_October 16th._--Yes, the report of the conclusion of a Treaty which

was conveyed so rapidly overland to St. Petersburg was true, and yet I
am not on my way home!... Do not think that I am indifferent to this
delay. It is however, for the moment, inevitable. Everything would
have been lost if I had left China. The violence and ill-will which
exist in Hong-Kong are something ludicrous.... As it is, matters are
going on very fairly with the Imperial Commissioners, and I expect an
official visit from them this day at noon. The English mail arrived
yesterday.... The visit of the Commissioners went off very well. I
think that they have accepted the situation, and intend to make the
best of it.

_October 19th_.--Yesterday I returned the visit of the Commissioners,
going in state, with a guard, &c., into the city. We had a Chinese
repast--birds'-nest soup, sharks' fins, &c. I tried to put them at
their ease, after our disagreeable encounters at Tientsin. They seemed
disposed to be conversable and friendly. The Governor-General of this
province, who is one of them, is considered a very clever man, and he
appears to have rather a notion of taking a go-ahead policy with
foreigners.

[Sidenote: The tariff.]

The chief matter that remained to be arranged was the settlement of certain
trade-regulations, supplemental to the Treaty, involving a complete
revision of the tariff.

[Sidenote: The opium trade.]

A tariff is not usually a matter of general interest; but this tariff is of
more than mere commercial importance, as having for the first time
regulated, and therefore legalised, the trade in opium.[1] Hitherto this
article had been mentioned in no treaty, but had been left to the operation
of the Chinese municipal law, which prohibited it altogether. But the
Chinese would have it; there was no lack of foreign traders, chiefly
British and American, ready to run the risk of smuggling it for the sake of
the large profits to be made upon it; and the custom-house officials, both
natives and foreign inspectors, hardly even kept up the farce of pretending
to ignore the fact. At one port, indeed, the authorities exacted from the
opium traders a sort of hush-money, equivalent to a tax about 6 per cent.
_ad valorem_. It might well be said that 'the evils of this illegal,
connived at, and corrupting traffic could hardly be overstated; that it was
degrading alike to the producer, the importer, the official, whether
foreign or Chinese, and the purchaser.'

To remedy these evils two courses were open. One was effective prohibition,
with the assistance of the Foreign Powers; but this, the Chinese
Commissioners admitted, was practically hopeless, mainly owing to the
inveterate appetite of their people for the drug. The other remained:
regulation and restriction, by the imposition of as high a duty as could be
maintained without giving a stimulus to smuggling. It was not without much
consideration that Lord Elgin adopted the latter alternative; and it was a
great satisfaction to him that his views on this subject were ultimately
shared by Mr. Reed, the Envoy of the United States, who had come to the
country with the intention of supporting the opposite opinion.

In the course of the conferences on these points, which were carried on in
the most friendly spirit, Lord Elgin induced the Commissioners to make a
separate agreement that he should be permitted, irrespectively of the
conditions imposed by the Treaty, to make an expedition up the great river
Yangtze Kiang; a permission of which he gladly availed himself, not only
for the sake of exploring a new and most interesting country, but even more
with the view of marking how entirely and cordially his Treaty was
accepted.

_Shanghae.--November 2nd._--You will, I am sure, see how necessary it
has been for me to protract my stay to this time. The systematic
endeavour to make it appear that my work was a failure could be
counteracted only by my own presence. The papers, &c., from England
are complimentary enough about the Treaty, but some of the accounts
which have gone home are somewhat exaggerated, and perhaps there will
be a reaction.... More particularly, I find a hope expressed that we
have plundered the wretched Chinese to a greater extent than is the
case.... Meanwhile, I have achieved one object, which will be, I
think, the crowning act of my mission. I have arranged with the
Imperial Commissioners that I am to proceed up the river Yangtze. The
Treaty only provides that it shall be open when the Rebels have left
it. I daresay this will give rise to comments. If so, I shall have
anticipated them, by going up the river myself. I shall take with me
my own squadron (what I had in Japan). The weather is beautiful; quite
cool enough for comfort. We shall visit a region which has never been
seen, except by a stray missionary. I shall lose by this move some
three weeks, but I do not think they will be really lost, because it
will give so very complete a demonstration of the acceptance of the
Treaty by the Chinese authorities, that even Hong-Kong will be
silenced.

