BULGER AND I SAIL AWAY FROM THE LAND OF THE UMI-LOBAS (MAN HOPPERS), IN MY BEDSTEAD YACHT.
BULGER AND I SAIL AWAY FROM THE LAND OF THE UMI-LOBAS (MAN HOPPERS), IN MY BEDSTEAD YACHT.
BULGER AND I SAIL AWAY FROM THE LAND OF THE UMI-LOBAS (MAN HOPPERS), IN MY BEDSTEAD YACHT.
CHAPTER VIII.
In the streets of Constantinople, I fall in with an Armenian merchant, who presents me with a MS., 6,000 years old. It proves to be palimpsest. Its wonderful contents. I learn of the existence of a boiling sea, and set sail in search of it. Three of my seamen are swallowed by a marine monster. I rescue them. We reach Neptune’s Caldron. Description of it and of its banks. Strange adventures there. We set sail for home, but are overtaken by a fearful storm which drives us on the coast of China. Bulger saves our lives. I am received with great honor by the dignitaries of the province—am quartered in the palace of So Too the Mandarin. Bulger incurs the enmity of the authorities. He is accused of having an evil spirit, and is arrested and put on trial. I defend him. He is condemned to death. My efforts to reverse the sentence are successful. Strange adventures in the palace of the Lord Taou-tai. Bulger and I are able to overcome all obstacles put in our way. We are accorded permission to set out for a seaport where we take passage for home. Our joy in finding ourselves safe out of the hands of our enemies.
SOME CROWS LIKE BOILED DINNERS.
SOME CROWS LIKE BOILED DINNERS.
SOME CROWS LIKE BOILED DINNERS.
While sauntering through the streets of Constantinople, one day, loitering in front of the bazars, or listening to the tales of some story-teller on the street-corner, I fell in with an Armenian merchant.
He was a man of varied attainments, had read much, traveled much, seen much.
We ate sweetmeats and drank coffee together for several days.
He was so delighted with my keen intellect, sharp, nipping wit, and great powers of imagination, that he expressed himself as being more than paid for his journey to Constantinople, although he had not yet opened his packs.
When the time came for us to part, he proceeded to loosen the leather thongs which held down the lid of a strange looking chest, whose top and sides were covered over with curious figures in inlays of several colors.
From one corner of this receptacle he drew forth a volumen or roll-book of antiquity.
To one end of it was attached, by a strip of parchment, a waxen seal, stamped with what seemed to have been a monarch’s signet ring. This ancient and venerable book exhaled a very musty smell.
The Armenian handled it carefully, saying:
“It is quite old; some 6,000 years.” Seeing astonishment depicted on my countenance, he smiled and continued:
“Yes, 6,000 years! It has only been unrolled far enough for me to decipher the nature of its contents. It treats of the human soul, and pretends to have solved its mystery completely—a problem which has baffled the philosophers of all ages. It even goes so far as to claim that the essence which we call “soul” may be taken out of a body and put into a bottle; that one soul may be thrust into a man’s body to keep his own company, and that in this manner the whole world may be reformed, made over; evil being entirely destroyed and good only remaining.
“You smile, little baron, but it seems to me quite feasible. For instance, this rare old book quite rightly assumes that if we could thrust a good soul into a body already inhabited by a bad one, that man or woman would henceforth cease to do evil, or, at least, the good soul would continually betray its bad companion, and, altho’ the man might plan a murder, he would not fail to inform some one of his dread purpose, and thus defeat his own ends.”
“Or,” continued the merchant, “take the case of a miser; by thrusting the soul of a spendthrift into his body, his inclination to hoard money and starve his family would be forever and always opposed by an ardent desire to waste his earnings, and the result would be that these two vices would neutralize each other; and so with a drunkard or a thief: by placing the soul of a water-drinker in the one and of a moral man in the other, a perfect reformation could be brought about. This is a valuable book, little baron, but I give it to you, merely exacting a promise from you that in case I am right in my understanding of it, you will impart the secret to the fathers of the church.”
I gave the merchant my promise, and not wishing to accept so valuable a present without making some return therefore, I drew from my finger a ring containing the petrified eye of a basilisk, which, in the dark, emitted light enough to read the hour on a watch dial.
He was almost tiresome in his expression of thanks.
We separated.
I laid the ancient volume away in my chest and gave no thought to it until some time after my return home, when, one fine day, Bulger, attracted by its very musty odor, seized it by the vellum strip holding the seal and drew it forth from its hiding-place, then looked up at my face as much as to say:
“What is it, any way, little master?”
I determined to unroll the book at once.
The merchant had warned me to be most careful in so doing, lest the whole thing fly into a thousand pieces.
I therefore proceeded to prepare a wooden tablet or panel, which I smeared with a strong glue, so that, as the parchment unwound, it should be caught by this sticky surface and held firmly fast.
