CHAPTER X.

Admiral Blackwood appoints Mr. Richardson Captain of the Leander, 60— Ceylon Wild Elephants-Captain Richardson takes the Command of the Topaze, 46, in China-Deadly Fray between Seamen and NativesThe Chinese demand a Sailor for Execution Consequences of a refusal-Captain Richardson silences the Forts of Bocca Tigris, and disperses the Imperial Fleet-The brave Admiral of the Celestials floored by his own Pigtail-Captain Richardson returns home invalided-He becomes a Rear-Admiral and is Knighted-Decease of Vice-Admiral Sir Charles Richardson, K.C.B.

A.D. 1819 to 1822.

ADMIRAL Sir Henry Blackwood, who had been Richardson's captain in the Penelope, was appointed in July, 1819, commander-in-chief on the East India station. Sir Henry immediately wrote a most flattering letter to Painsthorp, offering his former lieutenant the post of captain on board his flag-ship, the Leander, 60. On the 29th of July, Captain Richardson was gazetted to that fine ship, and proceeded to Portsmouth to lay in stores, and make arrangements for a long absence. Although a perfect sailor, the same compliment cannot be paid to his knowledge of housekeeping; for on leaving home he could not be prevailed upon to put

any one into the premises. But he packed up his linen, household goods, and furniture; then he locked the door, and left them in a lonely house to take care of themselves. So soon as the dark nights in December set in, some thieves forced open a shutter and carried away a cart-load of linen and other things which were so conveniently packed for removing. The success of this wholesale theft led to many minor depredations, until his friends ventured to locate a labourer in the mansion.

After the Leander had been at sea a few weeks, the cholera broke out on board, and numbers of the men, besides some of the officers, fell victims to that dreadful pestilence before the ship reached Ceylon. The Leander remained here some weeks, and during that time a curious circumstance occurred, which is thus narrated in the words of Captain Richardson himself:

"In Trincomalee harbour, in the island of Ceylon, there is a long straggling village, with the huts composed of bamboos, having, for the sake of privacy, an evergreen hedge between the road and the row of cottages. This road leads to the fort built at the extremity of the peninsula, for the defence of the entrance of the harbour. One day a drove of about twenty wild elephants approached the village, and such was the consternation and fear amongst its inhabitants, that all fled from their huts. The women had barely time to snatch

up their children, and take them in their arms, and some were abandoned on the road to enable the poor mothers to effect their own escape. Two stately elephants, male and female, led the van; the rest, of all sizes and ages, quietly walked two and two after them. On the oldest elephant coming up to one of the little infants, he very cautiously and gently took it up at the end of his proboscis, and lifted it over the hedge, carefully placing it in the hut opposite.

"The elephants passed the village, and coming to the gate of the fortress, which was open, they entered before the sentinel on duty could alarm the guard. The soldiers retreated to the tower above the gateway, and the sensible animals peaceably proceeded along the ramparts, examining curiously the beautiful brass pieces there mounted. The leader halted before a large gun, and first he pulled out the tompion, then, introducing his proboscis, he extracted the wad, and then ingeniously brought out the shot, neither of which he could make much of. Next came the charge of powder, which seemed to him to have neither taste or smell; therefore he scattered it to the winds. After collecting his troop, and looking over the ramparts on the open fen, he led them back the way they came and retreated towards the country. On their way they came to a villa belonging to Lieutenant Ellis, and, finding themselves hungry, the old elephant reconnoi

tered a grove of cocoa-nut trees. Having ascertained which tree bore fruit, he formed his troop in a line, and ran first at the tree, shaking it violently, then, taking hold of it, pushed it to the two next pair. Having thus found out the weak side, he formed his line afresh for another charge and very soon broke down the tree, when, after feasting on its fruit, they quietly returned to the jungle."

On the demise of Captain J. Lumley, on the 30th of July, 1821, Captain Richardson, at the request of Admiral Blackwood, consented to take the command of the Topaze, 46, and proceed with her from Pulo Penang to China, where the presence of an experienced and determined officer was required, as the Chinese were inclined to be extremely insolent towards foreign ships. On arriving at Canton he found the natives very overbearing, from a recent triumph they had obtained over the American consul, a foreign sailor under that flag being given up for the alleged murder of a woman, and, after a mock trial, was cruelly put to death. The facts were these:

A seaman, a native of Italy, acting as second officer on board an American vessel, observing a woman hand some samsoo (spirits) into one of the ports of the ship, threw a small stone jar at her, which struck her on the temple. The woman retreated in a great hurry, and, in consequence of the pin on which the oar was

fastened breaking on her pulling away from the ship, she fell overboard and immediately sunk. She was found the next morning, at some distance from the vessel, with a small wound, as the Chinese asserted, on one of her temples; but this was stated by the Americans to have been made by the Chinese after she was found drowned. The family of the woman threatened to represent the alleged murder to the authorities at Canton, and to demand that the murderer should be given up for trial. At the same time, they let the accused understand that all would be hushed up if the Americans would pay four hundred dollars. This was refused; and the mandarins were informed of the charge, who immediately demanded the man, and all trade with the American ships in the river was stopped.

At length it was agreed that the man should be surrendered for his trial at Canton; and he was, accordingly, strongly ironed and taken out of the ship by a party of Chinese soldiers. During the mock trial that ensued, not an American, nor any other person on the man's part, was allowed to attend the proceedings. On the fourth day after this event, some Chinese soldiers entered the room and took him into a place, where the first intimation he had of his cruel fate was the appearance of the executioner, and the implements of death before him, in a square surrounded