_November 6th._--I hoped to have started to-day, but am obliged to
put off till Monday, as the tariff is not yet ready for signature. I
grieve over every day lost, which protracts our separation. I see that
in the very flattering article of the _Times_ of September 7th, which
you quote, it is implied that when I signed the Treaty, I had done my
work, and that the responsibility of seeing that it was carried out
rests with others. If this be true--and you will no doubt think so--I
might have returned at once, at least after Japan. But is it true?
Could I, in fairness to my country, or, in what I trust you believe
comes second in the rank of motives with me, to my own reputation,
leave the work which I  had undertaken unfinished?... Besides, I own
that I have a conscientious feeling on the subject. I am sure that in
our relations with these Chinese we have acted scandalously, and I
would not have been a party to the measures of violence which have
taken place, if I had not believed that I could work out of them some
good for them. Could I leave this, the really noblest part of my task,
to be worked out by others? Anyone could have obtained the Treaty of
Tientsin. What was really meritorious was, that it should have been
obtained at so small a cost of human suffering. But this is also what
discredits it in the eyes of _many_, of _almost all_ here. If we had
carried on war for some years; if we had carried misery and desolation
all over the Empire; it would have been thought quite natural that the
Emperor should have been reduced to accept the terms imposed upon him
at Tientsin. But to do all this by means of a demonstration at
Tientsin! The announcement was received with a yell of derision by
connoisseurs and baffled speculators in tea. And indeed there was some
ground for scepticism. It would have been very easy to manage matters
here, so as to bring into question all the privileges which we had
acquired by that Treaty. Even then we should have gained a great deal
by it; because when we came to assert those rights by force, we should
have had a good, instead of a bad _casus belli_. But I was desirous,
if possible, to avoid the necessity for further recurrence to force;
and it required some skill to do this. This has been my motive for
protracting my stay.

[Sidenote: The tariff signed.]

_H.M.S. 'Furious.'--November 8th_.--I write a line to tell you that I
got over the signature of my tariff, &c., very satisfactorily this
morning, and set off in peace with all men, including Chinese
Plenipotentiaries, and colleagues European and American, on my way up
the Yangtze Kiang. We are penetrating into unknown regions, but I
trust shortly to be able to report to you my return, and all the
novelties I shall have seen.

[Sidenote: Afloat on the Yangtze Kiang.]

This morning at ten, I went to a temple which lies exactly between the
foreign settlement and the Chinese town of Shanghae, to meet there the
Imperial Commissioners, and to sign the tariff. We took with us the
photographs which Jocelyn had done for them, and which we had framed.
They were greatly delighted, and altogether my poor friends seemed in
better spirits than I had before seen them in. We passed from
photography to the electric telegraph, and I represented to them the
great advantage which the Emperor would derive from it in so extensive
an empire as China; how it would make him present in all the
provinces, &c. They seemed to enter into the subject. The conference
lasted rather more than an hour. After it, I returned to the
consulate, taking a tender adieu of Gros By the way. I embarked at 1,
and got under weigh at 2 P.M.... The tide was very strong against us,
so we have not made much way, but we are really in the Yangtze river.
We have moored between two flats with trees upon them; the mainland on
the left, and an island (Bush Island), recently formed from the mud of
the river, on the right. Though the earth has been uninteresting, it
has not been so with the sky, for the dark shades of night, which have
been gathering and thickening on the right have been confronted on
the left by the brightest imaginable star, and the thinnest possible
crescent moon, both resting on a couch of deep and gradually deepening
crimson. I have been pacing the bridge between the paddle-boxes,
contemplating this scene, until we dropped our anchor, and I came down
to tell you of this my first experience of the Yangtze. And what will
the sum of those experiences be? We are going into an unknown region,
along a river which, beyond Nankin, has not been navigated by
Europeans. We are to make our way through the lines of those strange
beings the Chinese Rebels. We are to penetrate beyond them to cities,
of the magnitude and population of which fabulous stories are told;
among people who have never seen Western men; who have probably heard
the wildest reports of us; to whom we shall assuredly be stranger than
they can possibly be to us. What will the result be? Will it be a
great disappointment, or will its interest equal the expectations it
raises? Probably before this letter is despatched to you, it will
contain an answer more or less explicit to these questions.

_Sunday, November 14th.--Six P.M._--We have just dropped anchor, some
eighty miles from Woosung. I wish that you had been with me on this
evening's trip. You would have enjoyed it. During the earlier part of
the afternoon we were going on merrily together. The two gunboats
ahead, the 'Furious' and 'Retribution' abreast, sometimes one,
sometimes the other, taking the lead. After awhile we (the 'Furious')
put out our strength, and left gunboats and all behind. When the sun
had passed the meridian, the masts and sails were a protection from
his rays, and as he continued to drop towards the water right ahead of
us, he strewed our path, first with glittering silver spangles, then
with roses, then with violets, through all of which we sped
ruthlessly. The banks still flat, until the last part of the trip,
when we approached some hills on the left, not very lofty, but clearly
defined, and with a kind of dreamy softness about them, which reminded
one of Egypt. Altogether, it was impossible to have had anything more
charming in the way of yachting; the waters a perfect calm, or hardly
crisped by the breeze that played on their surface. We rather wish for
more wind, as the 'Cruiser' cannot keep up without a little help of
that kind.

