Henry C. Rowland

“ I knew that there were many proofs of the Asiatic origin of the Indian tribes of North America, the similarity of many words, the same system of counting; their strong comparative anatomical resemblance, as well as those of disposition, religions, and system of hieroglyphics. A man who had made a study of philology had once told me that, in eighty-three American languages, one hundred and seventy-three words have the same roots in both continents. Could it not be possible that some one dialect had preserved its integrity? ”

“ One afternoon I was superintending the work as McKim was ashore haggling with Valdez about stores, when I saw a banca coming alongside. Under the awning sat the biggest, fattest Chinaman I ever saw. As he seemed to want to come aboard I called to one of the crew to drop the ladder for him. With amazing activity for a man of his size he came up over the side and stood smiling at me placidly. It was easy to see that he was a person of some consequence, both from his brisket, for only a wealthy Chinaman grows really fat, and from the richness and care with which he was dressed. ”

“ I called McKim, who came up through the companionway buckling on his gun. We listened together, and presently heard the soft "pat, pat," of naked feet as the coolies who were sculling the craft threw the weight first on one foot and then on the other. ”

“ As we drew up to a bamboo jetty that was built out into the stream, I noticed a very old man who was in the little crowd that had come down to meet us. He was apparently of a very great age, although strong and active, and in spite of his round, stooping shoulders, and the deep wrinkles that seamed his face, there was something about him that again suggested that bizarre resemblance to McKim.
We were carried ashore and laid on the ground near a hut, the crowd watching us apathetically, but the old man I have mentioned drew near and appeared to ask some questions of our captain. ”

“ On the morning of the second day out McKim came on deck to relieve me at eight bells, and before I went below to get my breakfast he dipped up a bucket of water from over the side and threw off his clothes for a bath. I was watching him casually, for his quick, lithe motions always had a fascination for me, and I noticed around his neck a sort of rosary, which when I observed more closely seemed to be a diminutive imitation of those peculiar ancient rosaries that have frequently been found in use in China, Thibet, North America, and old Mexico. ”

“ Although it was very dark, I could see that we were climbing up into a very wild country. Occasionally the road led along the edge of a chasm, and I could hear the water boiling far beneath. At dawn we reached a little hut, where we remained all day, and at night the trip began again, this time with new coolies. On the fourth morning of our journey, McKim's condition began to change for the better, and, after sleeping all day quite naturally, he suddenly awoke to consciousness. ”

“ I shrugged my shoulders disdainfully.
"I have lived in China for many years," I said, "and I know the danger of loading a cargo of opium; also of getting it away from that part of the coast. The place you speak of being shallow and dangerous and full of pirates, we risk losing our brig, and, as you know, our lives as well!" I caught McKim's eye. ”

“ He kept glancing from the rosary to McKim's face, and suddenly he darted to him, took his head between his hands, and said a few quick harsh words. McKim stared at him stupidly for a moment, then answered:
"Annah."
I did not know it at the time, but have since discovered that the word for "mother" of the Tuscaroras and Six Nations is "Annah," which is the same as the Tartar word. But the effect on the old man was magical. ”

“ About eight o'clock the following morning the Khan appeared and took McKim away with him. When they came back, about two hours later, I could see that McKim was tremendously excited. His hands were working spasmodically, his nostrils distended, and from time to time I caught the red glare from his pupils, which I learned to associate with unusual excitement. He turned on me abruptly.
"Doctor," he said, "do you know what these people tell me?"
"I can form an idea," said I. "They claim that you are a descendant of their own race, and, more than that, a descendant of their own regal line." ”

“ My gun was out in a flash, and I cut down on the man at the head of the companionway, who, with another scream even wilder than the first, lurched headlong into the scuppers. The next moment McKim was on deck, and together we leaped onto the deck house.
Up forward our sailors were fighting for their lives, and for a moment they stayed the rush from that direction, giving me time to reach under our dinghy, which we carried lashed bottom side up on the deck-house, and to slip out the heavy teak tiller which was shoved under the after thwart. ”

“ Now, if you will come to my office to-morrow morning I will give you all the necessary information."
"One moment," said McKim. "How is it that you dare entrust such a valuable cargo to strangers and foreigners?"
The Chinaman smiled joyously and emitted a few happy little chuckles.
"I cannot go myself," he said; "it is necessary to trust someone, and I have found that white men of the better class are honest. Besides, there will be more cargoes to carry!"
The following day we went over to Manila and saw our patron. ”

“ Suddenly a shout came from forward, the clank of the hawser ceased, and the foretopsail began to flap lazily. A louder order was shouted from the poop, and the crowd about the deck broke up, half of them hurrying to the side. Three men who were at the main-halliards belayed them where they were, and slipping to where I lay grabbed me roughly and started to drag me to the side. ”

“ I have never heard from McKim, and at times it is hard to realise that, even in that land of incongruities, there is to-day a native-born American, of mingled Puritan and Indian blood, who rules as the lawful and hereditary chief of a thousand wild Asiatics. ”

