Two Bouseys
Two Sisters
Pooto.I.
Ch'hae-hwa
Gîm-káng-bûn
Ch'hek-choo-san
Má-bok-san
30° 9′7′′
121° 57′ 8′′
Koe-choo
Së áou-say
30° 9′ 1′′
122° 4′ 4′′
Tëâng-pék-san
Kwan-san
30° 11′ 3′′
122° 3′ 2′′
普蓮横菜岭冊馬茨小長官
陀花山花港子目藏沙白山
Leënhwa yang
Hwang shan
Chinkeäng mun
Tsihtsze shan
Mamuh shan
Seaousha
Changpih shan
Kwan shan
Heng-san
Singkong moon.
Blackwall island -
Broken island (h..p.)
Landing place
Fisher's island
Chusan Archipelago.
Houbland island -
do, (h. p.)
Sheppey island
Blackheath
CHINESE.
時岱蘭長螺鍋星桃枕則長。 中山秀塗頭堪羅花頭肉嶴
East islet off Chookeä Names not ascer-
Reef near the same
Druidical island
COURT DIALECT.
Chechung shan
Tae shan
Lansew shan
Changtoo shan
Lotow shan
Kwokan shan
Singlo shan
PUHKEEN.
Sẽ-trung san
LATITUDE.
LONGITUDE.
Lân-sew-san
30° 15' 4"
30° 10′ 3′′
122° 11′ 4′′
Teâng-toê-san
30° 15′ 6′′
122° 10′ 5′′
122° 16′ 5′′
Lê-t'hoê-san
Teaouhwa shan
Chintow shan
Tseibjuh shan
Chang yu
Seng-16-san
Thô-hwa-san
Chím-toê san
Chek-jeak-san
Tëâng-se
29° 5' 7"
29° 58′ 6′′
122° 35′ 8′′
122° 33′ 8′′
Kinpo yu
Kim-phwat-e
lackheath -
'Teâng-toê-san
Lô-t’hoê-san
30° 15′ 6′′
長螺鍋星桃枕則長
塗頭堪羅花頭肉與
Changtoo shan
Lotow shan
Kwokan shan
Singlo shan
Teaouhwa shan
Chintow shan
Tseibjuh shan
Chang yu
Seng-lô-san
Thôi hwa-san
Chim-toê san
Chek-jeak-san
Tëâng-se
122° 16′ 5′′
29°5′ 7′′
29° 58′ 6′′
Kinpo yu
Kim-phwat-e
ast islet off Chookeä Names not ascer-
'eef near the same
ruidical island
122°35′ 8′′
122° 33′ 8′′
Notices of Japan, No. LX
ART. III.
Notices of
of Japan, No. IX.: arts and manufactures among the Japanese: lacker-ware, paper, commerce, tea, &c. THE state of the arts in Japan is another point upon which there is some dif. ficulty in forming an opinion, partly from a little distrust in the connoisseur-ship of the members of the factory at Dezima, and partly from the unanimous assu- rances that the best specimens in any department are utterly unattainable by fo. reigners. Some notion might, indeed, be formed upon the subject from the station of the artist in the classification of society, but for the possibility that this may denote rather a past than the present state. All that can, therefore, be safely affirmed is, that the arts are more advanced in that country than in China.
Respecting the art of music, there needs no addition to what has been already stated. We are told that the Japanese are extremely fond of painting, and eager collectors of pictures; that they sketch boldly with charcoal and often in ink, never having occasion to efface; that their outlines are clear, and their drawing as good as may be compatible with ignorance of perspective and anatomy. From this ignorance, probably, arises their acknowledged inability to take a likeness, the professed portrait-painters bestowing their care rather upon the dress than the features of their sitters. In birds and flowers they succeed better; and two folio volumes of paintings of flowers, with the name and properties of each written on the opposite page, the work of a Japanese lady, and by her presented to Heer Titsingh, her husband's friend, are spoken of as beautiful. Delicate finishing seems to be the chief excellence of all Japanese artists.
Of the higher department of the art, landscape and figures, some specimens are afforded by the writers upon the subject, but so various in merit, that they perplex almost as much as they assist the judgment. Titsingh's plates of weddings, funeral processions, &c., from paintings by native artists, are, as nearly as may be, on a level with Chinese pictures. Meylan's are a shade better, and such as the qualified praise bestowed might lead one to expect.* Siebold's, although he visited Japan prior to Meylan, are far better, at least those of them which are taken from pictures painted for him: and this he explains, by stating that the young native artist whom he employed was studying the European principles of his art. But the plates in Overmeer Fischer's splendid volume are of a character so very superior to all the others;—they are so highly finished, and have so much of light and shade, though defective enough in drawing and perspective, that it is difficult not to suspect some few improving touches to have been given in Holland
A story, told by Meylan, of the proficiency of Japanese artists two centuries ago, might startle those who have read the opinions of these writers, or looked at most of their plates. It is that, when the ceremony of image-trampling was first ordained, there being a scarcity of Portuguese pictures of the Madonna and Child for simultaneous trampling, a Japanese painter was ordered to make a copy of one, and the copy was not to be distinguished from the original. It is to be ob served that the president never saw the copy, and the connoisseurs who had pro- nounced upon its undistinguishableness were Japanese. The painter was rewarded with decapitation. This story, however, is quite compatible with very poor de signing on the part of the artists, for, like the Chinese, they are no doubt excellent
imitators.
Notices of Japun, No. 1X.
before the Japanese pictures passed into the engraver's hands; a suspicion cer tainly not weakened by the inspection of the Japanese rooms in the Royal Museum at the Hague, where we are told to seek the best specimens of every description that can be smuggled into Dezima and on ship-board.*
The Japanese are unacquainted with oil-painting, but skillful in the manage. ment of water-colors. These they prepare from minerals and vegetables, obtain. ing tints far more brilliant and beautiful than ours.
Prints they have in abundance, but only wood-cuts. The art of engraving up. on copper has, however, been recently introduced amongst them, and adopted with an eagerness which promises well for its cultivation.
Of the art of sculpture, no trace appears in any of the authors, beyond the oc- casional mention of a little ornamental carving; but we are told that the Japanese have attained as much excellence in casting as is compatible with utter disregard of proportions. They are said to cast handsome vases and images, and their bells are remarkable for the beauty of the bas-reliefs that adorn them. These bells have no metallic tongues, but are sounded by striking them externally with wood. Of architecture, as an art, no idea exists in this country. Of military engineer. ing and navigation, as sciences, the Japanese are also ignorant, though they have the compass, and probably also possess such knowledge of military tactics as is sufficient for their purpose.
Of the lacker-work, known in this country as Japan, all the writers assert that no adequate idea can be conceived from the specimens commonly seen in Europe. What is really fine cannot be purchased by foreigners; and the best ever obtained by the members of the factory are received as presents from their Japanese friends. These are mostly deposited in the Royal Museum at the Hague; and although esteemed at home scarcely second-rate, are so really superior to the ordinary Japan, that no opinion should be given upon the beauty of the art, with- out having inspected that collection.
The whole process of lackering is extremely slow. The varnish, which is the resinous produce of a shrub called urusi no ki, or 'varnish plant,' requires a tedious preparation to fit it for use. It is tinted by slow and long-continued rubbing upon a copper-plate with the coloring material; and the operation of lackering is as tedious as its preliminaries. Five different coats, at the very least, are successive- ly applied, suffered to dry, and then ground down with a fine stone or a reed; † and it is only by this patient labor that the varnish acquires its excellence. The brilliant mother-of-pearl figures consist of layers of shell, cut and fashioned to the shape required, and colored at the back; then laid into the varnish, and subject- ed to the same coating and grinding process as the rest, whence they derive their glittering splendor.
The Japanese do not understand cutting precious stones, and therefore set no value upon them, which may account for the want of jewellery in the dress of both
Dr. Von Siebold's Japanese museum is said to be richer and superior to the Japanese rooms in the Royal Museum. It has very recently been purchased by the Dutch government to add to their museum at the Hague.
+ Grinding with a reed, or rush, sounds strange; but Fisher's words, "Met enn fignen steen of bies afgeslepen," admit of no other interpretation, the diction- ary affording no other signification of bies than 'rush,' or 'reed.' If we suppose the warehouse-master, or the interpreter through whom he obtained his informa. tion, to have included bamboo in the genus reed, the difficulty would be much lessened.
Notices of Japan, No. 1.X.
sexes. In metallurgy, they are, however, very skillful; and the beautiful work called syakudo, in which various metals are partly blended, partly combined, pro- ducing an effect much resembing fine enamel, is used in lieu of jewels for girdle- clasps, boxes, sword-hilts, &c. But the branch of this art in which they surpass most other nations, is the tempering of steel, and their sword-blades are said to be of transcendent excellence, bearing the fine edge of a razor,* and capable of cut. ting through an iron nail. They are valued accordingly; as we are told that a sum equal to £100 is not thought too much to give for a peculiarly fine sword-blade, whilst an old one, of exquisite temper, is esteemed beyond all price. Their ex- portation is prohibited, from some superstitious idea of an intimate connexion be. tween Japanese valor and Japanese arms, as a joint heritage from their divine
ancestors.
Of the manufactures of the country, it is enough to say that they make avery. thing wanted for their own use; that their porcelain has degenerated from its pristine superiority, it is said, owing to a deficiency of the peculiar fine clay; and that their most beautiful silks are woven by high-born criminals, who are confined upon a small, rocky, unproductive island, deprived of their property, and obliged to pay for the provisions, with which they are supplied by sea, with the labor of their hands. The exportation of these silks is likewise prohibited. †
* Fischer.
* [The manufacture of paper in Japan is worthy of a more particular notice than has been given to it; the following account, compiled from Kæmpfer, is ex- tracted from the Saturday Magazine. The tree from which the paper is made is the Broussonetia papyrifera, called kaji by the Japanese, and shoo Chinese. Some of the finest specimens we have seen are much whiter than the bamboo paper of the Chinese; the color of the common sorts is a yellowish white; and by much use the surface becomes furred though it does not soon wear out.
From a strong, branched, woody root, rises a straight, thick, equal trunk, very much branched out, covered with a fat, firm, clammy, chestnut-colored bark, rough without and smooth on the inside, where it adheres to the wood, which is loose and brittle, with a large moist pith; the branches and twigs are very fat covered with a small down, or wool, of a green color, inclining to purple.
Every year, when the leaves are fallen off, or in the tenth Japanese month, which answers to our December, the twigs are cut into lengths, not exceeding three feet, and put together in bundles, to be afterwards boiled in an alkaline lye. These faggots are placed upright in a large kettle, which must be well covered, and boiled till the bark shrinks so far as to allow about half an inch of the wood to appear naked at the top; when the sticks have been sufficiently boiled, they are taken out of the water and exposed to the air to cool; the bark is then stripped from the wood and dried, and laid up to be manufactured at a future time.
"When a sufficient quantity is collected, it is soaked in water for three or four days, and when soft, the blackish skin which covered it is scraped off with a knife; at the same time also, the stronger bark, which is of full a year's growth, is separated from the thinner, which covered the younger branches, the former yielding the best and whitest paper, and the latter only a dark and indifferent sort. If there is any bark of more than a year's growth, it is likewise picked out and laid aside for the purpose of making a coarser description of paper. All knotty particles, and discolored portions, are also picked out and laid on one side. After it has been sufficiently cleansed and separated, it must be boiled in clear lye. During the time it is boiling, it is kept constantly agitated with a strong reed; this part of the process must be continued until the bark has become so tender as to separate, when gently touched with the finger, into flocks and fibres.
"After the bark has been boiled, it has to be washed, and this part of the busi- ness is of no small consequence in paper-making, and must he managed with great
VOL. X. NO. V.
Notices of Japan, No. LX.
With respect to commerce, the external trade is now limited to two Dutch ships, and twelve Chinese junks yearly. Nor is this all. The value of the cargoes these vessels import is limited; for the Dutch to about £75,000 sterling, for the Chinese to half as much more, annually. The exports have been progressively narrowed, until they are nearly confined to camphor and copper, and the quantity. of the latter to be allowed is matter of constant dispute between the Dutch fac- tory and the exchequer of Nagasaki. The government dreads the exhaustion of
the mines.
The internal trade is said to be very considerable, its activity and importance originating in the variety of produce, resulting from the great variety of climate. The islands constituting the empire of Japan and its dependencies, the Lewchew islands to the south, and Yezo and the Kurile archipelago to the north, extend* from the 24th to the 50th degree of north latitude, and from the 123d to the 150th of east longitude. Hence the southern islands, although all of them are not hot enough for the sugar-cane, teem with most of the fruits of the tropics, whilst the northern yield those of the temperate zones. The mountains abound in mineral wealth of every description, and the volcanic districts in sulphur.
The circulating medium of the country is gold, silver, and copper, but only the gold and higher silver pieces can properly be called coin. They bear the mint stamp, and are of ascertained value; the smaller silver pieces, and all the copper, appear to pass by weight. Paper-money is likewise current in some principalities.t judgment and attention; if it is not washed long enough, the paper will be strong and of a good body, but coarse and of little value. If, on the contrary, the washing has been continued too long, it will afford a whiter paper, but too spongy in its texture and unfit to write on; so that the greatest care and judgment is necessary to avoid either extreme. The washing takes place in a running stream, the bark being placed in a sort of fan or sieve, which will let the water run through; it is stirred continually with the hands until it becomes a delicately soft woolly pulp. For the finer sort of paper the washing must be repeated; but, in this case the bark must be put into a linen bag, instead of a sieve, for fear it should escape along with the water. The bark having been sufficiently washed, it is spread on a thick smooth wooden table, and beaten with a wooden mallet until it is suffi- ciently fine.
"The bark, thus prepared, is put into a narrow tub with a slimy infusion of rice and of a root called oreni. It is then stirred with a thin clean reed, until the ingredients are mixed into a uniform liquid mass of a proper consistence; this succeeds better in a narrow tub, but the pulp is afterwards placed in a larger and wider-mouthed vessel. The moulds on which the paper is to be made are formed of the stems of bulrushes cut into narrow strips, instead of brass wire, as in Europe. Out of this larger vessel the leaves of paper are lifted, one by one, by means of the mould. Nothing remains now, but proper management in the drying of them. In order to this, they are laid up in heaps upon a table covered with a double mat, and a small piece of reed is placed between every leaf, which standing out a little way, serves afterwards to lift them up coveniently, leaf by leaf. "Every heap is covered with a small plank or board of the same shape and size as the paper, on which are laid weights, first, indeed, very small ones, for fear the leaves, being yet very wet and tender, should be pressed into a solid mass; but, by degrees, the pressure is increased, for the purpose of pressing out all the water. The next day, the weights are taken off, and the leaves lifted up singly, by the help of the small reeds already mentioned, and carried on the palm of the hand to a long rough plank, on which they are placed, and afterwards dried in the sun."]
* Siebold.
+ [We have lying before us a Japanese work on numismatology, he Kin Gin Dzu Roku, Memoir and Plates on Gold and Silver [coins],
Notices of Japan, No. 1X.
A post for letters is established thoughout the empire, which though pedestrian, is said to be wonderfully expeditious.* Every carrier is accompanied by a part ner, to guard against the possibility of delay from any accident that may chance to befal him. The men run at their utmost speed, and upon nearing the end of their stage, find the relay carriers awaiting them, to whom the packet is tossed the moment they are within reach of each other. The relay postmen have started before the arriving postmen have stopped. The greatest prince of the empire, if he meets the postmen on the road, must give way, with his whole train, and take care that their course be not obstructed by him or his.
By land, goods are conveyed on pack-horses and pack-oxen, that ascend and descend the already-mentioned staircase roads over the mountains. But the principal carriage of merchandize is by water; and for the navigation of their rivers and lakes, for fishing on the coasts, and even crossing the sea from island to island, the Japanese vessels are very sufficient. That they are utterly inade- quate to long voyages arises from the governmental system of seclusion. A sort of Japanese navigation act prescribes the form in which ships must be built, re- quiring them to be so weak about the stern,† and the rudder to be so hung, that a rough sea must be almost certain to carry away the latter, if not to break a leak in the stern: a device pretty effectual to prevent the voluntary undertaking of long voyages, but that must cause the loss of many fishing-boats and coasting- vessels.
Almost all the Japanese craft are equally calculated for sailing and rowing. The largest are of sixty tons burden, and have one heavy mast, bearing an im- mense square sail, with a small mast and sail at the prow. The oars are very long, and not taken out.of the water in rowing. The rowers stand to their work, and are said to impel the vessel with extraordinary swiftness. Japanese sailors are generally bold and skillful. The fisheries are very productive, and the fisher- men in constant activity, fish being the principal food of the people.t
in 7 vols., octavo, published at Yedo in the 6th year of the reign of Bunchei, (A. D. 1822), which gives an account of ancient and modern coins. There are 550 kinds described, most of which are figured; the figures are colored by means of painted stamps, a branch of the typographical art which we have never seen attempted in any Chinese book. Gold, silver, and copper coins of different values are common in Japan; they are cast (if we are rightly informed) and not coined, but the finish of the workmanship and distinctness of the die would do credit to any artist, and far surpass that of the Chinese coins. We suspect there must be some uninten- tional mistake in this place, since Japanese coins have long been known and prized by amateur numismatologists. Thunberg's collection sold for a large sum, and Titsingh also brought many specimens from Japan. The paper money in the principality of Figo is issued by the sovereign, and cannot be carried out of his dominions. Various devices are resorted to for the purpose of rendering the bills difficult of imitation. The law punishes forgery with death.]
* Siebold. [It appears that this post, like that in China, is almost wholly for the convenience of the government, and its officers. Some of the princes too have their own postmen; private letters and parcels are carried much on the same plan as among the Chinese. Sée Chi. Rep., vol. IX. page 636.]
+ Fischer.
[The Japanese coast is filled with vessels, engaged in carrying cargoes, and in fishing. La Peyrouse met several of them, one of which he thus describes.
"This vessel, which would carry about a hundred tons, had but one mast, very tall, placed in the centre, and apparently composed of several spars, bound together by copper hoops and wooldings. The sail was made of linen; and the
Notices of Japan, No. 1X
In agriculture, the Japanese are equally diligent and successful. With the ex- ception of the roads, and of the woods required to supply timber and charcoal, hardly a foot of ground, to the very tops of the mountains, is left uncultivated.* Where cattle cannot draw the plough, men take their place, or substitute manual husbandry. The soil is naturally sterile, but the labor bestowed upon it, aided by judicious and diligent irrigation, and all the manure that can in any way be collected, conquers its natural defects, and is repaid by abundant harvests.
The grain principally cultivated is rice, said to be the best produced in Asia. Barley and wheat are likewise grown-the former for feeding the cattle; the lat- ter is little valued, and chiefly used for cakes and soy. This last is made by fermenting together, under ground, wheat, a peculiar kind of bean, and salt. Beans of all sorts, some other vegetables, and various roots, are sedulously cul- tivated, as is the mulberry, solely for the sake of the silk-worm. A coarse sugar is said to be obtained from the sap of a tree as well as from the cane.
But the grand object of cultivation, next to rice, is the tea-plant. This was introduced into Japan about the beginning of the ninth century, when the bonze Yeitsin, returning from China, presented the first cup of tea to the mikado Saga. Its consumption is now almost unlimited. To supply this demand, in addition to the large plantations where it is grown and prepared for sale, the hedges upon many farms consist of the tea-plant, and furnish the drink of the farmer's fami- ly and laborers. The finer sorts of tea require especial care in the cultivation.* The plantations are situated remote from the habitations of man, and as much as may be from all other crops, lest the delicacy of the tea should suffer from smoke, impurity, or emanations of any kind. They are manured with dried anchovies and liquor pressed out of mustard-seed. They must enjoy the unobstructed beams of the morning sun, and thrive best upon well-watered hill sides. The plant is pollarded to render it more branchy, and therefore more productive, and must be five years old before the leaves are gathered. The process of harvesting the tea, or rather of storing the harvest, is one of extreme nicety. The leaves for the finer and coarser teas are sorted as they are plucked; and no more of either kind are gathered in a day than can be dried before night. There are two modes of dry- ing, called the dry and the wet process. In the one, the leaves are at once roast- ed in an iron pan, then thrown upon a mat and rolled by hand; during the whole operation, which is repeated five or six times, or till the leaves are quite dry, a yellow juice exudes: this is called the dry preparation. In the wet process, the leaves are first placed in a vessel over the steam of boiling water, where they
breadths were not sewed together, but laced in the direction of the length of the sail. It appeared of vast size; and two jibs, with a sprit.sail, composed the rest of the suit. A little gallery, three feet wide, projected on each side of the ves- sel, and reached one-third of her length from the stern. Over her stern were projecting beams painted green. The boat placed athwart her bows, exceeded by seven or eight feet the width of the vessel, which had a very ordinary sheer, a Hat stern, with two small windows, very little carved work, and resembled the Chinese junks in nothing but the manner of fastening the rudder with ropes. Her side galleries were only two or three feet above the water-line, and the ends of the boat must touch the water when the ship rolled. Every circumstance led me to presume that these vessels were intended only for coasters, and could not be very safe during a gale of wind." See also Chi. Rep., vol. VI. pages 220 and 361.]
+ Siebold.
* Meylan.
Notices of Japan, No. IX.
remain till they are withered; they are then rolled by hand, and dried in the iron roasting-pan. When thus prepared, less of the yellow juice exuding, the leaves retain a brighter green color, and more of their narcotic quality. Hence Dr. Von Siebold conjectures that all black and green teas differ solely from the mode of drying the leaves, but without the use of copper. Yet it must be remembered that Linnæus held them to be of two distinct plants; and that in the best European botanical gardens-e. g. at this moment at Leyden, where Dr. Siebold resides- two distinct plants, with somewhat differently shaped leaves, are shown as the black and the green tea plants. When fresh dried, the tea is delicately susceptible of odors, and requires to the carefully guarded from their influence.