[Sidenote: Aground.]
[Sidenote: Silver Island.]

_November 16th.--Noon_.--A bad business. We were running through a
narrow channel which separates Silver Island from the mainland, in
very deep water, when all of a sudden we were brought up short, and
the ship rolled two or three times right and left, in a way which
reminded me of a roll which we had in the 'Ava' immediately after
starting from Calcutta. On that occasion we saw beside us the tops of
the masts of a ship, and were told it had struck on the same sand-
bank, and gone down about an hour before. Our obstacle on this
occasion is a rock; a very small one, for we have deep water all
around us. However, here we are. I hope our ship will not suffer from
the strain. It is curious that in this narrow pass, where fifty ships
went through and returned in 1842, this rock should exist and never
have been discovered. _Six P.M._--The sun has just set among a crowd
of mountains which bound the horizon ahead of us, and in such a blaze
of fiery light that earth and sky in his neighbourhood have been all
too glorious to look upon. Standing out in advance on the edge of this
sea of molten gold, is a solitary rock, about a quarter of the size of
the Bass, which goes by the name of Golden Island, and serves as the
pedestal of a tall pagoda. I never saw a more beautiful scene, or a
more magnificent sunset; but alas! we see it under rather melancholy
circumstances, for after six hours of trying in all sorts of ways to
get off, we are as fast aground as ever. We are now lightening the
ship. Silver Island is a kind of sacred island like Potou, but very
much smaller.[2] I went ashore, and walked over it with a bonze, who
conversed with Lay. He told us that the people in the neighbourhood
are very poor, and will be glad that foreigners should come and trade
with them. The bonzes here are much like their brethren of Potou, the
most wretched-looking of human beings. Our friend told us that they
have no books or occupation of any kind. Four times a day they go
through their prayers. He had twelve bald spots on his head, which,
were the record of so many vows he had taken to abstain from so many
vices, which he enumerated. I gave them five dollars when I left the
island, which seemed to astonish them greatly. I asked him what would
happen if he broke his vows. He said that he would be beaten and sent
away. If he kept them he hoped to become in time a Buddha.

_November 17th.--Six P.M._--After taking 150 tons out of the ship,
we have just made an attempt to get her off--in vain. The glorious sun
has again set, holding out to us the same attractions in the west as
yesterday, in vain! Here we remain, as motionless as the rock on which
we are perched. I have not been quite idle, however. I landed about
noon on the shore opposite Silver Island, and walked about three miles
to the town of Chin-kiang. It was taken by us in the last war, and
sadly maltreated, but since then it has been captured by the Rebels
and re-captured by the Imperialists. I could hardly have imagined such
a scene of desolation. I do not think there is a house that is not a
ruin. I believe the population used to be about 300,000, but now I
suppose it cannot exceed a few hundreds. The people are really, I
believe, glad to see us. They hope we may give them free trade and
protection from the Rebels. A commodore and post-captain in the
Chinese navy came off to us this afternoon. They were very civil,
offering to do anything for us they could. They tell us we can go in
this ship to Hankow and the Poyang Lake.  We have found another rock
beside us, and only think that this should not have been known by our
Navy!

[Sidenote: Afloat again.]

_November 18th.--Eight P.M._--At about 6 P.M. I was crossing on a
plank over a gully, on my return from an expedition to Golden Island,
when three rounds of cheers from the 'Furious,' about a mile off,
struck my ear. Three rounds of cheers, followed by as many from the
other ships. She was off the rock! Some 250 tons were taken out, and
when the tide rose she came off--nothing the worse! and our time has
not been quite lost, for this is an interesting place, if only because
of the insight which it gives into the proceedings of the Rebels.
Golden Island is about five miles from here. It was a famous Buddhist
sanctuary, and contained their most valuable library. Its temples are
now a ruin.

_November 20th.--Noon._--Yesterday I took a long walk, not marked by
any noteworthy incidents. We went into some of the cottages of the
small farmers. In one we found some men smoking opium. They said that
they smoked about 80 cash (fourpence) worth a day: that their wages
when they worked for hire were 120 cash (sixpence). The opium was
foreign (Indian): the native was not good. I asked how they could
provide for their wives and families if they spent so much on opium.
They said they had land, generally from two to three acres apiece.
They paid about a tenth of the produce as a tax. They were very good-
humoured, and delighted to talk to Wade and Lay. They appear to
welcome us more here than in other places I have visited in China.

[Sidenote: Fired on from Nankin.]

