CHAPTER XXXI.
CHOW MAKES A DISCOVERY, AND NICHOLAS A SURPRISE.
While Chow had been engaged in his adventure with the countryman, Yangreceived intelligence from the commander of his junk, that the vesselwas laden, and only awaited his orders for sailing. So far,circumstances were favorable for the voyage to Leao-tong, and if theycould but secure a proper attendant for the princess they might set outthat evening. That was the great difficulty to be got over. Many planswere suggested, but all seemed so fraught with danger of discovery, thatthey were well nigh at their wit's end. While Nicholas and Yang werediscussing the matter, there was a great hammering upon the gong at thedoor. It was Chow, who in another minute stood before them. Alone? No,but to the astonishment of Nicholas, accompanied by a woman, so veiledthat no feature could be seen.
"How! what means this? Who is this woman?" exclaimed Nicholas.
"The noble Nicholas bestowed two taels upon his servant."
"What words are these?" replied Nicholas, impatiently; adding, "Hastthou bought the robe?"
"Pardon, O noble master, but thy servant can better do without a robefor the rest of his life than the glorious purchase he has made withthose taels."
"What purchase is this, thou rogue?" said Nicholas, vexed that he couldget no direct answer.
"His dearly beloved lost mother, O my master."
"Thy mother! What words are these?"
Then, when Chow had related the scene with the sacks, and his adventurewith the countryman, and how that it resulted in the discovery of hismother, who stood before them, Nicholas heartily and sincerelycongratulated him, as did also the merchants, who ordered the servantsto take her to the inner apartments, all of which so gratified thedelighted Chow that he fell at the feet of Nicholas, kissed the hem ofhis robe, and with tears of gratitude and joy told them that his motherhad made her escape from the slayer of her husband, but having beenretaken, the enraged mandarin had ordered her to be sold with the otherwomen. So, O noble Nicholas, has the great Tien rewarded thy servant forendeavoring to rescue what he thought to be a strange woman from avillain, who was about casting her in the canal.
Now, nothing could be more fortunate for all parties than this discoveryof Chow's, for as the mother would not leave Chow, nor Chow leave hismother or his master, if he could help it, it was speedily settled thatno better attendant could be found for the princess, and so it wasarranged that they should start at once.
The merchant, partly by his great interest with the usurper'sgovernment, and partly by bribes, secured a com-ho or passport forhimself and family; sedan chairs were procured, and the whole partypassed through the city to the river, where the junk was awaiting them.Then, having seen them safe on board and given instructions to hiscaptain to obey Nicholas, he placed a purse of silver in the youth'shands, took his leave, and left the travelers to pursue their journey,and with but one interruption from a river mandarin, who stopped theirprogress to examine their cam-ho, the junk proceeded down the Pei-ho, orwhite river.
The junk was upon a small scale something like what the houses of ourmerchants were, when, proud of their profession, they had theirresidences attached to their warehouses, one-half being occupied by thecargo, and the other divided into rooms, each of which was furnished inaccordance with the quality of its tenant. The two usually set aside forthe ladies of the family were tenanted by the princess, who, as becameher rank and sex, kept herself secluded from the eyes of the malepassengers and sailors.
For several days they continued their voyage down the river, till by thefields of millet seed, pulse, and turnips, the numerous mud hovels, theshoals of small boats, and the thousands of starving men, women, andchildren, who were paddling about the fields, and the very city of hugesalt stacks upon the banks, they saw that they were approaching the townof Tien-sin, at which place, in consequence of the number of vesselswhich had arrived that day laden with timber, they were delayed forsome time before the captain could unload his vessel and take in a cargoof salt.
As in our own manufacturing counties many thousands of poor mechanicsand artisans make little livings for themselves and great fortunes fortheir employers, so in Tien-sin, the most miserably poor and shrivelledportion of the vast population in China produce a commodity which placestheir masters, the salt dealers, among the most wealthy merchants in theEmpire. While the captain is unloading his cargo I will tell you howthese people produce this common edible.
In addition to the pits of salt, which, like coal, are found in many ofthe provinces, there are many places where it is discovered by scatteredspots of gray earth. To obtain this salt, they level the surface of theearth as smooth as glass and in a sloping direction so that the waterwill run off. When dried by the sun, and the white particles of salt areseen, they first raise it in small heaps, like haycocks, then spread itupon sloping tables with ledges, and pour soft water upon it, which, asit soaks in, extracts the salt and runs into an earthen vessel by meansof a small channel. The earth thus drained is not wasted, but laidaside, so that after a few days, when dry, they reduce it to a finepowder, and replace it in the spot from whence it was taken, when, aftersix days, it is again mixed with particles of salt, which are againextracted as before, so that not one atom becomes lost.
