was given by a Chinese watchmaker who had been mending a clock at the Colonel-Commandant’s on the day of the murder. He saw Tan-King-Chin brought there from the Taoutae’s at 2 p.m. alive and well. The colonel was dressing to go to the Intendant’s, when a messenger came to say that the English consul and his staff were already there demanding the surrender of the prisoner. The unhappy Straitsman was at once taken into the yard and continuously beaten with bamboo rods. In vain, in his agony, he appealed to the Colonel-Commandant, first as a British subject, then as a relative of his own, their surnames “Tan” being the same. The mandarin mocked the dying man, and caused the torture to be repeated till death ensued. Now from this it was evident that the Taoutae sent orders for his murder whilst he was holding a conference with the consul, and only appeared to yield to the demands of the latter when assured by the Colonel-Commandant, who had come from the fearful scene, that life was almost extinct. No suspicion of such treachery crossed the minds of the English; the demeanour of the Chinese authorities forbade it. Had such an idea presented itself to the consul’s mind, there is no doubt that he and his companions would have gone to the prison, and at all risks endeavoured to save the poor man. Well, indeed, it was that no such attempt was made, for it was afterwards ascertained that during the interview the Taoutae’s yamun was surrounded by soldiers, and an idol carried round and round. There can be no doubt of the fate of that little band had they tried by force to rescue the victim from the hands of his murderers.
Oh, how wearily the time passed during the following seven days and nights! Gongs sounded in the city, muskets were fired, the “tiger” soldiers were paraded daily; additional Chinese troops, to the amount of three thousand men, marched into Amoy. Everything was evidently disturbed and warlike. The whole of the consulate was commanded by the city walls, and we might have been shelled at any moment. But it is in hours of danger like these that Englishmen display those attributes which have won for our race the respect of the world. Not a symptom of fear did the members of the consulate show. Much against my wish my brother went freely into the city, and when in my terror I wanted him, at least, to leave off his laced cap, which marked him as an official, he laughed, and said our only chance of safety lay in preserving a firm and fearless attitude.
Minutes lengthened into hours of anxiety when he was absent from my sight, and when he returned unscathed I almost felt as if I received him from the dead. We watched the flagstaff which would signal the approach of the “Serpent” till our eyes were sore with looking, and our hearts were sick with hope deferred. The vessel came near before we knew of her arrival, for she grounded in trying to cross the bar of the Consular creek, but her intrepid commander, Captain Luard, though uncertain as to what might have befallen his countrymen, rowed on shore, and, being well acquainted with the locality, came by a short cut across the hills to the consulate. When he strode into the court-yard in his heavy boots, armed to the teeth, the herald of our succour and safety, some of us wept for joy,
It was little likely that the Chinese, though so numerous, would provoke the shot and shell of the brig, for they are as cowardly as they are cruel; and after the painful suspense which we had undergone, we were thankful indeed for the sense of security we enjoyed in the presence of that small vessel of war.
A full account of this tragedy was sent to the home government, and we indulged in confident speculations as to the result. We felt that though we were few and far away from our native land, her powerful arm would reach even the ruthless authorities of Amoy, and demand ample atonement for the insult offered to her, in the cruel murder of one who had a just claim to her protection.
Vain hopes! Of this vile deed, committed with a full knowledge that the victim was a registered British subject, done in daylight under the authority of the Chinese Intendant, no notice was taken, no satisfaction or apology ever demanded. Something, I believe, was said about the impropriety of the man wearing a Chinese dress, but as even missionaries often adopt it as more convenient, this could form no excuse.
And now, when blood and treasure are being freely poured forth in the far East, in our endeavour to establish lasting and satisfactory relations with the Court of Pekin, may we not justly attribute some portion of the difficulties which meet us at every step, some of the sufferings of our lately captured countrymen, to the impression of our supine forbearance given to the mandarins by the unavenged fate of Tan-King-Chin?
P.
RAPHAEL AND MICHEL ANGELO.
The family Farnese had built a splendid and costly villa on the bank of the Tiber, and Cardinal Farnese, on succeeding to its possession, requested Raphael to undertake the fresco-painting on the walls of the salons. The great artist for a long time refused the task, but his Eminence having won the intercession of the Fornarina, Raphael consented, and promised to employ all his talents in the work, under the condition, however, that none should be allowed to look at it before its completion.
It is well known that the rivalry existing between the two artists had at last degenerated into actual jealousy, and that there were at that time not a few among the connoisseurs at Rome who preferred the grace and beauty of Raphael’s paintings to the powerful productions of the gigantic genius of his rival. Michel Angelo was aware of the fact, and his excitable and haughty temper often betrayed him into malicious tricks against Raphael. When the villa paintings were in course of rapid progress, nothing else was then talked of at Rome. Some spoke with enthusiasm of the “Banquet of the Gods and the Union of Psyche;” others were inexhaustible in praise of the beautiful “Galatea,” while each and all expressed a desire and curiosity to know what Angelo would say of them.
