China Jewel

by Thomas Hollyday

  Cutter asked, “What is a shot tower?”

  “They dropped molten lead down from heights so that they would become rounded in the air. They were used for gun ammunition. It was a cheaper way to make them than to cast each ball of shot separately.”

  Katy said, “We have a plan.” She reached over and put her hand on Cutter’s arm and smiled.

  Chapter 15

  August 2, 10 AM

  River Sunday

  Cutter relaxed. He tasted his drink at the bar in the Chesapeake Hotel. Crab cakes and apple sauce were on the way. Doc Jerry had just texted the Peregrine was seventy four days along with no more problems to date. The television above the bar announced the midday news. He paid more attention when the reporter began speaking of the competition.

  “We have a special report from London that concerns the Great China Race.”

  Cutter tensed, listening, his drink forgotten.

  A sharp-faced woman holding a microphone talked fast in an obvious London accent. She stood by a gate in front of white buildings outside London. He knew them. They were British Foreign Service offices near Hanslope Park.

  “One of the American entries in the China Race, the Peregrine, may be disqualified for illegal activities. Members of a research team of the British Government have been studying two-hundred-year-old documents written by overseas officials stationed in old Canton, China. They uncovered material that mentioned the activities of an early clipper ship, the Peregrine, we believe is the historic forebear of the sail racing competitor of today’s race. Apparently outstanding charges of murder were related to the ship including the theft of a valuable jewel.”

  Cutter shook his head in disgust. He knew this meant Barlow and the Willow team were starting to play rough, using British political connections. That boat had not been doing well out on the Pacific. As many had forecast in the press, she was a slow design.

  Holding up a pad of paper, the reporter continued, “I have just been at a briefing where the material in the old document was read by a ministry official. We recorded his speech for your information.”

  A video flicked to an austere British man in a dark suit and bow tie, his eyes on the notes in his right hand, his glasses down on his nose.

  To Rear Admiral Robert Burns, Commander in Chief, East Indies and China Station, British Royal Navy, Garrison Headquarters, Hong Kong

  June 16 1840 Canton

  We are making you aware of a case occurring recently in the settlement here. While it does not directly concern our company we think you should be aware of the trials under which we serve.

  Today there was much commotion in port. It was discovered this morning that Fusang, one of Canton’s most respected tea merchants, was found dead in his home on the island. Fusang was of course not his Chinese family name but assumed for the purpose of trading with outsiders considered too low in class to be touched by the true Chinese. This man was a cohong, a trusted man assigned by the Emperor in his wisdom to engage in the trade for tea. All dealings with the Chinese themselves were to be through him and the outsiders were kept from the farms or the merchants on the mainland except on special occasions of which the cohong was to be entrusted. So it was his information that advised foreign merchants of good crops and what the price would be for the kind of tea they might desire. Fusang was trusted by the foreigners and dealt fairly through them. He was apparently not in opium or kept secret his dealings in the drug. The local Chinese police commissioner who was prosecuting any of the merchants involved in the opium trade also left him alone. Fusang seemingly was above suspicion or paid the government very effective bribes. The opium was kept at heavily guarded hulks of ships off Lintin. From here the foreigners managed to ship against the law to the mainland.

  June 17 1840 Canton

  Fusang was murdered. Thieves broke into his home on the island near Canton and ransacked it, killing his servants and guards and robbing what may have been a fortune in emeralds. The bodies were stabbed by knives or cutlasses. The place was set on fire and many of the furnishings were damaged including his extensive collection of portraits of ships and traders by the best artists in Canton. Two guards from the property which was a large landed garden and house area, the scene of many invited parties for prominent people of the community, were found dead on the trail to the house. Also sadly, his daughter, just eighteen, was killed in the intrusion, still dressed in her beautiful ball gown from the party that evening, her necklace ripped from her neck and its cords left without the large emerald still left on her shoulders. The Chinese have no present indication as to the perpetrators and seek the servants who had fled into the hinterlands. It is thought that the murderers may be tribesmen from the interior who had heard of his wealth and had come into the area to steal.