The plan succeeded admirably.
After several hours’ close application I was overjoyed to see the volume entirely unrolled and held firmly and evenly to the surface of the panel.
Fancy my delight, after the glue had dried sufficiently to make an examination of the writing, to find that this ancient volume was a palimpsest!
I felt instinctively that this dissertation upon the nature of the soul was the sick man’s dream of some poor dweller in the double darkness of ignorance and superstition. So I made haste to wash away his fervid outpourings by a plentiful use of something still hotter—namely, hot water and soap; for my studies had told me that the ink used by the people of his time and generation contained no mordant, and was, in fact, only lamp-black and grease.
I now got at the real contents of this venerable book.
The writing was dim and shadowy. I did not let that troubleme, for, skilled as I am in the chemist’s art, I lost no time in applying an acid which restored the writing to its old time blackness.
I had some difficulty in deciphering the language in which it was written—the ancient Phoenician—but, with the aid of several scores of dictionaries, I finally rendered it into a modern tongue, passing it through the Aramaic, thence into the Greek, and, finally, into my own tongue.
When at last I had gotten over all difficulties and could read the descriptions with that ease necessary to bring out their full sense, I was nearly beside myself with joy.
It was the story of a voyage made by a venturesome navigator, six thousand years ago, when the earth was still in its infancy; still hot in some places; in fact, only the highest mountains and table lands had cooled off enough to be habitable.
Pushing off from the shores of Arabia, this bold captain had pointed his ship towards the rising sun.
And, wonder of wonders! after many awful perils and terrible privations, he had entered waters which, to his almost unutterable amazement, grew warmer and warmer as he sailed over them.
At first his men refused to proceed any farther, but by dint of threats, persuasion and goodly presents, the bold sailor went his way, wondering and rejoicing. After many days he entered a body of water, which, from his descriptions, I at once recognized as the China Sea. But now all further advance was impossible.
In vain his oarsmen lent their aid to drive the little vessel forward.
Huge waves of heated water, always from the same direction drove his craft backward.
At last the truth of the matter dawned upon him.
He was on the outer edge of some vast boiling sea, which, rolling its hot waves ever outward, drove back his cockle shell of a bark. Making for a lofty promontory, he clambered to its highest point, wearing thick felt shoes and gloves to protect his feet and hands from the heated rocks.
A fearful and yet a sublimely beautiful sight met his gaze.
For hundreds and hundreds of miles the waters were in a state of most violent boiling, springing and leaping into the air as if a legion of giant demons were beneath forcing their hot breath upward from vast cavernous lurking places.
Upon reading of this boiling sea, I was seized with an uncontrollable desire to go in search of it.
True the waters might have cooled down in all these centuries, and yet I was confident I should find some trace of this once terrible caldron of seething waters.
The China Sea was only slightly known to navigators of my day and generation.
It had often been darkly hinted at that this vast body of water was studded with wonderful isles and filled with rare monsters.
I had no time to lose.
Hastily penning a letter of adieu to my father and mother, I joined my ship—accompanied by my ever faithful Bulger—and turned her prow towards the rising sun.
So well were the waters of the East known to me, from my long and close study of the most reliable charts, that I found I could almost steer my craft through them blindfolded.
It was not many days ere I entered this beautiful expanse of water, which, in the youth of the world, was filled with such marvelous creatures swimming on it and in it.
Onward, ever onward, through its dark blue waves, now mounting their foam-crested heights, now rocking like a thing of life upon this billowy highway, my trusty little vessel ploughed her way. Ten times a day, under plea of wishing to cool my brow in a basin of sea water, I called out to some one of my men to let down a bucket, but only to find, to my deep disappointment, that its temperature was no higher than is usual in those latitudes.
I began to grow low-spirited. My crew noticed my dejection, and at times my attentive ear caught murmurs of discontent.
To restore my men to their usual good spirits, I offered a reward of a thousand ducats to the one who should first discover that the water was growing warmer.
A thousand ducats!
It was a goodly sum, but I was growing desperate.
The large reward, however, had one good effect; it put new life into my men.
All day long buckets rattled against the ship’s side.
Three of the more venturesome men hit upon a plan to earn the reward and divide it among them.
Lashing themselves together, they then lowered themselves down over the side of the vessel, until their feet just touched the water. Here they determined to stay, so that they might be the first to announce the increase of warmth in the water, and in this way make sure of the thousand ducats.
Suddenly a fearful outcry, accompanied by the most piteous whining on the part of Bulger, caused me to rush up on deck.
A sea-monster, a third as long as our ship, had risen directly under them.
Motionless with fright, they fell an easy prey to this terrible foe.
Opening his vast, cavernous jaws, he swallowed the whole three at a single gulp!
My men were wild with grief!
They heaped mad words of reproach upon me.
I had great difficulty in restoring anything like order or discipline.