_Eight P.M._--We have been under fire. The orders given on our
approach to Nankin were, that the 'Lee' should go in advance; that if
fired on, she should hoist a flag of truce; if the flag of truce was
fired on, she was not to return the fire until ordered to do so. It
was a lovely evening, and the sun was sinking rapidly as we approached
Nankin, the 'Lee' about a mile in advance. I was watching her, and saw
her pass the greater part of the batteries in front of the town. I was
just making up my mind that all was to go off quietly, when a puff of
smoke appeared from a fort, followed by the booming of a cannon. The
'Lee' on this hoisted her white flag in vain; seven more shots were
fired from the forts at her before she returned them. Then, to be
sure, we began all along the line, all the forts firing at us as we
came within their range. I was on the paddlebox-bridge till a shot
passed very nearly over our heads, and Captain Osborn advised me to go
down. We were struck seven times; one of the balls making its way into
my cabin. In our ship nobody was hit; but there was one killed and two
badly wounded in the 'Retribution.' We have passed the town; but I
quite agree with the naval authorities, that we cannot leave the
matter as it now stands. If we were to do so, the Chinese would
certainly say they had had the best of it, and on our return we might
be still more seriously attacked. It is determined, therefore, that
to-morrow we shall set to work and demolish some of the forts that
have insulted us. I hope the Rebels will make some communication, and
enable us to explain that we mean them no harm; but it is impossible
to anticipate what these stupid Chinamen will do.

[Sidenote: Retribution.]

_November 21st.--Eleven A.M._--We had about an hour and a half of it
this morning. We began at 6 A.M. at the nearest fort, and went on to
two or three others. We pounded them pretty severely, and very few
shots were fired in return. They seemed to have exhausted themselves
in last night's attack. As soon as my naval chiefs thought that we had
done enough for our honour, I begged them to go on, as I did not want
to have to hand over the town to the Imperialists, who are hemming it
round on every side. I am sorry that we should have been forced to do
what we have done; but I do not think we could have acted with greater
circumspection.... A set of Imperialist junks set to work to fire at
the town as we were leaving off, throwing their shot from a most
wonderfully safe distance.

[Sidenote: Apologies.]

_November 22nd._--Last night a letter came off from our 'humble
younger brother' (the Rebel chief), praying us to join them in
annihilating the 'demons' (Imperialists). I sent them in reply a sort
of proclamation which I had prepared in the morning, intimating that
we had come up the river pacifically; had punished the Nankin forts
for having insulted us, from which persons repeating the experiment
would learn what they had to expect. Later at night a present of
twelve fowls and two pieces of red bunting came to the river bank,
from some villagers, I believe. When Captain Ward was on shore
surveying, two Chinamen came to him, stating that an express had come
from Nankin to say that the attack on us was a mistake, and we were
taken for Imperialists, &c. &c. I hope, therefore, that we shall have
no more trouble of this description.

[Sidenote: Woohoo.]

_November 23rd.--Six P.M._--Arrived off Woohoo at about 3 P.M. We
passed the town, and anchored just above it. It is in the hands of the
Rebels, but no hostility was shown to us. Wade has been on shore to
communicate with the chiefs, who are very civil, but apparently a low
set of Cantonese. The place where he landed is a kind of entrenched
camp; the town about three miles distant. An Imperialist fleet is
moored a few miles up the river. I sent Lay to communicate with the
commanding officer, and he recommends the 'Retribution' to go a little
farther on to a place in the possession of the Imperialists.

[Sidenote: Rebel warfare.]

_November 24th.--Ten A.M._--We set off this morning at about 6 A.M. In
passing the fleet we begged from the commander the loan of a pilot. He
proves to be a Cantonese, so that the active spirits on both sides
seem to come from that quarter. We asked him why the Imperialists do
not take Woohoo. He says they have no guns of a sufficient size to do
anything against the forts, but that about twice a month they have a
fight on shore. They cut off the heads of Rebels, and _vice versâ_,
when they catch each other, which does not seem to happen very often.
The war, in short, seems to be carried on in a very soft manner, but
it must do a great deal of mischief to the country. While I was
dressing I was called out of my cabin to see a fight going on, on the
right bank of the river. The Rebels occupied some hills, where they
were waving flags gallantly, and the Imperialists were below them in a
plain. We saw only two or three cannon shots fired while we passed. As
things are carried on, one does not see why this war should not last
for ever. My friends, the Commissioners, seem to have acted in good
faith towards me, for the Chinese naval authorities all inform me that
they had been forewarned of our coming, and ordered to treat us with
every courtesy.

[Sidenote: The Imperial fleet.]

