Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1890-09-08
MY STRANGE PASSENGER.

MY STRANGE PASSENGER.
We were on our way from Eong Kong to
Foochow on the coasting steamer Namoa,
writes Ernest Wilkinson, U. s. n, in The
Washington Evening Star, when Capt. NJ,
my "fdus Achatesp Of the voyage looked at
the gathering clouds to the westward and re-
marked; Il hope it won't rain before we get
into Annoy; we are just thirty miles away
How do you know the distance 50 exactly,
captainr
Look at that rock, and over beyond it you
can see through a rift in the clouds a little
speck like pin point on the top Of that black
mountain. The pin point is a tall pagoda on
that high cliff, and the pagoda is as good sign
board for this town as If that whole black
cliff were painted in white letters mile high
and half q mile wide-A-M-O. / never see
either the pagoda or the city that a cold chill
does not run over men
WIN you tell me why, eaptainp
Certainly, but lisa long story; well, here
goes:
Annoy was one Of the first treaty ports in
China open to foreign commerce, and for
| long time the noted hatred Of the Chinese for
foreigners was more intense than ct any other
port. ! was then captain Of a steamer on the
first line plying between Annoy and the Eng.
fish colony Of Hong Kong, some two hundred
miles away.
One cloudy evening in November went
ashore in Annoy to make a few final prepara-
tions for my ships departure the next day.
| While on shore / noticed that my footsteps
were dogged By disrepntable looking coolie,
who approached me with great earnestness
IN his manner as soon as we had renched
comparatively open spot where the growing
darkness shut out the teeming hsrdes Of a
| Chinese city. ! saw that it would be impos-
sibe 70 avoid an encounter if this strange
follower should prove to be a highwayman.
So carrying my hand to my hip pocket,
! whore ! felt the friendly grip Of my re-
volver, waited for the man TO come closer.
then saw that the coolie was In great dis
tress, and moved BY bis earnestnesz stopped
| 70 listen % bis tale The man explained. in
Chinese and 'pidginr English, that he had a
| brother In jail who was 70 be beheaded in
two days more for capsizing in a sailhoat and
| drowning bis passenger, a mandarin's son.
| The mandarin, bent on revenge, had thrown
the boatman into prison, where the farce Of
a trial had been gone through with, and the
| innocent man had been doomed 70 die. The
coolie said that his family were all wretehedly
poor, but that they had managed, by the sale
Of most Of their belongings, to raise money
enough TO bride the jailer TO allow the prisoner
% escape, and all that was necessary to save
his life was to get him away on some vessel to
TIE nearest foreign colony. The poor Great
ure fell on his knees and implored me 10 save
bis brothers life.
He would give me anything Everything
| be had-only to give the hunted creature
hiding place, 20 save fellow being from the
| headsman's ak All this was muttered be-
tween broken sobs and the poor man wept
as if it were he himself who was only to see
two more suns rise before the earth would
drink up bis life blood
l felt my sympathies intensely excited,
and yet knew the treacherous nature Of the
Chinese and the danger in interfering with
their ideas Of justice, and, wishing either to
test the truth Of his story or to prevail upon
the coclie TO choose some other means for his
brothers escape said IN stow him away
and carry him down 70 Hong Kong for five
hundred taelsn about five hundred and fifty
dollars, thinking that such price would be
utterly beyond the coolies means The poor
man seemed staggered at the enormity of the
sum, large fortune to one Of his class; but
he rallied in moment and said he supposed
1
| ful sum- that he was very poor, and 70 raise
50 much money his family would have 70 sen
all they owned, but he must save his broth
er's life, il the captain insisted he would
have 70 pay il.
NY sympathies were now still more keenly
aroused and seeing that the unwelcome pas
senger would be sent, and not caring either
70 break my word or to profit by the poor
wretchs misfortunes, ] said; We'll. iii do II
for the regular fare about ten dollars bring
him down 10 the wharf at II 30; am going
OF q my ship then.
The coolie seemed overpowered with ioy
and was still "kow-towingn his thanks as
moved away and he disappeared IN the dark
ness.
/ had no sooner reached the wharf. about
| u - b m, then was touched BY the same
coolie, who now offered himself as "sampann
man. followed him 70 the boat, and thore
saw another man as poorly clad as his broth
err When we showed off | noticed both
were very clumsy with their oars, but as my
ship was close TO the wharf we were soon
alongside
Here handed my overcoat to the boatman
and he picked up a bundle tied Chinese FASH
| ion in a large handkerchief, and we went on
board, leaving my new acquaintance in the
nOaL i sent my steward forward on an err
rand that would detain him for few mo
ments, and then had the coohe deposit his
| bundle in a small closet in the cabin and told
him that that must be his brothers hiding
| place until we put 20 sea, and that he must
be quick TO get into it.
At a motion over the side the condemned
man sprang out Of the boat, which he had
made fast 70 the gangway, and slid noise
lessly aft through the cabin and into the
closet | turned the lock and put the key in
| my pocket.
But as he passed the cabin lamp, curiosity
had led ME 70 take searching glance at my
strange passenger, and, in spite of his I'M
kempt hair and soiled and tattered clothes,
his Light complexion and refined features re-
vealed in the coolies brother q a Chinaman
Of the higher classes
then tried 10 scrutinize the boatman, but
the mans back was to the light, and, the
steward returning just ,hen, paid my sam
pan fare, and my strange acquaintance de
parted.
turned in, wondering who my mysterious