  Further investigation from our Canton sources indicates that the Chinese government was surprised that this much of a fortune was in the home and not known by the government. They were concerned about the losses in taxes from his hoarding his earnings. His treasure box had been broken open and was empty. It is said that there were many emeralds inside, some of which had been sold to him by other merchants and who knew of his penchant for collecting them in lieu of banking his fortune. One of the emeralds, a very large stone, was said to be from his ancestor a famous Chinese explorer who had brought it from America in the ancient time. This jewel was the one in a necklace around the neck of his daughter, Meikuo.

  Fusang had often expressed his interest in leaving China and going to live in America or London. It was rumored that his daughter was supposed to leave for New York on the Peregrine with servants. She was to spend two years in that city for her education as a guest of Captain Tolchester’s trading company.

  June 18 1840 Canton

  A report from Macao is that the brig Peregrine had been moored at Macao waiting to come back up the Pearl River to the anchorage at Whampoa to load a return cargo. The Peregrine had done most of their merchant dealings with Fusang. Instead it departed without freight the night of the 16th. Its shipments of tea, already paid for, were down from the countryside and remain at the hongs.

  The ship left without pilots. The sails of the clipper Peregrine were seen at dawn far at sea heading from Macao.

  June 22, 1840, Canton

  Accusations have been leveled at drug dealers. No moves have yet been made on the opium agents on Lintin Island yet although government junks patrol the island just out of range of the island’s cannon.

  One mystery is why the young girl was killed too. Did she occasion upon the crime and try to help her father? Did she know the intruder? That casts blame on Captain Tolchester as it was well known that he was a frequent visitor to the house, more than anyone else that is for sure. Yet he is now departed and the Chinese do not approach his agency for fear of angering one of their best American trading companies. Yet it is equally well reported by the still living servants who have been located that the captain of the Peregrine did indeed visit Fusang that afternoon and was not seen leaving. Another and very different suspicion is that the murders were not of Tolchester’s doing and were caused by a robbery by drug traders.

  June 23, 1840 Canton.

  Strangely the Chinese have made no move to question any of the foreign agents at the port. Common gossip is that the Chinese feel that the invasion of the home and the killings are an internal Chinese matter. In my experience when these things happen and they do so especially with regard to the opium trade, they are soon forgotten and almost never solved. I expect we will see Captain Tolchester back here in the Peregrine by next season and nothing will be said. The Chinese after all want to sell their tea.

  The broadcast switched back to the commentator. The bartender who had been watching said, “Brits are up to something, I betcha.”

  Cutter grimaced as he could envisage Bill listening to the report. This was the kind of report that would add mystery to the Peregrine’s past without actually accusing the ship and its Captain Tolchester. It could be enough to ge
t her out of the race, though, unless he and Katy came up with something.

  He expected a call from Katy. She would not give up trying to prove the innocence of the Peregrine. When she got started on a project, she never gave up.

  His cell phone rang.

  Doc Jerry said, “A Pacific hurricane is coming into the sailing area of the Peregrine and the others. You should check out whether Bill wants to order the boat into harbor to wait out the storm.”

  Cutter was immediately worried. The warnings of Stringer, whether false or true, came to mind when he thought of the storm winds.

  He called Bill and his boss answered on the second ring. Bill said, “You heard the British news?”

  “Yes.” Cutter went on, “I have to talk to Katy. She has some ideas. We might have something to put this rumor to rest once and for all. I think we’ll be in the clear on the mystery. Anyway, Bill, we got a bigger problem. The Peregrine is heading right into a bad storm.”

  Bill replied, “Cutter, the rumor is your first priority. I want you to make sure our boat gets cleared up with this mystery stuff. The Chinese tell me they are nervous about bad press.”