Ere quitting this subject, a few words must be said of Japanese gardeners, although, their horticultural skill should rather entitle them to rank amongst the artists or artificers than the agriculturists. These gardeners value themselves alike upon the art of dwarfing, and also of unnaturally enlarging, all natural productions. They exhibit, in the miniature gardens of the towns, full-grown trees of various kinds, three feet high, with heads three feet in diameter. These dwarf-trees are reared in flower-pots, as alluded to in one of the poems before quoted; and when they bear luxuriant branches upon a distorted stem, the very acmé of perfection is attained; or, to speak more correctly, it might be supposed attained, had not president Meylan, in the year 1826, seen a box, which he describes as one inch in diameter by three inches high, but which Fischer repre- sents, somewhat less incredibly, as four inches long, one and a half wide, and six high, in which were actually growing and thriving a bamboo, a fir, and a plum- tree, the latter in full blossom. The price of this portable grove was 1,200 Dutch gulden, or about £100.
As examples of the success of these horticulturists in the opposite branch of their art, Meylan describes plum-trees covered with blossoms, each blossom four times the size of the cabbage-rose-of course, not producing fruit, which the Japanese appear not greatly to value-and of radishes weighing from fifty to sixty pounds; radishes of fifteen pounds weight he speaks of as of common occurrence, This gigantifying art, to coin a word, is more beneficially applied to fir-trees : many of these growing in the grounds of temples are represented as extraordinari. ly large. No dimensions of trunks are stated, but we are told that the branches springing at the height of seven or eight feet are led out, sometimes across ponds and supported upon props, to such a length, that they give a shade of three hund- red feet in diameter. Thunberg also mentions a pine he saw near Odowara near Yede, the branches of which were twenty paces long, and supported on poles, the whole forming a vegetating covering over a summer-house.*
* [To the person acquainted with Chinese arts and agriculture, many of the operations described in this article will be seen to bear a very close resemblance to those practiced in the former kingdom. The cultivation of rice and tea is con- ducted on the same plan; the taste for vegetable monstrosities, as dwarfed trees, crooked and fantastic shaped bamboos, &c., is peculiar to both; many of the processes employed in agriculture, as will as in other occupations, are the same in both countries; and lastly, many of the features of the social system are apparently identical.] -
The Hongkong Gazette.
ART. IV. The Hongkong Gazette: Nos. 1 and 2, May 1st and 15th, 1841, containing official notices of the government and population of the island.
THESE two numbers afford the best information we have of the new
possession of the British crown in the east. "A gazette will be published, under the authority of the government of this island (Hongkong), at semi-monthly periods from this date,” May 1st 1841, "with a view to afford greater publicity to the general orders that may from time to time be issued by the officers of the British go- vernment and forces. The sheet will be filled up, when it is found necessary, by the insertion of such statistical returns and other pub- lic documents as shall be deemed valuable or interesting." The 1st number contains a translation of Keshen's memorial, published in our last, with the following public notices.
Captain William Caine, of her majesty's 26th (or Cameronian) regiment of in- fantry, is appointed Chief Magistrate of the island of Hongkong, pending her majesty's further pleasure, and all persons repairing thither are required to respect the authority in him vested, agreeably to the annexed warrant.
(Signed) CHARLES ELLIOT, H. M. Plenipotentiary,
Charged with the government of the island of Hongkong. WARRANT. BY CHARLES ELLIOT, esquire, her majesty's plenipotentiary, &c., &c., charged with the government of the island of Hongkong:
Pending her majesty's further pleasure, I do hereby constitute and appoint you, William Čaine, esquire, captain in her majesty's 26th (or Cameronian) regiment of infantry, to be Chief Magistrate of the island of Hongkong; and I do further authorize and require you to exercise authority, according to the laws, customs and usages of China, as near as may be (every description of torture excepted), for the preservation of the peace, and the protection of life and property over all the native inhabitants in the said island and the harbors thereof.
And I do further authorize and require you, in any case where the crime, ac. cording to Chinese law, shall involve punishments and penalties exceeding the following scale in severity, to remit the case for the judgment of the head of the government for the time being.
Scale: Imprisonment, with or without hard labor, for more than 3 months; or
penalties exceeding $400.
Corporal punishment exceeding 100 lashes.
Capital punishment.
And I do further require you, in all cases followed by sentence or infliction of punishment, to keep a record, containing a brief statement of the case, and copy of the sentence.
And I further authorize and require you to exercise magisterial and police au- thority over all persons whatever (other than natives of the island, or persons sub- ject to the mutiny act, or to the general law for the government of the fleet), who shall be found committing breaches of the peace, on shore or in the harbors of the island, or breaches of any regulation to be issued from time to time by this govern ment, according to the customs and usages of British police law.
And I do hereby authorize you, for the police purposes herein-before specified, to arrest, detain, discharge, and punish such offenders, according to the principles and practice.of general British police law.
The Hongkong Gazette.
And all persons, subject to the mutiny act, or the general law for the govern ment of the fleet, found committing police or other offenses, shall be handed over to their proper military superiors for punishment.
And I do further authorize and require you, to detain in safe custody any per- son whatever, found committing crimes and offenses within the government of Hongkong, amounting to felony, according to the law of England; forthwith re- porting your proceedings herein, and the grounds thereof, to the head of the government for the time being. And for all your lawful proceedings in the pre- mises, this Warrant shall be your sufficient protection and authority.
Given under my hand and seal of office at Macao, at this thirtieth day of April, in the year 1841.
CHARLES ELLIOT.
Rules and Regulations for THE BRITISH Merchant Shipping.
The following Rules and Regulations for the preservation of the peace, and the maintenance of due subordination on board the British merchant shipping, now at anchor or hereafter arriving within the port of Hongkong, are published for the information of all whom it may concern.
SECTION 1. Of the functions of the magistrate.
REG. No. 1. To repair forthwith on board of any British ship, sending or making the signal for assistance (signals hereinafter specified), by reason of the riotous state of the crew, and, if a state of actual violence or resistance to authority shall exist, to take instant and energetic measures for the restoration of the peace and due subordination.
REG. NO. 2. Fire-arms in no case to be used on such occasions, except for the protection of life, till the magistrate, or in his absence the command- ing officer of the ship, or one of the constables of police, shall have, audibly and ineffectually, made the following proclamation (or words to the like effect): "Our sovereign Lady the Queen commands all persons here assem- bled, immediately to disperse themselves, and to return peaceably to the per- formance of their duties. God save the Queen.”
REG. NO. 3. The Magistrate on the spot, after summary inquiry into the occasion of any riot, may issue his warrant for the apprehension of any persons who shall appear to him to have acted as ringleaders, either leaving them for safe custody on board their own ships, or committing them to jail, as he may judge best under the circumstances.
SECTION 2. Of the offenses cognizable by the magistrate, and the penalties thereunto attached.
REG. NO. 1.
Offence.
1. Drunkenness with riot, either on- board a ship, or on shore.
Penalty.
1. Confinement, with, or without, hard labor, not exceeding two weeks,- or a penalty not exceeding 20 shillings, or both-according to the particular gravity of the offense, and its frequency.
2. Either of the above penalties.
2. Contempt of the authority of the magistrate on any occasion of inquiry.
3. Disobedience of orders to desist 3. Confinement in the like manner, from riotous conduct, or abusive and not exceeding 14 days,-or a penalty, menacing language tending to the dis- not exceeding £2 10s.; or both accord- turbance of the peace and of due suboring to the circumstances. dination.
4. Ringleaders in riots, attended with violence towards officers, or resistance to the magistrate, or the constables of police, engaged in the restoration of
the peace.
4. Confinement in like manner, not exceeding one calendar month,- -or a penalty not exceeding £5,—or both, according to the circumstances.
REG. NO. 2. A decision against a prisoner involving higher penalties, or longer confinement, than those set down in the 1st and 2d specification, needs the the sanction of the head of the government, or in his absence of
The Hongkong Gazette.
the deputy superintendent, and is therefore not to be pronounced by the Magistrate, till that sanction has been received, the prisoners being re- manded after the closing of the evidence on the defence.
REG. NO. 3. All other offenses of a more aggravated nature, or not spec- ified above, to be reported to the head of the government by the Magistrate, and the prisoners to be left in confinement according to the customs and usages of the sea service, pending further instructions under his hand; or to be committed to jail.
REG. NO. 4. All prisoners to be maintained on the half allowance of provisions (without spirits), for which maintenance, a sum of 9d per diem shall be paid, and charged against their wages.
REG. NO. 5. If the prisoner shall have been confined on board the ship to which he belongs, no charge shall be made for his maintenance.
REG. No. 6. Commanders of ships to which prisoners belong, under confinement' according to these rules and regulations, are at liberty to hire laborers to supply their place, charging the daily expense to the wages of the prisoners.
REG. No. 7. In the case of prisoners not having wages enough to meet the penalties they have incurred, the magistrate may remit the same at the end of their confinement, and the want of funds may not be made a ground for detention beyond the period originally determined.
REG. NO. 8. Commanders of ships, who have been called upon to pay penalties out of seamen's wages, to be furnished with a certificate by this government.
REG. NO. 9. Nothing herein contained to be construed, to prevent the commander of any ship from restraining his crew, by such lawful means as he may see fit to use on his own responsibility, and without making applica- tion for police assistance.
SECTION 3. Of the signals to be made by British ships, requiring assis- tance, by reason of the riotous state of the crew,
REG. No. 1. In the day time, ensign, union downwards to be hoisted wherever most conspicuous or convenient, and a musket to be fired to draw attention. In the night time, three or four lights in the after rigging, at irregular heights, and firing of single muskets, to be repeated at intervals till
assistance arrives.
SECTION 4. Of the rate at which payments are to be made, and the dis posal of penalties.
REG. NO. 1. All payments and penalties, made or incurredunder these rules and regulations, to be at the rate of 5s. the Spanish dollar.
REG. NO. 2. All penalties, levied agreeably to these regulations, to be for the use of Her Majesty, in part payment for the police expenses of this government.
SECTION 5. Of the manner in which seamen or others on board British ships are to seek redress.
REG. NO. 1. Any person having a complaint of ill usage to proceed respectfully to the commander, or commanding officer, and to request to be allowed to repair on shore to the office of the magistrate; and, failing redress by that means, to forward a letter to the head of the government, in order that such present inquiry and remedy may be had as the case demands.
Given under my hand and seal of office at Macao, this thirtieth day of - April, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty-one.
CHARLES ELLIOT, H. M. Plenipotentiary,
Charged with the government of the island of Hongkong.
In the second number are given the names of the villages and hamlets on the island with the number of their estimated population.
The Hongkong Gazette.
The list is as follows, the names being written as they are pronoun-
ced on the spot.
Chek-chu,
the capital, a large town.
Heongkong,
A large fishing village.
Population 2000
Kung-lam'
Shek-lup,
Wong-nei-chung, An agricultural village.
Stone-quarry-Poor village.
Soo-ke-wan, 掃箕灣
Large village.*
Tai-shek-ha,
Stone quarry, a hamılet,
Kwun-tai-loo,
Fishing village.
Soo-koon-poo,
A hamlet.
Hung-heong-loo,
Sai-wan,
Tai long,
Fishing hamlet.
Too-te-wan,
Stone quarry, a hamlet.
Tai-tam,
Hamlet, near Tytam bay.
Shek-tong-chuy,
Soo-koo-wan,Hamlet.
Chun-hum, Deserted fishing hamlet.
Stone-quarry. Hamlet.
Tseeni-suy-wan, 淺水灣
Sum-suy-wan, 深水灣
Shek-pae, 石牌
In the Bazaar.
In the Boats,
Laborers from Kowlung.
Actual present population.
The Isthmus of Kowlung, or Tresemshatsuy,
g Tresemshatsuy,g
tains about 800 people.
̇ Kowlung九龍, Taipang 大鵬, and Lye moon 鯉魚門
are villages and places near the isthmus.
* The population of this place is migratory: the place is often completely deserted, and the present influx of inhabitants depends upon the great demand for stone.
3 2 3 4 3 3 8 8
VOL. X, NO. V.
Journal of Occurrences.
ART. V. Journal of Occurrences: the war spirit; the new cabi. net; military operations at Ningpo and Chusan; murder of cap- tain Stead, and visit of the Columbine; death of Mr. Field and the loss of two British officers; pirates and fishermen; the new tsotang in Macao and his edicts; Lin's departure for Chě- keäng; punishment for talking on politics; interruption of trade at Canton; perfidy and cruelty of the government; the prefect's edict and captain Elliot's notice; the plot and attack on the British forces; seizure and release of American merchants; fires in the suburbs; rifling the factories; fire-rafts; bombardment; future operations.
WAR, and nothing but war, seems now contemplated and resolved on by the Chinese, from one extreme of the empire to the other. War against queen Victoria and her subjects is to be waged, without mercy, at all points, and by all means. Exterminate the rebels!' 'ex- terminate the rebels' are the reiterated orders that come in quick succession from the one man occupying the dragon-throne.
It is said by many of the Chinese, who suppose they know the truth of the matter, that the emperor will listen to no proposals for an amicable arrangement with the rebels, and is angry when any such are brought to his notice, while he threatens with death the man who may dare to talk of making peace with the English!
The gratification hoped for, as expressed on the 26th of January, in the address to my lords and gentlemen' from the British throne, cannot be realized it was a vain hope: her majesty's sentiments, however, deserve to be put on record, in contrast with the imperial will of her elder brother. She says,
("Having deemed it necessary to send to the coast of China a naval and mili. tary force to demand reparation and redress for injuries inflicted upon some of my subjects by the officers of the emperor of China, and for indignitics offered to an agent of my crown, I at the same time appointed plenipotentiaries to treat upon these matters with the Chinese government. The plenipotentiaries were, by the last accounts, in negotiation with the government of China; and it will be a source of much gratification to me, if that government shall be induced, by its own sense of justice; to bring these matters to a speedy settleinent by an amicable arrangement."
A new cabinet has been formed by the emperor. Keshen the 3d, and Elepoo the 5th, members of the Nuy Ko, or Imperial Cabinet, have been displaced, and Paouhinga Mantchou, and Yi- king also a Mantchou, have been placed in their stead. These new members are leading ministers of the war party; the first is distantly, and the second closely, connected with the imperial family. Concerning the fate of Keshen we have nothing as yet but We trust his life will not be required to appease the wrath of his master. The opinion has been expressed by many-officers and gentlemen-in Canton, that it will not.
Journal of Occurrences.
Military operations for defense of Ningpo and Chusan, since the British evacuated the latter place, have been carried forward with the utmost dispatch of which the Chinese are capable. This we were led to suspect from the tenor of imperial orders, and the circum- stances of the case. By the visit of the Columbine the fact of such works being in progress is confirmed. Similar preparations are going on along the whole line of coast, and heavy drafts are being made on the imperial and provincial treasuries for their accomplishment.
The report of the death of captain Stead, of the Pestonjee Boman- jee, noticed on page 182 in our number for March, is confirmed by intelligence which captain Clarke obtained at or near Singlo, a few miles from Ketow point. The natives in one village fled in consterna- tion, as the Columbine's boat approached the shore. At another, not far from the same, the people, who manifested no alarm, declared that the foreigner had been beaten to death at the former village.
The visit of the Columbine, capt. Clarke, with a dispatch for the government of Chěkeäng, was spurned, and all intercourse denied ; and not only so, but the most unequivocal demonstrations of hos tilities were made. She returned to Hongkong on the 11th.
The death of Mr. Field, who was lost with two officers of the Blenheim on the 26th of March, has been already noticed, on page 182. The body of Mr. Field was found washed up on shore, off the the Barrier on the morning of the 1st ultimo. It was easily recogniz- ed, and the marks it bore left little or no room to doubt that his death had been caused by violence. The only conclusion regarding the two officers is that they have also suffered the same fate, by the same hands-doubtless piratical. The whole truth of this case, and that of the Black Joke and some others, will probably never be fully disclosed in this world: if it could, and the government were impli- cated, the case of these sufferers should be registered with that of those in the Spanish ship Bilbaino. That the provincial authorities deny all knowledge of the case is naught―for again and again it has been proved that they know not what truth is.'
Pirates, always numerous in troublesome times on these coasts, have of late showed themselves unusually bold and daring. In re- peated instances they have approached European boats; but, except it may be in the case of Mr. Field's boat noticed above, they seem not to have had any success.
On the unarmed fishing-boats, these 'water-thieves,' as the Chi- nese call pirates, have been more successful. Several have been cut off-the boats destroyed and the people killed. This (the go- vernment being otherwise occupied) has constrained the fishermen to arm for self-protection. On the 10th of the month some three hundred of these fishing smacks were in the Inner Harbor of Macao. They have procured a few small guns and again disappeared. There are other reasons assigned for their presence here: one, given by the ́'mandarins,' is that the fish outside are scarce just now! Another is that they were going to carry divers up the river to attack the queen's ships near Canton! It is quite true that they have succeeded in capturing some of the pirates,
Journal of Occurgences.
A new tsotang, or under-magistrate, arrived in Macao about the middle of the month, and has issued several proclamations-one for- bidding the Chinese to sell strong drink to foreigners, another threat- ening punishment to bandits and robbers, a third prohibiting all the good natives to embrace the religion of the foreigners or to as- sume their dress, and a fourth disallowing their serving the barba- rians as chair-bearers, nurses, &c.
Lin, late commissioner, governor, &c., left Canton for Chěkeäng early in this month, leading 2000 soldiers, for the defense of Ningpo, Chinhae, Chusan, &c.
Summary punishment was inflicted upon a 'traitorous native' on the 8th instant in the streets of Canton. The man had presumed to speak regarding the business in hand between the Chinese and fo- reigners. Accordingly it was necessary that he should be disciplined and others admonished. Two small sticks-little mimic flags were stuck one through each ear, so as to stand erect one on either side of his head. His hands were bound behind his back, and then with one man beating a gong before him, and another following to beat his bare back with a rattan, he was marched through the streets of the city under a guard of soldiers.
Interruption of the trade, which had been carried on with unusual dispatch during the last month, and first half of the present, was at length again to be interrupted. The Horatio was the first ship that sailed from Whampoa after the raising of the blockade; she went to sea on the 12th ult. The Akbar followed on the 14th, and others soon succeeded. Thus business went on until Friday night, the 21st instant, when the scene changed, hostilities by fire and sword com- mencing at dead of night.
The perfidy and cruelty of the Chinese government has been ex- hibited in the late rupture in a manner that will deprive its officers of all sympathy for whatever sufferings they may have to bear. The conduct of these officers has been false and treacherous to a degree of which we had supposed man, even but half-civilized, quite incapa: ble. Such treachery deserves the strongest reprehensión, with pu̟- nishment the most signal and exemplary. When such treachery can be practiced with impunity a government cannot long exist. And if the Great Pure dynasty must be supported by such means, its downfall will be no matter of surprise or regret.
When the advanced squadron reached the gates of the city, on the 18th of March, its government and people were spared without ran- som, on condition of their ceasing from hostilities, and allowing an immediate restoration of trade. There was neither doubt nor equi- vocation in the terms of agreement. Nothing but good faith was needed to render the engagement permanent and safe. In a measure, the Chinese officers succeeded in restoring confidence. The people returned to their homes and shops in the city, and business comp- menced. On the first of this month, there were all the appearances of peace, and little concern was manifested for the safety of persons or property in the provincial city. Such were the appearances; but they were all false and treacherous,
Journal of Occurrences.
This falsehood and this treachery were early known to many na- tives, as they now confess, and were suspected by some few foreign- ers. Fresh troops were daily arriving at the city: but, it was said, they had been ordered hither by the emperor, and sufficient time had not elapsed for the orders to be countermanded. They were quar- tered in the city, because the temples there afforded them convenient shelter from the rains of the season. New cannon were being cast at Fatshan, because many of the old ones had become useless. Thus and thus the Chinese excused every overt act that attracted notice, while in secret they were maturing their plans and collecting the means for destruction.
When it was stipulated that Canton should be spared, it was known to the Chinese that the objects of the expedition would be pressed northward. The 15th of this month, according to common report, was the day fixed for a detachment to move from Hongkong and proceed to Amoy. Preparations were made accordingly. But before this day arrived, alarm in Canton had caused thousands of natives to leave the city; while the foreign merchants were by no means free from anxiety, believing, as many of them did, that the local govern- ment was meditating evil.
On the 10th, H. B. M.'s plenipotentiary proceeded to Canton in the Nemesis; on the 11th had an interview with the prefect, and left the city the same evening. Captain Elliot was accompanied by Mrs. Elliot-thus showing the Chinese that he entertained no suspicions of their breaking faith. We do not know what information was gained by this visit and interview with the prefect, but we suspect there was no longer any doubt in the plenipotentiary's mind of the certainty of a speedy rupture. Operations were planned accordingly. The expedition to Amoy was postponed; and the only question ap- peared to be; How it should move on Canton-should it wait for the Chinese to complete their plans, or should it strike first?
On the 17th captain Elliot again left Macao; and the commander- in-chief, sir Hugh Gough, and the senior officer of the squadron sir Le Fleming Senhouse, at nearly the same time, proceeded with their forces towards Canton.
The new guns, cast at Fatshan, had been brought to the city, and numerous batteries were erected along the river's bank from one end of the suburbs to the other, manned by full complements of soldiers. Guns and soldiers were also lodged in warehouses and temples near the river, and elsewhere in the suburbs.
Under such circumstances it was not surprising that men, women, and children, fled from the city in crowds. Many of the foreign merchants also hastened to remove with their effects, when the pre- fect issued the following edict, under the seals of his office.
"Yo, the acting prefect of Canton, issues this edict for public information, in order to calm the feelings of the merchants, and to tranquilize commercial bu- siness. It appears that the detachments of troops for Canton have all succes- sively arrived; the laws for the army, however, are very strict, and without being commissioned, soldiers can never move about to create disturbance. St it is
Journal of Occurrences,
feared that, as the military hosts are gathered in clouds, the merchants of all nations here engaged in commerce, hearing thereof, will tremble with alarm, not knowing where these things will end. Some, frightened out of their wits, may abandon their goods and secretly go away; and others may not know whether to expect quiet or danger; while all cherish their fearful apprehensions. Those foreign merchants who are respectfully obedient, are viewed as noways different from the children of the celestial dynasty; and the imperial commis. sioner and general pacificator of the rebels, and the high ministers and joint commissioners, with their excellencies the governor and lieutenant-governor, ma- naging all things with due consideration, assuredly will not involve the good and the upright in trouble. These merchants, being respectfully obedient, ought to be protected from all injury, and the goods which they have brought with them ought also to be preserved in safety. It is therefore right to issue this edict for full information. And accordingly, this is published, for the assurance of the merchants of every country trading at Canton: to you, who have always been respectfully obedient and long enjoyed our commerce, the high officers of the celestial dynasty in fulfilling the gracious pleasure of his imperial majesty to- wards foreigners, will give full protection to the utmost of their strength. Should native robbers and bandits come out to plunder or molest you, they shall be punished with increased severity; and any goods carried off shall be restored, so that the smallest loss shall not be sustained. And you, the said foreign mer- chants, ought also, on your part, to remain quiet in your lawful pursuits, continu- ing your trade as usual without alarm or suspicion; but joining with the disturbed affairs will give occasion for subsequent repentance. A special edict.”