My commands fell upon deaf ears.
At last I succeeded in quieting the raging, weeping crowd.
Knowing from my experience with such dread inhabitants of the deep, that this monster had only whetted his appetite by these morsels of human flesh, I directed my men to make haste and construct a straw man, using clothes of the same color as those worn by the three unfortunates.
Into the bosom of this effigy I stored away a quarter quintal of ipecacuanha, of prime quality, which, by good luck, I found in my stock of medicines.
The dummy was now lowered to the water’s edge, at exactly the same spot where the monster had made his luncheon on my three excellent seamen.
We had not long to wait.
He rose to the bait in a few moments, and, opening his huge jaws, thrust out a tongue as large and as red as a roasted ox, and gulped down the savory morsel I had provided for him, with a rumbling gurgle which made my blood run cold.
Recovering myself, I sprang up into the shrouds and kept my eyes fixed upon this rare monster, who floated away lazily a ship’s length and then came to a dead halt.
Ever and anon a quiver shot thro’ the entire length of his body.
Evidently he was having no little difficulty in swallowing this last morsel.
Huge ridges formed about his neck and rolled backward till they were lost beneath the waters. A certain uneasiness now marked his movements.
He rolled from side to side, opening and shutting his jaws with a snap that sounded like the bang of two great oaken doors.
The dainty quarter quintal of ipecacuanha was manifestly beginning to distress him.
His rocking and rolling motion increased in violence.
At one moment his huge body turned upon its side, bent itself until head and tail met; at another it arched itself in the air until its black back spanned the waters like a bow.
I now felt that it was time to act.
“Stand by the starboard launch!” I called out to my men. “Avast that blubbering! All ready?”
“Ay! ay!” came back from the gang.
“Lower away, then!”
I was not a whit too quick with my orders.
The launch had no sooner struck the water than the sea-monster—after a series of terrible contortions, during which it almost seemed as if his huge body would be snapped in twain—began to disgorge the varied contents of his stomach.
First, shower after shower of many colored fishes, of all sizes, from a hand’s length to three cubits, filled the air.
As they fell into the water, they calmly swam away, no doubt well pleased to find themselves in more agreeable surroundings.
Thousands of shell fish, all kinds, sizes and colors, then cameflying forth, rattling their claws together as they fell into the water, as if in defiance at their huge foe that had been so unceremoniously called upon to give up the results of many a long hour’s hunt.
The living was followed by the dead, for now came forth several wooden buckets, three old blankets, numerous bits of plank, rope ends, shreds of sail, paint pots, bundles of oakum, and wads of cotton, all of which he had picked up while following in the wake of our vessel. At last the man of straw was cast out high into the air with a deep grunt of satisfaction.
After him came number one of the lost seamen.
Numbers two and three were not slow in arriving.
The launch made haste to pick them up, leaving the sick monster to recover his health and spirits as well he might.
Bulger received the rescued men with the wildest manifestations of delight, and clapping on all sail, away we bounded before a rattling breeze.
To my infinite joy, the water now began to increase in warmth.
Hour by hour the rise in temperature, although slow, was steady.
“At length, my men!” cried I to my crew, “we are on the right track. Be patient! I promise you that before the sun has quenched his fire in the western seas we shall cast anchor in Neptune’s Caldron!”
My predictions came true to the very letter.
Just as the last rays of sunlight were gilding the foam-crested waves of this mysterious sea, a long, low line of shore was sighted dead ahead, ending in a precipitous headland.
Bearing away we rounded this and found ourselves at the entrance of a large land-blocked bay or gulf, from different points in which huge columns of snow-white steam floated lazily skyward, twisting themselves in most fantastic shapes ere they vanished in the purple twilight.
My men sent up a loud, long, lusty cheer, as we sailed into Neptune’s Caldron.
As we drew near shore, to my great bewilderment, for I hadnot dared to think that living creatures could exist in these heated waters, I caught sight of moving things in the Caldron. Nay, there could be no doubt, for these heated waters were as limpid as a mountain spring and the bottom plainly visible ten fathoms below.
Fish of all colors and sizes floated hither and thither, while myriads of crabs, lobsters and other queerly shaped crustaceans crawled about on the snow-white sands, following their leaders in long lines, like a procession of cardinals, over the white marble pavement of some great city in the western world.
I say “crimson lines,” for the heat of the water had clothed them all in suits of richest red.
As I sat in the ship’s launch on my way to the shore, gazing dreamily down into the waters, half-dazed by these marvellous sights, a shoal of fish rose near the boat and turned their beautiful tinted sides for an instant to the cool air.
To my amazement I saw that their eyes were sightless, that the extreme heat of the waters had clouded their limpid orbs milk white and shut out the light forever!
A cold chill crept over me, for, to me, the spectacle was as uncanny as if the carp had sprung from the elder baron’s table and begun to swim about in their native element once more.
