Stanley had already learned, from them, all they knew of what had happened after he had been stunned3 by the bullet. Two of them had crossed the rivulet4, before being wounded; and these said that they believed all the white officers had been killed, but that they thought most of the troops had got away.
"It is more than they deserved," Stanley said indignantly. "I don't say much about the Mugs. They had very little drill or discipline and, naturally, were afraid of the Burmese, who had long been their masters; but if the sepoys had kept together under their officers, they might all have escaped, for the Burmese would never have been able to break their ranks."
"Some of the officers had been killed, and most of them wounded, before the retreat began, sahib," one of the sepoys said apologetically, "and they were ten to one against us."
"Yes, I know that; but you who had fought before should have known well enough that, as long as you kept together, you could have beaten them off; and they would have been glad enough to have given up the pursuit, at last. No doubt they all wanted to have a share in the plunder5 of Ramoo."
"What do you think that they are going to do with us, sahib?"
"From what they said as they brought me here, I think that we shall be sent to Ava, or Amarapura. They lie close together, and the court is sometimes at one place and sometimes at the other. What they will do with us when we get there, I don't know. They may cut off our heads, they may put us in prison; anyhow, you may be sure that we shall not have a pleasant time of it.
"All we have to hope for is that the capture of Rangoon, by our fleet, may lower their pride and bring them to treat for terms. It sailed nearly six weeks ago from Calcutta, and was to have been joined by one from Madras and, allowing for delays, it ought to have been at Rangoon a fortnight since, and would certainly capture the place without any difficulty. So possibly by the time we reach Ava we shall find that peace has been made.
"Still, the Burmese may not consider the loss of Rangoon to be important, and may even try to recapture it--which you may be sure they won't do, for I heard at Chittagong that there were some twenty thousand troops coming; which would be quite enough, if there were but good roads and plenty of transport for them, to march through Burma from end to end."
In the evening food was brought to the prisoners and, talking with some of the Burmese who came up to look at them, Stanley learned that Bandoola himself had not accompanied the force across the Naaf, and that it was commanded by the rajahs who ruled the four provinces of Aracan. Upon the following morning the prisoners were marched away, under a strong guard. Six days later they reached the camp of Bandoola. They were drawn6 up at a distance from the great man's tent. He came down, accompanied by a party of officers, to look at them. He beckoned7 to Stanley.
Stanley is brought before Bandoola, the Burmese general.
The man put the question in Hindustani. Stanley replied, in Burmese:
"I am an officer, your lordship, but a temporary one, only. I served in the Mug levy9, and was appointed for my knowledge of their tongue."
"How is it that you come to speak our language?" Bandoola asked, in surprise.
"I am a trader, your lordship, but when our trade was put an end to, by the outbreak of the war, I entered the army to serve until peace was made. I learned the language from a servant in the service of my uncle, whose assistant I was."
The Burmese general was capable of acts of great cruelty, when he considered it necessary; but at other times was kindly11 and good natured.
"He is but a lad," he said to one of his officers, "and he seems a bold young fellow. He would be useful as an interpreter to me, for we shall want to question his countrymen when we make them all prisoners. However, we must send him with the others to Ava, as he is the only officer that we have taken; but I will send a message to some of my friends, at the court, asking them to represent that I consider he will be useful to me; and praying that he may be kept for a time and treated well, and may be forwarded to me, again, when I make my next move against the English."
The following day the prisoners started under the escort of twenty soldiers, commanded by an officer of some rank, who was specially12 charged to take them safely to Ava. It was a fortnight's march to the Irrawaddy. Until they neared the river the country was very thinly populated but, when they approached its banks, the villages were comparatively thick, standing for the most part in clearings in a great forest. On the march the Burmese officer frequently talked with Stanley, asked many questions about England and India; and was evidently surprised, and somewhat sceptical, as to the account the lad gave him of the fighting strength of the country. He treated him with considerable indulgence, and sent him dishes from his own table.
When not talking with him, Stanley marched at the head of the little party of prisoners--all of whom were sepoys, no quarter having been given to the native levies13. Of an evening, Stanley endeavoured to keep up the sepoys' spirits by telling them that probably, by this time, the British expedition had arrived at Rangoon, and captured it; and that peace would most likely follow, and they might be exchanged for any Burmese who fell into the hands of the English.