Copies of this edict were put into the hands of the foreign mer- chants, and pasted up on their factories and in the steets.
This was done Thursday, the 20th. The next day captain Elliot issued at Canton the following
"Circular.
"In the present situation of circumstances her Britannic majesty's plenipoten- tiary, feels it his duty to recommend that the British and other foreigners, now reniaining in the factories, should retire from Canton before sunset.
(Signed)
"British Factory, 21st May, 1841.
CHARLES ELLIOT, H. B. M.'s plenipotentiary.
The plot was now to be developed-we say plot, because there is no doubt that, in violation of their engagement, the high officers had concerted and matured a scheme to attack simultaneously the Brit ish forces at all points, and also to make prisoners of all the foreign merchants in Canton.
At about 11 o'clock, Friday night, the Chinese began the attack, with fire rafts, which were sent off against the vessels of the advanc- ed squadron at Canton, and at the same time against the Alligator off Howqua's fort. This was the signal for general attack, when the cannonading commenced at every point where the Chinese could bring their guns to bear on their enemies, and was continued during the whole night. They failed utterly. The cutter Louisa and schooner Aurora, anchored off the factories, were in imminent danger both from the rafts and from the guns of a battery which had been erected abreast of them on shore. The Algerine returned the fire from the battery at Shameen with good effect; and the Goddess of Vengeance,' hastily getting up her steam, gave the 'l'artar lads on shore a good supply of round-shot, shells, and rockets. A few spent shots struck the factories, but did no great damage. Messrs. Coolidge
Journal of Occurrences.
and Morss, with a few of their people, were the only foreigners who remained at the factories during the night.
Saturday morning, the 22d, at an early hour, a boat, belonging to the American ship Morrison, with four seamen, an officer and three passengers, pushed off for Whampoa, carrying a "chop" written in large characters, and so displayed that it could easily be read. The boat was fired on, before she was out of sight of the factories, and the passengers and the crew (excepting one man, who is said to have been killed) were taken prisoners, and carried into the city. Of the whole party, one only escaped without wounds, and some were se- verely injured. Such conduct in the face of the prefect's edict ought not to be passed without the severest chastisement.
The Louisa and Aurora received a few shot, but succeeded in re- tiring in good style down the Macao passage.
At daylight, the Modeste, Pylades, Algerine, and Nemesis-hav- ing now done with the fire-rafts,-moved up to silence the western fort at Shameen. This done, the Nemesis, followed by boats at some distance, pushed further on to the destruction of a large flotilla, lying pear the westernmost packhouses, where 39 war-junks and fishing smacks, and about as many fire-boats, were burnt.
During the morning at about 8 o'clock,-the rabble began to en- ter the factories; and all those east of Hog-lane were gutted, The large mirrors, chandeliers, &c., in the British Hall were all dashed to pieces. The clock and all its appurtenances were hauled down, not excepting the vane on the top of the belfrey. The rabble also entered the chapel, destroying everything they could lay their hands on, not excepting the beautiful stone monument and tablet, erected on the east wall in memory of one of the former chiefs of the British factory.
In the midst of this confusion, Mr. Morss succeeded in getting his boat from the factory to the river, and effected an escape to the Ne- mesis, and in safety reached Whampoa. Mr. Coolidge was not so fortunate, but was carried off into the city, where he met the party that had been taken from the boat of the Morrison. More particu lars concerning their treatment shall be given in the sequel-suffice it here to remark, that they were all released on Monday.
'The confusion and consternation of Saturday were evidently some- what increased by two fires, one of which broke out in the western suburbs near the fort at Shameen, the other was on the south of the river in Honam. They did not burn very extensively. By night; fall, all was quiet.
The fire-rafts, boats and junks were numérous, and the Chinese hoped to have done great damage therewith. Besides those which were put in motion in Friday night, others on subsequent days were set on fire further down the river, attempting the destruction, some at the Bogue of the Wellesley, and some of the Scaleby Castle near the Second Bar. In the latter instance, which happened on the 24th, a very serious accident occurred. By a boat's crew from the Scaleby, one of the rafts on shore was boarded, and some of the
Journal of Occurrences.
combustibles being thrown into the boat, and the raft set on fire, the boat drew off; but the fire seeming not to take, the boat returned and on reaching the raft an explosion took place, throwing combustibles and cinders into the air, some of which fell into the boat causing the powder there to explode: eighteen men were injured, of whom three or four are dead.
On Monday, the 24th, sir Hugh Gough and sir Le Fleming Sen- house, having the preceding day come up with their forces, move- ments commenced for general attack and bombardment. Full and exact details of these, it is not now in our power to give-but our rea- ders shall have them in our next. The course of the river is nearly due east from Canton to Whampoa; and a few rods west of the fac tories, which are say 150 yards from the southwest corner of the city, is the Macao Passage running due south; a little farther west there is a bend, and you may ascend one branch of the river in a northerly direction, while the other branch leads off to Fatshan. Up this northern branch, the land forces, about 2000 strong, with some ten or twelve pieces of artillery, chiefly in native boats, were moved by the Nemesis from the Macao passage; and during the same night, or early on Tuesday, they took possession of the heights on the north in the rear of the city-a position commanding the whole plain on which Canton and its suburbs are built. While this was being done, the forces for the attack on the south side had got into position at proper distances on the river from one extreme of the suburbs to the other. Attacked nearly at the same time both on the north and south, the Chinese troops soon fled from the hills and the suburbs into the city. Once on Tuesday the prefect came out to the Hyacinth with a flag of truce, but his proposals could not be accepted, and the cannonading continued during the 25th. The report is that $1,000,000 were delivered on board the Hyacinth on the 27th, and that similar payments were to be made on seven more days in suc- cession as a ransom for the city. Of the losses sustained, and of the arrangements for the captured, we are as yet uninformed. The numbers of killed and wounded, on the part of the Chinese must have been great. Some of the English troops have also fallen.
Future operations, on the part of the British government, must now needs be pushed on with all possible dispatch and decision-the forces stopping nothing short of the walls of the capital. "China must bend or break,” The exclusive spirit of the government, and the false and treacherous conduct of its officers, are incompatible with every principle of right and reason. Strong reinforcements are, we suppose; near at hand, and the world has now just reason to ex- pect that Great Britain will do what is necessary to establish free and friendly relations between this empire and the other nations of the earth. The principles and usages common among other states, se- curing free intercourse with reciprocal rites and privileges, must be acknowledged and established here. Nothing short of this will an- swer the demands of the age, or the expectations of the many millions of spectators of the British expedition to China.
CHINESE REPOSITORY.
VOL. X.-JUNE, 1841.- No. 6.
ART. I. Travels in divers parts of Europe and Asia; underta
ken by the French king's order to discover a new way by land to China. By father Avril, of the order of the Jesuits. London, Tim-Goodwin, 1693.
PARK's narratives or rather those translated by him—were mainly concerned with travelers who came hither by sea; but those compiled by Avril refer to adventurers who reached China by land. Avril, however, was himself a traveler, having been pitched upon by his su- periors to discover an overland route for the Jesuits to China. Fa- ther Couplet,' says he, had made it his business to form an exact computation of the number of Jesuits who had set forward out of the several parts of Europe, in order to undertake the mission which he had quitted (after a residence of thirty years in China); and he found that of six hundred who had taken shipping for China, since our Company were permitted entrance into that kingdom, not above a hundred safely arrived there, all the rest being sacrificed by the way, either by sickness or shipwreck.' The travels contain many curious remarks in natural philosophy, geography, and history, with a descrip- tion of 'Great Tartary,' and of the different people who inhabit there, to which is added a supplement extracted from the works of Hak- luyt and Purchas, giving accounts of several journeys overland from Russia, Persia, and the country of the Moguls to China, with the roads and distances of the places, &c., &c. The author's preface is worth reading. He says:
"It will not be improper in giving the publick an account of my travels, to
VOL. X. NO. VI.
Travels in Europe and Asia.
speak a word or two about the reasons that first induce'd me to undertake. them. Some years ago, the R. F. Verbiest of the society of Jesus, a famous missionary in China, acquainted his superiors in Europe, that the missions of the East were in great want of evangelical labourers; and that it would be easy to finish a considerable number of them, without exposing them to the hazards that had stopt the best part of those who were going into China heretofore by sea. fle show'd them that the Tartars in making themselves masters of China, have made a passage into that vast empire through Great Tartary, and that it would be easy to take the advantages of the commerce the Tartars had maintain'd ever since with the Chinese, to introduce the light of the gospel among both nations.
"This project prov'd the more acceptable, by reason that the loss of an in- finite number of zealous missionaries, who had consummated the sacrifice of their life, before they could reach the place of their mission, was sen- sibly regretted; and that this way, though difficult in the beginning, did not seem impracticable, since history mentions some travelers who have had the good fortune to reach China by land. But whereas the way thither was not particularly known, I was pitch'd upon by Providence, and by my superiors, for the better discovery thereof, and to get such instructions and informa tions as were most proper to that end. I hope this relation may prove ser- viceable to such missionaries who find themselves inclin'd to carry the gospel into those countries; and that charitable persons who are zealous for the glory of God, will the more willingly contribute to a design so glorious, the execution whereof will daily become the less difficult.
"Besides the advantage of those missions which were the principal aim of my travels, my relation will give several new insights into sciences, and particularly into geography. I will give an instance of it in this place. None had yet been able to discover the exact distance of Peking. It is true, that the last relation of Siam, and the observations of the stars, and of the eclipses, taken in that country, and by the way, by the fathers of the socie- ty of Jesus, sent thither by his majesty as his mathematicians, had already show'd us, that our geographical maps had plac'd the extremities of Asia above 25 degrees too far. But yet Mr. Isaac Vossius, who had already print- ed his sentiments about the measures of longitude, taken according to the principles of astronomy, seem'd to distrust those kind of proofs, and was so far from allowing China to be nearer, that be pretended it lay even farther. The relation of Siam not having been able to convince him, he publisd'd a small pamphlet to maintain his first sentiments. But father Gouye, profes- sor of the mathemathics at the college of Lewis the XIV, refuted all his reasons, in a very solid manner, which satisfi'd the publick. The truth is, that both the ancient and modern astronomers have effectually made use of the eclipses of the moon to determine longitudes; and those who are anywise vers'd in those matters, know how much we are oblig'd to Galileo for the discovery of the satellites of Jupiter, and the value we ought to set upon the learned and easy method the illustrious M. Capini has given us to find out
Travels in Europe and Asia.
longitudes with certainty, in discovering the emersions and immersions of stars. It is childish to say, that we will not find wherewithal to fill up the other hemisphere; and since M. Vossius was no better vers'd in the those principles of astronomy and geography, as M. Hire observes with reason, he might at least, to satisfie himself, have taken the trouble to look upon father Riccioli's geographical tables, or Dudly's maps. Vossius was undoubtedly & great man, and incomparably well read, nay, beyond any other; but at tire same time it is undeniable, that the desire of appearing universal, often plunged him into gross errors, in taking him out of his province.
“In fine, I am persuaded, that were Vossius alive still, though never so prepossessed with his hypothesis, he would yield to the proofs that are set down in this book. And indeed, I have not only observed the stars to take the altitudes of the countries where I have been myself: I have also followed the rules he has prescribed to discover the exact extent of every country, the which he prefers to astronomical demonstrations: I have taken information from the inhabitants; I have spoken to them, I have heard from them how many days they employed in traveling to China, and how many leagues they travel'd a day: 1 have seen them go from Moscow, and come back from Peking: in a word, I have taken such precautions, that I have reason to believe, I have not been deceiv'd. All my third book is chiefly employed in relating the different roads the Muscovites and Tartars use to travel into China; for which reason I call this book, Travels into China, though I have not had the happiness to reach it myself, according to my expectation.
"I may add in this place, that though our profession in general obliges us not to be sparing of our lives and health, and to run to the utmost bounds of the world, through the greatest dangers, to the assistance of souls that are redeem'd by the blood of Jesus Christ, and that we are engaged so to do by a solemn vow; yet people may the better rely upon the certainty of the way 1 have discovered, by reason that this project has been approved and followed by the superiors of our society, who have always a particular eye upon our foreign missions, as the most essential and most holy part of our profession, and are always cautious not to expose their inferiors too rashly, without a reasonable ground, thereby to derive some advantage for the good of the church, and for the propagation of the true faith.
So that it may be inferred from thence, that they would not have hazarded twelve of their brethren, all persons of singular merit, who are gone within these few months for China, and all of them by land, unless they had found some solidity in the memoirs and instructions I have given them. There are yet several others, who being moved by these examples, and the desire of suffer- ing much for God's sake, are disposing themselves for the same journey, who are resolved to take the way of the Yousbecs and of the Thibets, according to the design that had been proposed to me by the late count Syri, which he would have put in execution before this, had not death stop him in the mid- dle of his glorious enterprise.
Travels in Europe and Asia.
“In order not to lose time, and to make that road the easier for those that shall follow them, they go first to Constantinople, where they will find father Beauvollier, my companion of mission, who will be the bearer of the king's letters to the sha of Persia, and who will conduct this apostolical company to Trebizond, to Erzerum, to Irivan, and to Schamaki. They will tarry some time in all those cities, there to get new formation, and to establish good correspondencies, as also to leave two or three of their company there to serve, towards the conversion of the people of the country, and to give instructions to the missionaries that shall henceforward go that way. From thence they are to repair to Ispahan, which is the metropolitan of Persia, where they shall desire the sha's protection, and deliver our monarch's letters to him, whose recommendation and zeal will be very material for the solid establishment of our design. From Ispahan they will repair to Samar- kaud, or to Bokara, there to make the like establishment, while father Gri- maldi, who has been chosen by the emperor of China to succeed the late father Verbiest in his place of president of the tribunal of the mathematics, will use his utmost endeavors to facilitate their design in China. They may likewise in that journey learn the language of the Chinese Tartars. They are also in hopes to meet in their way from Bokara to Peking, among the Chinese Tartars, some of those that have been converted in coming to the court of Peking. This road has been chosen preferably to that of the Mus- covites, both for the reasons set down in my book, and because father Grimaldi is always diffident of those schismatics, and dreads their appearing too much in China to the shame of Christianity, which they disgrace by their ignorance and brutality.
"Our superiors design to send yearly some missionaries who shall follow the same road, and stop at Constantinople, at Trebizond, at Erzerum, at Iri- van, and at Schamaki, in the room of those who shall be sufficiently acquaint- ed with the languages to continue the voyage of China. The Persian tongue will also be of use to them, since it may serve to convert the Chinese-Maho. metans, whose conversion St. Francis Xavier did not neglect. It is much easier to bring them to the true faith, than those who are under the Turk's dominion. They may likewise usefully employ themselves during their jour ney in bringing back the Greeks to the church of Rome, which some of them are pretty well inclined to, as it appears particularly by what I have related of the Armenians, and by the relation from Julfa, which I have annexed to this book. Julfa is a suburb of Ispahan, and one of the chief establishments of the Armenians in Persia.
"Those missionaries will likewise have the advantages of being versed in the apostolical functions at their arrival in China, by the essays they shall have made by the way, and by the experience they shall have acquired. They will consequently be in a condition to labor effectually at their first arrival into China, which could not be expected from those who have hither- to been sent there by sea.
"Although these precautions seem to be very good, we are sensible at the
Travels in Europe and Asia.
same time, that he that plants, and he that waters, is nothing, and that none but God is capable to grant success to this great undertaking. The revolu- tion that happened in the kingdom of Siam has showed us, that God through the secret judgments of his providence, sometimes permits the best contrived measures, and the designs that are best laid for his glory, to miscarry, con- trary to our expectation. However, we shall have the satisfaction of having done our duty; and after all, we shall be too happy to acknowledge ourselves useless servants: we hope that all good Catholics will be willing to second this design, and to move the mercy of God by their prayers, since our sins perhaps hinder him from pouring his mercies upon China and Great Tartary."
Most of father Avril's observations, good and useful enough no doubt in his day, have been rendered valueless by subsequent and more accurate researches. Some facts and incidents are worthy of remark. The practice of medicine among pagan people which has attracted so much notice within these few years, is not a new thing. At Diarbeker, the capital city of Mesopotamia, our traveler was de- lighetd to find that the Jesuit fathers had made an advantageous use of physic, to settle themselves in a post most favorable to the Catholic religion, as appeared from the surprising progress they had made. Both in Kurdistan and Armenia the practic of physick had “gained more credit than the most authentic credentials."
The first book of the travels is filled with notices of Armenia. The second is occupied with memoranda of things seen or heard of in Tartary. The veteran traveler seems not to have thought much of the difficulties of passing across central Asia, nor would it be very strange if railways should erelong be constructed through those re- gions from one extreme of the continent to the other. Avril thus speaks of the way to China by land.
Now in regard that every degree of the equator of the earth consists of twenty leagues, and every league of a thousand geometrical paces, follows, that every degree of the forti'th parallel, containing no more than fifteen leagues, and nine hundred and fifty-nine geometrical paces, the distance from Bokara to Peking in a straight line could be no more then about sixhundred and thirteen leagues, and to Kokutan the first city of the Chinese, four hun- dre'd sixty-three only. This being so, as it is easy for every one to be con- vinc'd of it, there is no question but that the way by land to China is much more safe and short than to go by sea, let the wind serve never so fair. I must confess that things speculatively consider'd, appear always more easy than they prove to be in practice, because we cannot certainly foresee all the accidents we may meet with in a long journey; nor do I pretend to warrant the
person that undertakes them from all accidents. But as I have travel'd long enough in the east to know what success a man may have; I dare
Travels in Europe and Asia.
assure him after a long experience, that it appear'ed to me more easy in the practical part than it appears perhaps to others in the speculative. For not to speak of those who have formerly attempted very near the same things with success, as Paul the Venetian, Benedict Goez the Jesuit, and some others who happily arriv'd in China, by a way that was but very little known at that time, and then to come to a display that makes our way moře plain, by that little knowledge we have of the eastern countries, which are the nearest to us, there is no dispute of the easiness to go from France to Bo- kara, or Samarkand; from whence it is apparent by what I have said, that there remains no more then a fourth part of the way to reach Peking.
"The voyage from Marselles to Constantinople is usually made in a month; from Constantinople to Teflis, and by the Black-sea, is but eight or ten days sail at most; from thence to Erzerum is but seven or eight more; from Eszerum to Iriva: the most heavy laden and encumber'd caravans get to their journeys end in twelve or thirteen; from thence to Tauris, the ancient Ecbatana of the Medes, much about the same time. From this city, which is the second of Persia for spaciousness and beauty, and which is the resort and thoroughfair for all nations that traffick almost over all the East, there are two different ways to reach the Yousbecs. The first, which is the shortest, leads to the province of Kilan, so well known to all the world for the beautiful silks which are there wrought; and this journey is perform'd in three weeks; and being arriv'd there, you may embark upon the Caspian sea, the southern part of which is call'd the sea of Kilan; from whence you may in a straight line to Bokara, enter the river Oxus, which washes the wall of it. The second road lies through Ispahan, the capital of all Persia, and which, though it be the longest, is however the most com- modious, and the most advantageous to pass securely to the prince of the Yousbec's court. For in regard to this, it is a usual thing for that same Tartar prince to send ambassadors to Ispahan, and for the king of Persia to send as frequently his envoy to Bokara, to accommodate differences that arise between those two princes, by reason of the vicinity of their territories, 'tis an easy things to step into the trains of those publique ministers, when they return, or are sent to Bokara, which is not above a month and a half's jour- ney from Ispahan.
Book third contains an account of several roads into China, by land. The 1st, is that through India and the Mogul's cauntry. The 2d, is that which the merchants of Bokhara take, through Kaboul, Kashmere, Tourfan, Barantola (the residence of the delae- lama). The 3d, is that frequented by Usbecks, and Muscovites, along by the lakes near Irticks and Kama to the city of Sinkame, and thence through the territories of the Kalmucks and Mongols. The 4th, carries you through Tobolsk along the Obi, Szelinga, and thence through Mongolia. The 5th is throngh Siberia, "to the city of Nero-Sinki upon the river Szilkå; after that to Dauri not far from
Travels in Europe and Asia.
Naiunai, and to Cheria that lies upon the entrance of China." The 6th, is through Nerczinski and Mongolia to the lake Dalai. "Out of this lake the river Argus takes its rise, which carries you, by water, to the river Yamour, into which it falls. Near the Argus are several mines of silver."
The inhabitants of all these central regions are next noticed, with cursory remarks respecting the Nestorians, Catholics, and the delae- lama, the patriarch of the idolatrous Tartars." This patriarch, by the by, "is without all contradiction that same famous Preste-Jean, concerning whom historians have written so variously." Avril is inclined to think that St. Thomas reached China, and does not fail to notice the celebrated monument found at Singan foo in 1625. Haylon, a Christian author, of the blood rcyal of Armania, "testifies that, in the thirteenth age, Tartary was full of Christians, that Kublai their emperor embarced the Christian faith, and that his brother entered into a religious war for the sake of Christianity." Albazin and its inhabitants, and the war in which they had been engaged, are briefly noticed.
Concerning the little colony that first peopled America, father Avril obtained the followiug particulars from the vaivode of Smolènks, Mouchim Pouckhim "a person of as great a wit as a man can well meet with, and perfectly acquainted with all the countries that lie beyond the Obi, as having been a long time intendant of the chan- cery of the government of Siberia.