But the list of strange things was not yet exhausted, for as I drew nearer to the beach, you may imagine my mingled wonder and amusement at seeing scores of fish with their backs planted against the sand furrows, calmly fanning themselves with their broad, flat tails.
Upon setting foot upon the shore, I was astonished to find the land, for far as the eye could reach, covered deep with millions and millions of eggs of different sizes, varying from that of a pigeon to that of an albatross or wild goose.
In places these eggs lay in heaps far higher than my head; in others they were ranged in long lines, like white furrows turned by some gigantic plough!
Suddenly the truth dawned upon me. To these shores vast flocks of sea-birds came to lay their eggs year after year, attracted by the warmth of the atmosphere. There they buildtheir rude nests and fill them with eggs and enter upon the task of hatching out their young, when suddenly the heated waters hurled by some gale or resistless current, rises upon their resting places and spreads death where life was just beginning, by cooking the countless thousands of eggs which fill their nests. And so on from year to year, until now I behold the work of a thousand floods, which have in turn added their contribution to this vast stock!
While standing on the shores of this wonderland, one morning, gazing out across the steaming surface of Neptune’s Caldron, several of my crew came running toward me with startled mien and great outcry, all pointing skyward. I turned and looked in the direction indicated.
A vast cloud, black and threatening, hung in the heavens.
As I stood watching it, it broadened and widened until it fairly darkened the light of day.
My men were now on their knees, uttering the most piteous lamentations, for they imagined the end of the world was at hand.
I commanded them sternly to leave off their wailing and groaning, for I saw that the great black cloud was simply an enormous flock of birds, of what species I could not then tell.
Nearer and nearer they came, with the sound like the rushing of wild winds.
They covered the whole sky like an inky pall.
It was evident to me that they intended alighting upon the shore of the Caldron, and fearing lest their immense numbers, in settling down, might smother us, I called out to my men to stand by the ship’s launch.
There was no time to lose.
For, as we pushed out from the shore, tens of thousands of these birds—a species of crow, but twice the size of those at home—began to settle down in long rows as far as the eye could reach.
For the first, now I noticed that every crow held something in its claws. I looked again, and saw that each of these birds carried an immense mollusk, fully as large as a watchman’sclub and something the same shape. Imagine my mingled surprise and amusement upon observing that those in the first row were now making for the water’s edge. Approaching cautiously, each crow thrust his mollusk into the shoal waters of the Caldron and stood by, with eyes sparkling with joyful anticipation, to watch for results.
He had not long to wait.
Unaccustomed to the great heat of the water, the mollusk soon began to open its shell, first cautiously, but as the hot water poured in upon it, with great precipitation, fairly with a snap. Waiting for a moment or so until the hot water had curled the animal quite free from its shell, the fastidious birds then partook of the savory contents, gave a few caws of grateful acknowledgement, and withdrew to make room for the next row. This changing places, cooking of provisions and feasting lasted for half a day.
By that time the entire flock had exhausted its raw material. Then with deafening cries and loud flapping of pinions, these feathered epicures rose into the air and disappeared as they had come.
Fain would I have prolonged my stay upon the shores of Neptune’s Caldron, but I observed that the steam from the waters was disagreeable to Bulger.
With speaking eyes, he implored me to hoist sail and seek some, to him pleasanter land.
I could not withstand that appeal.
So I made a farewell survey of the egg mounds, gazed my last at the red-shelled crustaceans and chalky-eyed fish of the Caldron and went aboard of my staunch vessel.
Heading now westward, I crowded sail, intending to hug the China Coast pretty closely on my homeward voyage. All went well for the first few days after leaving Neptune’s Caldron.
Bulger ranged the deck, playing the maddest capers.
Thoughts of home now began to occupy my mind.
The elder baron was growing old. I felt that I ought not to prolong my voyage. He might be in need of my counsels.
Suddenly, one day, at high noon, the skies darkened, the winds sprang up.
I thought nothing of it.
It will only be a mad romp, which will serve right well to blow us along homeward.
But, oh, what a short-sighted creature is vain man, who thinks to read the signs of the skies, the winds and the waves!
The merry whistling of the wind soon gave place to the dismal howl of the blast.
The storm fiend was stalking abroad.
The startled waters now leaped wildly up from their beds, rolled tumultuously onward, whipped into foam and fury by ten thousand lashes of the blast, till, in their mad efforts to escape, they dashed themselves against the very clouds.
The scene was terrible. ’Twas useless to command, for not a throat of steel could have drowned the wild yells of the tempest.
To my horror, I discovered that we had sprung a leak.
The pitch and tar, softened by the heat of the water in Neptune’s Caldron, had bulged from the ship’s joints and allowed the calking to escape.
Like a sheet of card board, our rudder was now torn from its place and whirled away on the crest of a giant billow.