When they reached a village on the banks of the river the population, on seeing them, came round and would have maltreated them; had not the officer interfered14, and said he had Bandoola's orders to carry them safely to the court, and that anyone interfering15 with them would be severely punished. The head man of the village bent16 low, on hearing the general's name.
"I ask your pardon, my lord. The prisoners shall not be touched. But have you heard the news?"
"I have heard no news," the officer said.
"It arrived here yesterday, my lord. The barbarians17 have had the audacity18 to sail up, with a great fleet of ships, to Rangoon. They had vessels19 of war with them and, though our forts fired upon them, they had so many cannon20 that we could not resist them, and they have captured the town. This happened a fortnight since."
The officer stood thunderstruck at what appeared, to him, to be an act of audacious insolence21. However, after a moment's pause, he said wrathfully:
"It is of little matter. The town was weak, and in no position for defence; but a force will soon go down to sweep these barbarians away. Now, get ready your war galley22, as soon as possible."
Each village on the river was compelled, by law, to furnish a war galley for the king's service whenever it might be required. These carried from fifty to a hundred men, and some three hundred of these boats were always available for service, and constituted one of the strongest divisions of the fighting force of the Burman empire. The village was a large one, and in half an hour the crew of the galley were on board and, rowing forty oars23, started up the river.
"What think you of this news?" the officer said, beckoning24 to Stanley to take his place in front of him. "These men must be mad, to tempt25 the anger of the Lord of the Golden Stool, the mighty26 Emperor. Had you heard aught of this?"
"I heard but a vague rumour27 that a fleet had been collected, but I heard nothing for certain as to its destination."
"It is madness," the officer repeated. "We shall sweep them into the sea. How many of them are there, do you think?"
"As to that I can say little, my lord. I only heard a report that some ships and troops were to sail--some from Madras and some from Calcutta--but of the number of the men and ships, I know nothing for certain."
"They have taken evil council," the officer said, gravely. "I have heard that they gained some slight advantage, in Cachar; but there they had but irregular troops to meet, largely Assamese, who are but poor cowards. This little success must have turned their heads. They will now have our regular forces to deal with, and these will number a hundred thousand--or twice as many, if necessary. Think you that the handful that would be transported in ships can stand against such a host?"
"There may be more than you think, my lord. Many of the ships will be very big, much bigger than those that trade with Rangoon; and some of them will carry as many as five hundred men."
"Even so," the officer said scornfully; "if there were twenty-five such ships, or even fifty, the force would be as nothing to us. They will have to take to their vessels, as soon as our army approaches."
"It may be so, sir; but I think that they will scarce go without fighting. I would represent to you that, although much fewer in numbers than your army which attacked us, at Ramoo, the troops made a stout28 fight of it; and that they fought steadily29, until the Mugs ran away. After that, from what I hear, I admit that they fled shamefully30. But the troops that come to Rangoon will be better than those were, for there will be white regiments31 among them; and though these may, as you say, be overpowered with numbers and destroyed, I do not think that you will see them running away."
"And you think that they will really venture to withstand us?
"I think that they will endeavour to do so."
"Why, there will scarce be an occasion for fighting," the officer said, disdainfully. "They were mad to come; they are madder, still, to come now. The rainy season is just at hand. In another week it will be upon us. The rivers will spread, the flat country will be a marsh33. Even we, who are accustomed to it, suffer. In places like Rangoon fever and disease will sweep them away and, when the dry season comes and our troops assemble to fight them, there will be none left. They will die off like flies. We shall scarce capture enough to send as prisoners to the emperor."
Stanley felt that, in this respect, the Burman's prophecies were but too likely to be fulfilled. He knew how deadly were the swamp fevers to white men; and that in spite of his comfortable home on board the dhow and boat, he had himself suffered although, during the wet season, his uncle made a point of sailing along the coast, and of ascending34 only rivers that flowed between high banks and through a country free from swamps. He remembered that his uncle had spoken, very strongly, of the folly35 of the expedition being timed to arrive on the coast of Burma at the beginning of the wet season; and had said that they would suffer terribly from fever before they could advance up the country, unless it was intended to confine the operations to the coast towns, until the dry season set in.