While the men are thus engaged in the fields, the women and children areemployed in huts, in boiling the salt water in large iron basins, whichthey place over an earthen stove, with holes made in such a manner thatthe fire heats all the basins alike. When the salt water has boiled sometime, it becomes thick, and changes slowly into a very white salt, whichis stirred with an iron spatula till it becomes quite dry.
When the captain had exchanged his cargo for an other of dates, which heintended again to exchange profitably in Leao-tong for peas and drugs,Nicholas purchased a quantity of furs and mats, which he soon found tobe necessary; for, as they approached further to the north, the windsblew keenly, and the iceblocks floated so numerously as frequently toimpede their voyage; indeed, the cold was so intense that nothing butthe fear of losing life or liberty, or the love of gold, would haveinduced any one to make the voyage in that inclement season (it was inNovember). Indeed, by the time they had passed the mouth of the Pei-hoand got into the gulf of Pe-tche-Lee, the snow fell so heavily, and thenorth winds blew so keenly, that, breaking through all discipline, thesailors lighted fires upon the deck, and laid near them, drinking ricespirit so copiously, that had not Nicholas, who knew so well how tomanage such insubordinates, thrown the spirit tubs overboard, they musthave foundered upon the _Sha-loo-poo-teen_ islands. As it was, so longand so rough was the passage across the gulf, that the princess becamefearfully ill; so much so, indeed, that at one time they feared shewould have died. At length, however, they came to an anchor off thecoast of Kin-Chow, a distance of seven miles from the shore, and soplanted with dangerous rocks that they were compelled to makefire-signals for the townspeople to put off to them in their lighters orbarges.
As the people have these lighters always ready for the purpose, it wasnot long before several answered the signal, and came alongside.Choosing the most commodious, Nicholas caused a large fire to be lightedin the cabin, where the princess, who was too ill to walk, was lifted onboard, and the lightermen rowed them the roughest seven miles of theirjourney. Nicholas and Chow paced the deck in no very good humor, as theywere obliged to entrust themselves to the slow movements of the boatmen,who neither for love nor money would hasten their pace. Moreover, as thesea rolled so heavily, the distance was lengthened by their beingcompelled to take a circuitous course between and around the dangerousrocks.
When the boatman, who, although slow, were sure, brought them beneaththe huge rocks which form the sea-walls of Leao-tong, Chow looked upwith amazement. "Surely," said he, "Yen-Vang must have built these greatrocks to prevent the province from falling upon the heads of the peoplein his watery dominions;" adding, as he saw some little birds, likeswallows, flying about the rocks, "Truly, if my eyeballs are straight,those little creatures promise
us some of the soup of life."
"Truly our eyeballs play us false, O Chow, for these birds are seldomfound but on the coast of Tonquin, Java, and Cochin-China," saidNicholas doubtfully.
"It is true that the servant has not the wisdom of his master, yet thestomach and the nose are excellent diviners. Moreover, it is said thatthis bird-nest soup is strengthening to the weak. The princess is weak,O my master, and Chow would obtain some of those nests."
Then, as they were near a jutting point of the rock of no very difficultascent, Nicholas ordered the barge to stop, while Chow ascended andprocured some half-dozen of the nests, from which to the present day,one of the most popular dishes of China is made.
As Nicholas had said, these birds' nests are seldom found except on thecoasts of Java, Cochin-China, and Tonquin. The birds are not unlikeswallows, as to their feathers; the nests, which they build high up inthe clefts of the rocks, are supposed to be composed of small sea-fish,fastened together by means of a viscous juice, which distils from thebeaks of the little creatures, and serves as a gum to fasten the neststo the rock. They are also seen to take the froth that floats upon thesea, with which they cement every part of their nests, in the samemanner that swallows build with mud and clay. This matter being dried,becomes solid, transparent, and of a greenish color; but, while fresh,it is generally white.
When Chow had procured these nests, the boatmen resumed their toil, andin a short time reached the harbor; Chow landed first, and havingprocured a litter, the princess and his mother were conveyed through therows of dirty-looking granite houses, which form the town of Kin-Chow,till they arrived at a small inn.