_November 25th.--Ten A.M._--We have just passed a bit of scenery on
our left, which reminds me of Ardgowan,--a range of lofty hills in the
background, broken up by deep valleys and hillocks covered with trees;
dark-green fir, and hard wood tinted with Canadian autumn colours,
running up towards it from the river. With two or three thousand
acres--what a magnificent situation for a park! There are so many
islets in this river that it is not easy to speak of its breadth, but
its channel still continues deep, and, with occasional exceptions,
navigable without difficulty. _Six P.M._--A very pretty spectacle
closed this day. The sun was dropping into the western waters before
us as we approached a place called Tsong-yang, on the left bank. We
knew it was the station of an Imperial fleet, and as we neared it we
found about thirty or forty warjunks, crowded with men and dressed in
their gaudiest colours. Flags of every variety and shape. On one junk
we counted twenty-one. You cannot imagine a prettier sight. We
anchored, supposing that the authorities might come off to us. As yet,
however, they have shown no disposition to do so. I presume, however,
that the display is a compliment. Figure to yourself the gala I have
described at the mouth of a broad stream running at right angles to
the river Yangtze, and up which the town lies, about two miles off--
the river, plains, town and all, surrounded by an amphitheatre of
lofty hills--and you will have an idea of the scene in the midst of
which we are anchored, and from which, the golden tints of sunset are
now gradually fading away.

[Sidenote: Under fire again.]

_November 26th.--Noon._--We have just had another sample of this very
unedifying Chinese warfare. About an tour ago we came off the city of
Nganching, the capital of the province of Aganhoci--the last station
(so we are assured) in the hands of the Rebels. As we neared a pagoda,
surrounded by a crenelated wall, we were fired upon two or three
times. We thought it necessary to resent this affront by peppering the
place for about ten minutes. We then moved slowly past the town,
unassaulted till we reached the farther corner, when the idiots had
the temerity to fire again. This brought us a second time into action.
It is a sorry business this fighting with the people who are so little
a match; but I do not suppose we did them much harm, and it was, I
presume, necessary to teach them that they had better leave us alone.
Osborn, who was aloft, saw from that point a curious scene. The
Imperialists (probably taking advantage of our vicinity) were
advancing on the town from the land side in skirmishing order, waving
their flags and gambolling as usual. The Pagoda Rebels ran out of it
as soon as we began to fire, and found themselves tumbling into the
arms of the Imperialists. We passed this morning a narrow rocky
passage, otherwise the navigation has been easy.

[Sidenote: A pilot.]

_Six P.M._--Anchored off Tunglow, a walled town, nicely situated on
the river. The sun is sinking to his repose through a mist, red and
round, like a great ball of fire. The pilot is the most vivacious
Chinaman I have seen,--inquiring about everything, proposing to go to
England, like a Japanese. It was from the naval commander at Kiewhein
that we got him. Lay was present when the commodore sent for him. He
fell on his knees. The chief informed him that he must go up the river
with us, and pilot us. 'That is a public service,' says the man, 'and
if your Excellency desires it I must go; but I would humbly submit
that I have a mother and sister who must be provided for in my
absence.' 'Certainly,' said the chief. 'Then,' answered our man, 'I am
ready;' and without further a-do he got into the boat with Lay and
came off to us.

_November 27th.--Eight A.M._--We started well, but there is such a fog
that we are obliged to stop till it clears. Our pilot went ashore last
night at Tunglow, and has returned with the front part of his head
cleanly shaved. I asked him what the people had thought of our
appearance. He answered that they were greatly afraid lest we should
fire upon them, and their hearts at first went pit-a-pat; but when
they heard from him how well we treated him, and that we were no
friends to the Rebels, they said 'Poussa' ('that's Buddha's doing' or
'thank God').

[Sidenote: Sand storm.]

_November 28th.--Eleven A.M._--The morning began as usual: calm, fair,
and hazy. At about nine it began to blow, and gradually rose to a
gale, causing our river ripple to mimic ocean waves, and the dust and
sand to fly before us in clouds, obscuring earth and sky. About ten we
approached a mountain range, which had been for some time looming on
the horizon. We found we had to pass through a channel of about a
quarter of a mile wide; on our left, a series of barren hills, bold
and majestic-looking in the mist; on the right, a solitary rock,
steep, conical-shaped, and about 300 feet high. On the side of it a
Buddhist temple, perched like a nest. The hills on the left were
crowned by walls and fortifications built some time ago by the Rebels,
and running over them in all manner of zigzag and fantastic
directions. I have seldom seen a more striking bit of scenery. When we
had passed through we found more hills, with intervals of plains, in
one of which lay the district city of Tongtze, enclosed by walls which
run along the top of the hills surrounding it. The inhabitants crowded
to the shore to witness the strange apparition of foreign vessels.

[Sidenote: The 'Hen Barrier.']