Behold us now at the very mercy of the storm, the plaything of wind and wave, a cockle shell fallen on the battle ground of nature’s waning elements.
Bulger, lashed to the rigging by my side, uttered no plaint, no cry of fear, no sound of distrust.
I could see that his speaking eyes were following me about as much as to say:
“I am not afraid, little master, so long as you are by me.”
I could feel my heart thump out a loud “thank thee, dear, faithful, little friend!”
From time to time I passed my hand caressingly over his head and neck.
His tail moved sadly, but I knew its meaning.
It meant:
“Little master, I am ready to die; ay, most willing to die, if I can die with you by my side.”
It really seemed as if his love was about to be put to a final test for the dreadful cry of—“Breakers ahead!” was passed from man to man till it reached my ears.
It was only too true.
Their roar now broke upon my ears, faint, low but deep, terrible, half like distant thunder or the growl of some gigantic beast of prey.
In a few brief moments we were on the reef.
With a terrible crash our staunch little vessel leaped upon the rocks and wedged herself in, tight and fast, between two jagged ledges.
The relentless sea now broke over and over us.
“Oh! if the day would only break!” I murmured, “possibly we might find some means to reach the main land.”
To stay here simply means destruction.
After hours of the severest suffering, for every sea which broke over us seemed as if bent upon the fell purpose of tearing our limbs from their lashings—day came at last.
I discovered now that we were about a quarter of a mile from the main land.
With my glass, I could distinguish great crowds of people running hither and thither on shore. But they made no effort to send us succor or to encourage us to cling to the wreck until the storm should abate.
What was to be done?
With a fearful crash, our masts now went by the board.
Our ship was showing signs of breaking up.
Neither threat nor reward could move any one of my men to attempt to swim ashore with a line.
The sun now burst forth in a blaze of golden light.
I could feel the tears gather in my eyes as I looked about and saw the sad ravages of wind and wave.
Although the storm had abated somewhat of its fury, there was no time to be lost.
Dread creakings of the ship’s timbers warned me to leave the wreck ere I should be crushed against the rocks.
Only disorder and confusion seemed to characterize the movements of the crowds gathered on shore.
While apparently aware of the terrible import of our signals of distress, they showed no inclination to risk their lives in trying to save ours.
Turning to Bulger I cried out:
“O, dearest Bulger! thou tried and true friend, companion of my sorrows and sharer of my every joy, thou alone canst save us! Thou alone canst rescue thy loving master and these poor wretched creatures from impending death! I know thy courage; I know thy affection. In thy radiant eyes I read thy willingness to do or die!”
From his earliest youth I had trained Bulger to be a bold and skilful swimmer. No eddy, current, undertow or whirlpool was angry or wild enough to strike any fear to his stout heart.
With ease, at my commands, he would dive two fathoms deep and bring the smallest coin from the bottom.
Our vessel might go to pieces at any moment, for she had wrenched herself loose from the rocky ledge and was pounding on the jagged, flinty edges of the reef with a wild and ungovernable fury.
Every fleeting moment became more precious than its predecessor.
Making a superhuman effort, I caught the end of a reel of twine, and, having fastened it to Bulger’s collar, bade him leap into the bubbling, boiling, seething, swirling, madly-rolling waters, storm-lashed, whipped into foam, till billow broke on billow and all seemed but one mingled mass of fury, rage and fright. With a rapid succession of anxious, whining cries followed by a series of quick, loud, sharp barks, Bulger gave me one last look; and, placing his paws on the taffrail, sprang lightly over and disappeared.
My heart stood still for a moment.
But look!
He rises!
He strikes out for the shore, now tossed like a bit of cork on the arched backs of a storm-affrighted billow, now sunken out of sight into the foam-flecked trough of the sea.
Look again!
Hark! I can catch the faint sound of that sharp, joyous bark sent back to cheer his little master’s heart.
And now he is gone!
I see him not; but as the twine runs through my hands, I can almost feel every throb of that dear, stout heart!
Steadily he keeps at his work, for steadily and rapidly the reel spins round.
Crack!
There goes our keel in twain.
Quick, good Bulger; the end is near!
But look!
What means that commotion on shore?
See the crowd, how it presses down to the very breaker’s edge!
Now they fall back!
Hark!
Did you not hear that shout?
Saved! Saved!
Bulger has landed!
The men on shore have hold of the twine.
The reel whirls swiftly around!
My men, ashamed of their cowardice, crawl from their hiding-places and set to work with a will.
Already they have fastened a line to the end of the twine and it is moving briskly over the rail.
There can be no doubt now.
Bulger has saved us!
Springing into the main-shrouds and shielding my mouth from the gale with my hands, I called out to my men:
“Stand by the hawser! Make fast the line! Now heave, O! Let go all!”
With an angry splash the hawser fell into the sea and was soon on its way shorewards.
