The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1894-02-28
A CONSTANTS DEED.

: How Captain Bellamy's life was saved
at Tsi- Crad has never yet been told.
Every officer and man who belonged
to the Chrysolite on that disastrous night
recollects, of course, that, while endeav-
oring in the darkness to storm the fort,
the captain fell, and that when our peo-
pie were driven back headlong to the
boats he, with many others, was miss
ing. Every one remembers also that
when on the following morning the Chi
namen were shelled out of the place and
the bluejackets and marines again land
ed Captain Bellamy was found lying,
not where he had fallen, but couple
of hundred yards to the right, sheltered
on the side of the enemy by thick stone
wall
His left leg was smashed at the knee
by jingal ball, but around his thigh
was bluejacket's silk handkerchief,
neatly appliedin such way that a nickel
tobacco box placed beneath it effectively
compressed the femoral artery and
stopped the bleeding. TWAS well known
that both box and handkerchief had be-
longed to James Larch. the captains
coxswain, whose dead body, with half q
dozen bullets through it, was found on
the enemy's side of the same wall. Cap
tain Bellamy himself acknowledged from
the first that he owed his life solely to
Larch's devotion and skill. Yet the
whole story has never yet been told.
Captain Bellamys recent death puts me
In possession of his private journal, and
80 enables me to tell the tale.
When the Chrysolite was commission
ed at Portsmouth for the China station.
Captain Bellamy took a house at Hong
Kong, and in due course Mrs. Bellamy
and her only daughter, Violet, followed
him thither. In the second year of the
commission the Chrysolite was at Hong
Kong for several successive months, and
during that period the ladies came on
board nearly every day. There were
picnics on shore and water parties ahoat
and il not on the .Chrysolite then in the
house. or in the boats, or on the various
expeditions. James Larch, the captain'E
coxswain, was in continual attendance
upon Miss Violet and her mother. Vic
let Bellamy was then barely 16. In
England she had led somewhat dull
life, and at Hong-Kong she lost no time
in redressing the balance of her exist
ence, which was by no means dull there.
It was not perhaps her fault that ev-
cry officer of the garrison and OF the
squadron was either in love with her OF
was prepared to be, for she gave no spe-
cial encouragement to any one. On the
other hand, she discouraged no one. The
larger the number Of her admirers the
greater was the enjoyment which she de-
rived from the situation. Among them
she was like a child in q room full OF
toys. Some she damaged, some she
smashed irretrievably, but without the
slightest malice or wickedness. She sim.
ply had never realized the powers and
responsibilities of very pretty face and
figure, supplemented by high spirits, I'M
firing activity and abundant health, and
although she spread ruin around her she
never for an instant intended to do harm
to anybody.
There were many who suffered. Com
mander Corcoran of the flagship, Major
Browleigh Of the Royal Bucks, Stat
Surgeon Bennett Of the Bridport, Lieu
tenant Maplin in command of the Borsr
and at least half dozen subheutenants
and midshipmen besides army subal-
terms and civilians, were turned upside
down by Violet Bellamy. And If these
who only encountered her at social func
tons, were so seriously upset, it is little
to be wondered at--when we recollect
that human nature is not confined to the
classes-that James Larch was also over
balanced.
His associations with her were, though
in one sense, more distant and more
purely conventional than those Of AM
gentleman in the colony, of privileged
character. He helped her to mount whei
she went for ride, he wrapped he
cloak around her when she left the ball
room, he carried her a hundred time
from the ships boat to the shore, or vic
versa, Test she might wet her feet. He
breath had famed his face, her ligh
form had rested in his arms, and whil
he never by word and seldom even b,
look betrayed his feelings he neverthe
less steadfastly, and with all his being
worshiped her.
Larch was young and smart petit.
officer. AS such he had promising ca
reer before him, and no doubt he woult
have been wise had he strictly minded
his own business and endeavored to b,
content with the sphere in which 1t hat
pleased Providence TO place him. But
like many of his betters, he went dow
before Violet Bellamy.
It was at the beginning Of the thirt
year of the commission that the Chryso
| lite was suddenly dispatched to Tsi
Chau. There had been riot and mas
sacre there, and Captain Bellamy wa
ordered to teach the local mandarins
severe lesson.
| One morning the Chrysolite arrives
off the place and sent in certain de
mands, which, unless complied with II
three hours. were to be enforced b.
means OF the resources of civilization
The three hours elapsed, the demand
were not granted, and with absolut
punctuality the Chrysolite began to she
the fort from her inch B. l.. gum
The Cinnamon laid low and did not n
ply with SO much as single shot. Mi
led by their silence, Captain Bellam
after dusk had fallen led ashore muc
weaker landing party than he woul
have employed had he anticipated r.
sistance. Not until the men had tun
bled out of the boats did the enemy ope
fire, and then the captain knew he ma
made mistake. He still hoped that b
might avert disaster by rushing the for
and he made the attempt: but as hs