“ Our patron promised us that there would be no risk to us, as he would give us an order duly made out to carry his cargo, of which, of course, we would not be expected to know any more than its general appearance seemed to justify, from Cebu to Manila. Once Anchored in Manila Bay the whole work of discharging would be taken by him, and all it would be necessary for us to do would be to show him the manifest signed by his Chinese partner and receive our pay. The whole trip should not take over six weeks. ”

“ The Tartars who inhabited the deserts north of the great wall of China were a nomadic, roving race, and the geographical conformity of Behring Strait would make an eastern migration perfectly possible. Once having reached the continent of North America, they would naturally turn their faces southward, finding no resistance and a rich and fertile country before them. ”

“ McKim repeated the question. It was easy to see that my straight shot had gone home. The Khan was evidently overcome with curiosity and from that time on treated me with marked respect.
"He wants to know why you ask that question," said McKim. "He says that it is not well that one not of our people should know so much. But he says we must be going on."
Towards evening we saw the village lying below us in a fertile sheltered valley, most of which was planted in rice. ”

“ To trace McKim's Tartar origin was more difficult, but there were a few strong evidences. The rosary given him by his Indian ancestress, his dialect, and his undeniable physical resemblance to the Mongols. I called to mind an early writer who had referred the savage and larger portion of America to the North of Asia, and the civilised families of Mexico and Peru to ancient Egypt and Southern Asia. ”

“ McKim moaned and raised a bloody hand to his head. The old man posted off, and a few minutes later some coolies came down with stretchers, and we were taken up to a hut where, under the supervision of our aged friend, some of the women stripped and bathed us and then laid us on mattings, covering us with homespun blankets, for the evening was chilly. ”

“ She was brig-rigged, and sparred from the tough "Nampan" wood, which partly accounted for her clumsy appearance, as the stuff is so strong and heavy that the spars are cut down to what seems a ridiculous lightness. There was no attempt at any sheer; in fact she looked a little hogged, and as we pulled up under her counter I noticed that she was pieced in the side, although the seams had been carefully puttied and painted, and just at that place the curve of her bilge was a trifle too abrupt.
"Her first two after frames are gone," I remarked to McKim; "look at that sag." ”

“ He explained the idea with so much clearness and certainty that I began to get interested, and before he had finished I was about as enthusiastic as a man can be who has made a failure of everything he has tried from boyhood to his fortieth year. The outcome of it was that I decided to go into it with him; he to be master of the vessel with a three-quarter interest, and I as mate with a quarter's. The proceeds would be shared on that ratio.
When we reached Manila McKim was informed that his services were no longer required, as I had foreseen. ”

“ The following day the messengers returned, so I got everything in readiness to receive our cargo. The silk was to go down in the forepeak under some extra sails, and the opium under a false flooring beneath our cabin. I had seen enough of Chinese character not to trust it too far, so I got out my Colt's revolver and carefully oiled and loaded it, getting McKim to do the same. Then I armed the sailors with heavy knives that I had secured before leaving Manila, and cautioned them against turning their backs on the crew of the dhow. ”

“ McKim had made a few alterations in her rig and had given her a tremendous fore-and-aft mainsail, which made her something between a brigantine and a hermaphrodite brig. It had a queer look, but it helped her wonderfully in getting up into the wind. Our crew turned out very well. They all bunked forward, of course, and seemed to get on peacefully enough. McKim had the starboard watch with the two Tagals, and I the port with the Visayans. The odd man cooked. ”

“ We were to clear in ballast for the open ports of the southern islands, ostensibly after a general cargo of rice, tobacco, coffee, hemp, sugar, etc., and, once clear of the land, were to make all haste across the China Sea, run into the estuary of the Hai Chin River, and drop anchor. ”

“ McKim!" growled the captain. The mate was at his side in three quick steps.
"Why don't you keep the water off the deck? What d'ye think this is—a fishin' smack or a Sound coaster?"
"You don't want the pipe parcelled, so it can't be helped, sir," replied the mate. He said "can't" with the broad Maine accent. "The pipe's cold and the air's hot, so the water's bound to condense!"
"Ho!—very interestin'!" sneered the captain. "Well, mister mate, I want to tell ye that it will be helped, by ——, or the deck 'll be gettin' as rotten as the crew! Get out the way!" ”

“ I had been a surgeon in the line before the ship was chartered to the Americans, and, in some peculiar way, was transferred to Uncle Sam's army for service on the transport by signing a contract for a month and taking an oath which, as far as I could discover, was for the same length of time as the contract. ”

“ The following day McKim shipped a native crew, three Tagals and two Visayans, Ilo Ilo men, who afterwards turned out to be brave, devoted servants. Our idea was to run down among the southern islands of the Archipelago and try to pick up a cargo of hemp and tobacco, especially the former, as the war had put the price 'way up. ”