And this was the way Bulger saved the life of master, mate and twelve seamen!
I was the last man to leave the ship.
As I did so, she shook herself loose, drew back, ran hard on the rocks with such a terrific blow that she broke into piecesas if struck by lightening bolt or some gigantic hammer wielded by an unseen Thor.
With a wild cry of joy Bulger met me as I was drawn through the breakers.
I threw myself on my knees and covered him with kisses, while tears rolled hot and fast down my cheeks.
The people of the land gathered group-wise about us and watched our interchanging of caresses in deepest silence, agitating their thumbs and twitching the corners of their mouths.
“What land is this? Where are we, good people?” I inquired, after this first outpouring of love and gratitude had spent its fervor.
“Bold barbarians!” replied one of the nearest group, whose richer dress bespoke the man of rank and authority, “thou standest on the shores of the mighty dominion of Kublai, Child of the Sun, Lord of the Imperial Yellow Garb, Knight of all the Buttons, Man of the Sacred Countenance, Successor to all the Glories of his Ancestors now Guests of Heaven, Source of all Law and Equity, and Chevalier of all the Orders, and we are his wretched, miserable, unworthy, good-for-nothing slaves!”
Whereupon the entire multitude performed the kowtow.
“So then! I cried, most puissant, noble, and altogether delightful, Sir,”—at the same time performing the kowtow with that grace which only the genuine citizen of the world can command—“I stand upon the sacred soil of the mighty Chinese Empire.”
“Aye, bold barbarian,” answered the speaker, “in the province of Kwang Tung, in the district of Yang-chiang, of which I, So Too, Mandarin of the White Glass Button, am Imperial superintendent.” Hearing this, I begged So Too to give me leave to speak, which granted, in a brief but eloquent speech, well larded with all those savory epithets so sweet to the ears of an official in that land, I told him of my illustrious family, my strange desire to scour the remotest seas and least-visited lands for marvellous things; how I had sailed in search of Neptune’s Caldron, of the strange things seen there, of my setting out on my voyage homeward, my encounter with the storm-fiend, andlast of all, my shipwreck on the shores of the boundless dominions of the Child of the Sun.
And now, all that I craved from the servants of the Man of the Sacred Countenance was such aid and assistance as would enable me and my men to reach the nearest seaport where foreign ships cast anchor, so that we might go down to the sea once more and reach our loved ones. To all this So Too gave response with a most gracious smile, and then invited me to pass beneath his roof, lay off my wet clothes, drink some warm tea, and have his rubbers smooth the wrinkles out of my tired flesh.
My seamen were not forgotten. His retainers were ordered to look well after their wants.
Just as we were about to set out for So Too’s residence, several of his body guards struck their gongs a furious blow.
The din was ear-splitting.
With a loud bark Bulger rushed towards me, and laying one ear against my leg closed his other with his paw.
So Too and his retainers, at seeing this to me laughable sight, looked grave, agitated their thumbs and twitched the corners of their mouths.
Just as I was about crossing So Too’s threshold, to my inexpressible chagrin I discovered that I had lost my purse containing a large sum of money. In a desperate hope that I might have dropped it on the sea shore, I bounded away in that direction, but I had not gone a hundred paces ere I met Bulger carrying the purse in his mouth. I had in truth dropped it while kneeling on the beach and caressing my beloved rescuer.
Noting that in my eagerness to follow my gracious host, I had not missed the lost treasure, Bulger had driven away several of So Too’s retainers, who manifested a desire to appropriate the pouch of gold to their own use, and picking it up in his teeth, had raced after me as fast as his burden would permit.
As we crossed So Too’s threshold, several small, woolly dogs sprang out and gathered about Bulger. They were apparently delighted to meet with one of their race, so distinguished in appearance and dignified in carriage. Fain would they haveexchanged the usual canine civilities with Bulger, but he absolutely declined to enter into any conversation with them or to express any surprise at these extraordinary looking cousins of his, which seemed like so many animated bundles of freshly-ginned cotton. Keeping close at my heels, he skillfully avoided their advances, and gave a low growl of relief when the door of the ante-chamber was closed upon them.
After a warm bath, my stiffened limbs were limbered up by the stroking, patting and rubbing of So Too’s bath assistants.
I was then invited to encase my body in a rich suit of embroidered silk, and this done, was conducted into the presence of the amiable So Too, who received me with a smile that was as persistent as it was broad.
Several hours were now consumed in drinking tea, eating dainty little sugar cakes, and telling each other the most extravagant and shameless fibs in the shape of compliments,—compliments about everything, voice, eyes, ears, chin, mouth, hands, feet, etc. Although I only reached to So Too’s shoulder, he regretted, in a piteous tone, his lack of stature and praised my tall, stately, noble, commanding height.
Overcome at last by sheer exhaustion, So Too closed his eyes and appeared to have dropped off in a little nap.
