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11
which afterwards proved to be the Saruiaff, | Morrison (who had been recalled from the of 3,458 tons, Capt. Stromsky, the Yaro-Water Police gig), to Deep Water Bay; slave, 2871 tons, Capt. Ostolopoff, and the Hazeland accompanied McNab and the two Mosknou, 2245 tons, Capt. Andrief--head-remaining Indian Constables by road to ed in for Deep Water Bay (where we have Deep Water Bay, orders being left with had many a jolly afternoon's golf together, Findlay that when the other two Indians but never shall again). A largo junk that arrived they were to he sent on after them. was hovering off the entrance to the Bay There being no rockets or other fireworks suddenly showed a green flash to seaward, at the Station that could be used for signal- which was immediately answered by two ling, it was arranged that two or more short red flashes from the forecastle of the rifle shots would signify Enemy landing," Saratoff, the leading ship. The junk im- which was to be at once telephoned to the mediately turned Northwards and preceded Central. Two blasts of the steam-whistle the strangers in towards Deep Water Bay.in quick succession was to convey the saine The whole proceedings were so suspi-meaning. Though there were stables, cious that Meugens and Hazeland, who there were no Police horses at Aberdeen, had lifted their anchor, and paddled so Mr Kerr, the Superintendent of the in softly towards the bay at the approach Aberdeen Dock (then not in use), and the of the vessels on seeing the exchange only other European in the place (Dunean, of signals, at once sheered off to the the clerk, being absent), volunteered to N.W. for Aberdeen, pulling as hard as carry information by the Pokfolum Road, they could. At the first splash of their travelling on his bicycle. Kerr had been oars they were hailed from the Sarataff roused by McNab's orders. in Chinese (which Hazeland spoke fluently),
It was impossible to communicate with and hidden to come alongside, being pro-Watts and Lee, the two Europeans at the mised a good price for their fish. Diero Brick Works, as they wore practically at garding the hail, however, they pulled the scrue of action. The Paper Mills bad hard for Aberdeen, and on landing rushed ceased to employ any Europeans. Haze- up to the Police Station where they only land wrote a short note to Mr Miht, the found one Scotch Constable-Robert Find Captain Superintendent of Police, who was Joy-who, after some demur, consented to living at Hillside, the Peak, and sent it off telephone to the Central Police Station in by a Chinese Constable up the road to Victoria, Three large ships showing no Mount Gough. A telephone had been lights gone into Deep Water Bay.' Just received from Cuthbert at Pokfolum Sta- after doing so, the Sergeant in charge tion, stating that nothing was in sight in (Peter McNab) arrived from patrol. Meu-Telegraph or Sandy Bays, in reply to one gens and Hazeland had no difficulty in mak- from Aberdeen. After that nothing more ing him understand the gravity of the came from Pokfolum--the wire had been situation. Two of the four Indian Consta-cut, and it is impossible to doubt in the bles belonging to the Station had just light of after events, but that French started on patrol. A Chinese Constable agents, who had represented themselves was sent to recall them from the as Destitutes and been cared for by the westward. Another man was sent down to Fathers at Douglas Castle, destroyed the the launch Lun On to order the firos to line. By midnight all the telephone wires
be drawn forward at once, and a full head
throughout the island were cut. Being
of steam got up. Meugens was to proceed Government lines the mere non-working in her, accompanied by Constable James would under ordinary circumstances have
aroused no suspicion-interruption of silence as long as possible, and the Lun On communications being very frequent, had no appearance of being a Government All the cables had, however, ceased to vessel.
work, and the land lines to Canton Rounding the point Mengens burned a were found to be interrupted. It was flare at the bow, and when sure he had very easy to fish up the shore ends of been observed from the Police Station and the cable from junks in Telegraph and been answered by the waving of the big Deep Water Bays. It was subsequently Station lamp, blew the two blasis as ar- discovered that the Gap Rock had been ranged. Findlay, who had been in con- taken possession of at 7 P.M. The light stant communication with the Central, was of course kept going. But for the aedespatched the preconcerted message cident of the premature discovery by Huse Enemy landing,' the last from Aberdeen, land and Mougens, in another hour or so no Almost immediately afterwards, before communication by telephone could have Meugens landed, telephonic communication been made. Findlay was left at the Aber-cessed. After the whistle had been blown deen Police Station with five Chinese Water Morrison opened fire with his rifle on the Police Constables armed with cutlasses, rapidly-overtaking pinnace, whilst Meugeus and two of the land force, the latter having took the helm, the steersman being paraly. Suiders.
Bed with fright. The first shot rang on the
THE LANDING.
bullet proof shield of the pinnace in front
It was nearly 11.15 when Meugens crept of the helmsman. The Russians promptly out round the point as close in to the rocks (returned the fire with rifle shots. Simul- in the shadow as he dared in the Lun On, taneously the reports of musketry came with all lights screened and a bag kept from Deep Water Bay. constantly wet about a foot above the Meugens rushed the launch in amongst mouth of the funnel to choke the sparks. the sampans, in the bight between the Creeping round, the three vessels were Docks and Aberdeen village, till she found to be moored head and stern broad-grounded; whilst doing so a lamp capsized side on to the beach, about five cables in-in one of the boats rushed past, immediate- side the island, not 400 yards from the shore.ly setting fire to the matting in her-giving Derricks were rigged and on both sides Meugens the idea of firing the launch, pontoons, guns and troop-boats were which was done by Morrison breaking the being hoisted out. Boats from the engine room lamps over an old awning aft davits had been lowered and were being and a pile of bedding in the cabin forward. rapidly filled with men. The most admir- The pinnace did not pursue the launch able order was maintained, and almost per- amongst the boats, being too slight, but fect silence observed; only very occasionally stopped outside firing at her, killing one of gleams of light were visible.
the Chinese crew who was crouching down The Lun On, which had approached to forward, and hitting Meugens twice at the about 300 yards, was then backed, but whilst wheel, once in the neck, once in the left turning was perceived and chased by a shoulder. On jumping overboard Morrison small pinnace that shot ont from under the continued setting fire to the sampans, turning bows of the Saratoff, the most westerly of out the occupants into the shallow water, and the enemy's troopers. The Lun On was firing the boats with their own lamps, the driven full speed for the Aberdeen passage, expecting every moment to be fired on. The enemy, however, evidently desired
at roofs burning brightly, until he was shot through the head from the pinnace, not, however, till the boats over a large