It would indeed have been impossible to have chosen a worse time for the expedition but, doubtless, the government of India thought chiefly of the necessity for forcing the Burmese to stand on the defensive36, and of so preventing the invasion of India by a vast army. Unquestionably, too, they believed that the occupation of Rangoon, and the stoppage of all trade, would show the court of Ava that they had embarked37 in a struggle with no contemptible38 foe39; and would be glad to abate40 their pretensions41, and to agree to fair terms of peace.
The Bengal force that had been embarked consisted of two British regiments--the 13th and 38th--a battalion42 of native infantry43, and two batteries of European artillery44, amounting in all to 2175 men. The Madras force--of which one division was sent on at once, the other was to follow shortly--consisted of the 41st and 89th Regiments, the Madras European regiment32, seven battalions45 of native infantry, and four batteries of artillery, amounting to 9300 men; making a total of 11475 fighting men, of whom nearly five thousand were Europeans. In addition to the transports, the Bengal force was accompanied by a flotilla of twenty gun-brigs and as many row-boats, each armed with an eighteen-pounder; the Larne and Sophia sloop46, belonging to the Royal Navy; several of the Company's cruisers; and the steamboat Diana. General Sir A. Campbell was appointed to the chief command, and Colonel M'Bean, with the rank of Brigadier General, commanded the Madras force.
The Bengal squadron sailed from Saugur in the middle of April; and reached the rendezvous47, Port Cornwallis, in the Andaman Islands, at the end of the month. The Madras first division sailed at the same time, and joined them a few days later; and the whole force, under the escort of H. M. frigate48 Liffey and the Slaney, sloop of war, left Port Cornwallis on the 5th of May, and arrived on the 9th at the mouth of the Irrawaddy.
Forces were detached for the capture of the islands of Chuduba and Negrais. On the 10th the fleet entered the river and anchored within the bar and, on the following morning, proceeded with the flood tide up to Rangoon, the Liffey and the Larne leading the way. A few shots were fired as they went up the river; but the Burmese were taken wholly by surprise, the idea that the English would venture to invade them never having entered their minds.
There was considerable disappointment on board the fleet, when Rangoon came into sight. It was situated49 on the north bank of the main branch of the river, thirty miles from the sea. It extended about nine hundred yards along the bank, and was six or seven hundred yards wide, at its broadest part. Beyond the town were some suburbs, outside the palisade that inclosed it. The palisades were ten or twelve feet high, strengthened by embankments of earth thrown up against them, on the inner side. One face of the defences ran along the river bank, while the others were protected by a shallow creek50 communicating with the river. The town itself consisted, for the most part, of miserable51 and dirty hovels; and of a few official buildings of larger size.
At twelve o'clock the Liffey anchored abreast52 of the principal battery, close to the water gate; the transports being ranged in a line in rear of her. A proclamation had been sent on shore, on the previous day, giving assurances of protection to the people at large, and to all who should offer no resistance.
When the guns of the fleet were loaded, a pause ensued. The town was evidently incapable53 of offering resistance, and it was hoped that it would capitulate. The Burmese were seen standing at their guns, but they also remained inactive, apparently54 paralysed at the appearance of this great fleet of vessels--of a size hitherto undreamt of by them--and the threatening guns pointed10 towards them. However, they were at last goaded55, by the orders and threats of their officers, to open fire upon the ships.
The frigate at once replied with a broadside. In a very few minutes, every gun on shore was silenced, and the Burmese fled in confusion from their works. As soon as they did so, the signal for disembarkation was made. The troops crowded into the boats, which rowed for the shore; and the soldiers entered the town without resistance, and found it completely deserted56.
The whole of the population had been driven out by the governor on the previous day and, according to Burmese custom, the men had all been formed into a levy, while the women and children were held under guard, as hostages for their husbands and fathers--their lives being forfeited57 in case of desertion, or cowardice58, by their male relations.
The foreigners in the town had all been seized. They were few in number, consisting of some eight or ten British traders and American missionaries59. These, after being fettered60, were taken to the Custom House prison. They were brought up and tried, early on the morning of the attack, and were accused of having arranged the assault on the town. They naturally urged that, if they had had the least knowledge that it was going to be made, they would have left the place in time. But the Burmese at once condemned61 them to death, and they were taken back to the prison to be executed.