I mentioned a rocky passage through which we passed on the morning of
the 26th. Ellis, in his account of Lord Amherst's Embassy, speaks of
it as a place of great difficulty. A series of rocks like stepping-
stones run over a great part, and the passage is obtained by sticking
close to the left bank. Our pilot tells us that it is named the 'Hen
Barrier,' and for the following reason: Once on a time, there dwelt on
the right bank an evil spirit, in the guise of a rock, shaped like a
hen. This evil spirit coveted some of the good land on the opposite
side, and proceeded to cross, blocking up the stream on her way. The
good spirits, in consternation, applied to a bonze, who, after some
reflection, bethought himself of a plan for arresting the mischief. He
set to work to crow like a cock. The hen rock, supposing that it was
the voice of her mate, turned round to look. The spell was instantly
broken. She dropped into the stream, and the natives, indignant at her
misdeeds, proceeded into it and cut off her head!

I have been skimming over a Chinese book, translated by Stanislas
Julien: the travels of a Buddhist. It is full of legends of the
character of that which I have now narrated.

[Sidenote: Peasants.]

_November 29th.--12.30 P.M._--We have been very near the bank this
morning. I see more cattle on the farms than in other parts of China.
They are generally buffaloes, used for agricultural purposes; and when
out at pasture, a little boy is usually perched on the back of each to
keep it from straying. _Six P.M._--I went ashore to pass the time, and
got into conversation with some of the peasants. One man told us that
he had about three acres of land, which yielded him about twenty
piculs (1-1/3 ton) of pulse or grain annually, worth about forty
dollars. His tax amounted to about three-fourths of a dollar. There
was a school in the hamlet. Children attending it paid about two
dollars a year. But many were too poor to send their children to
school. We went into another cottage. It was built of reeds on the
bare ground. In a recess screened off were two young men lying on the
ground, with their lamp between them, smoking opium.

[Sidenote: Unknown waters.]
[Sidenote: Kew-kiang.]

_November 30th._--We are now in waters which no Englishman, as far as
is known, has ever seen. Lord Amherst passed into the Poyang Lake
through the channel I described yesterday, and so on to Canton. We are
proceeding up the river Yangtze. Hue came down this route, but by
land. I mentioned the sand-drifts two days ago. Some of the hills here
look like the sand-hills of Egypt, from the layers of sand with which
they are covered. What with inundations in summer and sand-drifts in
winter, this locality must have some drawbacks as a residence.
_Noon._--Anchored again. We have before us in sight the pagoda of Kew-
kiang; one of the principal points which we proposed to reach when we
embarked on this expedition.... We have not much to hope for from our
Chinese pilot. Our several mishaps have disheartened him. He said to-
day with a sigh, when reminded that we had found no passage in the
channel he had specially recommended: 'The ways of waters are like
those of men, one day here, another there, who can tell!'--a promising
frame of mind for one's guide in this intricate navigation! _Five
P.M._--We found a channel in about an hour, and came on swimmingly to
Kew-kiang. From the water it looked imposing enough. An enclosing wall
of about five miles in circuit, and in tolerable condition. I landed
at 3 P.M. What a scene of desolation within the wall! It seems to have
suffered even more than Chin-kiang Foo. A single street running
through a wilderness of weeds and ruins. The people whom we questioned
said the Rebels did it all. The best houses we found were outside the
city in the suburb. We were of course very strange in a town where the
European dress has never been seen, but the people were as usual
perfectly good-natured, delighted to converse with Lay, and highly
edified by his jokes. We did some commissariat business. We had with
us only Mexican dollars, and when we offered them at the first shop
the man said he did not like them as he did not know them. Lay said,
'Come to the ship and we will give you Sycee instead.' 'See how just
they are,' said a man in the crowd to his neighbour; 'they do not
force their coin upon him.' This kind of ready recognition of moral
worth is quite Chinese, and nothing will convince me that a people who
have this quality so marked are to be managed only by brutality and
violence.

[Sidenote: Difficult navigation.]
[Sidenote: Highland scenery.]

_December 1st.--1.30 P.M._--We have just anchored. About an hour ago,
we turned sharply to our left, and found on that hand a series of red
sand-bluffs leading to a range of considerable blue hills which faced
us in the distance; the river, as has been the case since we left the
Rebel country, was covered with small country junks, and here and
there a mandarin one, covered with flags, and with its highly-polished
brass gun in the prow. The scene had become more interesting, but the
navigation more difficult, for the gunboats began hoisting '3' and
'4,' and all manner of ominous numbers. So we had: 'Hands to the port
anchor,' 'slower,' and 'as slow as possible,' 'a turn astern,' and
after a variety of fluctuations, 'drop the anchor.' _Six P.M._--We had
to go a short way back, and to pass, moreover, a very shallow bit of
the river; that done we went on briskly, and bore down upon the
mountain range which we descried in the forenoon. At about four we
came up to it and turned to the right, with the mountains on our left
and the town of Wooseuh on our right, while the setting sun, glowing
as ever, was throwing his parting rays over one of the most beautiful
scenes I ever witnessed. The whole population crowded to the river
bank to see this wonderful apparition of the barbarian fire-ships. The
hills rising from the water had a kind of Loch Katrine look. We have
made some thirty-five miles to-day, but have still, I fear, about 100
to go.