  “What about this storm? We could lose the boat in the high winds.”

  “You want to bring them into a safe harbor? Cutter, I’m surprised at you. You never ran before when the going got rough.”

  “This time it’s different.”

  “Yes, I know. It’s Jamie. I knew I was making a mistake letting your boy get on the crew.”

  Cutter said, “He makes a difference.”

  Bill said, “You want us to quit?”

  “Yes.”

  “We will lose big. I’ll lose big.”

  “Making money when it means someone has to get hurt, that’s not right.”

  “You never thought this way before. That’s why I gave you the assignment. Tough ass Jimmy. Besides, you know damn well we never hurt anyone in any of our deals.”

  “Those mergers we did, putting all those people out of work.”

  “Oh, come on. This isn’t Jimmy talking.”

  “I never had my son involved.”

  “Cutter, the captain and crew won’t go along. They don’t want to desert the race and their ship, I can tell you.”

  “Why are you so sure?”

  “Look, Jimmy, I’ll admit it. I knew about the storm. I already paid them to stay out there sailing.”

  “You what?”

  “I talked to the captain by radio yesterday. I made sure he knew that the crew is in for bonuses if they sail through that storm.”

  “You did that?”

  “Sure and in the old days you would have too. You can’t tell me this is just because of your son. You've hardly seen the kid.”

  “No you’re right, Bill. It’s not just the boy. It’s the whole thing. Nothing I am doing here seems to be without tarnish.”

  “Same with all our projects. That’s the way we play to win.”

  “Well, I don’t have to play anymore.”

  “We play or the Chinese don’t play.”

  “We risk their lives.”

  “We’re not risking them any more than they agreed to when they signed on.”

  “I don’t know about that.”

  Bill hesitated and then said, “I don’t know you anymore.”

  “How much did you pay?”

  “Ask your kid.”

  “How much, you bastard?”

  “One million dollars. The captain can split it among the crew.”

  “Hall actually took your money and risked his boat and crew?”

  “It was his choice. We’re just doing what they did in the old days. The master of a China Trade clipper was allowed to drive his men to the brink of danger so he could pocket the reward for the fastest transit. If anyone got killed, it was justified. That was the old way.”

  Bill added, “Look, Jimmy. I kept you with me after that Africa issue about your family. Some said you ran away back there. I never believed it for a moment. Anyway, I got a company to run and you’re either with me or against me. Which is it going to be?”

  Cutter burned inside. The pain of the past was too great. He knew he was not a coward, had never been one, yet the myth was there, even with his boss.

  He said, softly, “I’m going along.” As he spoke he knew he was letting down his son once again. Yet he had no choice. He could not go out there and save the Peregrine all by himself. He had not known of danger to his wife and son in Africa. In this case, he did know.

  Cutter saw a vision of himself as a teenager sitting in front of his headmaster. This was at the prep school where his parents had sent him so he could study and qualify for college. The headmaster, a balding athletic man who coached him in football, scanned the list of grades before signing his report card for the month. His grades were as usual all first scholar so they had little to discuss about his academics. Their conversation went on to other things. Cutter asked about the military medals that rested in a gold frame hung on the headmaster’s office wall.

  The headmaster followed Cutter’s eyes.

  “Korea,” he said, explaining the medals.

  Cutter’s eyes were wide with questions.

  “You know, Cutter, I got those medals for firing a water-cooled tripod machine gun into hundreds of Chinese troops. They tried to take the hill where my platoon and I were dug in. Even after they had killed all my companions I kept on firing that gun and the Chinese just kept coming. You see, the only men who had guns were the first line. Each following line of troops would pick up the fallen rifles of their former comrades. Finally they were all dead and I stopped firing. It was real quiet out there. I’ve never forgotten that, never a minute, and you know what I still ask myself?”

  Cutter shook his head

  “I’ve never been able to figure out whether it was me with my machine gun that didn’t jam or them with their courage who really won that day.”

