We managed to search it fairly thoroughly before this accident, at least, and have carried off a number of documents.

Most if the interesting information was in the study of Wu Chang's Mystic, who was, if I understand correctly, also his brother.  He had numerous ink portraits of various persons of interest to us, which our Mystics believe were used for scrying.  The chinese captions of the portaits in some cases gave insights into Wu Chang's interests. 

He also had several scrolls containing the sort of verses we have seen so much of in recent days, referring to moon, path, shield, book, blade, &c, &c.  I am beginning to find all this really tiresome.  It's one thing to pursue a course based on visions and dreams from persons known to us, and with proven credentials in clairvoyance, but all these scrolls and inscriptions and transcriptions and translations are annoyingly unverified.  For all that they seem to have a great deal of overlapping allusions, it is rather difficult to pin down the significance of any of it.  As with most prophecies,  these are so vague and metaphorical, they could be saying anything.  Who wrote all of this anyway?  Why should we take any of it to heart at all?  For all we know, these pronouncements were all inscribed by some ancient peripatetic practical joker with a chisel.  It is intensely frustrating to have so little to rely on.

At least we have put a crimp in Wu Chang's plans.  We have disabled at least this handful of his fleet, and I personally put quite a few bullets into him.  Unfortunately, he was swallowed by his captive sea serpent and carried away before we could confirm his death.  He is the sort who would return from this seeming certain doom.  Or perhaps Lady Cowperthwaite's shillling shockers are beginning to seep into my mind.  In any case, Mrs Cuthbert might be able to determine if Wu Chang will be returning to trouble us in some way.

That's one significant threat at least forestalled for the moment.  Now we have the return of Captain Forrester to consider as well.  All of the Mystics agree that he has fallen back out of the sky, and it is highly likely that he will seek us out again.  Considering that he dug his way through a significant amount of mud without suffocating, it is quite possible that he could reach us even if we are aboard ship.  That would be very serious. 

Mrs Salmalin and I have had some discussions as to how to handle him.  While she certainly knows him better than the rest of us, she may not have the necessary objectivity to formulate a strategy.  We know we will not prevail by brute force.  The remaining possiblities we considered were 1) Some kind of emotional or mental manipulation to confuse his motivations or engage his sympathy--this seems improbable, as he has a very simple destructive method, not likely to be impeded by any sort of thinking, and he has no apparent emotional interest in any other persons.  2) An indirect attack, which might dispell the magic which gives him his powers.  Mrs Salmalin reminded me that Mr Mercer took his heart when he was first made the Fist of Shiva.  If he still has it, we might be able to acquire it and...well, I don't know what that would get us.   Mrs Cuthbert might be able to do something.  What if we could put his heart back into him? 

For all that we have attained a major portion of our mission's objectives (finding Lt Pellew and the Arabis, finding the hidden Island, and thwarting Wu Chang), it seems that a great deal of work and hazard remains before we will have achieved the Spirit of our assignment, beyond the mere Letter. 

Proceed to She thrives in utter chaos

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