loaded and capped. concealed it un-
der my coat, and told All Wing to come
forward with me As I passed Manson,
who was coolly smoking, and asked no
questions, I whispered:
"Stand by the helm, and wait for the
word, in case of need"
told All Wing, in rs mild tone as l
could command, to tell the lowdah that
he had misunderstood me, and that !
wanted him to turn around. lie was oil
his guard, and replied in a rapid Chinese
sentence, and with a chuckle.
"He talkee no wantchec," said Ah
Wing. -,
The man was nothing to me at that
moment but mad dog. Why l did not
blow his brains out do not know. had