The sentence was not carried out. The Burmese had intended to execute them on the walls, in sight of their countrymen; and the authorities had all assembled at the prison for the purpose when, fortunately, a shot from the first broadside fired passed through the building, causing an instant stampede. The chiefs at once left the city; and the prisoners, heavily chained, were marched some distance into the country. A party of British troops were, however, pushed forward in advance of the town, as soon as it was occupied; and the guard, in alarm for their own safety, placed the prisoners in a house and made off; and a patrol found them there, on the following morning, and brought them into the town.
The great pagoda62, standing two miles and a half from the town, was at once occupied as an advanced position by the British. It stood upon a conical hill, rising seventy-five feet above the plain. The area on the top was somewhat over two acres; and in the centre rose the pagoda, three hundred and thirty-eight feet high.
Every boat on the river was found to have been removed. In spite of proclamations promising63 good treatment, none of the inhabitants returned to the town, being prevented from doing so by the Burmese authorities and troops. No stores whatever had been found and, till the end of the wet season, the army had to depend entirely64 upon the fleet for provisions; and remained cooped up in the wretched and unhealthy town, suffering severely from fever and malaria65.
The boat in which Stanley and the other prisoners were conveyed was changed at every village going up the river, as the officer was carrying the despatches from Bandoola to the court. A flag was hoisted66 as the boat came in sight of a village. This was the signal that another was required and, within two or three minutes of their arrival, the prisoners, their guard and officer were on their way again.
Thus they proceeded, night and day and, in four days, arrived at Ava. Leaving the prisoners in charge of the guard, the officer at once proceeded to the palace. In an hour guns were fired, drums beat, and the bells of the pagodas67 rung, to give notice to the population that a great victory had been won over the English, and their army annihilated68, by Bandoola and his valiant69 troops. This obliterated70 the impression produced by the news that had arrived, a few days previously71, of the landing at Rangoon; and there were great rejoicings among the population.
An officer from the palace presently came down to the boat, and the prisoners were marched through the streets to a jail, amid the jeers72 of the mob. Stanley was surprised at the meanness of the town; the great majority of the houses being built of bamboo, and thatched with grass, and having a very poor appearance. The public buildings and the houses of the great officers were constructed of planks73, and tiled; but were heavy and tasteless, and it was only upon the innumerable pagodas, in and around the town, that any care seemed to have been bestowed75.
He had wondered much at the numerous pagodas that they had seen, near every town and village, as they passed up; but the officer had informed him that these were all private property, and that it was considered the most meritorious76 of actions to erect77 one; consequently every man who had means to do so built a pagoda, large or small in proportion to the sum that he could bestow74 upon it. On Stanley's remarking upon the great number that were in ruins, the officer replied that it was considered so much more meritorious an action to build a pagoda than to repair one that, after the death of the founder78, they were generally suffered to fall into decay.
For some days the prisoners were taken out, every day, and marched about the town for some time, so as to afford the population ocular proof of the victory gained by Bandoola. The place in which they were confined was small and filthy79 but, at the end of a week, Stanley was taken out and placed in a room by himself; and here the officer who had had charge of him paid him a visit, an hour or two later.
"I have expressed to the court," he said, "the wishes of the general, and have had permission accorded for you to receive different treatment from the others; partly because you are an officer, but principally because the general thinks that you may be made useful to him. I have informed the officer of the prison that you are to be at liberty to walk about in the city, when you please; but that to protect you from violence, an officer and two soldiers are to accompany you, so long as you may think such a precaution necessary. I have ordered a dress of our fashion to be brought to you as, otherwise, you could not go into the streets without being mobbed."
Stanley expressed his gratitude80 to the officer for obtaining these indulgences, and the latter replied:
"I acted upon the orders of the general, but it has been a pleasure to me; for I see that you are a young man of merit, and I have learned much from you about your people during the journey; and have seen that, foolish as they have been to undertake to match themselves against us, there are yet some things that might be learned from them; and that, if they had remained in their island, many months' journey away from here, they might have been worthy81 of our friendship."