"There is, said he, beyond the Obi, a great river call'd Kawoina, into which another river empties itself, by the name of Lena. At the mouth of the first river that discharges itself into the Frozsen sea, stands a spacious island very well peopl'd, and which is no less considerable for hunting the behemot, an amphibious animal, whose teeth are in great esteem. The in- habitants go frequently upon the side of the frozen sea to hunt this monster ; and because it requires great labor and assiduity, they carry their families usually along with them. Now it many times happens, that being surpriz'd by a thaw, they are carry'd away, I know not whither, upon huge pieces of ice that break off one from another. For my part, added he, I am per- suaded that several of those hunters have been carry'd upon these floating pieces of ice to the most northern parts of America, which is not far off from that part of Asia which juts out into the sea of Tartary. And that which confirms me in this opinion is this, that the Americans who inhabit that country which advances farthest toward that sea, have the same physiogno- my as those unfortunate islanders, whom the over-eager thirst after gain exposes in that manner to be transportod into a foreign climate.'
Travels in Muscovy and Moldavia fill the fourth and fifth books,
Travels in Europe and Asia.
Avril's object in traveling in those countries was to gain information from those who had traveled in the east, and at the same time to awaken in those he visited an interest in behalf of the eastern mis- sions. He had also to search for new missionaries, fitted for this hard service. His efforts were successful. He had with others enlisted the feelings of count Syri, and from king Lewis they obtained the following recommendatory letter to the emperor of China:
"Most high, most excellent, most puissant, and most magnanimous prince, our dearly beloved good friend, may God increase your grandeur with a happy end. Being inform'd, that your majesty, was desirous to have near your person, and in your dominions, a considerable number of learned men, very much vers'd in the European sciences, We resolved some years ago, to send you six learn'd mathematicans, our subjects, to show your majesty what ever is most curious in sciences, and especially the astronomical observa- tions of the famous accademy we have establish.d in our good city of Paris : But whereas the length of the sea voyage, which divides our territories from yours, is liable to many accidents, and cannot be perform'd without much time and danger: We have form'd thè design, out of a desire to contribute towards your majesties satisfaction, to send you some more of the same fa- ther Jesuits who are our mathematicians, with count Syri, by land, which is the shortest, and safest way, to the end they may be the first, near your majesty, as so many pledges of our esteem and friendship, and that at the return of the said count Syri, we may have a faithful account of the admira- ble and most extraordinary actions that are reported of your life. Whereupon we beseech God, to augment the grandeur of your majesty, with an end altogether happy. Written at Marly, the 7th of August, 1688.
"Your most dear, and good friend, LEWIS."
The volume closes with "notes collected by Richard Johnson, who was at Boghar with Mr. Anthony Jenkinson, of the reports of Russes, and other foreigners giving an accouut of the roads of Rus sia to Cathay, as also of sundry strange people." The first note is from one Sarnichohe, a Tartar: he makes the way thus; from Astrakan to Serachich ten days; thence to Urgense fifteen; on to Boghar fifteen; thence to Cascar thirty; and from Cascar to Cathay thirty days more. Notes by other Tartars give a different course, one of which is from Astrakan through Serachich, Urgense, Boghar, Ta- shent, Occient, Cassar, Sowchich, Camchick, to Cathay. The next note "was sent out of Russia from Giles Homes." This contains an account of the "Samoeds," who feed upon the flesh of harts, and sometimes eat one another. "They are very ill favored, with flat noses, but are swift of foot and shoot very well: they travel upon harts and dogs, and cloath themselves with sables and harts skins." Beyond this people "live another kind of Samoeds by the sea side,
Sketch of Yuhwang Shangte.
who speak another language: these people one month in a year live in the sea and never dwell upon land for that month." Another road to China is described as follows: It is
"The relation of Chaggi Memet, a Persian merchant, to Baptista Kamu- sius, and other eminent citizens of Venice, concerning the way from Tauris in Persia, to Campion, a city of Cathay by land; which he travel'd himself before with the caravans.
From Tauris to Sultania,
From Sultania to Casbin,
Days journey 6
From Casbin to Veremi,
From Veremi to Eri,
From Eri to Bogara, (Bokhara)
From Bogara to Samarchand,
From Samarchand to Cascar, (Kashgar)
From Cascar to Acsu,
From Acsu to Cuchi,
From Cuchi to Chialis,
From Chialis to Turfon, (Turfan)
From Turfon to Camul
From Camul to Succuir,
From Succuir to Gauta,
From Gauta to Campion,
"Campion is á city in the empire of Cathay, in the province of Tangut, from whence comes the greatest quantity of rhubarb.”
'A long and dangerous journey from Lahor to China, by Bene- dict Goez,' is not so easily traced as the preceding one.
It was per- formed in the years 1603-05. Goez died in China; his companion, an Armenian, returned from Peking to Macao, and from thence to In- dia. The day may not be far distant when Europeans will again traverse every part of Central Asia, and with far greater facilities and better securities than were enjoyed in father Avril's day.
ART. II. Sketch of Yuhwang Shangte,' one of the highest deities of the Chinese mythology. Translated from the Sow Shin Ke by J. L. S.
In the holy records it is inscribed, saying, In the former ages there was a country named Kwangyen meaou lõ (brilliant majesty and vast delight). The name of the monarch of this country was Tsingtih
VOL. X. NO. VI.
Sketch of Yuhwang Shangte.
(purest virtue). At this time the king had a royal consort, named Paou yuě kwang (the gem moon-light). This monarch had no sons, and upon a day he thought thus to himself: 'I am now well stricken in years, and am still destitute of a royal heir, and when my body shall have fallen and is no more, who then will there be to assume the care of the altars, the shrines, and the temples?' Having finished his musings he forthwith issued orders, summoning a large company of Taou priests to repair to his palace in order to perform religious rites. They hung up their bauners and screens, and arranged out in due order the offerings and utensils of worship. Throughout each day they unceasingly recited the sacred books, and offered up prayers to all the true sages. And when they had continued their worship for half a year their hearts were as deeply attentive as at the beginning.
Upon a night the flowery empress, Paou yuě kwang, dreamed that she saw the great and eminent Laoukeun, together with a great number of superior deities, among whom were Poso, Yuhtseë, and Tsingtsing. They rode in cinque colored carriages, bearing vast resplendent banners, and shaded by bright variegated umbrellas. Here was the great founder Laoukeun sitting in a dragon carriage, and holding in his arms a young infant, whose body was entirely covered over with pores, and out of which came forth unbounded splendors illumin ating all the halls of the palace, and producing a hundred precious colors. Banners and umbrellas preceded Laou- keun in the way, while he came floating in the air. Then was the heart of the (dreaming) empress elated with joy and gladness, and receiving Laoukeun with the ceremonies of congratulation and rever- ence, she kneeled down before him, and to him addressed her words as follows: 'At present our mouarch has no male descendants, and I wishfully beseech you for this child, that he may become the sove- reign of our hearths and our altars. Prostrating I look up to your mercy and kindness, and earnestly implore thee to commisserate, to give ear and grant my request!' Taoukeun3 at once answered saying, it is my special desire to present the boy to you; whereupon the em- press, with much thankfulness received him. When she had thus received the child, her spirit returned from pursuit of the dream (i. e. she awoke), and she then found herself a year advanced in preg-
In the forty-third year of the cycle, first month, ninth day, and at twelve o'clock, the birth took place in a near apartment of the palace. At the time of the birth, a resplendent light poured forth from the pores of the child's body, which filled the whole country with brilliant
Sketch of Yuhwang Shangte.
glare. His entire countenance was supereminently beautiful, so that none became weary in beholding him. When in childhood, he pos- sessed the clearest intelligence and compassion, and taking the posses- sions of his country, and the funds of the national treasury, distributed the whole to the poverty stricken, to those burdened with afflictions, to widowers and widows, to orphans and the childless, to those who had no homes, to the sick, to the halt, the deaf, the blind, and the lame. To all classes of people he was benevolent, affectionate, kind, and accommodating. Songs of commendation resounded in his praise, and the fame of his principles extending to distant regions all hearts beneath the heavens were drawn out in reverence toward this eminent youth, while his father the king rejoiced with increasing joy.
Not long after this the demise of the king took place, and the son succeeded to the government. Seriously reflecting upon the insta- bility of human life, he gave orders for his high ministers to assume the duties of the throne. Then forsaking his kingdom he repaired to the hills of Pooming, and gave himself up to religious devotedness, and having thus perfected himself in merit he ascended to heaven, where he secured eternal life. He, however, descended again to earth eight hundred times, but still rejecting his kingdom, and sever- ing his affections from all worldly care he became a companion of the common people, and instructed them in his doctrines. At the close of these eight hundred descensions, he engaged in medical practice, and in his attendance upon the sick he successfully rescued the peo- ple from disease, and administered to them peace and gladness. These eight hundred descensions being all ended, he made still eight hundred more, and throughout all places from hades to earth he ex- ercised universal beneficence, expounded all abstruse doctrines, eluci- dated the spiritual literature, magnanimously promulged abroad the correct renovating ethics, gave glory to the widely spread merits of the gods, assisted the nation, and saved the people.
After the above had terminated, he again descended eight hundred times to earth, and though men destroyed his body and put an end to his earthly existence, yet he patiently bore it all, even parting with his own blood and flesh. Thus in the dissemination of his holy prin- ciples, he made three thousand two hundred visitations to earth, and became the first of the verified golden genii, and was denominated
pure and immaculate one, self-existing, of highest intelligence. In the records of Chintsung of the Sung dynasty, it is stated that in the seventh year and ninth moon of the reign of Tachung tseäng foo, his majesty addressing himself to his privy ministers, said, I have
Sketch of Yuhwang Shangte.
been desirous together with all the ministers and people of the em- pire to make an unanimous exaltation of the title and office of the gem imperial holy one (Shangte). During the first year of the reign of Teën, the first moon, and first day, his majesty repaired to the Taetsoo palace, and reverently proclaimed Yuhwang (Shangte) the great celestial and holy emperor, to be, the great predecessor who spread out the heavens, the holder of charms, ruler of the times of the heavenly bodies, containing the spiritual essence and enveloped in reason, the most venerated of the luminous heavens, the gem like, imperial, vast and Celestial emperor.
The couplets (on the door-posts of the temples) are
1. The holder of the charms of the luminous heavens, while all are everywhere the recipients of his cherishing bounty.
2. The emperor Shangte in his gem palace rules all spirits and men, and the whole universally remain subject to his instructions.
(The translator subjoins an extract from a sketch of the three great original* potentates, also found in the Sow Shin Ke.)
The three great original supreme ones in the beginning became the bones of the genuine genii, and by a transformation were chang ed into life, and being re-born became human beings. Their father's surname was Chun, and his name Tszechun; and he was also desig- nated the man Chunlang. He was possessed of supereminent intel- ligence and excellence.
Upon a certain time there were three daughters of the dragon king5 who of their own accord, vowed that they would become the wives of Chunlang. These three sisters bore him three sons, all of whom possessed intellectual capacities of vast extent, and were un- bounded in their knowledge of the recondite arts. The celestial superior, perceiving that they possessed such vast intellectual capaci- ties, and that the manifestations of their illustrious powers were inex- haustible, forthwith bestowed upon them their respective ranks as follows:
SHANGYUEN to become a celestial ruler, the sovereign prince of the red mystery and the bestower of happiness; the anniversary of whose birth to be celebrated on the fifteenth of the first moon.
CHUNGYUEN to become a terrestrial ruler, the sovereign prince of departed spirits, and pardoner of sins-anniversary to occur on the fifteenth of the seventh moon.
HEAYUEN to become a ruler of the waters, the sovereign prince of the regions of the rising sun, and disperser of difficulties. sarego take place on the fifteenth of the tenth month.
Notices of Japan, No. X.
1. The Chinese worship two deities under the title of Shangte, the one they denominate
Yuhwang Shangte, the gem imperial Shangte, and which is meant in the sketch here translated; and the other
Heuenteën Shangte, or Shangte of the sombre heavens, a sketch of which is also contained in the Sow Shin Ke. The Yuhwang Shangte holds the highest rank in the whole Chinese mythology, and is a very popu- lar idol. Mr. Medhurst has written a Christian tract of eight pages, enti- tled The Birth-day of Shangte, which seems to have more especial reference to the Heuenteën Shangte.
Laoukeun
2. The sect of Taou, or Rationalism, was founded by who was cotemporary with Confucius, about 550 years before the Christian era. The Sow Shin Ke contains a sketch of the wonderful origin of Laou-
3. Taoukeun, the Prince of Reason, is only another appellation of Laoukeun.
4. The Chinese make three of their cycles of sixty years comprise one period or age; the first of the three they call Shangyuen, the second
Chungyuen, and the third
Heayuen, and as these three
deities bear respectively the same appellations it is possible that they might have derived it from this manner of reckoning the cycles. The Shangyuen, Chungyuen, and Heäyuen deities are said to be principally worshiped by the doctors of the Taou sect.
Lungwang, the dragon king, is represented as the deity pre- siding over oceans, seas, and fishes, but is not regarded as an object of worship. He is the Chinese Neptune.
Teëntsun the celestial superior, here means Yuhwang Shangte. The phrase is given in Morrison's Dictionary as an epithet of Budha.' It is perhaps so applied on certain occasions, but not in the present instance.
ART. III. Notices of Japan, No. X.: sketch of the religious sects of the Japanese, and principal particulars of the modern his- tory of Japan.
THE history of Japan is, in its commencement at least, so connected with the religion of the country, that, in the little here intended to be said of either, the latter seems naturally to take precedence of the former.
The original national religion of Japan is denominated Sinsyu, from the words sin (the gods) and syu, (faith); and its votaries are called Sintoo. Such, at least, is the general interpretation; but Dr. Von Siebold asserts the proper indigenous name of this religion to be Kami-no-michi, meaning, the way of the kami,' or gods, which the Chinese having translated into Shin-taou, the Japanese subse quently adopted that appellation, merely modifying it into Sintoo,
Notices of Japan, No. X.
The Sintoo mythology and cosmogony, being as extravagantly absurd as those of most oriental nations, possess little claim to notice, except in such points as are essential to the history of Japan, and the supremacy of the mikado.
From * primeval chaos, according to the Japanese, arose a self-created supreme god, throned in the highest heaven-as implied by his somewhat long-winded name of Ame-no-mi-naka nusimo-kami—and far too great to have his tranquillity disturbed by any cares whatever. Next arose two creator gods, who fashioned the universe out of chaos, but seem to have stopped short of this planet of ours, leaving it still in a chaotic state. The universe was then governed for some myriads of years by seven successive gods, with equally long names, but col. lectively called the celestial gods. To the last of these, Iza-na-gi-mikoto, the only one who married, the earth owes its existence. He once upon a time thus addressed his consort, Iza-na-mi-mikoto: "There should be somewhere a habita- ble earth; let us seek it under the waters that are boiling beneath us." He dipped his jeweled spear into the water, and the turbid drops, trickling from the weapon as he withdrew it, congealed, and formed an island. This island, it should seem, was Kiusiu, the largest of the eight that constituted the world, alias Japan. Iza- na-gi-mikoto next called eight millions of gods into existence, created the ten thousand things' (yorodzu no mono), and then committed the government of the whole to his favorite and best child, his daughter, the sun-goddess, known by the three different names of Ama-terasu-oho-kami, Ho-hiru-meno-mikoto, and Ten-sio- dai-zin, which last is chiefly given her in her connection with Japan.
With the sovereignty of Ten-sio-dai-zin began a new epoch. She reigned, instead of myriads, only about 250,000 years, and was followed by four more gods or demi-gods, who, in succession, governed the world 2,091,042 years. These are terrestrial gods; and the last of them, having married a mortal wife, left a mortal son upon earth, named Zin-mu-ten-wou, the immediate ancestor of the mikado.
But of all these high and puissant gods, although so essentially belonging to Sintoo mythology, none seem to be objects of worship except Ten-sio-dai-zin, and she, though the especial patron deity of Japan, is too great to be addressed in prayer, save through the mediation of the kami, or of her descendant, the mikado. The kami, again, are divided into superior and inferior, 492 being born gods, or perhaps spirits, and 2,640 being deified or canonized men. They are all mediatory spirits.
Their temples
But with divinities thus numerous, the Sintoo are no idolaters. are unpolluted by idols, and the only incentives to devotion they contain are a mirror, the emblem of the soul's perfect purity, and what is called a gohei, con- sisting of many strips of white paper, which, according to some writers, are blank, and merely another emblem of purity; according to others, are inscribed with moral and religious sentences. The temples possess, indeed, images of the kami to whom they are especially dedicated, but those images are not set up to be worshiped; they are kept, with their temple treasures, in some secret receptacle, and only exhibited upon particular festivals. Private families are said to have images of their patron kami in shrines and chapels adjoining the verandah of the temple; but Meylan confidently avers that every yasiro is dedicated solely to the one Supreme God, and Siebold considers every image as a corrupt innovation. He seems to think that in genuine Sinsyu, Ten-sio-dai-zin alone is or was wor
* Siebold; the authority for nearly the whole of this chapter.
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shiped, the kami being analogous to Catholic saints, and that of these no images existed prior to the introduction of Budhistic idolatry.
There is, as there was likely to be, some confusion in the statements of different writers upon the whole of this topic; amongst others, respecting the Sintoo views of a future state, of which Dr. Siebold, upon whom the most reliance must ever be placed, gives the following account: "The Sintooist has a vague notion of the soul's immortality; of an eternal future state of happiness or misery, as the reward respectively of virtue or vice; of separate places whither souls go after death. Heavenly judges call them to account. To the good is allotted Paradise, and they enter the realm of the kami. The wicked are condemned, and thrust into hell."
The duties enjoined by Sinsyu,* the practice of which is to insure happiness here and hereafter, are five (happiness here, meaning a happy frame of mind): 1st. Preservation of pure fire, as the emblem of purity, and instrument of puri- fication. 2d. Purity of soul, heart, and body to be preserved; in the former, by obedience to the dictates of reason and the law; in the latter, by abstinence from whatever defiles. 2d. Observance of festival days. 4th. Pilgrimages. 5th. The worship of the kami, both in the temples and at home.
The impurity to be so sedulously avoided is contracted in various ways; by associating with the impure; by hearing obscene, wicked, or brutal language; by eating of certain meats; and also by contact with blood and with death. Hence, if a workman wound himself in building a temple, he is dismissed as impure, and in soine instances the sacred edifice has been pulled down and begun anew. The impurity is greater or less-that is to say, of longer or shorter duration-accord- ing to its source; and the longest of all is occasioned dy the death of a near rela- tion. During impurity, access to a temple, and most acts of religion, are for- bidden, and the head must be covered, that the sun's beams may not be defiled by falling upon it.
But purity is not recovered by the mere lapse of the specified time. A course of purification must be gone through, consisting chiefly in fasting, prayer, and the study of edifying books in solitude. Thus is the period of mourning for the dead to be passed. Dwellings are purified by fire. The purified person throws aside the white mourning dress, worn during impurity, and returns to society in a festal garb.
The numerous Sintoo festivals have been already alluded to; and it may suffice to add, that all begin with a visit to a temple, sometimes to one especially ap- pointed for the day. Upon approaching, the worshiper, in his dress of ceremony, performs his ablutions at a reservoir provided for the purpose; he then kneels in the verandah, opposite a grated window, through which he gazes at the mirror; then offers up his prayers, together with a sacrifice of rice, fruit, tea, sake, or the like; and when he has concluded his orisons, depositing money in a box, he with- draws.
The remainder of the day he spends as he pleases, except when appro- priate sports belong to it. This is the common form of kami worship at the temples, which are not to be approached with a sorrowful spirit, lest sympathy should disturb the happiness of the gods. At home, prayer is similarly offered before the domestic housc oratory and garden miya; and prayer precedes every mical.
* Sicbold.
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The money contributions, deposited by the worshipers, are destined for the support of the priests belonging to the temple. The Emtoo priests are called kami nusi, of the landlords of the gods; and in conformity with their name, they reside in houses built within the grounds of their respective temples, where they receive strangers very hospitably. The kami musi marry, and their wives are the priestesses, to whom specific religious rites and duties are allotted; as, for instance, the ceremony of naming children, already described.
But pilgrimage is the grand act of Sintoo devotion, and there are in the empire two-and-twenty shrines commanding such homage; one of these is, how. ever, so much more sacred than the rest, that of it alone is there any occasion to speak. This shrine is the temple of Ten-sio-dai-zin, at Isye, conceived by the great body of ignorant and bigoted devotees to be the original temple, if not the birth-place, of the sun-goddess. To perform this pilgrimage to Isye, at least once, is imperatively incumbent upon man, woman, and child, of every rank, and, it might almost be said, of every religion, since even of professed Budhists, only the bonzes ever exempt themselves from this duty. The pious repeat it annually. The siogoun, who has upon economical grounds been permitted, as have some of the greater princes, to discharge this duty vicariously, sends a yearly embassy of pilgrims to Isye. Of course, the majority of the pilgrims journey thither as conveniently as their circumstances admit; but the most correct mode is to make the pilgrimage on foot, and as a mendicant, carrying a mat on which to sleep, and a wooden ladle with which to drink. The greater the hardships endured, the greater the merit of the voluntary mendicant.
It need hardly be said that no person in a state of impurity may undertake this pilgrimage; and that all risk of impurity must be studiously avoided during its continuance; and this is thought to be the main reason why the Budhist priests are exempt from a duty of compliance with Sinsya, enjoined to their flocks. The bonzes, from their attendance upon the dying and the dead, are, in Sintoo estimation, in an almost uninterrupted state of impurity. But for the Isye pilgrimage, even the pure prepare by a course of purification. Nay, the contamination of the dwelling of the absent pilgrim would, it is conceived, be attended with disastrous consequences, which are guarded against by affixing a piece of white paper over the door, as a warning to the impure to avoid defiling
the house.
When the prescribed rites and prayers at the Isye temple and its subsidiary miya are completed, the pilgrim receives from the priest who has acted as his director a written absolution of all his past sins, and makes the priest a present proportioned to his station. This absolution, called the oko-haraki, is ceremo- niously carried home, and displayed in the absolved pilgrim's house. And from the importance of holding a recent absolution at the close of life, arises the necessity of frequently repeating the pilgrimage. Among the Isye priestesses, there is almost always one of the daughters of a mikado.
