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                         In search of "The Lost Graves" on "Danes Island"

                                                               - Part 2 -

Page added:  2021-12-29

Finding the remains of the old Parsee cemetery was great fun, - and something completely unexpected -, but it was not what I was looking for.

And time was quickly running out.

Should I just give up, - or continue the next morning?  I decided to give it one more try, since I for sure was on the right track.

The stretch of water I was looking at HAD to be the English Reach, - the area between what the old maps referred to as Cambridge Reach and America Reach - - -

And the island on the other side HAD to be Whampoa, - all appearing very different from what could be seen on the old paintings of the area - - - -

We could not continue along the river, and therefore the only way was back to the village, - and from there try another road - - -

The search continued, and finally, - just outside the village -, we met a man who seemed to know something.

He had just got out of bed, and asked us to wait a little bit for him to change clothes, then he would lead us to the site.

It had to be on foot, so our motor bikes had to be left behind. And soon we were on our way through a bamboo groove behind his house - - -

It was getting late, so this was the last chance for success if I wanted to find the tombs on this day.

I was not too optimistic, since my destination was at the coast, - and obviously we were far from the coast, and I had a feeling of going inland instead.

From our guides house it would be too difficult to explain how to find the grave site, so he insisted to follow us all the way.

Nice man.

Coming out from the first bamboo groove, we could see a hill behind a fish pond, - and our guide told us, that behind that hill we would find the site of an old cemetery!

But first we had to pass through another bamboo groove - - - -

Then we were there - - - -

FINALLY!

We were on a small hill overlooking the Pearl River, and Whampoa Island was there on the other side,- exactly where it should be according to my old painting - - -

And row after row of immaculately restored graves showed up on the hillside - - - -

And those inscriptions that could still be read revealed European names,- all sailors or traders -,with dates from the 17 hundreds and well into the 18 hundreds.

At last the search was over.

Quote from "Canton's" log:

"Thursday 12 Oct. 1797, in Whampoa Reach: Winds moderate & very hot Wr. (Weather) at ½ past 10 AM departed this life Captain Vyvyan. Friday 13th Ditto Winds & Wr. at 11 AM sent ashore the Body of the deceased on shore for Internment with the Attendance of Comr. Drummond, Mr. Roberts, Supercargoes & Commanders of the Fleet."

NOTE: The "Second Bar" is NOT a place where sailors gather to party and drink beer, but a location with shallow water about midway between "Bocca Tigris", - the Bogue -, and Canton - - -

Looks like the sailors of those days did NOT get very old.

This concludes my adventure covering the search for the "Forgotten Graves" on Dane's Island.

It took all day, - from very early morning to late afternoon -, and I almost gave up , but was kept going by my curiosity and strong desire to be on the very spot where the wheels of history once turned, - and a local artist painted a picture.

Was it worth it????

Yes,- absolutely! The excitement of tracking an interesting story, and to go out in the wonderful world and actually find what I looked for, - and even more -, gives me a fantastic feeling of satisfaction, and to any adventurer that is not only reward enough, - that is simply what it is all about!

And now I cannot help smiling every time I pass the wall with that small painting, that started it all - - - -

Because now I can say: "I was there!"

However,- without help from some very nice people in China,- and particular on Danes Island -, I would not have been able to make it so easily - - -

Absolutely EVERYBODY I approached wanted to help, and I only saw BIG smiles and friendly people! A special BIG "Thank You" goes to Xiao Ling and our two VERY patient motorbike drivers, who never gave up, - and did NOT eat the whole day, - a VERY serious thing for a Chinese - - -

When the adventure was over, I got curious, and asked Xiao Ling what she actually said to all those people she talked to for so long time on the phone????

Obviously she must have said something that virtually opened doors! Her answer was quite interesting!

She simply said: "I just told them, that you looked for your Grandfather!"

Well,- it was not exactly my Grandfather I looked for,- although he was a sailor indeed -, because he is safely buried in Danish soil far, far away from the China coast, but Xiao Lings explanation to what I was doing on the island worked very well - - -

All doors opened for us, - like magic - - - -

Here I must explain, that to a Chinese it is NOT a very nice thing to bury a grandfather in a foreign country,- far, far away from his home and family - - - -

To a Chinese it is extremely important, that the dead family members "come home", and it is not uncommon, that they "know" their ancestors 1000 years back in time - - - -

Therefore,- if somebody is "Looking for his Grandfather", it is a very important thing to a Chinese! Important enough to "open doors"!

We ended the day with a gorgeous Chinese dinner at a local restaurant on Danes Island,- and the next day I was off for new adventures in China - - - -

Epilogue:

At that time I had no plans of going back to Danes Island again.

I consentrated heavily on Kit Yu, which I finally met as soon as I came back to Hong Kong, since she was still there after her business there was done!

However, - things worked out differently, and eventually I did return the following year - this time with Kit Yu as my guide - since there was something on Danes Island that had had to be investigated further - - - -

See next page:  Danes Island-3