Blue Jackets | Page 5

us along a narrow alley and out into a busy street,
which was crowded enough, but with people going to and fro, evidently
on business, and though all stopped to look, and some followed, it was
not a waterside crowd of loafers, but of respectable people, moved by
curiosity to watch the barbarian sailors passing along their street, but
paying most heed to me with the heavy glass.
I'm getting an old man now, my lads--the old boy who is writing this
log; but it all comes back as clear to my mind's eye as if it were only
yesterday: the narrow, busy street, with men shuffling along carrying
packages, baskets of fruit and vegetables or fish, cages too containing
birds, and all in the same way slung at the ends of a stout bamboo
placed across the bearer's shoulder, and swinging there as if the man
were carrying curious-looking pairs of scales.
The shops were as bright and gay as paint and gilding laid on their
quaint carvings could make them, while on their fronts hung curious
lanterns, banners, and signs covered with Chinese characters, all of
which I longed to decipher, and at which I was ready to stop and stare,
till Ching bade me imperatively, "Come 'long."
"Chinaman no fond love English sailor allee same Ching. Don't know
better. Come 'long."

This drew my attention to the fact that among the faces full of curiosity
there were plenty which greeted us with a heavy, dull scowl, and,
recalling the fact that we were only "foreign devils," according to their
teachings, it seemed better to obey our guide, though we were all bitten
by the same desire to stop and inspect the various shops and stores we
passed.
Ching led us farther and farther away from the riverside, and past
enclosures at whose gates stood truculent-looking, showily-dressed
men, who carried swords hung from a kind of baldrick, and scowled at
us from beneath their flat, conical lacquered hats. And I noticed that
our guide always hurried us past these gateways, peeps through which
were wonderfully attractive, showing as they did glimpses of gardens
which looked like glorified, highly-coloured representations of our old
friends the willow-pattern plates.
One in particular was so open that Smith stopped short, heedless of the
presence of three fierce-looking Chinamen, with showy robes and long
pendent moustachios.
"Look here, boys," he cried. "What a game! Here's the old bridge over
the water, and the cannon-ball tree, and the gold-fish pond, and--"
"Come 'long," whispered Ching hurriedly; and he caught our comrade
by the arm, forcing him onward as the guards scowled at us fiercely.
"Here, what are you up to?" cried Smith, resenting the interference.
"Take velly much care of Englis' offlicers. Big mandalin live there.
Men sword velly sharp--cut off head."
"Bosh!" said Smith shortly; "they'd better."
"Oh no, they hadn't," cried Barkins. "We don't want to take you on
board without any head."
"But they daren't hurt us," cried Smith bumptiously. "We're
Englishmen, and our gunboat is in the river. I'm not afraid. Why,

there'd be a war if one of these men interfered with us. Our people
would land and burn up the place."
"No," said Ching quietly. "Send letter to mandalin. Why you men cut
off little offlicer head?"
"Here, who are you calling little officer, Pigtail?" cried Smith
indignantly.
"Mean young offlicer," cried Ching hastily. "Say, Why you men cut
chop young offlicer head off? Mandalin say, Velly solly. He find out
who blave was who chop young offlicer head, and give him lichi."
"You mean toco?" said Barkins.
"No; lichi."
"What's lichi?" I said.
"Tie blave up along post, and man come velly sharp sword, cut him all
in 'lit pieces while he live."
"And do they do that?" I asked, in horror.
"Neve' find out blave who chop off head," said Ching, with a queer
twinkle of the eyes. "No find blave, no can give him lichi."
"Sounds pleasant, Poet, don't it?" said Barkins.
"Horrid!" I cried, with a shudder.
"Moral: Don't try to peep into mandarins' gateways, Blacksmith,"
continued Barkins.
"Bosh! it's all gammon. I should like to see one of them try to cut my
head off."
"I shouldn't," I cried, laughing; "and he wouldn't."

"No," said Ching perfectly seriously. "Velly bad have head chop off.
Head velly useful."
"Very," said Barkins mockingly. "Well done, Chinese Wisdom. I say,
Herrick, why is a mandarin like the Grand Panjandrum?"
"Because he plays at the game of catch, catch, can and can't catch the
man who cuts off the English fellow's head," said Smith.
"Wrong!" cried Barkins. "Now you, Poet."
"Because he's got a little round button on the top."
"Good boy, go up one," cried Barkins.
"Hallo! what place is this?"
"Velly good place, eatee drinkee. All velly nicee