"You are perfectly correct there," was the answer. "It is a letter, insisting that all the demands which have been made should be complied with within twenty-four hours, if not, you see the guns which our ships carry; we have sh.e.l.ls and rockets and other missiles of warfare, and we shall be compelled to let them fly pretty thickly about your ears."
"But the prince is fifty miles off, and it is impossible to get an answer within the time specified."
"Then we will make the time thirty hours. Your posts can perform the distance in that time, and take care that they do not dally on the way."
The j.a.panese chief official smiled blandly, and then said that it would facilitate matters if the admiral and the _charge d"affaires_ would come on sh.o.r.e to discuss the matter in an amicable manner within the city, where a palace had been prepared for their reception.
"The j.a.panese must think us very green if they suppose us to be caught in that fashion," remarked one of the officers standing by, when he heard the interpreter give the invitation.
The j.a.panese official pressed the offer in the most bland and courteous manner, pointing out the great advantage which would be gained by more quickly bringing affairs to a conclusion.
The admiral, however, was not to be caught, and he had good reason to congratulate himself that he did not accept it, when it was reported that the j.a.panese intended as soon as he and the envoy had got inside the castle to lift the drawbridges and to send word on board the squadron that should a shot be fired the prisoners would be instantly beheaded.
The interview at length came to a conclusion, and the two-sworded officials took their departure for the sh.o.r.e. Within the time specified they returned with a long rigmarole letter, which was of course anything but satisfactory. They looked very much surprised when ordered to return on sh.o.r.e with an intimation that no further communication would be held with the prince unless under a flag of truce.
In the mean time a boat expedition had been ordered to proceed further up the gulf to ascertain what had become of the fleet of vessels which the prince was said to possess. Tom and Desmond had the satisfaction of going in one of the boats, their hopes being raised that some work would be cut out for them.
The scenery presented on either sh.o.r.e was magnificent, while the weather continued fine. No ships were, however, seen until they had got about seven miles up, when they came in sight of three large steamers, with the flag of the prince flying on board.
It was hoped that these would be at once captured and held in pledge until the demands of the British were complied with; but the officer in command having been directed simply to make a reconnaissance, ordered the boats to be put about, and they returned to the squadron. They found that the j.a.panese officials had been going backwards and forwards, evidently with the intention, for some reason or other, of spinning out the time. That the j.a.panese intended hostilities was manifest enough, for they began to a.s.semble large bodies of men in their batteries, and to point the whole of their guns, numbering some seventy or eighty, upon the squadron. Shortly after this, five large junks were warped out of the inner harbour, and anch.o.r.ed out of the line of fire. Later in the day, a number of j.a.panese boats came out of the harbour, and as they approached the squadron, they were seen to be filled with soldiers, although, at the same time they contained a few water melons, fowls, and eggs, apparently intended to represent the provisions with which the j.a.panese had promised to supply the ships. Instead of coming alongside, however, they merely pulled round the squadron, evidently for the purpose of counting the number of guns, that the garrisons of the forts might be satisfied how far superior a force they themselves possessed.
The best scene of all, however, was a visit from a damio, or person of high rank, who came off with a guard of forty men. He had the impudence to ask to come on board the flag-ship with his guard, and, perhaps greatly to his surprise, this was granted, but he looked very much astonished when he saw a body of marines drawn up on the opposite side of the deck, who in a few seconds would have sent him and his guard of honour flying headlong into the water had they shown any hostile intentions.
Of this the two-sworded official was evidently very well aware, judging by the nervous expression on his countenance. As soon as he could find an excuse for doing so--glad enough to get out of the ship--he hurried away. Before he was half-way down the companion ladder, the admiral hoisted the signal to the squadron to get up steam and to be ready to weigh anchor at a moment"s notice. The reason of his doing so was evident, for it was seen that the j.a.panese had been training their guns to bear directly on the squadron, under the belief that they were going to remain where they were, to be shot at.
The admiral then issued another order, directing five of the smaller vessels of the squadron to proceed up the gulf and take possession of the three steamers which had been discovered by the boats.
"We shall have some fun now, at all events," exclaimed Tom to Desmond, who, with himself and a boat"s crew, had been sent on board one of the gun-boats short of hands. "If they do not fight they will run, and we shall have the amus.e.m.e.nt of making chase. It will be better fun than battering away at the walls, which, in my opinion, is a sort of work affording very little satisfaction to any one."
The men-of-war, immediately getting under way, proceeded up the gulf.