The Iøye temple is a peculiarly plain, humble, and unpretending structure, and really of great antiquity, though not quite so great as is ascribed to it, and is surrounded by a vast number of inferior miya. The whole too is occupied by priests, and persons connected with the temple, and depending upon the con- course of pilgrims for their support. Every pilgrim, upon reaching the sacred spot, applies to a priest to guide him through the course of devotional exercises incum- bent upon him.
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In addition to the kami nusi, who constitute the regular clergy of Japan, there are two institutions of the blind, which are called religious orders, although the members of one of them are said to support themselves chiefly by music-even constituting the usual orchestra at the theatres. The incidents to which the foundation of these two blind fraternities is severally referred, are too romantic, and one is too thoroughly Japanese, to be omitted.
The origin of the first, the Bussats sato, is, indeed, purely sentimental. This fraternity was instituted, we are told, very many centuries ago, by Senmimar, the younger son of a mikado, and the handsomest of living men, in commemo- ration of his having wept himself blind for the loss of a princess, whose beauty equaled his own. These Bussats sato had existed for ages, when, in the course of civil war, the celebrated Yoritomo (of whom more will be spoken) defeated his antagonist, the rebel prince Feki (who fell in the battle), and took his general, Kakekigo, prisoner. This general's renown was great throughout Japan, and earnestly did the conqueror strive to gain his captive's friendship; he loaded him with kindness, and finally offered him his liberty. Kakekigo replied, "I can love none but my slain master. I owe you gratitude; but you caused prince Feki's death, and never can I look upon you without wishing to kill you. My best way to avoid such ingratitude, to reconcile my conflicting duties, is never to see you more; and thus do I insure it." As he spoke, he tore out his eyes and presented them to Yoritomo on a salver. The prince, struck with admiration, released him; and Kakekigo withdrew into retirement, where he founded the second order of the blind, the Fekisado. The superiors of these orders réside at Miyako, and appear to be subject alike to the mikado, and to the temple lords at Yedo.
Sinayu is now divided into two principal sects: the Yuitz, who profess them- selves strictly orthodox, admitting of no innovation; they are said to be few in number, and consist almost exclusively of the kami nusi; and Siebold doubts whether even their Sinsyu is quite pure: the other, the Riobu Sintoo, meaning two-sided kami worship, but which might perhaps be Englished by Eclectic Sinsyu, and is much modified, comprises the great body of Sintoo. Any explanation of this modification will be more intelligible after one of the co-existent religions— namely, Budhism-shall have been spoken of.
It might have been anticipated that a religion, upon which is thus essentially founded the sovereignty of the country, must for ever remain the intolerant, exclusive faith of Japan, unless superseded for the express purpose of openly and avowedly deposing the son of heaven. But two other religions co-exist, and have long co-existed, there with Sinsyu.
The first and chief of these is Budhism, the most widely diffused of all false creeds, as appears by an authentic estimate of their respective followers, in which we find, 252,000,000 Mohammedans, 111,000,000 believers in Brahma, and 315,000,000 Budhists. A very few words concerning this creed may help to ex- plain its co-existence and actual blending with Sinsyu.
Budhism does not claim the antiquity, the cosmogonic dignity, or the self. ereative origin of Sinsyu. Its founder, Sakya Sinha-called Syaka in Japan- was not a god, but a man, who, by his virtues and austerities, attaining to divine honors, was then named Budha, or the Sage, and founded a religion. His birth is placed at the earliest 2420, and at the latest, 543 years before the Christian
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Since his death and deification, Budha is supposed to have been incarnate in some of his principal disciples, who are, like himself, deified and worshiped, in subordination, however, to the Supreme God, Budha Amida. Budhism is essentially idolatrous; and in other respects, its tenets and precepts differ from those of Sinsyu, chiefly by the doctrine of metempsychosis, whence the prohibi- tion to take animal life, the theory of a future state, placing happiness in absorp tion into the divine essence, and punishment in the prolongation of individuality by revivification in man or the inferior animals; and by making the priesthood a distinct order in the state, bound to celibacy.
The Budhist somewhat hyper-philosophic theory of heaven does not appear to have been taught in Japan; and in the rest, there is evidently nothing very in- compatible with Sinsyu. The Budhist bonze, who, after it had for five hundred years failed to gain a footing, established his faith in Japan A. D. 552, skillfully obviated objections, and enlisted national prejudices on his side. He represented either Ten-sio-dai-zin as having been an avatar or incarnation of Amida, or Bud. ha of Ten-sio-dai-zin-which of the two does not seem certain--and a young boy, the eldest son of the reigning mikado's eldest son, as an avatar of some patron god. This flattering announcement obtained him the training of the boy, who, as a man, refused to accept the dignity of mikado,* although he took an active part in the government of his aunt, raised subsequently to that dignity. He founded several Budhist temples, and died a bonze in the principal of thess temples.
Budhism was now fully established, and soon became blended with, thereby modifying, Sinayu, thus forming the second sect, called Riobu Sinsyu. There are inany other sects in which, on the other hand, Budhism is modified by Sinsyu; and these varieties have probably given rise to the inconsistencies and contradictions that frequently occur in the different accounts of Sinsyu. Fur ther, Budhism itself is, in Japan, said to be divided into a high and pure mystic creed for the learned, and a gross idolatry for the vulgar. The Yama.busi hermits are Budhist monks, although, like the priests of the Ikko-syu, they are allowed to marry and to eat animal food.
The third Japanese religion is called Sintoo, meaning the way of philoso phers; and, although by all writers designated as a religion, far more resem- bles a philosophic creed, compatible with almost any faith, true or false. It consists merely of the moral doctrines taught by the Chinese Kung footsze (Confucius), and of some mystic notions touching the human soul-not very dissimilar to those of high Budhism-totally unconnected with any mythology or any religious rites.
Sintoo is said to have been not only adopted, immediately upon its introduc- tion into Japan, by the wise and learned, but openly professed, accompanied by the rejection of Sinsyu mythology and worship, and by utter scorn for Budhist idolatry. But when the detestation of Christianity arose, some suspicions appear to have been conceived of Sintoo, as tending that way. Budhism was, on the contrary, especially favored, as a sort of bulwark against Christianity; and thence- forward every Japanese was required to have an idol in his house-some say a Budhist idol; others, the image of his patron kami. The last is the more proba ble view, as Dr. Von Siebold distinctly states that, at the present day, the lower * Klaproth.
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orders are Budhists; the higher orders, especially the wisest amongst them, secretly Sintooists, professing and respecting Sinsyu, avowedly despising Bud- hism; and all, Sintooists and Budhists alike, professed Sintoo.
Such is said to be the present state of religion in Japan. But the subject must not be closed without mentioning a story told by president Meylan, of a fourth religion, co-existing with these three, prior to the arrival of the first Chris- tian missionaries. He says that about a. D. 50, a Brahminical sect was introduc- ed into Japan, the doctrines of which were, the redemption of the world by the son of a virgin, who died to expiate the sins of men, thus insuring to them a joyful resurrection; and a trinity of immaterial persons, constituting one eternal, omnipotent God, the creator of all, to be adored as the source of all good and goodness.
The name of a Brahminical sect given to this faith cannot exclude the idea, as we read its tenets, that Christianity had even thus early reached Japan; and this is certainly possible through India. But it is to be observed, that neither Dr. Von Siebold, nor any other writer, names this religion; that Fischer, in his account of Japanese Budhism, states that the qualities of a beneficent crea- tor are ascribed to Amida, and relates much as recorded of the life of Syaka, strangely resembling the gospel history of our Saviour, whilst the date assigned to the introduction of this supposed Brahminical sect pretty accurately coincides with that of the first unsuccessful attempt to introduce Budhism. Further, and lastly, whoever has read anything of Hindoo mythology must be well aware that the legends of the Brahmins afford much which may easily be turned into seemingly Christian doctrine. But whatever it were, this faith was too like Christianity to survive its fall, and has long since completely vanished.*
* [For a few additional particulars concerning the religious sects and creeds found among the Japanese, the reader is referred to an article in the second volume of the Repository, page 318. The statements there made correspond very well to those in this abstract of Siebold's notices. We add a few explana- tions of some of the terms used in both that article and this. Sinsyu is, according to Siebold's explanation, meaning the faith in gods or spirits; sintoo (shin tuon in China) or kumi no michi as it is when translated into Japanese, and a mere synonime with it, strictly means not the way of the gods,' but the doctrine of the gods. Ama-terusu-nho-kami are the native words for the four characters Ten-sio-dai-zin, (as they are written for us,)
which mean the great god of the pure heavens.' The gohei are long strips of white paper, standing, we are told, instead of the spirit worshiped, just as the ancestral tablet stands for the ancestor whose name it bears.'
The Budhistic sects appear to be much more numerous than the Sintoo, and
the priests are employed by all classes on occasions of burial and mourning.
from which no doubt their influence is also great. Buddoo or Budtoo is (
the doctrine of Budha or Amida. The yama-busi ||
伏 are a class or sect,
who, as their name is explained in a Japanese work, and as the Chinese charac-
ters also signifiy, hide themselves in the mountains. They are also called, (or
tenets,)修驗
perhaps more properly their tenets,) syu-gen-dou, practicing and investigating doctrine. The account goes on to state regarding the yama-busi, that "they keep their bodies in subjection and practice austerities, ascending high and dangerous mountains. They study heavenly principles, the doctrine of the eight diagrams (hakke), chiromancy, the determination of good and bad luck, the
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HISTORY OF Japan.
Of the history of Japan, it is needless to trouble the reader with more than the few and far distant events out of which has grown, and upon which is based, the present condition of that empire of 3,850 islands, including uninhabitable rocks.
This may, however, be not inappositely introduced by a few words touching the name, which in Japancse is Dai Nippon, or 'Great Nippon'—a name of great dignity, and referring probably to the patronage, if not the birth, of the sun-god. dess; the word nitsu signifying 'the sun,' and pon, or fon, 'origin;' and these, when compounded according to the Japanese rule, become Nippon, or Nifon. The largest island, upon which stands the Isye temple, be it remembered, bears the simple name of Nippon, without the dai, or 'great;' and hence it might be inferred that Nippon was the island originally fished up by Iza-na-gi-mikoto, rather than the smaller and less holy Kiusiu. The name Japan is derived from the Chinese Jih-pun, 'origin of the sun. Marco Polo calls the country Zipangu (not Zipangri, as most editions of his work have it), which is the Chinese Jih. pun kwō, or 'kingdom of the origin of the sun.'
The mythological or legendary portion of Japanese history has been suffi. ciently explained in the preceding portion of this paper-though it may be added, that the whole nation claims a descent from the kami-and what is deemed authentic history need only be adverted to here.
The authentic history of Japan began with the first mortal ruler, Zin-mo-ten- woo, whose name imports the Divine Conqueror. Accordingly, Zin-mo-ten-woo did, it is said, conquer Nippon; and having done so, he there built him a datri, or temple-palace, dedicated to the sun-goddess, and founded the sovereignty of the mikado. Whatever were his new origin-whether he was a son of the last terrestrial god, or, as Klaproth thinks, a Chinese warrior and invader-from him the mikado, even to this day, descend. His establishment in the absolute sove. reignty of Dai Nippon is generally placed in the year 660 в. c.
For some centuries, the mikado, claiming to rule by divine right and inheri tance, were indeed despotic sovereigns; and even after they had ceased to head their own armies, and intrusted the dangerous military command to sons and kinsmen, their power long remained undisputed and uncontroled. It was, per. haps, first and gradually weakened by a habit into which the mikado fell, of ab. dicating at so early an age, that they transferred the sovereignty to their sons while yet children; an evil the retired sovereign frequently strove to remedy, by governing for his young successor. At length, a mikado, who had married the daughter of a powerful prince, abdicated in favor of his three-year old son; and the ambitious grandfather of the infant mikado assumed the regency, placing the abdicated sovereign in confinement. A civil war ensued; during which, Yoritomo, one of the most celebrated and most important persons in Japanese history-who has been already incidentally mentioned, and was, seemingly, a distant scion of the mikado stock-first appeared upon the stage. He came forward as the cham- mode of finding stolen things, and other such like sciences." The yama-busi wear a sword, and have a peculiar cap and neck strap to distinguish them. The ex- planation of the name yama-busi, given by Dr. Burger (vol. II., page 324) may also be correct, as t, which means a soldier, is also called busi.]
* Klaproth.
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pion of the imprisoned ex-mikado against his usurping father-in-law.* The war lasted for several years, and in the course of those years occurred the incident in which originated one of the institutions of the blind. At length, Yoritomo triumphed, released the imprisoned father of the young mikado, and placed the regency in his hands; but the fowo, as he was called, held it only nominally, leaving the real power in the hands of Yoritomo, whom he created sio i dai sio- goun, * generalissimo fighting against the barbarians.' The ex-mikado died, and, as lieutenant or deputy of the sovereign, Yoritomo virtually governed for twenty years. His power gradually acquired solidity and stability, and when he died he was succeeded in his title, dignity, and authority, by his son.
After this, a succession of infant mikado strengthened the power of the sio. goun, and their office soon became so decidedly hereditary, that the Annals begin to tell of abdicating siogoun, of infant siogoun, of rival heirs contending for the siogounship. Even during the life of Yoritomo's widow, this had advanced so far, that she, who had become a Budhist nun upon his decease, returned from her convent to govern for an infant siogoun. She retained the authority till her own death, and is called in the Annals of the Daħri, ama siogoun, or the nun sio- goun. She seems to be the only instance of a female siogoun. But still, if the actual authority were wielded by these generalissimos, all the apparent and much real power-amongst the rest, that of appointing or confirming his nominal vice- gerent, the siogoun-remained with the mikado. In this state, administered by an autocrat emperor and a sovereign deputy, the government of Japan continued until the latter half of the sixteenth century, the siogoun being then efficient and active rulers, not the secluded and magnificent puppets of a council of state that we have seen them at the present day.
It was during this phasis of the Japanese empire, that the Portuguese first ap- peared there; one of their vessels being driven by contrary winds from her intend- ed course, and upon the then unknown coast of Japan. The occurrence is thus recorded by a national annalist, as translated by Siebold;-"Under the mikado Konaru and the siogoun Yosi-haru, in the twelfth year of the Nengo Tenbun, on the twenty-second day of the eighth month (October, 1543), a strange ship made the island Tanega sima,† near Koura, in the remote province Nisimura. The crew, about two hundred in number, had a singular appearance; their language was unintelligible, their native land unknown. On board was a Chinese, named Gohou, who understood writing; from him it was gathered that this was a nan-ban ship ('southern barbarian,' in the Japanese form of the Chinese words nan-man). On the 26th, this vessel was taken to Aku-oki harbor, on the northwest of the island; and Toki-taka, governor of Tanega sima, instituted a strict investigation concerning it, the Japanese bonze, Tsyu-syu-zu, acting as interpreter, by means of Chinese characters. On board the nan bạn ship were two commanders, Mura.
* Klaproth; and Titsingh's Japanese Annals of the Daïri,
+ It has been said that sima means island; whence it follows that Siebold's expression, "the island, Tanega sima," is tautological; but, in translating a lan. guage and speaking of a country so little known, such tautology could hardly be avoided at a less sacrifice than that of perspicuity. This remark is also applicable to many other terms used when speaking or writing of Japan, by which the native word that classifies, or explains the proper name has become incorporated with it. For instance, to say the bridge Nippon-bas, where bas (or hasi) means bridge, is, like Tanega sima I., tautological,
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syukya and Krista-muta; they brought fire-arms, and first made the Japanese ac- quainted with shooting-arms, and the preparation of shooting-powder."
The Japanese have preserved portraits (and curious specimens of the graphic art they are) of Mura-syukya and Krista-muta, who are supposed to be Antonio Mota and Francesco Zeimoto, the first Portuguese known to have landed in Japan. The Japanese were at this time a mercantile people, carrying on an active and lucrative commerce with, it is said, sixteen different countries. They gladly welcomed the strangers, who brought them new manufactures and new wares; they trafficked freely with them, and erelong even gave their daughters in mar. riage to such as settled amongst them. The Jesuit missionaries, who soon fol- lowed, were equally well received, and permitted to preach to the people without interruption. The extraordinary and rapid success of the Fathers has been al ready mentioned. Even at Miyako, in the vicinity of the datri, if not in it, they boasted neophytes. These bright prospects were blighted by the civil war, which had seened for a moment to promise the complete establishment of Christianity in Japan.
About the middle of the sixteenth century two brothers of the race of Yoritomo contended for the singounship; the princes of the empire took part on either side, or against both, striving to make themselves independent; and civil war raged throughout Japan. In the course of it, both the rival brothers perished, and the vassal princes now contended for the vacant dignity.
The ablest and nightiest amongst them was Nobunaga, prince of Owari, the champion of one of the rival brothers so long as he lived. After the death of the claiment he supported, he set up for himself. Powerfully aided by the courage and talents of a low-born man, named Hide-yosi, who had attached himself to his service, and gradually gained his confidence, the prince of Owari triumphed over his opponents, and become siogoun, the mikado confirming to him a dignity that he felt himself unable to withhold. The new siogoun recompensed Hide. yosi's services by investing him with a high military office, and showed himself a warm friend to the Christians and the missionaries.
In process of time, Nobunaga was murdered by an aspirant usurper, who thus possessed himself of the singounship. The murderer was shortly afterwards in his turn, murdered; and, amidst the confusion that ensued, Hide-yosi seized upon the generally coveted office. The mikado again, without hesitation, approved and confirmed Hide-yosi as siogoun, by his newly-assumed name of Taiko, or Taiko-sama, i. e. the lord Taiko,
Taiko retained upon the throne the energies and warlike spirit that had ena- bled him to ascend it; and he is still considered by the Japanese as nearly, if not quite, the greatest of their heroes. It was he who made the greatest progress in reducing the mikado to the mere shadow of a sovereign; with him originated the system, already described, as inthralling the princes of the empire; he subdued Corca, which had emancipated itself since its conquest by the empress Sin-gon. kwo-gon; and he had announced his intention of conquering China, when his career was arrested by death, at the age of sixty-three, in the year 1598. Taiko. sama's only son, Hide-yori was a child of six years old; and to him, upon his deathbed, he thought to secure the succession by marrying him to the grand- daughter of Iyeyas (or as some write it, Yeye-yasu), the powerful prince of Mikawa, his own especial friend and counsellor, whom he had rewarded with three
Notices of Japan, No. X.
additional principalities. He obtained from Iyeyas a solemn prontise to procure the recognition of Hide-yori as siogoun, as soon as the boy should have completed his fifteenth year.
The death of Taiko-sama was the signal for the renewal by the vassal princes of their efforts to emancipate themselves from the yoke, nominally of the mikado, really of the siogoun; whilst the ambitious and treacherous Iyeyas, who had long aspired to the office he had promised to secure to his grand-daughter's husband, secretly fomented disorders so propitious to his designs. As regent for Ilide-yori, he gradually extorted higher and higher titles from the mikado; at length, he demanded and obtained that of singoun, and waged open war upon the ward to whom he was bound by so many ties, to whom he had sworn al- legiance. Hide-yori, was supported by all the Japanese Christians, whose zeal in behalf of the son of the universally admired and regretted Taiko-sama was, to say the least, warmly approved and encouraged by the Jesuits; and the re- verend Fathers had good cause to exert themselves strenuously on his side, inde- pendently even of any idea of the justice of his cause, since the young prince showed them so much favor, that they actually indulged the flattering hope of seeing him erelong openly profess Christianity, and, should he triumph, make it the established religion of Japan.
But, in 1615, Iyeyas besieged his grandchild's husband in Ohosaka castle, and took this, his rival's last remaining stronghold, as perfidiously, it is said, as he had gained the siogounship. Over the fate of Hide-yori a veil of mystery hangs. According to some accounts, after setting fire to the castle, when he found it betrayed into his enemy's hands, he perished in the flames; according to others, he effected his escape amidst the confusion caused by the conflagration, and made his way to the principal city of Satzuma, where his posterity is still believed to exist. It is certain that the princes of Satzuma are much courted by the siogoun, who seek their daughters as wives. The consort of the present singoun is a Satzuma princess.
Iyeyas, who in the progress of his usurpation had successively taken the names of Daifu-sama and Ongonchio, had now only to secure the siogounship to him- self and his posterity. For this purpose, he confirmed all the measures devised by Taiko-sama for insuring the fidelity of the princes, bestowed many confiscated principalities upon his own partisans and younger sons, and weakened all, as far as he could, by dismemberment. He deprived the mikado of even the little power that Taiko-sama had left him, reducing the absolute autocrat to the utter help. lessness and complete irremediable dependence, which have been described as the present and actual condition of the son of heaven; and, finally, he proceeded to enforce the persecution of his rival's supporters, the native Christians and foreign missionaries, which Siebold decidedly ascribes to political, not religious, motives on the part of the new Japanese potentate; and which, in the reign of his successor, resulted in the system of exclusion and seclusion still followed in Japan.
Iyeyas, upon his death, was deified by the mikado under the name of Gongen- sama; and his policy has proved successful. His posterity still hold the siogoun- ship in undisturbed tranquillity; and although evidently so degenerated from the energy, and talent of their ancestor, that they have suffered the power to fall from their own hands into that of their ministers, the change is one which they perhaps feel as gratifying to their pride as to their indolence.
Biographical Notice of Mencius.
