cc.floodtide-第84章

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pers。　〃Let　me　begin　by　saying　that　rumors　concerning　the　passenger　ship　Princess　Dou　Wan　as　leaving
　Shanghai　with　a　vast　cargo　of　historical　Chinese　art　treasures　in　November　of　nineteen…forty…eight　are　true。〃
　〃What　was　your　source？〃　asked　Sandecker。
　〃Name　is　Hui　Wiay；　a　former　Nationalist　Army　colonel　who　served　under　Chiang　Kai…shek。　Wiay　now　lives　in　Taipei。　He　fought　the　munists　until　forced　to　flee　to　Taiwan　when　it　was　called　Formosa。　He's　ninety…two　years　old　but　with　a　memory　sharp　as　a　razor。　He　vividly　recalled　following　orders　by　Generalissimo　Chiang　Kai…shek　to　empty　the　museums　and　palaces　of　every　art　treasure　they　could　lay　their　hands　on。　Private　collections　belonging　to　the　rich　were　also　seized；　along　with　any　and　all　wealth　found　in　bank　vaults。　All　of　it　was　packed　in　wooden　crates　and　trucked　to　the　Shanghai　docks。　There　it　was　loaded　on　board　an　old　passenger　liner　that　was　mandeered　by　one　of　Chiang　Kai…shek's　generals；　whose　name　was　Kung　Hui。　He　seems　to　have　dropped　off　the　face　of　the　earth　the　same　time　as　the　Princess　Dou　Wan；　so　there　is　every　reason　to　believe　he　was　on　her。
　〃More　treasure　was　seized　than　the　ship　could　ordinarily　hold。　But　since　the　Princess　Dou　Wan　had　been　stripped　of　her　furnishings　and　fixtures　in　preparation　for　her　final　voyage　to　the　scrappers　in　Singapore；　Kung　Hui　managed　to　cram　over　a　thousand　crates　into　the　cargo　holds　and　empty　passenger　staterooms。　Most　of　the　crates　with　large　sculptures　were　tied　down　on　the　open　decks。　Then　on　November　second；　nineteen　forty…eight；　the　Princess　Dou　Wan　sailed　from　Shanghai　into　oblivion。〃
　〃Vanished？〃　said　Gunn。
　〃Like　a　midnight　ghost。〃
　〃When　you　say　historical　art　treasures；〃　said　Rudi　Gunn；　〃is　it　known　exactly　what　pieces　were　seized？〃
　〃The　ship's　manifest；　if　there　was　one；〃　answered　Perlmutter；　〃would　make　every　curator　in　every　museum　of　the　world　mad　with　envy　and　desire。　A　brief　catalog　would　include　the　monumental　designs　of　Shang…dynasty　bronze　weapons　and　vases。　From　sixteen　hundred　until　eleven　hundred　B。C。；　Shang　artists　were　advanced　in　the　carving　of　stone；　jade；　marble；　bone　and　ivory。　There　were　the　writings　of　Confucius　inscribed　in　wood　in　his　own　hand　from　the　Chou　dynasty　that　reigned　from　eleven　hundred　to　two　hundred　B。C。；　magnificent　bronze　sculptures；　incense　burners　inlaid　with　rubies；　sapphires　and　gold；　life…size　chariots　with　drivers　and　six　horses　and　beautifully　lacquered　dishes　from　the　Han　dynasty；　two…oh…six　B。C。　to　two　twenty　A。D。；　exotic　ceramics；　books　from　China's　classical　poets　and　paintings　by　their　masters　living　in　the　T'ang　dynasty；　six　eighteen　to　nine…oh…seven　A。D。；　beautifully　created　artifacts　from　the　Sung；　Yuan；　and　the　famous　Ming　dynasty；　whose　artisans　were　masters　at　sculptures　and　carvings。　Their　workmanship　is　widely　known　for　the　decorative　arts；　including　cloisonne；　furniture　and　pottery；　and　of　course；　we're　all　familiar　with　their　famous　blue…　and　white…porcelain。〃
　Sandecker　studied　the　smoke　that　curled　from　his　cigar。　〃You　make　it　sound　more　valuable　than　the　Inca　treasure　Dirk　found　in　the　Sonoran　Desert。〃
　〃Like　paring　a　cup　of　rubies　to　a　carload　of　emeralds；〃　Perlmutter　said；　sipping　his　port。　〃Impossible　to　set　a　value　on　such　a　grand　hoard。　Moneywise；　you're　talking　billions　of　dollars；　but　as　historical　treasure；　the　word　priceless　bees　inadequate。〃
　〃I　can't　imagine　riches　of　such　magnitude；〃　said　Julia　wonderingly。
　〃There's　more；〃　Perlmutter　said　quietly；　adding　to　the　spell。　〃The　icing　on　the　cake。　What　the　Chinese　would　consider　as　their　crown　jewels。〃
　〃More　precious　than　rubies　and　sapphires；〃　said　Julia；　〃or　diamonds　and　pearls？〃