They steamed on at full speed, and soon came in sight of the three j.a.panese steamers, which, however, showed no inclination either to fight or run away. This was somewhat of a disappointment. No sooner did the men-of-war approach, then they hauled down their flags and tamely submitted to be carried off, when they were brought to, just out of range of the guns of the fort, their crews and other persons found on board being taken out of them.
"The admiral is speaking to us, sir," said Desmond, who was acting as signal midshipman on board the _Empress_.
Captain Rogers quickly turned over the leaves of the signal book.
"Engage north battery, until signal to form line of battle is thrown out." Jack immediately gave the order to slip the cable, and steam having been got up, the ship moved away towards the spot she was directed to occupy, opening her fire without loss of time on the battery, which replied in earnest, with well-directed shots. Several struck her hull, while others, flying between her masts, cut away her rigging. This only made her crew work with greater zeal, in the hopes of soon silencing the battery. That, however, was not easily done, for the j.a.panese were evidently handling their guns well, and were not to be driven from them.
Desmond kept his gla.s.s directed towards the flag-ship, to report any signals which might be made. Tom was attending to his duty at the guns.
Billy Blueblazes was standing near Desmond, ready to convey the captain"s orders. A shot pa.s.sed unpleasantly near his head.
"A miss is as good as a mile," remarked Desmond, as Billy bobbed, looking rather pale.
"I hope no other will come nearer than that," said Billy, recovering himself and trying to laugh.
Just then a shot struck the end of Desmond"s telescope, shattering it to pieces, and carrying the instrument out of his hands, a fragment striking Billy on the cheek and drawing blood, but not inflicting any serious wound. The same shot took off the head of a man who was at the moment coming aft, at the other side of the deck.
"Now, that"s not fair!" exclaimed Billy; "aiming at me on purpose."
"Then go and get me another spy-gla.s.s, and afterwards ask the doctor to stick a plaster on your cheek," said Desmond. "You"ll be out of harm"s way there, and have the honour of being reported wounded, which will be pleasanter than being in the other list, though it may not tend so much to your fame."
Billy gladly hurried off, holding his handkerchief to his face and speedily returned with the telescope, with which Desmond, as coolly as before, continued to watch the mast-heads of the flag-ship. It was warm work, for already two men had been killed and several wounded, not including Billy, who, however, appeared on deck with a large black patch on his cheek and a handkerchief tied round his head, not certainly improving his beauty.
"Did you get any teeth knocked out?" asked Tom, as Billy pa.s.sed him.
"If you did, take care to pick them up and get the doctor to stick them in again, for they will grow, depend on that."
"No, I lost no teeth; I only had a piece taken out of my cheek," said Billy.
"Lucky it wasn"t your nose," observed Tom; "it would have spoilt your beauty for ever." He could make no further remark, as he had to attend to his gun.
Jack had well performed the duty entrusted to him, and was expecting to remain until he had battered down the fort, when Desmond cried out that the admiral was again making signals. They were to the effect that all ships of the squadron were to get under way and form line of battle before the town.
Accordingly Jack, leaving the sorely battered fort, steamed away to take up his position in the line. The weather, which had long been threatening, came on much worse as the crews stood ready at their guns.
A heavy squall blew across the gulf, and at the same instant a downfall of rain came on.
Suddenly the whole of the batteries opened on the squadron; still the ships did not return the fire. Immediately the squall cleared away, the signal was seen flying from the flag-ship, directing the prizes to be destroyed and the vessels which had them in charge to join the line of battle. The flag-ship, which was leading, was for some time, owing to the heavy gale which was blowing, exposed to the fire of several batteries, which killed two of her officers and wounded a considerable number of men.
As soon as the weather would allow, the other ships got up and lost not a moment in opening with their guns on the batteries. The ships had not long been engaged, when the effects of their fire became visible from the battered state to which the fort was reduced, while flames were seen bursting out in different parts of the town. Every moment the weather was getting worse. The wind had increased almost to a hurricane. The sky was overcast with dark and gloomy clouds, rendering more than usually vivid the flashes of the guns as they poured forth their death-dealing shot into the town. At length it became difficult to work them, and the admiral gave the signal to discontinue the action.
Five large junks lay to the southward of the town, which the j.a.panese might have hoped would have escaped, but they were mistaken in supposing that the prince was not to receive the full punishment due to him.
These vessels were his private property. The admiral ordered one of the smaller ships to proceed immediately and set fire to the junks, as there was no possibility of carrying them off. One after the other they were quickly blazing up, and the flames, fanned by the rising gale, soon destroyed them.
The steamer also threw her sh.e.l.ls into an a.r.s.enal and among a number of large storehouses, which soon, sharing the fate of the junks, were left furiously blazing away.