  Cutter asked, “Why didn’t you run?”

  He said with a smile, “If we had run away the Chinese would have shot us in the back for sure. By staying we had a small chance of surviving but only a small one.”

  He went on, “Who was the real hero that day? I’ve asked myself that question over the years. Were the Chinese the good guys or were we? Dirty little wars always have that demon question in the shadows when the guns stop firing.”

  He heard Bill’s voice from years ago, coming from the back of his mind. Bill was saying, “Look here, Jimmy, don’t get nervous in the service. It will all work out.”

  Cutter calmed himself. He was not sure about heroism, but he knew he could help Jamie more by staying.

  Chapter 16

  August 3, 1 PM

  River Sunday

  The storm was large and menacing but at present far to the west of the racing clippers on the electronic console. Sparkles placed her finger on the glass over the storm center. “It’s heading pretty much west and its strongest winds are coming from the southwest.”

  She added, “The press thinks all the boats are doomed. They are making a big story out of the danger. However, at this time, with the storm moving away, it doesn’t merit the hype by the reporters.”

  Sparkles stood with Cutter in front of the large computer screen. The mass of the storm had circling winds coming from the opposite direction than similar weather in the northern hemisphere. In the north they spun counterclockwise but in the south clockwise.

  She pointed to the dark line of squalls. She said, “Captain Hall and his crew are positioned to the east of the storm. They might be receiving some winds from the west or northwest but they are far from the storm center. They are heading west also and will essentially trail the storm. On the other hand, if the storm turns eastward, the Peregrine is in real danger.

  “You can see the locations of the racers in reference to the coast of Peru on the east and the hurricane on the west. The Louis 14 is probably in the worst place being only a few hundred miles from the weather. On its
present course that brig will meet heavy outer winds very soon. However, from the chart it doesn’t appear that the captain is going to slow down or veer off.”

  Cutter said, “He’s betting that the storm will change direction to a more southward course and he’ll pass pretty much to the north. If he’s right he’ll be way ahead of his competition.” And a lot wealthier, he thought with disgust, thinking about Bill’s bribe.

  Sparkles said, “He’ll be sunk – literally - if he is wrong.”

  The room went silent with her comment. After a few moments, Sparkles continued, “The America is further north. Strand’s captain is not taking any chances. He appears to be heading back toward Peru and a safe harbor. Water is usually too cold along the shore for these storms to follow him in there.”

  “It’s not like Slidell to cut and run. His captain must be even more worthless and cowardly than I thought. Slidell and Strand are probably furious. I’m glad they are pissed for a change, the bastards,” Cutter said, grinning.

  Sparkles continued, “The Brits are heading south. I expect they figure the weather will stay west. Here’s our Peregrine in fairly safe water.”

  “As you say, though, safe only if the storm does not turn around and change course eastward.”

  “Yes,” agreed Sparkles.

  “Mister Cutter,” Laura called from the other end of the operations center.

  “Yes, Laura.”

  “A call just came from the editor at NBC television in Baltimore. He has assigned a reporter to interview you here today. The television team will be at the Motorboat Lounge this afternoon getting local opinions about the Peregrine and the storm. They asked if you would consent to an interview.”

  “Lulu’s,” he repeated. “You can tell him we’ll be there.”

  River Sunday had no auditorium big enough for town meetings. Even the high school basketball court space was small and limited in seating with barely room for the teams to maneuver. The courthouse had a large chamber built two hundred years ago and too small for the greatly enlarged population of River Sunday. The movie theatre was an early Nineteen Thirties structure that held a good crowd but the stage had no place to set up cameras and microphones. The Catholics had a modern school with a large auditorium but Pastor Allingham’s flock refused to go there. Most of the Protestants also had objections. These people didn’t give their excuses out loud, but reasons probably went back to the early days of anti-Catholic feeling in the original colony.