Seizing upon the opportunity, I raised my voice and began to urge upon him the necessity of immediate action with regard to me and my men.
Whereupon he arose, and after a series of kowtows, the same broad smile playing around his wide mouth and small kindly black eyes—withdrew to consult with his assistant, sub-assistant, and first and second sub-assistants.
It was quite dark when So Too re-entered the room.
Bulger and I, during his absence, had slept most soundly.
No wonder, for we were both tired to the bone.
Orders were now given to illuminate the halls and apartments.
In a few moments, thousands of the most brilliantly colored and quaintly decorated lanterns shed a delightfully soft glow over everybody and everything.
Again we took our places around the superbly decorated tablewhich held the paraphernalia for brewing tea and the exquisitely painted cups and saucers of egg-shell thinness, and the tea drinking and cake-eating were resumed. Again I skillfully turned the conversation to the subject of my departure for the nearest seaport.
Again So Too arose and backed out of the room for the purpose of holding another consultation.
By this time my stock of patience had dwindled down considerable.
Every moment I could feel my blood grow warmer and warmer.
After a delay of half an hour or so, a retainer entered to inform me that So Too had fallen asleep in the council-room, and that no one save a Mandarin with an opaque blue, transparent blue, flowered red or plain red button could presume to awaken him, and that there was no Mandarin of so exalted a dignity within fifty miles of that spot.
At these words my blood fairly boiled over.
I sprang to my feet and began to pace the floor like a caged animal.
Coming to a halt in front of a tall lacquer cabinet loaded down with costly porcelain cups and vases, I raised my foot, and kicking out vigorously, toppled the thing over on the floor.
The crash was terrible.
I was really startled, for I was afraid I had knocked half the house down.
But I had the satisfaction of seeing the Mandarin come rushing into the room, followed by assistants, sub-assistants, gong-beaters, sword-bearers, head-shavers, ear-ticklers, tongue-scrapers, nail-polishers, and skin-rubbers, besides many others of his retainers, whose offices and callings were unknown to me.
“You have deliberated, now decide!” I exclaimed in a tone of voice that for depth and volume would have done credit to the hero of a blood curdling drama; and at the same moment I placed the sole of my foot against another cabinet, quite as lofty as the one I had just toppled over, and quite as richly laden with curios, vases and ivories.
So Too was now wide awake and not at all anxious to see this second cabinet share the fate of the first.
“Thy foot to its place!” he called out, waving me to a seat, and placing himself between me and the threatened cabinet. “Thy foot to its place, my gracious benefactor.”
After he had seen me safely seated, he continued thus:
“Know, then, my gentle guest, that I, So Too, Imperial Mandarin of the white glass button, after mature deliberation with my most honorable Council, do order and decree that thou and thy servants shall be, as thou hast prayed, forthwith conducted to the city of Canton, and there be delivered into the keeping and custody of the officers of him of the Sacred Countenance, until opportunity shall present itself to procure means of sending thee and thy servants back to your native land!”
Here I bent my body in token of my profound gratitude.
The Mandarin likewise made a low obeisance, and then continued:
“I do further decree that the evil spirit which attends thee in the shape of a dog shall be at once bound with chains and cast into prison there to await, his trial for witchcraft!”
Had So Too plunged a two-edged knife into my vitals I could not have felt a more agonizing hurt.
“Bulger? My beloved—Arrested? Witchcraft? Chains; Prison?” I stammered out.
“I have so decreed!” calmly replied So Too. “Oh! no! no! no! I cried, it cannot—it must not be! He is no evil spirit—no evil dwells in him. He is but a simple, loving, intelligent dog! I crave suspension of this terrible decree! What hath he done? O beloved Bulger, is this thy reward for saving fourteen human lives? Is this the way in which thou art to be repaid for all thy courage, thy love, thy devotion? O, no! no! Kill me if you will, cruel stranger, thrust me into a prison cell, but spare Bulger, spare him——”
I could say no more.
It grew black before me. A fit of vertigo came upon me. I staggered, reeled, fell lifeless to the floor.
When I came to my senses, So Too’s servants were busy rubbing and chafing my hands and feet and burning pungent wax beneath my nostrils. Bulger, uttering the most piteous andanxious cries, was hastening from one side to the other, pausing now and then for an instant to lick my hand or face. I sat upright to collect my senses; then clasping Bulger in my arms I patted, smoothed, kissed and caressed him amid a hundred sighs and groans, heart-rending enough to melt a breast of stone. Then throwing myself on my knees in front of So Too, I implored him to be merciful—to spare a faithful, loving being, whose heart was as free from guile as the flinty rock from tenderness; whose life had but one thought: to serve, guard, defend, save his master.