Every writer belonging to the Dutch factory, and therefore possessing the best attainable means of knowledge, affirms that rebellion has been prevented by the inthrallment of the princes, and that the empire has, since the quelling of the Arima insurrection, enjoyed profound peace, internal as well as external. Dr. Parker, in his little journal, tells us, indeed, that he was assured rebellion was everywhere raging; but when it is considered that he was hostilely driven away, without being suffered even to set foot on shore, little reliance can be placed upon such hearsay information. Were any further change to be anticipated for Japan, it might perhaps be that the hereditary prime-ininister may play against the sio. goun the game they played against the mikado; abandon Yedo to the general. issimo, as Miyako is abandoned to the son of heaven, and establish elsewhere a third court of the vicegerent's vicegerent, the governor of the empire.*
* [Two articles in the sixth volume of the Repository, pages 460 and 553, contain additional particulars concerning the history of Japan during the entire century (1540-1640) when its ports were open, its princes striving for supremacy and independence, and its internal polity undergoing the revolution which has for two centuries since been so strictly maintained. Dr. Parker's sources of information were probably as little to be depended upon as is stated above; and the three shipwrecked men, who arrived in Macao in February last, confirm the declaration of the Dutch that peace has generally existed throughout the empire; but they add that at the time, Dr. Parker was in the coast (1837), and subsequently, famines have been so severe in some parts as to lead the suffering people to commit many excesses. If any inference can be drawn from the nature of Japanese politico- religious education, the close espionage maintained by the government over all classes in society, and the feebleness of purpose which such popish domination over all the powers of the intellect naturally produces, we should say that there was little prospect of any change in the internal or external policy of the country. Causes for change must come from without; nor, judging from the changes now going on in Asia, do we think that the opinion, that even the exclusive policy of the sea-girt empire of the siogoun will give way before the progress of events, is at all chimerical; and that this too will take place long before another two centuries have rolled away, perhaps even before this one is completed.]
ART. IV. Biographical notice of Măng tsze, or Mencius, the Chinese philosopher. Translated for the Repository from the
French of Rémusat.
MANG tsze, who during his life was called Măng Ko, and by the early missionaries, Mencius, is considered as the first of Chinese philosphers, after Confucius. He was born at the beginning of the fourth century before Jesus Christ, in the city of Tsow, at this mo- ment a dependency of Yenchow foo, in the province of Shantung. His father, Keih Kung-e, descended from a certain Măngsun, whose prodigal administration incurred the censure of Confucius, was origi Wally of the country of Choo, but established in that of Chin.
· Biographical Notice of Mencius.
He died a short time after the birth of his son, and left the guardian- ship of the boy to his widow Chang she.
The care that this prudent and attentive mother took to educate her son, has been cited as a model for all virtuous parents. The house she occupied was near that of a butcher: she observed that at the first cry of the animals that were being slaughtered, the little Măng Ko ran to be present at the sight, and that on his return he sought to imitate what he had seen. Fearful that his heart might become hardened, and be accustomed to the sight of blood, she removed to another house which was in the neighborhood of a cemetery. The relations of those who were buried there, came often to weep upon their graves, and make the customary libations. Mencius soon took pleasure in these ceremonies, and amused himself in imitating them. This was a new subject of uneasiness to Chang she: she feared that her son might come to consider as a jest what is of all things the most serious, and that he would acquire a habit of per- forming with levity, and as a matter of routine merely, ceremonies which demand the most exact attention and respect. Again, there- fore she anxiously changed her dwelling, and went to live in the city, opposite to a school, where Măng Ko found examples the most worthy of imitation, and soon began to profit by them. I should not have spoken of this trifling anecdote, but for the allusion which the Chinese constantly make to it, in the proverb so often quoted: 'Măng tsze's mother was particular about her neighbors.'
Măng tsze did not fail to practice those virtues, which the Chinese suppose to be inseparably connected with the study of belles-lettres. He devoted himself early to the classics, and by the progress which he made in the right understanding of these venerated books, he was thought worthy to become one of the diciples of Tsze sze, the grand- son aud not unworthy imitator of Confucius himself. When he was perfectly versed in that moral philosophy, which the Chinese call, par excellence, "the Doctrine," he made a tender of his services to Seuen wang, the king of Tse: but not succeeding in obtaining employment from him, he next went to Hwuy wang, king of Leäng, or of Wei; for at this time, the country of Kaefung foo, in Honan, constituted a little state which was known by these two names.
This prince gave a cordial welcome to Mencius, but took no particular pains, as the philosopher would have wished, to profit by his instructions.
Mencius' views of antiquity appeared to him, perhaps not without reason, to be of a nature not applicable to the present moment. men to whom were committed the administration of the different provin-
VOL. X. NO, VL
Biographical Notice of Mencius.
ces into which China was at that time divided, were not capable of re- storing tranquillity to the empire, continually disturbed by leagues, divi- sions, and intestine wars. For them, the true science was the art of Mencius might well boast to them of the government and the virtues of Yaou, of Shun, and of the founders of the three first dynas- ties; but perpetual wars broke out on every side, and extending themselves wherever he went, destroyed the good effect of his teaching, and thwarted all his plans. At length, convinced of the impossibili- ty of doing any good to princes such as these, he returned to his own country; and there, in concert with Wan-chang, and others of his disciples, he employed himself in arranging the Book of Odes, and the Shoo King, following in this the example of Confucius, and an- xious to execute the task in the spirit of the great philosopher. He composed also, at this' time, the work in chapters which bears his name. He died about 314 years before Christ, aged 84 years.
The book of which I have just spoken is Mencius' chief claim to reputation: always united to the three works on morals which contain the exposition of the doctrine of Confucius, it forms with these, what is distinguishingly called the Sze Shoo, or the Four Books. It is of itself longer than the other three united, nor is it less esteemed, or less worthy of being read. In the words of a Chinese author; 'Mencius has gathered in the heritage of Confucius, developed his principles, as Confucius did those of Wán wang, of Woo wang, and of Chow kung; but at his own death no one was found to do the like for him. Not one of those who came after him can be compared with him, not even Seun tsze, and Yang tsze.' I will not transcribe, even briefly, the pompous eulogies which this author, and a hundred others, have emulously bestowed on our philosopher. Let it suffice to say, that by unanimous consent he has been honored with the title of A Shing, which signifies, the Second Saint, Confucius being regarded as the first. He has also been honored, by public act, with the title of Holy Prince of the Country of Tsow; and in the great tem. ple of the literati, they pay him the same honors as to Confucius. A portion of this distinction, according to Chinese custom, has been transmitted to the descendants of Mencius, who bear the title of Masters of the Traditions concerning the classic Books, in the impe- rial academy of Hanlin.
The kurd of merit which has procured for Mencius so great celebrity, would not be regarded as of much value-in the eyes of Europeans; but he has others which, if his book were adequately translated, would procure him favor. His style, less dignified and less
Biographical Notice of Mencius.
concise than that of the prince of letters, is equally uoble, more em- bellished, and more elegant. The form of dialogue which he has retained in his philosophic conversations with the great personages of his time, admits of more variety than we can expect to find in the apothegms and the maxims of Confucius. Their philosophy also differs equally in character. Confucius is always grave and even austere; he elevates the good, of whom he draws an ideal portrait, and speaks of the bad only with cold condemnation. Mencius, with the same love of virtue, seems to feel for vice contempt, rather than horror; which he attacks with the force of reason, and of ridicule. His style of argument is like the irony of Socrates. He contests nothing directly with his adversaries; but while he grants their premises, he seeks to draw from them consequences the most absurd, which cover his opponents with confusion.
with confusion. He does not spare the great, nor the princes of his time, who often pretended to consult him only that they might have an opportunity of boasting of themselves, and of ob- taining the praises which they conceived to be their due. Nothing could be more cutting than the answers he made them on these oc- casions; nothing in short more opposed to that character for servility and baseness which a too common prejudice attributes to eastern' nations, and especially to the Chinese. Mencius resembled Aris- tippus in nothing; but rather Diogenes, though with more dignity and decency. At times we are tempted to condemn a vivacity which almost amounts to harshness; but we forgive it, when we find it in- spired only by a zeal for the public good.
The king of Wei, one of those princes whose dissensions and continual wars desolated China at this time, detailed complacently to Mencius the pains he took to make his people happy, and expressed his astonishment that his little kingdom was not more flourishing nor more populous than those of his neighbors. Prince,' said the philo- sopher, 'you love war; permit me to draw a comparison from thence: two armies are in presence; the charge is sounded, the battle begins, one of the parties is conquered; half its soldiers have fled an hundred paces, the other half has stopped at fifty. Will the last have any right to mock at those who have fled further than themselves?'
'No,' said the king, 'they have equally taken flight, and the same disgrace must attend them both.'
'Prince,' says Mencius quickly, 'cease then to boast of your efforts as greater than your neighbors. You have all deserved the same reproach, and not one has a right to take credit to himself over another.' Pursuing then his bitter interrogations, he asked, 'Is
Biographical Notice of Mencius.
there a difference, oh king' between kuling a man with a club, or
with a sword?
"No, said the prince.
'Between him who kills with the sword, or destroys by an inhuman tyranny?
'No,' again replies the prince.
'Well!' said Mencius, your kitchens are incumbered with food; your studs are full of horses: while your subjects, with emaciated countenances, are worn down with misery, or found dead of hunger in the middle of the fields or the deserts. What is this, but to breed ani- mals to prey on men? and what is the difference between de- stroying them by the sword, or by unfeeling conduct? If we detest those savage animals which mutually tear and devour each other, how much more should we abhor a prince, who, instead of being a father to his people, does not hesitate to bring up animals to destroy them. What kind of father to his people is he who treats his chil- dren so unfeelingly, and has less care of them than of the wild beasts he provides for!'
'I have heard,' said the king of Tse, one day, Wăn wang had a park of seven leagues in extent:
'Nothing is more true,' said Mencius.
that the old king can it be true?'
'It was,' replied the prince, an unwarranted extent.'
'And yet,' said Mencius, 'the subjects of Wan wang thought this park too small.'
My park,' said the prince, 'is only four leagues, and my people complain of it as too large. Why this difference ?'
'Prince,' replied Mencius, 'the park of Wan wang was of seven leagues; but it was there that all who wanted grass or wood went to seek it, as well as game. The park was common to the people and the prince. Had they not reason therefore to find it small? When I entered your dominions, I inquired what was particularly forbidden there, and was told of an inclosure beyond the frontiers, of four leagues in extent, wherein whoever should kill a stag, should be pu- nished as if he had slain a man. This park of four leagues, therefore, is like a vast pit in the centre of your estates. Are the people wrong to find it too large?'
We need not hesitate to borrow from the conversations of Mencius other passages fitted to give us a just idea of his work, since they afford us, at the same time, details of his life, and a type of his cha- racter; and it would be impossible to describe him better than he has done himself in his book. The man who has lost his wife: the
Biographical Notice of Mencius
woman bereaved of her husband; the old man who has no children ; the orphan who has seen his parents die: these,' said Mencius one day to the same prince, in all your kingdom are the most unhappy. They have none to whom they can tell their sorrows, or who will listen to their grief; and therefore, Wan wang, extending to all the blessings of a good government, yet acknowledged the higher clairns of these four classes of unhappy persons: as we find it expressed in the Book of Odes: The rich can escape from the common suffering, but how great should be our compassion for the isolated, who have no resource !''
"The saying is a noble one!' exclaimed the king.
'Prince,' replied Mencius instantly, if you find it so noble, why not conform your conduct to it? One of your subjects, O king! being about to leave for the kingdom of Tsew, intrusted his wife and chil- dren to a friend; but on his return he found that they had been left to suffer the pains of hunger and cold: what ought he, then, to do?' Reject, entirely, so false a friend!' answered the king of Tse. 'If the higher functionaries were unequal to their duty; what would you do?'
'Deprive them of their rank.'
'And if your own kingdom is not well governed, what then?'
The king turned from left to right, and spake of other things. Sometime after this, Mencius speaking to the same prince, said, 'it is not the the ancient forests of a country which do it honor; but its families devoted for many generations to the duties of the magistracy. O king! in all your service there are none such; those whom you yesterday raised to honor, what are they to-day?'
'In what way,' replied the king, 'can I know beforehand that they are without virtue, and remove them?'
'In raising a sage to the highest dignities of the state,' replied the philosopher, 'a king acts only as he is of necessity bound to do. But to put a man of obscure condition above the nobles of his kingdom, or one of his remote kindred over princes more nearly connected with him, demands most careful deliberation. Do his courtiers unite in speaking of a man as wise: let him distrust them. If all the magistrates of his kingdom concur in the same assurance, let him not rest satisfied with their testimony. But if his subjects confirm the story, then let him convince himself; and if he finds the individual is indeed a sage, let him raise him to office and honor. So also, if all the courtiers would oppose his placing confidence in a minister, let him not give heed to them; and if all the magistrates are of this
Biographical Notice of Mencius.
opinion, let him be deaf to their solicitations; but if the people unite in the same request, then let him examine the object of their ill-will, and if guilty, remove him. In short, if all the courtiers think that a minister should suffer death, the prince must not content himself with their opinion merely. If all the high officers entertain the same sentiment, still he must not yield to their convictions; but if the whole people declare that such a man is unfit to live, then the prince, inquiring himself, and being satisfied that the charge is true, must condemn the guilty to death: in such a case, we may say that the people are his judge. In acting thus, a prince becomes the parent of his subjects.' It is impossible to attribute more importance, to that which in our own times and country is called public opinion.
But Mencius goes further in the following passage, in which his zeal for the good of the people calls forth an apology, such as we did not expect to find in a Chinese work. The king of Tse, inquiring of the philosopher, respecting events which took place in periods already remote, spoke to him of the last prince of the Heä dynasty, who was dethroned by Chingtang, and of the last prince of the Shang dynasty, put to death by Woo wang the founder of the third,' are these things true?' said he to Mencius.
History vouches for them,' replied he.
'A subject put his sovereign to death! Can it be?'
'The true rebel,' retorted Mencius, 'is he who insults humanity. The true robber, he who is guilty of injustice. A rebel or a rob- ber is a simple individual; what was Chow but such? and in him the individual was punished, and not the prince.'
Mencius did not often give way to this tone of bitterness, but his replies are commonly full of vivacity and energy, and sometimes his language has inet with disapprobation.
We are told that Hungwoo, the founder of the Ming dynasty, was one day reading Mencius, and lighted on this passage: The prince looks on his subjects as the ground beneath his feet, or as grains of mustard-seed, of no account: his subjects, in return, look on him as a robber, and an enemy.' These expressions shocked the new em. peror. 'It is not thus,' said he, 'that kings should be spoken of. ·· He who has given utterance to such language is not worthy to share the honors which are rendered to the wise Confucius. Let Mencius be degraded, and let his name be stricken from the temple of the prince of letters! Let no one dare to remonstrate with me on this, or to transinių any memorial on the subject, until they shall have first pierc- ed with arrows him who has prepared them.”
Biographical Notice of Mencius.
One of their
This decree threw men of letters into consternation. number, named Tseën-tang, president of one of the supreme courts, resolved to sacrifice hinself for the honor of Mencius. He drew up a memorial, in which, after quoting the passage entire, and explaining the true sense in which it should be understood, he described the empire such as it was in the time of Mencius, and the deplorable condition to which petty tyrants had reduced it by their incessant wars with one another, and all against the lawful authority of the princes of the Chow dynasty.
'It is of this sort of sovereigns,' said he in conclusion, that Mencius has spoken, and not of the son of Heaven. What, after so many centuries, shall it now be imputed to him as a crime? I die, since such is the command; but posterity will hallow my death.' After having drawn up this appeal, and made ready his coffin, Tseën-tang repaired to the palace, and being arrived at the outer gates: 'I come,' said he to the guards, 'to present a petition in favor of Mencius; here is my memorial;' and then exposing his breast, added, 'strike, I know your orders.' Instantly one of the guards wounds him with an arrow, and taking the petition, transmits it to the emperor, who had already been informed of what had hap- pened. The emperor read the appeal attentively, and approved or feigned to approve it. He gave orders to heal the wound which Tseën-tang had received; and decreed that the name of Mencius should remain in possession of all the honors he had enjoyed. I have thought it proper to relate this anecdote as showing at the same time the fanaticism of the class of men of letters, and the veneration which attends the name of our philosopher.
His book being, as I have said, an integral part of the Four Books, must be learned entire by those who submit to the examinations and aspire to literary honors. It is, of course, one of those which has been most often reprinted. Thousands of editions exist, with and without commentaries. Numberless men of letters have devoted themselves to elucidating and explaining it: it has twice been trans- lated into Mantchou; and the last version, revised by the emperor Keënlung, forms, with the text, three of the six volumes of which the Mantchou-Chinese copy of the Four Books in the Royal Library is composed. Father Noel has included Mencius in the Latin tran- slation that he has made of "The six classic Books of the Chinese empire," but we look in vain in this translation for any of those qualities which we have remarked in the style of Mencius; and the meaning is too often lost in a verbose and fatiguing paraphrase.
Topographical Account of Chusan.
Thus this author, who of all Chinese writers is, possibly, the most calculated to please Europeans, is one of those who have been the least read and admired.
There is a biographical notice of Mencius in the Sze Ke of Szema Tseën; and some particulars, literary and bibliographical about his Father Du works, in the 184th book of the Library of Ma Twanlin. Halde has given a copious analysis of Mencius; and we have some details about his life in the memoirs of the missionaries. J. B. Carp- zou has written a meagre dissertation on Mencius, which consists only of passages taken from Noel, and is unworthy of notice. A work, every way remarkable, is the beautiful Chinese and Latin edi- tion of Mencius by Stanislas Julien, since it required not merely a study of the text of Mencius, but of all the commentaries of this author which have reached Europe. (For a more extended notice of this translation, see page 222 of this volume.)
ART. V. Topographical Account of Chusan; its territorial divi-
sions, population, productions, climate, &c., &c.
TINGHAE, under the Chinese rule, forms a heën, or district, having the town of the same name for its chief town and seat of government. This is what by Du Halde, and other European writers, is called a city of the third order: the two superior orders being chow and foo— (or tcheou and fou),—words that do not, however, properly distinguish the cities and towns, but rather the territorial divisions which are under the jurisdiction of such cities and towns. A chow contains, sometimes, several heën subordinate to it; at other times it does not : a foo always comprises several heën, and frequently also one or two of such chow as have no subordinate heën within their precincts. By regarding these last chow as nowise different from the heën, and the others (those that have jurisdiction over several subordinate heën) as answering to the foo*, we may confine to two names the distinctions of the more marked territorial divisions:-the higher of these we may call prefectures or departments; and each prefecture will contain a number of districts, as many sometimes as ten, twelve,
or even more.
*They differ only in the number and gradation of officers, and the consequent expense of establishments.
Topographical Account of Chusun.
Tinghae heën is one of these districts. It is subject to the pre- fecture of Ningpo foo; Chinhae heën, at the mouth of the river of Ningpo, is another district in the same prefecture.
The heën is the smallest division of territory in which the presiding officer is invested with all the powers of government. This officer is called a cheheën, i. e. 'knower of the district.' His powers and position relatively to the high officers of the provincial government resemble, in a great measure, those of magistrates over districts in India; and he has hence often been called a magistrate. The territory under him is frequently declared by Chinese writers to be analogous to the states or kingdoms of former days. And in accordance with this view of it, the actual “knower" of a district has under him clerks in the six several departments, of administration, revenue, civil and religious rites, war, justice, and public works, into which the business of the general national government is divided. To no officer of subordinate rank are these general powers given. The magis- trate's district is, however, subdivided into portions, under officers of police at times, otherwise under village elders. The duties of these parties consist chiefly in the preservation of the peace, and the col- lection of revenue. In addition, there is generally in each subdivi- sion of the district a tepaou, or “protector (or insurer) of the country a person held responsible for all disturbances and crimes committed within his beat. The village elders are called by various names, in different parts of the empire, and are much more recognized by the government in some parts than in others. The police officer, with powers for collection of the revenue, above spoken of, is generally called seun keën (i. e. officers who "go around” and “ex- amine," and the divisions of country under them are called sze (司); another common designation of divisions of country subordinate to a heën is chwang (E). The primary sense of this word being a farmstead, it has been employed probably with a special reference to the collection of revenue. And thus in each chwang are to be found- besides the officers of police, the village elders, and the responsible tepaou or constables-sundry officers subordinate to the collectors of revenue, who are at times military men, but in general men looking forward to a place on the civil list.
With these explanations premised, it will be more easy to under- stand the following brief remarks respecting the district of Tinghae and its divisions.
Chusan, the largest of the cluster or archipelago of islands to which it gives its name, is but a part of the district of Tinghae. The
VOL. X. NO. VI.
Topographical Account of Chusan.
heen, or district, includes also all the islands to the southward as far as the Kewshan islands, and all to the northward of the group, except a few of the most northerly ones which belong to the next province. The position of the town of Tinghae is in lat. 30° 0′ 20′′ north, and long. 122° 5′ 18′′ east ; the island is 511⁄2 miles in circumference, and 203 miles long; the greatest breadth is 10 miles, and the narrowest 6 miles; the direction of the island is from northwest to southeast. The general aspect, and that of all the neighboring islands and coasts, is ridges of lofty hills, very steep and occasionally running iuto peaks. These ranges of hills inclose beautiful and fertile vallies; some of those in the interior of the island, are almost completely sheltered by the hills, but the greater number run from the interior towards the sea.
In passing around the island, the various vallies are seen to good advantage; all the larger ones have a stream of water running through them, which are sometimes honored by the name of rivers, though none of them possess a depth of water sufficient for large boats more than a mile and a half from the shore.
The mouths of those vallies that are open to the sea appear, without exception, to have a retaining wall or bound running along the beach, so as to inake the valley behind an alluvial plain of more or less ex- tent; in that, for instance, in which Tinghae is situated, the bound is fully two miles long, and the valley runs up into the gorge of the hills at least three miles in some parts, but this varies according to the slope of the hills. These retaining walls have sluices for regulating the quantity of water which flows from all the subordinate ravines. The plain is intersected by canals navigable for small boats, and consists principally of paddy fields, though here and there occur patches of brinjal, maize, and beans. Up the slopes of the hills, in every spot capable of cultivation, sweet potatoes, yams, or some other vegetable is grown; on those parts where the soil is unfit for general cultivation, a sort of dwarfish fir is planted for fuel.
In traversing the island, and ascending some of the higher ridges, cultivation is found to be carried even to the summit, in every spot where the rock is covered with earth. It would appear that much more rice is produced than can be wanted for the inhabitants; the surplus is either directly exported, or distilled into the spirit called samshoo; when the island was occupied, immense stores of this spirit ready for exportation were found in the city; in fact the chief trade of Chusan seems to have been in this article.