A short time after the officer had left, a soldier brought up some food of a very much better nature than that with which Stanley had been hitherto supplied. Half an hour later, the dress arrived. It was that of a Burmese officer of inferior grade; and consisted of a tunic82 of thick cloth, coming down to the knees; leathern sword belt; a sort of tippet resembling that of an English coachman, with three layers of cloth thickly quilted; and a leathern helmet going up to a point in the centre, with a flap to protect the neck and ears. With it were worn tight-fitting stockings of cloth, and low shoes.
Presently an officer came in.
"I am ordered to go out with you, once a day, at whatever hour you may desire. I am a relative of the officer who brought you here, and he has requested me to look after your safety."
"I am much obliged to you, sir," Stanley said, "and shall be glad, indeed, to go out to see the city. Your kinsman83 has kindly sent me a dress; but if I am not to be noticed, it will be necessary for me to stain my face and hands, somewhat."
"That I have thought of," the officer said, "and have brought with me some dye which will darken your skin. It would be worse than useless for you to dress as a Burman, unless you did so; for it would seem even more singular, to the people in the streets, that a white man should be seen walking about dressed as an officer, than that a white prisoner should be taken through the streets under a guard.
"I am ready to go out with you now, if you wish it."
"I shall be ready in a few minutes," Stanley replied and, on being left alone, at once changed his attire84 and stained his face and hands.
He had just finished when the officer returned. He smiled and said:
"There is no fear of your being suspected, now; and you might really go about safely without a guard, unless you were to enter into conversation with anyone. You speak the language very well, but your accent is not quite the same as ours, here, though in Aracan it would pass unremarked."
As they went out from the prison, the officer told two soldiers who were waiting there to follow, at a distance.
"Do not approach us," he said, "unless I call you up."
The houses were not constructed in continuous rows, but were very scattered85, each house having its inclosure or garden. The population was very small, in comparison to the area occupied by the town. This was divided into two parts--the inner and outer town. The whole was surrounded by a brick wall, five miles and a half in circumference86, some sixteen feet high and ten feet in thickness, strengthened on the inside by a great bank of earth. The inner town was inclosed by a separate wall, with a deep ditch on two sides, the river Irrawaddy on the third, and a tributary87 river on the fourth.
A considerable portion of the inclosed area was occupied by the royal quarter; containing the palace, the court of justice, the council chamber88, arsenal89, and the houses of the ministers and chief officials. This was cut off from the rest by a strong and well-built wall, twenty feet high, outside which was a stockade90 of the same height. The total population of Ava was but 25,000.
The officer did not take Stanley to the royal quarter, observing that it was better not to go there as, although he had leave to walk in the town, it might give offence were he to show himself near the palace; but after going through the wall, they visited two or three of the markets, of which there were eleven in the town.
The markets consisted of thatched huts and sheds, and were well supplied with the products of the country. Here were rice, maize91, wheat, and various other grains; sticks of sugar cane92, tobacco, cotton, and indigo93; mangoes, oranges, pineapples, custard apples, and plantains were in abundance; also peacocks, jungle fowl94, pigeons, partridges, geese, ducks, and snipes--but little meat was on sale, as the Burman religion forbids the killing95 of animals for food. Venison was the only meat allowed to be sold in the markets; but there were lizards96, iguanas97, and snakes, which were exposed freely for sale; and there were large quantities of turtle and tortoise eggs, which had been brought up from the delta98.
Stanley saw that there had really been no great occasion for him to stain his skin, as the people were, for the most part, lighter99 in colour than the Hindoos. Many of the men had, however, stained their faces to a darker colour; and all were tattooed100, more or less. Men, women, and children were all smoking; and frequently, when both hands were required for any purpose, thrust their cigars into the large holes bored in the lobes101 of their ears. Both men and women were somewhat short in stature102, but squarely built and muscular and, in the majority of cases, inclined to be fat.
The men wore a sort of kilt, consisting of a double piece of cloth, wrapped round the body and falling to the knee. Over this was a loose tunic, with sleeves open in front. The headdress was a scanty103 white turban.
The dress of the women was somewhat similar to that of the Hindoos, consisting of a single garment like a sheet wrapped round the body, fastening under the arms and falling to the ankles. Those of the upper classes were more elaborate. The rank among the women was distinguished104, so Stanley's guide pointed out to him, by the manner in which the hair was plaited and twisted, and by the ornaments105 in it.