_December 2d.--Eleven A.M._--A very prosperous forenoon. Mountains
soon rose to the right, similar to those on the left. We cut our way
through deep calm water, amid these hills of grey rock and fir woods,
for some three hours and might really have imagined ourselves in the
finest loch scenery of the Highlands. Numbers of little boats dotted
the river, and moved off respectfully to the right and left as we
approached. At about ten we passed out of the mountain range, and soon
after neared Chechow, from which the population seemed to be moving,
as we inferred from the numbers of small-footed women hobbling along
the bank with their household effects. We were boarded by a mandarin-
boat, the officer of which informed me that he had been sent by the
Governor-General to pay his respects. He said that the Rebels were at
no great distance, and the people were flying for fear of their
attacking the town. He added, however, that they (the Imperialists)
had a large force of cavalry in the neighbourhood, and that they would
check the exodus of the inhabitants. Between Imperialists and Rebels,
the people must have a nice time of it. His best piece of news was
that we are only about fifty miles from Hankow. I trust that it may be
so, for, despite my love of adventure, I shall be glad when we are
able to turn back and proceed homewards.

[Sidenote: Popular view of the religion of the Rebels.]

The reason which the pilot assigns for the destruction of the temples
by the Rebels is the following: 'At present,' says he, 'the rich have
a great advantage over the poor. They can afford to spend a great deal
more in joss-sticks and other offerings, so that, of course, the gods
show them a very undue allowance of favour. The Rebels, who do not
approve of these invidious distinctions, get rid of them by destroying
the temples altogether.' This is evidently a popular version of the
religious character of the Rebel movement. A Buddhist priest, whom I
saw at Kew-kiang, said that the Rebels had destroyed some forty
temples there. 'They do not worship in temples,' he said, 'but they
have a worship of their own.' The room in which Mr. Wade saw the Rebel
chief at Woo-how was said to be their place of worship. It had no
altar, nor anything to distinguish it as such.

_December 4th.--Six P.M._--Anchored again for the night, not half a
mile farther than yesterday. An island in process of formation,
covered at high water, separates the two anchorages. We had to go
back, &c., and ended the day's work by getting through a very tight
place in a most masterly manner; leadsmen sounding at the bow and
stern, as well as at the two paddles, and the 'Lee' and 'Cruiser'
stationed as pivots at the edges of the shoal. We had to perform a
sort of letter S round them, and we passed by the latter so near, that
we might have shaken hands with the crew. I should be amused with
these triumphs, were it not for the reflection that we have to repeat
them all in returning, with a favouring current, which will make our
task more difficult.

[Sidenote: Hankow.]

_December 6th.--Three P.M._--At Hankow; four weeks, almost to a
minute, since we left Shanghae. We have brought this ship to a point
about 600 miles from the sea,--a feat, I should think, unprecedented
for a vessel of this size. We have reached the heart of the commerce
of China. At first sight, I am disappointed in the magnitude of the
place. I am anchored off the mouth of the river Han, which separates
Hankow and Han-yang on the left bank of the Yangtze. On its right bank
is Ouchang Foo. I do not see room for the eight millions of people, at
which rumour puts the population of these three towns. The scene is
very animated. We are surrounded by hundreds of boats, and the banks
are a sea of heads. My gentlemen are gone ashore. I think I shall get
through the streets more conveniently to-morrow morning.

_December 7th.--Four P.M._--I have just returned from a walk through
Hankow. Like all the places we have visited on this trip, it seems to
have been almost entirely destroyed by the Rebels; but it is
recovering rapidly, and exhibits a great deal of commercial activity.
The streets are wider and shops larger than one generally finds them
in China. When 'foreign' parties landed yesterday, they were a good
deal pestered by officious mandarin followers, who, by way of keeping
order, kept bambooing all the unhappy natives who evinced a desire to
see the foreigners. In order to defeat this plan, which was manifestly
adopted with the view of preventing us from coming in contact with the
people, I landed near Han-yang, on the side of the river Han opposite
to Hankow, and walked in the first instance to the top of a hill where
there is a kind of fortress, from which we had a good view of Ouchang,
Han-yang, and Hankow. The day was rather misty, but we saw enough to
satisfy us that there must have been great exaggeration in previous
reports of the magnitude of these places. Some of the mandarin
satellites tried to accompany us on our walk, but we soon sent them
about their business. After seeing all we wished of the view, we
descended and crossed the river Han in a sampan to Hankow, where we
walked about for some hours, followed by a crowd of perfectly
respectable people. As some hint was conveyed to me implying, that it
was hoped we would not go to Ouchang, I have sent a letter to the
Governor-General of the Two Hoo, who resides there, informing him that
I intend to call upon him to-morrow. I shall go with as large an
escort as I can muster. These Chinamen are such fools that, with all
my desire to befriend them, I find it sometimes difficult to keep
patience with them. They are doing all they can to prevent us from
having any dealings with the people; refusing our dollars, sending us
supplies as presents, &c. I have sent back the presents, stating that
I must have supplies, and that I will pay for them.