　〃Something　far　more　rare　than　mere　baubles；〃　Perlmutter　said　softly。　〃The　bones　of　Peking　man。〃
　〃Good　lord！〃　Sandecker　expelled　a　breath。　〃You're　not　suggesting　that　the　Peking　man　was　on　the　Princess　Dou　Wan。〃
　〃I　am；〃　Perlmutter　nodded。　〃Colonel　Hui　Wiay　swore　that　an　iron　box　containing　the　long…lost　remains　were　placed　on　board　the　Princess　Dou　Wan　in　the　captain's　cabin　minutes　before　the　ship　sailed。〃
　〃My　father　often　spoke　of　the　missing　bones；〃　said　Julia。　〃Chinese　adoration　of　our　ancestors　made　them　more　meaningful　than　tombs　still　containing　early　emperors。〃
　Sandecker　sat　up　and　gazed　at　Perlmutter。　〃The　saga　behind　the　loss　of　the　Peking　man's　fossilized　bones　remains　one　of　the　great　unexplained　enigmas　of　the　twentieth　century。〃
　〃You're　familiar　with　the　story；　Admiral？〃　asked　Gunn。
　〃I　once　wrote　a　paper　on　the　missing　bones　of　Peking　man　at　the　Naval　Academy。　I　thought　they　vanished　in　nineteen　forty…one　and　were　never　found。　But　St。　Julien　is　now　saying　they　were　seen　seven　years　later　on　the　Princess　Dou　Wan　before　she　set　sail。〃
　〃Where　did　they　e　from？〃　asked　Harper。
　Perlmutter　nodded　at　Sandecker　and　deferred。　〃You　wrote　the　paper；　Admiral。〃
　〃Sinanthropus　pekinensis；〃　Sandecker　spoke　the　words　almost　reverently。　〃Chinese　man　of　Peking；　a　very　ancient　and　primitive　human　who　walked　upright　on　two　feet。　In　nineteen　twenty…nine　the　discovery　of　his　skull　was　announced　by　a　Canadian　anatomist；　Dr。　Davidson　Black；　who　directed　the　excavation　and　was　funded　by　the　Rockefeller　Foundation。　Over　the　next　several　years；　digging　in　a　quarry　that　had　once　been　a　hill　with　limestone　caves　near　the　village　of　Choukou…tien；　Black　found　thousands　of　chipped…stone　tools　and　evidence　of　hearths；　which　indicated　Peking　man　had　mastered　fire。　Excavations　carried　out　over　the　next　ten　years　found　the　partial　remains　of　another　forty　individuals；　both　juveniles　and　adults；　and　what　has　been　acknowledged　as　the　largest　hominid　fossil　collection　ever　assembled。〃
　〃Any　relation　to　Java　man；　who　was　found　thirty　years　sooner？〃　asked　Gunn。
　〃When　the　Java　and　Peking　skulls　were　pared　in　nineteen　thirty…nine；　they　were　seen　to　be　very　similar；　with　Java　man　arriving　on　the　scene　a　shade　earlier　and　not　as　sophisticated　in　toolmaking　as　Peking　man。〃
　〃Since　scientific　dating　techniques　didn't　e　into　play　until　much　later；〃　said　Harper；　〃is　there　any　idea　as　to　how　old　Peking　man　is？〃
　〃Because　he　cannot　be　scientifically　dated　until　he's　re…found；　the　best　guess　to　his　age　is　between　seven　hundred　thousand　and　one　million　years。　New　discoveries　in　China；　however；　indicate　that　Homo　erectus；　an　early　species　of　human；　is　now　thought　to　have　migrated　out　of　Africa　to　Asia　two　million　years　ago。　Naturally；　Chinese　paleoanthropologists　hope　to　prove　that　early　man　evolved　in　Asia　and　migrated　to　Africa　instead　of　the　accepted　other　way　around。〃
　〃How　did　the　remains　of　Peking　man　disappear？〃　Julia　asked　Sandecker。
　〃In　December　of　nineteen　forty…one；　invading　Japanese　troops　were　closing　in　on　Peking；〃　narrated　Sandecker。　〃Officials　at　the　Peking　Union　Medical　College；　where　the　irreplaceable　bones　of　Peking　man　were　stored　and　studied；　decided　they　should　be　removed　to　a　place　of　safety。　It　was　also　evident；　more　so　in　China　than　in　the　West；　that　war　between　Japan　and　the　United　States　was　imminent。　American　and　Chinese　scientists　agreed　that　the　fossils　should　be　sent　to　the　United　States　for　safekeeping　until　after　the　war。　After　months　of　negotiation；　the　American　ambassador　in　Peking　finally　arranged　shipment　by　a　detachment　of　U。S。　marines　that　was　under　orders　to　sail　for　the　Philippines。