The men, like the women, wore their hair long but, while the men wore theirs in a knot at the top of the head, the women gathered it in at the back. Their faces were broad at the cheekbones, but narrowed in sharply, both at the forehead and chin. The narrow and oblique106 eyes showed the relationship between the Burmese and their Chinese neighbours. They seemed to Stanley a light-hearted, merry people, going about their business with much chatter107 and laughter; and the sound of musical instruments could often be heard, inside the houses. Several men, in bright yellow garments, mingled108 with the crowds in the market. These were priests, the officer told him; and it would be a mortal act of sacrilege, were anyone else to wear that colour.
Stanley remarked upon seeing so few soldiers, and the officer told him that there was no regular army in Burma. Every man capable of carrying arms was obliged to serve in case of war but, with the exception of the king's bodyguard109, and a very small body of men who were police, rather than soldiers, there was no force permanently110 kept up. Every man was expected to know something of military duty, and all were able to build stockades111. From the fact that the flesh of wild fowl formed one of the principal articles of food, the peasantry throughout the country were all accustomed to the use of the gun, and were fair marksmen.
"But you yourself are an officer," Stanley said.
"At present, yes; but tomorrow I may return to my land. It is the same with the highest minister. One day he may be a trader but, if recommended to the king as one possessing ability, straightway he is chosen to be a high official. If he does not please the king, or fails in his duties, then the next day he may be selling cloth in the bazaar112 again.
"Everything is at the will of the king. Nobody is born with fortune or rank, for everything belongs to the king and, at a man's death, all goes back to him. Thus everyone in the land has an equal chance. In war the bravest becomes a general, in peace the cleverest is chosen as a councillor."
Walking about, Stanley soon found that there were a great variety of dialects talked in the streets, and that the language of the Burmese of the coast, of the natives of Pegu and the central province, and of those from districts bordering on the Shan states or the frontiers of China, differed as widely as those of the most remote parts of Great Britain did from each other. This being so, he was convinced that there would be no difficulty, whatever, in passing as a native, without attracting any observation or inquiry113, so far as the language went.
His features and, still more, the shape of his face might, however, be noticed by the first comer, in the daytime. He thought, indeed, that a little tinge114 of colour in the corner of the eyes, so as to lengthen115 their appearance and give an oblique cast to them, would make a difference. The general shape of the head was unalterable, but the Burmese nose and mouth did not differ very greatly from the European; except that the nostrils116 were smaller and, in shape, were round rather than oval.
For three weeks he continued the same life, and then the Burmese officer, with whom he had now become very friendly, said when he entered one morning:
"You must not go out today. There is news that your people have made two forward marches. The first was against a stockade, which they took, and killed many of our men; the other time they marched out four or five miles, had a fight with our troops, and again killed many. These things have angered the king and the people. Of course it is nothing, for our troops are only beginning to assemble; but it is considered insolent117 in the extreme, and the king's face is darkened against your countrymen. Four of the prisoners have been taken out this morning and publicly executed and, if the news of another defeat comes, I fear that it will be very dangerous, even for you."
"What had I best do, my friend?"
"I would fain save you, for we have come to know each other; and I see that there is much good in your ways, though they differ greatly from ours. Were I to take you out, as usual, you might be killed in the streets; were you to slip away and escape, I should assuredly be put to death; but if in any way I can help you, I would fain do so. My relation who brought you up here left, a fortnight since, to rejoin Bandoola; so his influence cannot serve you.
"I do not say that you might not escape from this prison--since you are not, like the others, confined in a dungeon--but I see not what you could do, or where you could go. Were you to disappear, orders would be sent down the river to every village, and every passing craft would be examined, and you would be sure to be detected; while it would be well-nigh impossible to travel the country on foot, for it is but thinly inhabited. There are often very long distances between the villages, and much of the country is swamp and forest, without paths; for the village trade goes by the river, and they have little communication with each other.
"I know that, from what you say, you think that your troops will beat ours, even when we assemble in large numbers. Were this so, I fear that there would be little chance of your life being spared. Were it not for that, I should say that, Bandoola having recommended you, you would be in no danger here, and had better remain until peace is made.
"What think you, yourself?"