Timber trees are scarce, nor are fruit-trees plentiful; the timber for building, whether for houses or junks, is principally fir, aud comes
Topographical Account of Chusan.
from the central provinces of China. Charcoal is plentiful and cheap, and mineral coal is brought in small quantities from the main- land, but appeared not to be of very good quality. The horned cattle are evidently few; nor are there many goats, and, so far as could be learned, no sheep; but hogs are numerous, as also are geese, ducks, and fowls. Fish at first was brought only in small quantities, but afterwards the market was abundantly supplied.
The roads which intersect the island are paved footpaths passing in every direction across the lowest parts of the ridges, and are in many places.steep and difficult of ascent. There are no wheel-car- riages of any description, so that all goods, even the most weighty articles, are transported by men.
Great diversity of opinion exists regarding the population of the island. The official reports to the native government give 40,000 families or houses; and, allowing five individuals to each, (and this is perhaps by no means too large an allowance,) the population would be 200,000. From all that was seen of the number of people in the large villages, this estimate will probably be found to be lower than the actual number.
This district is divided into 34 chwang,-18 are upon the chief island or Chusan,-and 16 include all the islands of any conse- quence subordinate to it. Pooto forms an exception, being free from all imposts, and under the direction of a chief priest or abbot residing in the principal temple. He possesses the island, and a few others to the south of it, as the property of the monasteries, paying no revenue, and only being in penal matters under the control of the magistrate of Tinghae.
The chwang, or divisions, on Chusan, are composed chiefly of large valleys, and are hence called aou. Each has one or more streams running through it, and affording means of irrigation; and every large valley is separated from its neighbors by hills surrounding it on three sides, leaving only one side open, to the sea. To this, there are two exceptions, namely of two inland valleys, one communicating with a more southerly, the other with a more northerly, one.
There are also two or three chwang that comprise two large valleys, with a com- munication between the two through a gap in the hills.
The sixteen chwang under which the subordinate islands are rang. ed are here briefly mentioned.
1-3. Kintang (or Silver island), comprising three chwang.
4. Tsihtsze (Tsatsu or Blackwall island).
5-6. Taeseay (or Tygosan), divided into two chwang.
Topographical Account of Chusan.
7. Taouhwa, west of the Sarah Galley channel.
8. Tăngfoo (Tingboo) in nearly the same part of the archi- pelago.
9-10. Luhwang or Lowang island, divided into two chwang.
11. Heäche, comprising also several islands between Lowang and the Great Chusan.
12. Sewshan, or Lan-Sew shan (the two islands called Sheppey). 13. Changpih, or Fisher's island.
14-15. Taeshan, or Large island, near the northern extremity of the archipelago, divided into two chwang.
16. Changtoo, a long island to the northeastward of Sheppey. Pooto, with Chookeä tseën (or Chuttatham) and other small is- lands, are under the jurisdiction of a priest.
The eighteen chwang of the chief island of Chusan are,
1. The town itself, with its southern suburb called Taoutow.
2. Yungtung, the large valley within which the town is situated. 3-6. Eastward of Yungtung, are four, namely; Wooseay, Tung aou, Loohwa or Loo-Poo, and To aou.
7-13. On the northern side of the island, are six; viz. Tachen (facing northeastward), Petan, Pihtseuen (or Pejuen), Kanlan, Ma aou, Seaousha, and Tasha.
14-15. On the west side, Sinkong (also called Chinting), and Tszewei or Tsevi.
16. On the southwest, or westward from Yangtung and the town, Yentsang, off which is the outer harbor, where large ships lie.
17-18. Two inland valleys, Chaeho, on the north of Yentsang, and Kaouseĕ on the south of Pihtseuen. These eighteen chwang are here briefly described in the same order.
1. Ching chwang, which comprises the town, or 定海縣
Tinghae heen ching, the city of the district of Tinghae, is situat- ed in the valley of Yungtung, about half a mile from the beach. Whe- ther or not the ditch and walls form the limit of this division does not appear. The city is of an irregular pentagonal form, about 1200 yards in extreme length from north to south, and 1000 yards in average breadth.* It is surrounded by a wall of 22 miles in length, having 4
* References to reconnoitering survey of the town and suburbs of Chusan, taken during the week after the occupation, by captain Anstruther, and lieuts. Little and Cadell of the artillery. A. Encampment of the 26th Cameronians. B. Camp of the artillery, Sappers and Miners, and Bengal Volunteers. C. Pagoda hill, the head-quarters of the 18th Royal Irish. D. Main guard. E. Arsenal. F. Pay office. G. Chief magistrate's. H. Brigadier Burrell's. I. Guard chiefly in the joss houses. J. A large pawnbroker's establishment (Madras Artillery Record, from which the accompanying plate is taken.)
Topographical Account of Chusan.
gates, each supported by an outer gate, and defenses at right angles to the inner gate, and distant from it about 20 yards. The wall is about 18 feet high and 15 feet thick, surmounted by a parapet of 4 feet high and 2 feet thick. This wall is surrounded on those sides where it looks on the rice fields by a canal running parallel to it, about 30 yards distant, the interval being, as all the flat land is, oc- cupied with rice grounds. The southern face of the wall runs due east and west 1000 yards, nearly in the centre of which is a gate-
and at very irregular intervals five towers, each 8 yards square. From the eastern end of this, the wall turns due north 350 yards. In this face is another gateway and two of the towers just described; from the northern point of this face, the wall runs nearly straight 950 yards to the northwest, defended by three small towers, one of these being the extreme northern point of the city.
The fourth face, about 700 yards long, is crooked and irregular, with a gateway and three towers. At 200 yards from the western end, the line of wall ascends a steep hill, on the top of which is a large bastion. A fifth side, 800 yards long, joins this bastion to the western end of the southern face, and completes the wall. The hill spoken of above, as partly inclosed by the northwest angle, is a spur from a high peak of the surrounding hills, due west from the north- west bastion, and slopes down to the angle of the city.
The steeets are all roughly paved with granite, having sewers run. ning down the centre, covered with large slabs of the same stone; these sewers except, when cleansed, are at all times very offen. sive, especially in the narrow streets which are much crowded. None of the streets are more than 20 feet wide, and generally do not exceed 12 or 15 feet. The houses are low, and the great majo rity of them built of wood.
The city possesses no large gardens or squares, but a considerable extent of open ground on the eastern side is devoted to the cultiva tion of rice. The canal, which nearly surrounds the city, sends a large branch through a water-gate near the southern gate, which, dividing into many branches, traverses the greater part of the city in all directions. These branches form several large pools of foul stag- nant water into which every description of filth was thrown; and the street sewers also opening into the canals, rendered the latter ex- tremely offensive, and, during the warm weather, caused a most un- pleasant smell throughout the city. Added to this source of malaria, great numbers of large jars were placed at the corners of most of the treets, and in all vacant spaces, which were filled with a fermenting
Topographical Account of Chusan.
mass of animal and vegetable offal gathered from the streets, and preserved for manuring the fields in the neighborhood; as may be supposed in some of these places the stench was dreadful.
No very exact account of the population of the city can be given, but it may be estimated at from 25,000 to 30,000, before the arrival of the British force there; but not more than 10,000 ever returned during the occupation of the place.
At the distance of 800 yards from the southern gate of the city is Pagoda hill, an eminence 150 or 200 feet high, which commands the city and harbor. The hill, in its greatest length from north to south, is 500 yards at the base, with a breadth of 200 yards; a canal skirts its eastern face. On its southern slope is a roomy and commodious temple. The southern descent is steep and rocky directly down to the beach.
The sea-port town or suburb
Ta Taoutow is a street
of 900 yards long, running due west of the Pagoda hill. It is inter- sected by numerous lanes of 100 yards long leading to the various jetties, and at the foot of the Pagoda hill is a square landing-place well faced with stone, measuring 55 yards long by 20 yards broad. It is also paved and flagged, and is the point at which the troops first landed. Nearly the whole of this suburb is composed of shops and stores. There were also one or two extensive samshoo manu- factories and some large paddy stores, and several well stocked tim- ber yards. This sea-port or trading town is probably attached to the city division, a number of paddy fields and vegetable beds inter- vene between the two.
2. Yungtung (an ancient name originally pertaining to Ningpo). This valley, in which the city is situated, is of conside- rable extent, and stretches far to the eastward, and incloses a range of hills. The southern portion of the eastern ridge, and the spurs or offsets from these inclosed hills make several subordinate vallies which open into the larger one. That portion of the valley which particularly belongs to the city is almost surrounded on three sides by hills, the harbor is the southern bound; it is about 4 miles long and 3 broad. This valley is wholly occupied by rice fields, except a few patches for brinjal, sweet potatoes, millet, and buckwheat.
One large stream runs through the valley from the eastward and falls into the sea; near the east gate, and about 1 mile from the sea, there is a large sluice which dams up the water, so that in rainy weather a large quantity is collected here which overflows and thus inundates a great portion of the valley. This sluice is the nearest
Topographical Account of Chusan.
point to the city, which heavy laden boats can reach, and hence it is a spot of considerable importance; there is a substantial stone bridge over the stream, and several shops and other buildings near at hand. At the mouth of the stream is a tolerably good landing-place, to which the Ningpo boats come in great numbers to all hours of the day, when the tide permits, (for at low tide the bed of the stream as far as the sluice is always dry); hence this is a place of much bustle. A respec- table house of entertainment for the travelers who pass to and fro, is in the vicinity, with its sign at the side of the door, giving notice that all customary viands are procurable there.
About a quarter of a mile above the sluice, the stream divides into two main branch- es, one running to the east, and the other to the northward, and just beyond the separation, the streams are crossed by two handsome stone bridges. The span of one is formed by long slabs of stone with a central support, the other consists of a well spanned large arch, formed of stones hollowed on the inner and outer faces to the slopes required.
The other branches of the stream are crossed by smaller bridges, some flat, others formed by flat stones, the upper one slightly over- lapping the lower, to the top of the arch; one or two are also made with the wedge-like stones used in European bridges, but here there is nothing like a keystone, at the point of junction of the two sides. Great pains are taken at the sluice to dam up the water, and throw it over the flat land, so that the greatest part of the surface is usually co- vered with water, and the whole face of the country is very damp and muddy, rendering it at all times impossible to walk across the fields with comfort. Passengers must confine themselves to the causewys, which though narrow, not more than 3 or 4 feet wide, are kept in good order and well paved with granite; indeed were the foot paths not made with slabs of stone or well paved, they would be completely washed away during the heavy rains.
near the
The passes in this chwang are Heaoufung ling (曉峯嶺) the west Beacon Hill, into Yentsang; Maou ling() head of a small tributary valley,-leading to the point of junction of Chaeho and Yentsang. Tsing ling(), directly north of the town, leading into the tributary valley just named: Chaeho ling,— (F) eastward of north from the town, and hid from it by a hilly spur,-leading into Chaeho and so directly across the ísland to Ma aou: Yătan ling (†) a low pass, leading into Pĭhtseuen, probably the shortest road to the sea on the north side :
Topographical Account of Chusan.
Tungkaou ling(), leading into Pihtseuen, and the inland valley of Kaouseě: Tangkeen (b), and (2) Shinkung ling, leading into Kaouseě from a long tributary valley northeastward from the town: Hwangtoo ling (1) leading into Wooseay and Sekeih ling() leading into the lesser valley before mentioned, which is called Yang aou GE JAL).
Saddle Hill (Shwangke tseen 雙髻尖) is
highland on the north.
3, 4. Woo seay () and Tung aou
a very marked
are contermi- nous valleys. The former reaches to the sea only at its southwest corner; the latter overlaps it, and lies between it and the sea, along the rest of its southern boundary,-the two being separated only by a stream and einbankment. Wooseay seems also at some portion of its northwest- ern boundary, to join its fields to those of Yungtung, no hill interven- ing. On the southwest, hills separate the two. It seems to consist of one principal and one lesser valley, besides four still smaller val- leys on the west and north, nearly surrounded by hills. The road into Wooseay from Yungtung seems to be over the Sekeĭh ling into Yang
(洋嶴), by which road the small western valley of (青) Tsing aou is reached; thence over the Woopoo (7) ling, across a second valley, over the Yew ling, into the principal, which is also the most easterly, valley. The second road continues in a south-easterly direction into Tung aou and it, branches off northeast- ward over the Wan ling(), then through a small valley, and again across the Shinkang ling(), into Kaouseě.
There is much land in cultivation and of varying quality. For this, and for several valleys that are to follow, we have at present little beyond written Chinese authority of a rather old date.
Fung aou consists of two valleys, a northern and a southern, and several smaller tributary ones. The high peak of Hwangyang tseën, (apparently the highest on the island, distinguishes it. No hills intervene between it and Wooseay on the northeast. Shakang ling() leads into Tachen: there does not appear to be any pass directly into Kaouseě; eastward the Changkeä ling leads into Loohwa.
Its fields are numerous, but not very fertile. There seems to be a considerable quantity of salt prepared here.
5. Loohwais divided into two principal valleys, Poo aou, and Loohwa proper: and hence it is called Loopoo sometimes: a num- ber of short hilly spurs give to each principal valley several tributary
Topographical Account of Chusan.
proper counts six or seven such. Its soil is good, and its fields fertile adjoining To aou on the southeast, without any hills to divide them, a very great extent of level ground, completely under cultivation, may be seen from the northern heights. The character of this part of the country is, bare heights, with partial culture, and a few stunted firs, overtopping richly cultured plains. The tallow tree is not, however, uncommon, and honey is to be found. The
Taling (答嶺)
on the north leads into Tachen; the Se aou (西
ling, on the northeast, into To aou.
The sharp peak of Tingleäng tseën (R) distinguishes it. 舵 bears much the same character as Loohwa.
6. To aou
Beyond its eastern hills is the channel of Pooto,) and at their foot on the seaside, two small valleys. The principal valley is to the west, adjoining Loohwa: between it and the eastern hills is a small valley attached to the little trading town of Singkeä moon
(沈家門) or Shinkeä mun, so named from the channel which 'orms its harbor. There are several other small valleys on the sea- shore. The fields are represented as being far from fruitful. This place was formerly the station of a police officer, (seunkeën): many of the inhabitants of Shinkeä mun are Fuhkeën people.
7. Tachen (†),
on the east side of the island, seems to be more hilly than any other of the valleys open to the sea,-if it is al- lowable to judge from the Chinese maps; for the opportunity has not been afforded for speaking from personal observation. Seven or eight hilly spurs running into the principal valley inclose as many small tributary valleys. The fields are represented as very unfruitful. has communication, over passes, with Loohwa, with Tung aou, and with Pihtan.
8. Pihtan, at the north-east corner of the island, is as little known as Tachen. It consists of two valleys, Seaouchen, for- merly attached to Tachen,-and the proper valley of Pihtan. Its fields are represented as rather fertile. It has the inland valley of Kaouseě on its south. The islands known by the name of Lan-Sew shan (4), and in the old European maps as Sheppey island, lie opposite its northern coast at a short distance. Its communica- tions with adjoining valleys are entirely over hill-passes, one leading into Tachen, one into Pihtseuen, and one or two into Kaouseě.
9. Pihtseuen (É). This is an extensive and rather important valley. There are two passes into it from the valley of Yungtung; it receives the waters of the inland valley Kaouseě, and it is only by the
VOL. X. NO. vi.
Topographical Account of Chusan.
hilly nucleus, (so to speak), which the pass out of Ma aou crosses, that it is separated from the other inland valley of Chaebo. Its fields are extensive and fertile; it carries on some little trade; and its shores produce some salt. There are a number of small tributary valleys. The landing is easy for Chinese boats when the tide is not very low. It is moderately wooded in some parts.
10. Kaouseě (1) is an inland valley, nearly surrounded by hills, but opening towards the northwest into the valley of Pĭhtseuen. Its fields are few, and do not produce very abundantly. What the character of the higher ground on the hill sides is, must be learned from personal experience. Its direct communication with Yungtung is over the Tungkaou ling.
11. Kanlan(干磾or 橄欖) appears to be a small valley
compared with most of the others; it is wider however inland, than on its seaward face. There appears to be a nucleus of hills north of Yungtung, south of Ma aou, and between the two inland valleys of Chaeho and Kaouseě, on the west and east. The pass through this nucleus is from Ma aou, very gradually rising for a long distance, under the name of () Pingshih ling, "the low stone pass,” till it reaches the summit of Changtsing ling, when it descends into Chaeho, and reascends the Chaeho ling, north of the town of Tinghae. A branch from the Pingshih ling leads off eastward into Kanlan. There is also a pass directly from Ma aou, not far from the seashore.
12. Ma aou () is a very extensive valley lying nearly due
north from the town of Tinghae. The character of the hilly coun- try lying between Yungtung and Ma aou has just been alluded to. This hilly country presents little besides barren granite and grass, except near the banks of a stream which runs parallel with the Pingshih ling road nearly all the way till it reaches the elevation of the Changising ling. At the southern extremity of Ma aou, the hill sides are well clothed with wood, chiefly firs and cedars. The valley is almost unbroken by hills, the land very flat, producing good crops, the water deep, and, as the chief point of intercourse with the large island Taeshan (4), the place possesses some trade, and a very large village.
13. Seaousha has communication with Ma aou through a gap in the hill near the sea, and over a hill-pass near its southern limits. It communicates with Tasha both by a hill-pass and a sea-side road. With the inland valley Chaeho, and with Singkong, it communicates by hill passes; communication with Tszewei also exists, that valley
Topographical Account of Chusan.
running up into a narrow neck called
Keämun or Kameng. Nearly opposite to it is the fine island of Changpih shan &
or Fisher's island. It is very populous: but its fields, though nu- merous are not considered fertile. The hills on its southern side are well clothed with wood, especially the fir, the bamboo, and the tallow tree. It is considered as good pasture ground for cattle. The pass into Singkong is very beautifully, wooded.
14. Tasha aou (大沙).
). A hilly district, with no very wide val- lies, but several rather long ones communicating the one with the other. It is regarded as a poor and unfruitful land, but appears to be well wooded. Changpih shan is directly opposite to it. Passes from it lead into Seaousha, and into both portions of the division of Singkong.
15. Singkong (A) or Singting (4), the latter name being derived from the district comprising two perfectly distinct val- lies of considerable size, Tingche or Tingtse() and Sing- kong or Chinkeäng proper. There are also two very fine vallies of smaller size. The northern one is not known from personal obser- vation; but the southern one is a beautiful valley stretching between the hills for a length of three or four miles; it is well cultivated, abounding in sweet potatoes, in the native cotton, and in the tallow tree, bamboo, and firs. The island lying off Singkong, called Teaou- shan (4) forms a channel, and a good and perfectly secure anchorage during the northerly monsoon. There are some granite quarries both on the external islands and on the chief Chusan itself. Blackwall island or Tsihtsze () lies off the coast of Singkong. There are several passes into the next southern valley Tszewei. Singkong was the station of a seunkeën police officer, and a place of trade.
16. Tszewei() is a wide valley, richly cultivated with rice, sweet potatoes, and other vegetables. It is divided by a hilly spur running nearly east and west. It has two passes into Seaousha, two into Chaeho, and one, the Sekaou ling (1) into Yentsang. It is the nearest point for communication with the main. Hwangshwuy yang (7) forms a channel between it and Kintang (金塘) or Silver island. It is pretty well wooded.
17. Yentsang (E) is the valley opposite to which the men- of-war have been lying. The inland valley of Chaeho opens into it, and sends its waters through it to the sea. Its rice fields are consi- dered fertile, and in some parts it is well wooded.
Attack on Canton.
18. Chreho, (X) has been so often mentioned in speaking of the vallies all around, that nothing more need be said here of its communications. It is well wooded, and moderately fertile.
Note. In the Sailing Directions for the Chusan Archipelago, commenc- ing at page 251, in our last number are the following errata, which owing to circumstances could not be corrected while the sheets were going through the press.
On page 253, line 35 from top, for or read of; p. 260, 1. 25, for line read coast; 1. 33, for eastern read eastward; p. 262, 1. 21, for or read on; 1. 33, erase not; p. 263, 1. 6, for by read of; p. 264, 1. 19, for it lies read which is; 1. 25 for 0.5 read 5; p. 265, 1. 8, for extreme read entrance; 1. 9, for 14 read 24; 1. 35, 14 read 14; p. 270, lines 15 and 16, the punctuation should be thus:.. with many villages; near to its eastern extreme the hills, &c.; 1. 22, for lies read lie; p. 271, 1. 38, for 2 read a; p. 272, 1. 26, for and Kwan shan, read Kwan shan lies.
N. B. The latitudes and longitudes in the article are given in degrees, minutes, and decimals, instead of degrees, minutes, and seconds. On p. 278, the latitude of the east islet of Chookeä tseën should be 29° 51′.7 instead of 29°5' 7".
ART. VI. Notices of the bombardment of Canton by the British forces under sir Hugh Gough, on the 25th of May, 1841. THE bombardment of the city, and some of the events connected with it, were noticed in our last number; the further details there promised we now proceed to lay before our readers. It had been agreed, as they will remenber, that no military preparations were to be made by the Chinese, while the trade of the port was to be allowed to proceed at usual. These terms, on which the city was spared, were simple and explicit. However, not long after the arrival of the new governor Ke Kung, and the principal commissioner Yihshan, a difference of opinion was found to exist among the high officers at Canton. The advocates for war gained the ascendant; and plans accordingly were framed, and preparations made for attempting, by one grand movement, to effect the entire destruction of the 'rebel- lious English.'
Rebellious-so the Chinese term them; and it is worthy of remark, that such indeed they are, according to the statutes of the imperial court. The name of Great Britain is enrolled in the Ta Tsing Hwuy Teën, among the states that are tributary to China. National honor, and the rights of supremacy, therefore, are deeply concerned in this contest. Reproof and remonstrances have all failed, and the
Attack on Canton.
impiety of the rebels has attained to such a degree, that nothing but their blood can appease the wrath of offended heaven, whose vice- gerent has resolved no longer to exercise mercy towards his disobe- dient subjects. This is not an exaggerated view of the case, as it appears in the eyes of the Chinese. The emperor, in maintaining the honor and rights bequeathed to him by heaven, has already issued his decree for an entire and indiscriminate extermination; and this the high officers are sworn to execute. The promises of Yangfang and Eleäng, to abstain from hostilities, were to be observed no further than was necessary for purposes of deception, in keeping from public view the preparations going on to fulfill the imperial will. While promising to abstain from hostilities, these officers engaged with the other authorities, in erecting new batteries, in reärming old ones, and in collecting an immense flotilla of war and fire-boats-all of which, at the proper time and at the points most convenient, were to be put in requisition. Complete success in these deceitful pur- As the advantages poses was to be the sure and triumphant result.
were to be great, no expense was to be spared. With such high anticipations, these officers deceived both themselves and their adhe- The better to carry out their plans for destruction, both the native inhabitants and the foreign merchants at Canton, were assured by repeated proclamations, that their properties and their persons should be protected in perfect safety. These solemn assurances, made in the most public manner under the seals of the imperial commis- sioners and of the principal and subordinate authorities of the city, were repeated until the very day on which their combined attacks' were to be made.