The squadron now stood off from the batteries and returned to their former anchorage. Scarcely were their anchors down than the hurricane came on with greater fury than before. The night was as dark as pitch, heavy thunder-clouds rolling overhead; but the wind was off the land, though it was a question whether it might not change, and should any of the ships be driven ash.o.r.e, their crews could expect but little mercy from the hands of the j.a.panese.
The _Empress_ was one of the outermost of the squadron. It had just gone four bells in the first watch when the third lieutenant reported that the ship was dragging her anchors. More cable was veered out, but she was by this time exposed to the full blast of gale. The lead was hove, and sixty fathoms reported; that she could hold the ground now was, therefore, impossible. The captain ordered the cable to be slipped, and the steam having been kept up, she drifted slowly away, still endeavouring to regain her lost position. Every moment she became more and more exposed to the force of the hurricane. All on board were well aware of her danger, although she might bring up on the opposite side of the bay; she would then be on a lee sh.o.r.e, and should her anchors not hold, her loss was almost inevitable, although some hours might pa.s.s before her fate was sealed.
All hands remained on deck. Jack had been in many a dangerous position; but in those days he had no wife to care for, and he had not the responsibilities of command. The night pa.s.sed slowly away. When morning broke, the gale continued blowing as fiercely as ever, while the land to leeward looked unpleasantly near. Still steam was kept up, and the trusty screw was doing its best to drive the gallant ship ahead.
The instant the hurricane moderated she began to make way, and soon again got up to her anchorage with the rest of the squadron.
Desmond was turning his telescope towards the sh.o.r.e, where, at the top of a hill overlooking the anchorage, among a grove of thick trees, he saw a number of j.a.panese working away with picks and shovels, and a little further on he caught a glimpse of a heavy gun, dragged by a number of horses, coming along the road, and then another and another.
It was very clear that the j.a.panese intended, from the advantageous position they held, to open fire on the smaller vessels lying within pistol-shot of the sh.o.r.e. The admiral, on discovering this, ordered the squadron to weigh, and his ship leading they steamed through the channel in line, pa.s.sing the batteries on either side, which they saluted as they glided by with a hot fire, bestowing particular attention on the palace of the prince, teaching him a lesson he was not likely soon to forget. The batteries replied, but feebly and without damage to any one of the ships.
The squadron now returned to the anchorage they had taken up on first entering the bay, where their crews had plenty of work to do in repairing damages; fishing spars and refitting before proceeding to sea.
Returning to Yokohama, they had the satisfaction of learning that their proceedings having brought the prince to reason, the whole of the sum demanded had been paid and ample apologies offered. The undertaking, however, had been a costly one. Two gallant officers and eleven men had been killed and forty-eight wounded.
Friendly relations were ultimately established with Prince Satsuma, who expressed his intention of sending several of his young n.o.bility to England to be educated, while the Tyc.o.o.n despatched a special envoy to congratulate the British _charge d"affaires_ on the satisfactory termination of all difficulties, and to express a hope that in future amicable relations would exist between the two nations.
CHAPTER TEN.
THE EMPRESS SAILS FOR THE FIJI ISLANDS--PICKS UP TWO PAPUANS--CALLS OFF THE COAST OF NEW GUINEA--THE WRECK SEEN--TWO BOATS GO ON Sh.o.r.e--WHAT HAVE BECOME OF THE CREW?--LIEUTENANT NORMAN ASCENDS A HILL--TOM DESMOND AND THEIR PARTY PUSH ON--THE LIEUTENANT ATTACKED BY THE NATIVES-- RETREATS--TOM AND DESMOND MISSING--AFTER A SEVERE FIGHT, REGAINS THE BOATS--CAPTAIN ROGERS LANDS, TO RECOVER HIS BROTHER AND HIS COMPANIONS-- UNSUCCESSFUL MARCH--NATIVE VILLAGE BURNT--BOATS SENT IN AGAIN--GALE COMES ON, AND THE SHIP STANDS OFF THE LAND--RETURNS--NO TRACES OF THE MIDSHIPMEN--CONTINUES HER VOYAGE--LONG STAY AT FIJI--EMPRESS AND ORION SAIL FOR SYDNEY--A WRECK SEEN.
The j.a.panese difficulty having been satisfactorily settled, the ships of the squadron separated to proceed to their various destinations. The _Empress_, while lying in Victoria Harbour, received orders to proceed to the Fiji Islands, with directions to touch on her way at the northern coast of New Guinea in search of the crew of a merchant vessel said to have been lost thereabouts. Captain Rogers was afterwards to visit Sydney and other Australian ports before returning home.
All hands were well pleased at the thoughts of the number of places they were to visit, and the curious people they were to see.