"It is very difficult to reply, at once," Stanley said, "but I thank you greatly for your offer to befriend me, in any way you can. I do not say that I had not thought of escape, for I have of course done so. But it seemed to me a thing in the distance; and that, at any rate until the rains were over and the rivers had sunk, it would be useless to attempt it. I see, now, that it will be safest for me to try without delay. If you will come in again, this afternoon, I will tell you what I have thought of."
"I will do so; and I, myself, will try to think how best the matter can be managed. We must remember that the great thing is for you to find concealment118, for the present. After the search for you has been made for some time, it will die away; and it will then be the easiest plan for you to make your way down the river."
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severely
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| adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地 | |
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flask
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| n.瓶，火药筒，砂箱 | |
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stunned
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| adj. 震惊的，惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词 | |
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rivulet
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plunder
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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beckoned
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| v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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8
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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levy
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| n.征收税或其他款项，征收额 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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11
kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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specially
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| adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地 | |
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13
levies
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| （部队）征兵( levy的名词复数 )； 募捐； 被征募的军队 | |
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interfered
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| v.干预( interfere的过去式和过去分词 )；调停；妨碍；干涉 | |
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interfering
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| adj. 妨碍的 动词interfere的现在分词 | |
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16
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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barbarians
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| n.野蛮人( barbarian的名词复数 )；外国人；粗野的人；无教养的人 | |
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18
audacity
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| n.大胆，卤莽，无礼 | |
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19
vessels
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| n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人 | |
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20
cannon
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| n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮 | |
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21
insolence
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| n.傲慢；无礼；厚颜；傲慢的态度 | |
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22
galley
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| n.（飞机或船上的）厨房单层甲板大帆船；军舰舰长用的大划艇； | |
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23
oars
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| n.桨，橹( oar的名词复数 )；划手v.划（行）( oar的第三人称单数 ) | |
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24
beckoning
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| adj.引诱人的，令人心动的v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的现在分词 ) | |
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25
tempt
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| vt.引诱，勾引，吸引，引起…的兴趣 | |
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26
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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27
rumour
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| n.谣言，谣传，传闻 | |
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29
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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30
shamefully
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| 可耻地； 丢脸地； 不体面地； 羞耻地 | |
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31
regiments
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| （军队的）团( regiment的名词复数 )； 大量的人或物 | |
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32
regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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33
marsh
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| n.沼泽，湿地 | |
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34
ascending
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| adj.上升的，向上的 | |
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35
folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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36
defensive
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| adj.防御的；防卫的；防守的 | |
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37
embarked
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| 乘船( embark的过去式和过去分词 )； 装载； 从事 | |
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38
contemptible
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| adj.可鄙的，可轻视的，卑劣的 | |
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39
foe
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| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
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40
abate
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| vi.(风势，疼痛等)减弱，减轻，减退 | |
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41
pretensions
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| 自称( pretension的名词复数 )； 自命不凡； 要求； 权力 | |
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42
battalion
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| n.营；部队；大队(的人) | |
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43
infantry
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| n.[总称]步兵(部队) | |
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44
artillery
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| n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队) | |
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45
battalions
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| n.（陆军的）一营（大约有一千兵士）( battalion的名词复数 )；协同作战的部队；军队；（组织在一起工作的）队伍 | |
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46
sloop
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| n.单桅帆船 | |
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47
rendezvous
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| n.约会，约会地点，汇合点；vi.汇合，集合；vt.使汇合，使在汇合地点相遇 | |
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48
frigate
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| n.护航舰，大型驱逐舰 | |
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49
situated
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| adj.坐落在...的，处于某种境地的 | |
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50
creek
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| n.小溪，小河，小湾 | |
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51
miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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52
abreast
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| adv.并排地；跟上(时代)的步伐，与…并进地 | |
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53
incapable
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| adj.无能力的，不能做某事的 | |
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54
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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55
goaded
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| v.刺激( goad的过去式和过去分词 )；激励；（用尖棒）驱赶；驱使（或怂恿、刺激）某人 | |
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56
deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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57
forfeited
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| （因违反协议、犯规、受罚等）丧失，失去( forfeit的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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58
cowardice