_December 8th.--Eleven A.M._--An officer has been off from the
Governor-General, proposing that my visit should take place to-morrow,
in order that there may be sufficient time for the preparations. He
was very profuse in his protestations of good-will, but as usual there
were a number of little points on which it was necessary to take a
half-bullying tone. 'I could not have a chair with eight bearers; such
a thing had never been seen at Ouchang. There were not thirty chairs
(the number for which we had applied) in the whole place.' 'Lord Elgin
won't land with less, do as you please,' was the answer given. Of
course, the difficulties immediately vanished. Considerable
indignation was expressed at the fact that some of our officers had
been prevented from entering the town of Ouchang yesterday. A hope was
expressed that nobody would land on the Ouchang side to-day; all would
be arranged by to-morrow to our satisfaction, &c. &c. So, after an
interview, in which there was the necessary admixture of the bitter
and the sweet, the officer was sent back to his master. Supplies are
coming off in abundance to the ships. In short, the people are most
desirous to buy and sell, if the authorities will only leave them
alone. _Six P.M._--I have had a long walk on the same side of the
river as yesterday. We first went through the whole depth of Hankow,
on a line parallel with the river Han. We estimated our walk in this
direction at about two miles, but a good deal of it was along a single
street flanked on both sides by ruins. We then embarked in a sanpan
and came down the Han, passing through a multitude of junks of great
variety in shape and cargo. We landed near its mouth on the Han-yang
side, and walked to that town, which is a Foo or prefectoral city, and
walled. It contains the remains of some buildings of pretension,
triumphal arches, &c., which, imply that it must have been a place of
some distinction, but it has been sadly maltreated by the Rebels.

_December 9th.--Four P.M._--The day is rainy, and the purser complains
of difficulty in making his purchases yesterday, and that coal is not
coming off to us as promised, &c.; so I thought it expedient to do a
little in the bullying line to keep all straight. When the Governor-
General therefore sent off this morning to say that he was ready to
receive me, I despatched Wade and Lay to inform him in reply that the
day was too bad for me to land, and that I had to complain of the
difficulties put in my way about money, &c. He received them in
person, and was very gracious; said that he had been at Canton; that
he understood all about us; that if he had been there, Yeh would never
have behaved as he did; that in former days the Chinese Government had
bullied us; that we had bullied them of late years; that it was much
better that henceforward we should settle matters reasonably; that he
was desirous to show me every attention in his power; that when the
port should be open he would do all he could to promote commerce and
good understanding. In short, he spoke very sensibly. It is
exceedingly probable that if he had not got a little check, he might
have kept us at as great a distance as possible; but, be that as it
may, it is just another proof of how easy it is to manage the Chinese
by a little tact and firmness. We are now loading coal, flour, &c., as
fast as we can take it on board.

[Sidenote: Visit to Governor-General.]

_December 10th.--Six P.M._--This day broke fine and clear, so I sent
off to the Governor-General to tell him that if he would receive me I
would visit him at 2 P.M. We went with considerable pomp. A salute
going and returning. A guard of eighty marines and sailors, and a
party of about thirty in chairs. We passed through about a mile of the
town of Ouchang Foo, and were received by the Governor-General and his
suite, dressed in their best. The ceremony was as usual; conversation
and tea in the front room, followed by a more substantial repast in
the second. I have never, however, seen a reception in China so
sumptuous, the authorities so well got up, and the feeding so well
arranged. The Governor-General is a good-looking man, less artificial
in his manner than Chinese authorities usually are. He is a Mantchoo.
It is rather hard to make conversation when one is seated at the top
of a room surrounded by some hundred people, and when, moreover, one
has nothing to say, and that nothing has to be said through an
interpreter. However, the ceremony went off very well. After it, I got
rid of my ribbon and star, and took a stroll _incog._ through Hankow,
where we bought some tea. Ouchang seems a large town with some good
houses and streets, but sadly knocked about by the Rebels. We are
getting all our supplies, &c., on board, and hope to start to-morrow
evening.

[Sidenote: Return visit.]