“Rise, unfortunate stranger!” was So Too’s reply, in a tone of deep commiseration, taking me by the hand and gently compelling me to be seated by his side. “List! If thou shouldst slice my body into ten thousand pieces I could not revoke this decree. Know that in this land of the Child of the Sun, a magistrate may not unsay his words. Mercy belongs to him, who dwells in higher places. This creature which thou lovest so, hath been adjudged to be an evil spirit. It is a favorite form of theirs; for as the dog is man’s close and trusted companion, malevolent spirits are most likely to assume that form, when desirous of obtaining admission to his house and heart in order to work his ruin. This wild and unreasoning affection for thy dog proves only too clearly that the evil spirit which dwells within him has already drawn the black lines of his mysterious art thrice around thy soul. Thrice three times will complete his dread purpose. Thou wilt then be lost forever! ’Tis well that some good spirit of the air or water hath delivered thee into the keeping of the Child of the Sun. For now, upon the trial in the Imperial Chamber of Perfect Justice, thine eyes will be opened; thou wilt be fully persuaded that an evil spirit of tremendous size and fearful power is squeezed into that small creature.”
“Never!” I exclaimed with flashing eye and glowing cheek.
So Too smiled faintly and laying his hand upon my arm continued: “Soft, illustrious guest, thou forgettest that Perfect Justice dwells in the bosom of our gracious Monarch. His ministers and judges have tongues; but they are not their own;they only utter the thought of the Imperial mind; therefore, what they decree must be right!”
“And if the Court,” I inquired, with bated breath, “should decree that some evil spirit hath taken up its abode, as thou claimest, in the body of my faithful Bulger—what—what—would be the—the—penalty?”
“Death!” whispered So Too.
“And is this thy boasted justice!” I cried, with tear-bedimmed eyes, “to condemn a dumb creature to death with no voice to plead for him?”
“Nay!” interposed So Too, “thou shalt speak for him, thou shalt be heard in his behalf—thou shalt be his advocate.”
“For this mercy,” said I, “my heart empties its thanks at thy feet; and, if my words, my pleading prove not powerful enough to avert the fearful penalty thou hast named, the executioner shall but whet his axe on that small neck, for I shall lay my head beside this dearer head than shoulders ever bore! Blow out the spark that illumines those loving eyes and all this great world could not light a fire bright enough to cast the gloom out of my life!”
So Too shook his head mournfully, but made no reply.
Calling my men to me I spoke as follows:
“Go, honest souls, I cannot be one of you. Return to your homes and firesides. An Imperial escort will conduct you to the port of Canton. There, beneath some friendly flag you will find means to reach your native land! Peace and good fortune go with you!”
Then, turning to my first mate, I added:
“Seek out my father, the elder baron, impart unto him the story of my shipwreck; the arrest of Bulger; and my firm determination to save him from the terrible fate now impending, or to die with him! The elder baron knows my love for Bulger. He would deem me a degenerate son of his illustrous house, were I to abandon this faithful companion of my dangers and sufferings to so unmerited a fate. Go! Place this signet ring on thy finger. Deliver it to my mother, with my most dutiful and humble greeting. Be wise; be brave; be honest!”
My men now formed in single file, and as they passed in front of me each one paused and pressed my hand to his lips.
Bulger, too, was ready for the leave taking. Mounted upon a chair at my side he extended his right paw to each seaman.
Tears streamed down their weather-beaten faces and, they invoked blessings on the head of their brave little companion who had saved them from a deep grave in the briny waters.
Scarcely were they out of my sight when a deafening beating of gongs announced the arrival of the guard. My heart slipped from its resting place. A cold sweat gathered in beads on my temples. It was only with the greatest effort that I could draw breath enough to keep me from sinking lifeless to the floor.
So Too murmured a word of sympathy.
At the sight of the gailors and sound of the chains, I uttered a piercing cry and threw myself on my knees with Bulger clasped tightly in my arms. Poor, innocent beast! he was utterly unable to comprehend the actions of those about him.
“He shall be well-treated!” murmured So Too. “Fear not for his safety or comfort!”
The gailors now advanced, and stooping down, clasped the delicate manacles—which were of polished silver, upon Bulger’s feet.
He looked up at me with eyes so speaking, so full of love and so trusting that I could not bear their gaze. It meant: “I submit without a murmur, for I know that thou wouldst not let any harm come to me!”
Then one of the guards lifted him gently and placed him in a silk-lined hamper, slung upon two poles. The lid was quickly adjusted and fastened, and ere I could collect my senses to speak a last farewell they hurried away with their prisoner, for it was plain to be seen their hearts were deeply moved by my woful countenance and grief-shaken voice.
At So Too’s solicitation I now went to rest.
Rest? Alas! how could sleep get into my tearful eyes? All night long I lay awake bemoaning the sad fate which had overtaken me. Had accusation and arrest fallen upon me, I could have borne it like a man; but that Bulger’s loving heart should have been singled out to bear a blow so undeserved was almost death to me.