The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-01-08
THE CAPTAINS STORY,

y
to Foochow on the coastiug steamer Ma
moa, when Captain N, my "hdus
Achatcs'' of the voyage, looked at the
gathering clouds to the westward and
remarked: II hope it won't rain before
VIC get into Annoy; we arc Just thirty
miles away
'.How do you know the distance so cx-
actly, Captaia?'
Look at that rock, and over beyond
it, you can see through a rift in the
clouds little speck like a pin point on
the top of that black mountain. The pin
point is tall pagoda on that high cliff,
and the pagoda is as good a signboard
for this town as if that whole black cliff
were painted In white letters mile high
and half mile widc-A-M-OY. l
never see either the pagoda or the city
that cold chill does not run all over
me-"
.W,!!i YOU tell me why, Captain?"
Certainly, but it's long story-wcll,
here goes:
Annoy was one of the first treaty ports
in China open to foreign CONNER &C, and
for long time the noted hatred OF the
Chinese for foreigners was more intense
there than at any other port. Twas then
CAPTAIN of steamer on the first line ply
inc between Annoy and the English colony
of Hong Kong. some two hundred miles
away.
One cloudy evening in November l
went ashore in Annoy to make few final
preparations for my ships departure the
next day. While on shore noticed that
my footsteps were dogged by a disrepu-
table looking coolie, who approached me
with great earnestness in his manner as
soon as he had reached a comparatively
open spot, where the growing darkness
shut out the teeming hordcs of Chinese
city. saw that it would be impossible
to avoid an encounter if this strange fol-
lower should prove to be a highwayman.
So carrying my hand to my hip pocket,
where felt the friendly ;'grip" of my re-
yolver, Iwaited for the man to come closer.
I then saw that the coolie was in great dis
tress and, moved by his earnestncss, [
stopped to listen to his tale. The man ex-
plainel in Chinese and 'pidgin' English
that he had brother in Jail who was to
be beheaded in two days more for capsiz-
ing in sail boat and drowning his pas
senger, mandarin's son. The mandarin,
bent on revenge, had thrown the boat
man into prison, where the farce of
trial had been gone through with and
the innocent man had been doomed to
die. The coolie said that his family
were all wretchedly poor, but that they
had managed, by the sale of most of their
belongings, to raise money enough to
bribe the jailer to allow the prisoner to
escape, and all that was necessary to
save his life was to get him away on some
vessel to the nearest foreign colony. The
Door creature fell on his knees and i'm
plored me to save his brothers life. He
would give me anything-everything he
had-only to give the hunted creature
hiding place, to save fellow being from
the headman's ak! All this was uttered
between broken sobs, and the poor man
wept as if it were he himself who was
only to see two more suns rise before the
e,.rth would drink up his life blood.
felt my sympathies intensely excited,
and yet I 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 pre-
vail upon the coolie to choose some other
means for his brothers escape, I said: 'Ill
stow him away and carry him down toHong
Kong for 500 taels" (about $500 thinking
that such price would be utterly beyond
the coolies means. The poor man seems
staggered at the enormity of the sum, 4
large fortune to one of his class, but he
rallied in moment and said he supposed
he would have to pay it; that it was a
fearful sun, that he was very poor, and
to raise so much money his family would
have to sell all they owned: but he must
save Itis, brothers life; if the Captain in
sisted he would have to pay it.
My sympathies were now still more
keenly aroused, and seeing that the un-
welcome passenger would be sent, and
not caring either to break my word or to
profit by the poor wretch's misfortunes,
said: "Well, I'll do it for the regular
fare" (about $10), ';bring him down to
the wharf at II 80; 1 am going off to
my ship then"
The coolie seemed overpowered with
Joy and was still "kow-towing' his
thanks as I moved away and he dis
appeared in the darkness.
I had no sooner reached the wharf.
about Has T. NJ, than was touched
by the same coolie, who now offered his
services rs "sampan' man. 1 followed
him to the boat and there saw another
man whom the dim lamp light showed to
be as poorly clad as his brother. When
we showed off noticed that both were
very clumsy with their oars, but as my
ship was close to the wharf we were soon
alongside.
Here I handed my overcoat to the
boatman and he picked up u bundle
tied Chinese fashion in large handker-
chief, and we went on board, leaving my
new acquaintance in the boat. sent
my steward forward on an GRAND that
would detaln him for few moments and
then had the coolc deposit his bundle in
a small closet in the cabin, and told him
that that must be his brothers hiding
place until we put to sea, and that lie
must be Quick to get into it.
y! u motion Ger the s:Gc t:,> con-
demned man sprang out oil the boat,
which he had made fast ut the Sangway,