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| n.胆小，怯懦 | |
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59
missionaries
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| n.传教士( missionary的名词复数 ) | |
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60
fettered
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| v.给…上脚镣，束缚( fetter的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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61
condemned
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| adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词 | |
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62
pagoda
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| n.宝塔（尤指印度和远东的多层宝塔），（印度教或佛教的）塔式庙宇 | |
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63
promising
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| adj.有希望的，有前途的 | |
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64
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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65
malaria
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| n.疟疾 | |
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66
hoisted
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| 把…吊起，升起( hoist的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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67
pagodas
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| 塔，宝塔( pagoda的名词复数 ) | |
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68
annihilated
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| v.（彻底）消灭( annihilate的过去式和过去分词 )；使无效；废止；彻底击溃 | |
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69
valiant
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| adj.勇敢的，英勇的；n.勇士，勇敢的人 | |
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70
obliterated
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| v.除去( obliterate的过去式和过去分词 )；涂去；擦掉；彻底破坏或毁灭 | |
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71
previously
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| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
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72
jeers
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| n.操纵帆桁下部（使其上下的）索具；嘲讽( jeer的名词复数 )v.嘲笑( jeer的第三人称单数 ) | |
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73
planks
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| （厚）木板( plank的名词复数 )； 政纲条目，政策要点 | |
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74
bestow
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| v.把…赠与，把…授予；花费 | |
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75
bestowed
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| 赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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76
meritorious
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| adj.值得赞赏的 | |
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77
erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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78
Founder
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| n.创始者，缔造者 | |
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79
filthy
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| adj.卑劣的；恶劣的，肮脏的 | |
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80
gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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81
worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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82
tunic
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| n.束腰外衣 | |
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83
kinsman
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| n.男亲属 | |
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84
attire
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| v.穿衣，装扮[同]array；n.衣着；盛装 | |
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85
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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86
circumference
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| n.圆周，周长，圆周线 | |
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87
tributary
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| n.支流；纳贡国；adj.附庸的；辅助的；支流的 | |
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88
chamber
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| n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所 | |
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89
arsenal
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| n.兵工厂，军械库 | |
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90
stockade
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| n.栅栏，围栏；v.用栅栏防护 | |
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91
maize
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| n.玉米 | |
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92
cane
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| n.手杖，细长的茎，藤条；v.以杖击，以藤编制的 | |
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93
indigo
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| n.靛青，靛蓝 | |
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94
fowl
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| n.家禽，鸡，禽肉 | |
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95
killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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96
lizards
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| n.蜥蜴( lizard的名词复数 ) | |
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97
iguanas
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| n. 美洲蜥蜴 名词iguana的复数形式 | |
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98
delta
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| n.（流的）角洲 | |
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99
lighter
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| n.打火机，点火器；驳船；v.用驳船运送；light的比较级 | |
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100
tattooed
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| v.刺青，文身( tattoo的过去式和过去分词 )；连续有节奏地敲击；作连续有节奏的敲击 | |
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101
lobes
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| n.耳垂( lobe的名词复数 )；（器官的）叶；肺叶；脑叶 | |
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102
stature
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| n.（高度）水平，（高度）境界，身高，身材 | |
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103
scanty
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| adj.缺乏的，仅有的，节省的，狭小的，不够的 | |
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104
distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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105
ornaments
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| n.装饰( ornament的名词复数 )；点缀；装饰品；首饰v.装饰，点缀，美化( ornament的第三人称单数 ) | |
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106
oblique
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| adj.斜的，倾斜的，无诚意的，不坦率的 | |
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107
chatter
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| vi.／n.喋喋不休；短促尖叫；(牙齿)打战 | |
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108
mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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109
bodyguard
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| n.护卫，保镖 | |
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110
permanently
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| adv.永恒地，永久地，固定不变地 | |
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111
stockades
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| n.（防御用的）栅栏，围桩( stockade的名词复数 ) | |
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112
bazaar
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| n.集市，商店集中区 | |
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113
inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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114
tinge
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| vt.(较淡)着色于，染色；使带有…气息；n.淡淡色彩，些微的气息 | |
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115
lengthen
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| vt.使伸长，延长 | |
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116
nostrils
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| 鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
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117
insolent
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| adj.傲慢的，无理的 | |
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118
concealment
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| n.隐藏, 掩盖，隐瞒 | |
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