　〃The　ancient　bones　were　carefully　packed　in　two　Marine　Corps　footlockers　and；　along　with　the　marines；　were　put　aboard　a　train　bound　for　the　port　city　of　Tientsin；　where　both　living　and　dead　were　to　board　the　S。S。　President　Harrison；　a　passenger　ship　belonging　to　the　American　President　Lines。　The　train　never　arrived　hi　Tientsin。　It　was　halted　by　Japanese　troops　who　ransacked　it。　By　now　it　was　December　the　eighth；　nineteen　forty…one；　and　the　marines；　who　had　thought　themselves　neutrals；　were　then　sent　to　Japanese　prison　camps　to　sit　out　the　war。　It　can　only　be　assumed　that　after　lying　underground　for　a　million　years；　the　remains　of　Peking　man　were　scattered　around　the　rice　paddies　beside　the　railroad　track。〃
　〃That　was　the　last　word　on　their　fate？〃　Harper　inquired。
　
　Sandecker　shook　his　head　and　smiled。　〃Myths　thrived　after　the　war。　One　had　the　fossils　secretly　hidden　in　a　vault　under　the　Museum　of　Natural　History　in　Washington。　The　marines　who　guarded　the　shipment　and　survived　the　war　came　up　with　at　least　ten　different　stories　of　their　own。　The　footlockers　went　down　on　a　Japanese　hospital　ship　that　in　reality　was　loaded　with　weapons　and　troops。　The　marines　buried　the　footlockers　near　an　American　consulate。　They　were　hidden　in　a　prisoner…of…war　camp　and　then　lost　at　the　end　of　the　war。　They　were　stored　in　a　Swiss　warehouse；　in　a　vault　on　Taiwan；　in　the　closet　of　a　marine　who　smuggled　them　home。　Whatever　the　true　story；　Peking　man　is　still　lost　in　a　fog　of　controversy。　And　how　they　somehow　found　their　way　into　Chiang　Kai…shek's　hands　and　onto　the　Princess　Dou　Wan　is　anybody's　guess。〃
　
　〃All　very　tantalizing；〃　said　Julia；　setting　a　pot　of　tea　and　cups　on　the　center　table　for　anyone　who　wanted　some。　〃But　what　good　is　all　this　if　the　Princess　can't　be　found？〃
　Pitt　smiled。　〃Leave　it　to　a　woman　to　cut　to　the　heart　of　the　matter。〃
　〃Any　details　surrounding　her　loss？〃　asked　Sandecker。
　〃On　November　twenty…eighth；　she　sent　out　a　Mayday　signal　that　was　picked　up　in　Valparaiso；　Chile；　giving　her　position　as　two　hundred　miles　west　of　the　South　American　coast　in　the　Pacific。　Her　radio　operator　claimed　a　fire　was　raging　in　her　engine　room　and　she　was　rapidly　taking　on　water。　Ships　in　the　general　area　were　diverted　to　the　location　given；　but　the　only　trace　that　was　ever　found　were　several　empty　life　jackets。　Repeated　signals　from　Valparaiso　brought　no　response；　and　no　extensive　search　was　undertaken。〃
　Gunn　shook　his　head　thoughtfully。　〃You　could　look　for　years　with　the　Navy's　latest　deep…sea…penetrating　technology　and　not　find　anything。　A　vague　position　like　that　means　a　search　grid　of　at　least　two　thousand　square　miles。〃
　Pitt　poured　himself　a　cup　of　tea。　〃Was　her　destination　known？〃
　Perlmutter　shrugged。　〃None　was　ever　given　nor　determined。〃　He　opened　another　file　and　passed　around　several　photos　of　the　Princess　Dou　Wan。
　〃For　her　time；　she　was　a　pretty　ship；〃　observed　Sandecker；　admiring　her　lines。
　Pitt's　eyebrows　raised　in　speculation。　He　rose　from　his　chair；　walked　to　a　desk　and　picked　up　a　magnifying　glass。　Then　he　studied　two　of　the　photos　closely　before　looking　up。　〃These　two　photos；〃　he　said　slowly。
　〃Yes；〃　Perlmutter　murmured　expectantly。
　〃They　are　not　of　the　same　ship。〃
　〃You're　absolutely　right。　One　photo　shows　the　Princess　Dou　Wan's　sister　ship；　the　Princess　Yung　Tai。〃
　Pitt　stared　into　Perlmutter's　eyes。　〃You're　hiding　something　from　us；　you　old　fox。〃
　〃I　have　no　rock…hard　proof；〃　said　the　big　history　expert；　〃but　I　do　have　a　theory。〃
　〃We'd　all　like　to　hear　it；〃　said　Sandecker。
　Out　came　another　file　from　the　briefcase。　〃I　strongly　suspect　the　distress　signal　received　in　Valparaiso　was　a　fabrication　that　was　probably　sent　by　Chiang　Kai…shek's　agents　either　on　land　or　from　a　fishing　boat　somewhere　offshore。　The　Princess　Dou　Wan；　while　en　route　across　the　Pacific；　was　given　a　few　minor　modifications　by　her　crew；　including　a　name　change。　She　became　t