Thus, by the Chinese, the terms of the armistice were broken both in their letter and spirit. When duly called upon to return to the conditions of their agreement, and to remove the guns with which they had been reärming their batteries, they refused compliance. This conduct left but one course open for the British officers. The commander-in-chief of H. B. M.'s forces was not long in bringing them in from the outer waters, while the foreign merchants were advised by captain Elliot, then in Canton, to prepare for an early withdrawal from the provincial city.
Before sunset on Friday night, May 21st, captain Elliot had em- barked, the guard had been withdrawn, and no British merchants (as such) remained in the factories. The business and bustle of the day closing in as the darkness of the evening came on, no signs of immediate hostilities were visible. Everything and all apparently
Attack on Canton.
were quiet. Yihshan, supposing the victory would be certain and easy, had determined to take the lion by surprise. The second watch of the night had not closed, ere his operations commenced. The Modeste was then at anchor west from the factories, and at that point where the fort at Shameën nearly due north was within the range of gunshot. The Pylades, Algerine, and Nemesis were some rods further to the southward and eastward. The cutter Louisa, and the Aurora a private schooner, were at anchor in front of the factories. The Alligator was at her old anchorage near Howqua's fort, three or four miles east of the city.
It is not quite certain, whether the Chinese officers had selected this day as a fortunate moment for putting in operation their hostile forces, or whether they were induced to anticipate the hour of attack, finding as they did that their designs had been detected. There are those who pretend to affirm that many of the Chinese, and even the prefect of the city, were not aware the attack was to be made that night. We are constrained to think far otherwise, for many persons in the city have assured us that early on the morning of the 21st they were apprised of the intended attack.
The Western fort, or Se paoutae, situated about a mile beyond the factories on the north bank of the river, is a small square piece of work, built of stone and brick, and had recently been lined with a great number of sand bags. Directly in front of it, one small sand battery had been quite recently thrown up, and also a second one on a projecting point a few yards further to the east. In this last battery was one very large gun, weighing 8000 catties, with a 10 inch bore. Some of the other pieces were large and well made. In
command of these works Yihshan had placed Twan Yungfuh ( 永福)
a brave veteran officer from Szechuen, with a detachment of picked men. On the river beyond the fort were collected more than two hundred fire-vessels of various sizes.
It was from this quarter, and by these forces, that the 'combined attack' was commenced. Eight or ten of these boats, chained together two and two, filled with combustibles, and well manned with 'water braves,' or naval militia, bore down in disguise upon the En- glish ships. This was at 10 o'clock, P. M., and near the ebb of the tide. When within a few yards of the Modeste, the advanced ship, being hailed by the sentry on the forecastle, these boats were simulta- neously set on fire, and almost instantly wrapped in a blaze. This bold onset was promptly warded off, with some hazard, but no serious damage. The water braves were so near the Modeste when they
Attack on Canton,
abandoned their fire-ships for their small boats, that some of them drifting alongside were shot down by the musquetry from the ship's deck. In concert with the movements of these fire-vessels, the guns in the batteries at the Western fort opened on the ships. Other bat- teries, imitating them, commenced firing on the Louisa and Aurora. By the light of the burning boats, a large number of other similar craft were seen under sail, intending no doubt to have followed the first ones, had they taken effect. At nearly the same hour, the Alligator was menaced by similar boats brought up the river with the first flood tide. They also made a second attempt by fire-boats from the Honam shore, to burn the Modeste, which, however, with the other vessels and the Louisa and Aurora, succeeded in keeping them at bay, and in maintaining a safe position in the Macao passage dur- ing the night. The principal damage caused by all these operations was the destruction of some houses which were set on fire by one of the burning boats. The Chinese kept up their fire at intervals dur- ing the whole night.
Soon after it was light on Saturday morning, the Modeste with the other vessels, moved up and silenced the guns in the batteries at the Western fort. A great many round shot were thrown into the suburbs all about above and below the batteries. During the cannonading, a fire broke out, which spread nearly a hundred rods, destroying many poor and a few very valuable houses.
The guns in the batteries having been silenced, the Goddess of Ven- geance turned her head up the river. Of the scenes that followed the Chinese give most amusing accounts. Of the whole flotilla of boats,
more than 200 in number, about one half were destroyed in the course of three or four hours, and the remainder had either been abandoned, run on shore, or had disappeared in some of the shallow creeks. In the midst of the flotilla, the Chinese had prepared some gun-boats or floating batteries, furnished with a few heavy guns, which had they been properly served might have made sad havoc. As it was, however, they did no harm. The Nemesis returned from her trip decked with Chinese flags and banners, and her crew habit- ed in the coats and caps of those who had fled.
While this part of the scene was being enacted on the river, Yih- shan sent 2000 of his troops to search the factories for guns. These men entered the Creek, Dutch, and English factories, comprising some fifteen or twenty suits of rooms-the whole of which were ran- sacked and everything in them destroyed or carried off. Not a door, not a window, not a lock, not a hinge, was spared. Officers having
Attack on Canton.
loaded their horses with goods, woolens, &c.,-were seen trudging off with their booty into the city. In the course of the morning, the rabble joined the soldiery in their strife for plunder. And it was not till near evening, when, Yihshan's troops having been recalled, the Kwangchow foo and Nanhae heën appeared at the head of their police and dispersed the mob; having done this, they intrusted the custo- dy of the pillaged factories to the care of armed coolies under the su pervision of the hong merchants.
Sometime in the course of this day captain Elliot issued the following proclamation to the people of Canton.
"It is well known to all the people of Canton, that the city and the whole trade of the province have twice been spared by the high officers of Great Britain, in recollection of the long and peaceful intercourse which has subsisted between them and the western nations. But now it is already ascertained that the three high commissioners have violated the agreement lately entered into with the British officers, by arming one of the forts, given up to them on the distinct as- surance, that no guns should be put there, till all the difficulties were settled be- tween the two nations. And it is further known to the English officers that fresh troops are constantly poured into the city from the other provinces, and that secret preparations are in progress to attack the British forces who are the real protectors of the city. Let the people remember the hour of battle, and consider whether they owe the safety of their lives and properties, to the wisdom and valour of the commissioners from the court, and the troops of the other provinces, or to the forbearance of the British officers. The troops of the other provinces åre no more than scourges to the good and industrious inhabitants, and if they are suffered to remain in Canton they will draw down destruction upon the city, and upon the wealth of the whole province. It is now therefore plainly proclaimed to the people of the province of Canton, that if the commissioners and all the other troops have not departed from the city (with an understanding that they shall immediately leave the province) within twelve hours, the high officers of the English nation will be obliged to withdraw their protection from the city, and take military possession of it, confiscating all the property to the queen of England. But if the commissioners and their troops do indeed retire within the period indicated, it will still be possible to enter into arrangements with the high officers of the province; prudent men acquainted with the foreign character, mindful of the lives and property of the people, and responsible to the emperor for their safety. The commissioners have no property at stake in Canton, and care nothing for the prosperity of the province, but desire only to make reports which may serve their interests at court. The troops they have brought with them are anxious for trouble and confusion, that they may plunder the city, enriched by the foreign trade. Let the people of Canton, as one man, call for the departure of the commissioners and their troops, and by these means it will still be possible to save the city and the whole province from the miseries of war. At Canton, the 22d day of May, 1841."
On Monday the 24th, the necessary reconnoitering having been made, and the forces having arrived in the Macao passage two or three miles from the city, the movements for a combined attack on Canton commenced.
At noon the royal salute was fired, it being the anniversary of queen Victoria's birthday. Soon after this, the Sulphur proceeded up the north branch of the river, towards Neshing and Tsangpoo, at
Attack on Canton.
which latter place the debarkation of the troops was to be effected; the Nimrod and Pylades took up their position opposite the batteries at Shameen; while the Hyacinth, Modeste, Cruizer, Columbine, and Algerine, having moved up to the head of the Macao Passage, rounded the point of Honam, and anchored in front of the fac- tories, the Algerine at a later hour taking up her berth before a heavy sand battery between the Dutch and French follies. At about 3 o'clock, P. M., the Atalanta came in, and the Cameronians, under major Pratt, disembarked in the garden of the British consu- late. The Chinese now opened their fire from every point where they could bring their guns to bear upon the ships. They also put in motion some more fire-vessels, which drifting across the river, got on shore near the hongs a few rods east of the factories, where the flames communicated to the suburbs, causing no small damage ere they could be extinguished. During the remainder of the afternoon, the fighting was kept up by the Chinese with much fortitude, they sometimes engaging hand to hand with the parties that landed to dismantle their batteries and spike their guns. The Nimrod and Algerine, in particular, were exposed to a direct fire. In addition to the cannonading, the fire which had broken out along the north bank of the river increased the excitement and alarm among the Chinese, and drew their attention away from the movements of the land force.
Thus far had we written, when a "Brief account of the capture of the heights and forts above the city of Canton, &c., &c.; by an eye- witness," was laid on our table. This shall appear in our next; and we close this article with the following documents, extracted from the Hongkong Gazette.
By Charles Elliot, &c., &c., &c. Proclamation to the people of Canton.
Let all the people of Canton understand that they may return and continue their pursuits, in peaceful security whilst the high officers are faithfully fulfilling their engagements. The recent hostilities in this province have been against the will of the high British officers, and are attributable to the breach of faith and violence of the imperial commissioners. For although the general measures against the imperial court will not be relaxed till full justice be done, assuredly there never would have been any disturbance of the people of Canton and this province, unless it had been provoked by the misconduct of the imperial commis- sioners. What else have the imperial commissioners done in this province than to injure the dignity of the imperial court by a violation of their pledges under their seals, and to occasion grief and loss to tens of thousands of innocent people? When the commissioners and all the other troops save those of the province have departed, the people of Canton will once more enjoy peace and security. At Cauton, this 3d day of June, 184-1
No. 3. PUBLIC NOTICE TO HER MAJESTY'S SUBJECTS. The perfidy of the imperial commissioners having induced a course of brilliant
VOL, X. NO, VI.
Attack on Canton.
operations by land and water, placing H. M. forces in cominanding positions over the walls of Canton, the authorities on the 27th ultimo made overtures for the pre- vention of further hostilities, upon which the following terms were granted to them: "1st. It is required that the three imperial commissioners and all the troops, other than those of the province, quit the city within six days, and proceed to a distance of upwards of 60 miles.
"2d. Six millions of dollars to be paid in one week, for the use of the crown of England, counting from the 27th of May, one million payable before sunset of the said 27th of May.
"3d. For the present, British troops to remain in their actual positions; no additional preparations on either side. If the whole sum agreed upon be not paid within seven days, it shall be increased to seven millions. If not within 14 days, to eight millions. If not within 20 days, to nine millions. When the whole is paid, all the British forces to return without the Bocca Tigris, and Wangtong and all fortified places within the river to be restored, but not to be reärmed, till affairs are settled between the two nations.
"4th. Losses occasioned by the destruction of the factories, and of the Spanish brig Bilbaino,' to be paid within one week.
5th. It is required that the Kwangchow foo shall produce full powers to con. clude these arrangements on the part of the three commissioners, the governor, the general of the garrison, and the fooyuen, bearing their excellencies' seals.
"Agreed to."
Scal of the Kwangchow foo.
An extensive evacuation of troops having taken place from the city, with their arms, but without display of banners, and five millions of dollars being paid up, and securities taken for the remainder, her majesty's forces have retired from their positions over the city. The places to be restored will be delivered up, as soon as the departure of the two chief imperial commissioners has been ascertained, and officially reported by the officer left in command before Canton. In this brief campaign of less than ten days, a resolute night attempt to destroy the ships of war by fire and other means has been repelled: a flotilla of upwards of 100 sail of armed and fire-vessels has been destroyed; a line of works mounting upwards of sixty pieces of artillery has been carried; and by an unsurpassable combination of masterly disposition, ardor, and constancy, a small British force (moved through a country presenting excessive difficulty, in the face of a numerous army,) wrested from the enemy, in the short space of 8 hours, a line of fortified and steep heights, protected by a well-sustained fire from the city wall, and dislodged a heavy and menacing mass of troops from a strong encampment on the left of their position. The whole course and results of these most remarkable and admirably executed operations, will reflect lasting honor upon the distinguished officers under whose command they have been achieved, and upon all arms of the force taking part in
CHARLES Elliot,
Her Majesty's Plenipotentiary.
the success.
The following translation is from a Chinese document purporting to be the substance of a report from the commissioner and general-in-chief, Yihshan, to his imperial master.
On the 29th of May, 1841, a memorial was forwarded to Peking, at the rate of 600 le a day, extra express. The tenor of it was as follows:
"Your majesty's minister, since the time of his arrival in Canton, seeing that Woochung, Tabwang-kaou, and Funghwang kong (First-Bar, Macao passage fort, and Swallows'-nest battery) had all been lost, has been engaged, in concert with the joint-commissioners, Lungwan and Yangfang in forming, defenses along the whole shore-line. At Neishing (northwest of the city), at the stone fort, at Wongsha (in the western suburb), at the landing opposite the Tsinghae gate (south of the city), at the grove of the temple of Hungwoo, on Wongsha and Eeshamee (alluvial islets to the eastward), &c., &c., guns were planted, and bands of men and officers were stationed. They were fenced round with double lines of sand-bags, supported by beams of wood and heaps of stones and shot; and to these were added pits dug in the ground to enable the soldiers to screen themselves from the enemy's fire. Everywhere, too, at the foot of the fortified
Attack on Canton.
posts, sand-bags were placed, rendering all most firm and complete. Your minis ter, accompanied by his colleagues, and attended by his soldiery, went round about all sides of the city, making the proper defensive arrangements. In addi- tion to all this, a Fuhkeën militia corps and a naval militia corps were formed; and rafts were prepared, and launched, and straw collected, ready to make an attack by water.
"On the night of the 21st of May, then, a great battle was fought with the foreigners off the western fort, when they were attacked by a combined move ment with fire and cannon. Five foreign boats were instantly burned; and two of the foreign guns having been destroyed, and two ships' masts shot away, they forthwith retired. At the fifth watch your minister was on the point of leading on the troops to put them all to the sword, when suddenly the foreign vessels were reinforced by the arrival of sixteen ships, eight steam vessels, and more than eighty boats; all of which pushed on together. In consequence of having fought hard throughout the night, the troops were weary and fatigued; and the guns too were few. Nevertheless, the guns were fired several tens of times in rapid succession; but the foreign ships being strong, and withal so numerous, they could not be driven back. In fine, continuing to advance, they made at sudden rush, and landed near the city, and then marched straight up to the forts flanking the great and little northern gates, and possessed themselves thereof. They now attacked the city upon three sides;-wildly flew their arrows about; on all sides fell their cannon balls; the houses of the people were in all directions on fire; and the soldiery had no place whereon to stand. By the burning of the houses, and the disabling of guns, the artillery was rendered ineffectual; and troops of all arms, including officers of rank, also suffered loss in wounded (the precise extent of which has not yet been distinctly ascertained); this condition of things compelled all to retire within the walls of the city. A whole people, weeping and wailing, sending up loud cries to heaveu, choked every pathway; and earnestly did they beg that peaceful arrangements should be entered into. Your minister, as he looked upon them, lost all heart; and bowing to their de- sires, he went to the city wall to ask the foreigners what they wanted. They all said, that the price of the opium they had delivered up, amounting to several mil- lions of taels, had not yet been given to them: and they earnestly wished that a million of taels of silver might be granted to them, when they would immediately call in their forces and retire without the Bocca Tigris; they had nothing else to ask for, and all the people would thus be left in their ordinary state of quiet. Inquiring of them regarding Hongkong, if they would give it back, they answer- ed that it had been given to them by the minister Keshen, and that of its being so given they possessed documentary evidence.
Your minister, calling to mind that the city had been so frequently troubled and endangered, that the whole people were as dead men,-thought it right tem- porarily to accede to and promise their requests. In turning the matter over again and again, in his mind, it seems to your minister, that for a solitary city thus to stand all the brunt of battle is utterly destructive of its prosperity: and that in such a position the grand army can find no opportunity for displaying its strength: he deemed, therefore, that it was his undoubted duty, to draw the enemy forth without the Bocca Tigris; and then to renew all the fortifications, and seek another occasion for attacking and destroying them at Hongkong, and thus to restore the ancient territory.
"He has to beg that he and his colleagues may be delivered over to the Board, for punishment of their offenses; and also, that Ke Kung, Eleäng, and the other high officers, may be subjected to a scrutinizing Inquiry.
"Respectfully he presents this report of the circumstances under which he yield- ed to the intreaties of the people, that he should make peaceful arrangements: with trembling awe he does it, conscious that he lacks understanding, and is most guilty. A respectful memorial."
The following proclamation, bearing date June 1st, 1841, was issued at Canton by Chinese officers, in order to preserve from injury the graves of those foreigners who had fallen in the attack on the heights in the rear of the city.
Attack on Canton.
Chang, Twan, and Chang, brigadiers in command of divisions,-forming the committee of superintendence of military concerns of the force serving in Kwang. tung,-issue this proclamation. Whereas, the square fort was recently in the occupation of the English foreigners; and now that those foreigners have been left buried near to the fort: it is hereby forbidden that any of the adjoining inhabi- tants, or of the soldiery or militia, or any others, loiter idly about such places, or attempt to dig up the bodies of the said foreigners there interred. Should any willfully disobey, and venture to dig up and disinter such bodies, no sooner shall they be discovered and apprehended, than they shall receive such punishment as shall be then determined. Not the slightest indulgence shall be shown. To this end clear proclamation is hereby made; each should with implicit submission obey. Be there no opposition. A special proclamation. The above is for general information. Taoukwang, 21st year, 4th month, 12th day. [1st June, 1841.]
GENERAL ORDERS.
Ship Marion, June 5th, 1841. The operations before Canton having now closed, major-general Hugh Gough feels the highest gratification in recording that every individual of the force, native as well as European, gallantly and zealously did their duty. The major-general further desires to record his thanks to officers commanding brigades and corps, and heads of departments, for their able assistance.
To major-general Burrell, commanding right brigade, supported by lieutenant- colonel Adams, commanding 18th regiment, and captain Ellis, commanding royal marines: To captain Bourchier, H. M. ship Blonde, commanding the naval brigade, aided by captain Maitland H. M. ship Wellesley, and captain Barlow, H. M. ship Nimrod, commanding battalions: He offers his best ac- knowledgments.
It was the first time, that sir Hugh Gough bad had the honor to command a body of seamen, and the whole conduct of captain Bourchier's brigade was such, that it will always be matter of proud recollection to the major-general to have had it under his orders on the occasion.
To lieutenant-colonel Morris, commanding the left brigade, seconded by major Stephens commanding 49th regiment, and major Blythe who commanded that corps, during the latter part of the day: To captain Duff commanding 37th M. N. I., and captain Mee, commanding Bengal volunteers: to major Pratt, com- manding 26th Cameronians; to captain Knowles, commanding the Artillery brigade, captain Anstruther, commanding Madras Artillery, and captain Cotton, field engineer: To all the general and personal staff, the major-general's hest thanks are due for the zealous support he has received from them.
Having thus expressed his sense of the services of officers commanding brigades and corps, and heads of departments, sir Hugh Gough has no less pleasure in noticing the praiseworthy conduct of the sailors and soldiers under his command; during eight days that the force was on shore, there were but two cases of drun- kenness, and the soldiers of the 49th, having found a quantity of samshoo in the village they had taken, brought it to their officers and broke the vessels in their presence. It is by conduct such as this that the sailor and soldier secure the confidence of their officers, and that their gallantry in action remains untaruished.
Discipline is as indispensible to success as courage, and the major-general has the satisfaction to find that the trust which he reposed in the force under his com- mand has been fully justified.
Sir Hugh Gough feels that such results are only produced by the attention of all to their duty in their several capacities, and he requests that his sentiments and approval may be made known to the officers of every grade, and to the non- commissioned officers and soldiers, by their respective commanders, and that captain Bourchier will be pleased to convey them to the officers, petty officers, and seamen that composed his brigade.
By order, (Signed)
ARMINE S. H. MOUNTAIN, Lieutenant-colonel, and deputy adjutant-general.
Journal of Occurrences.
ART. VII. Journal of Occurrences: results of the war; cannibal- ism: payment of ransom; the people arming; Yikshan's und Lungwan's departure from the city; withdrawal of the British forces; port of Hongkong proclaimed free; sale of lands; Mr. Johnston appointed governor; death of sir H. Le Fleming Sen- house; new plenipotentiary; charges against Keshen; second movement of the British forces to the north.
THE course of events here, since the return from Chusan of H. B. M.'s plenipotentiaries last November, has been singular enough. On the part of the Chinese the losses have been great. More than a score of their forts have been dismantled or destroyed; hundreds of vessels sunk or burned; upwards of a thousand cannon rendered un- servicable. These are a part only of their sufferings. The losses occasioned by moving families and effects from Canton must be computed by millions, while not less than a thousand houses, with great quantities of goods, &c., have been reduced to ashes. Go- vernment and the native merchants have been the principal sufferers. Direct losses on mechanics and the yeomanry have been few; and the prospects of the husbandman in the coming summer harvest are very fair. Generally too, good health has prevailed among the Chinese in Canton and its vicinity. But after all that has occurred, there is ap- parently no disposition to succumb, nor is it certain that the provin- cial authorities and high commissioners will abstain from making preparations for a renewal of hostilities.
2. Cannibalism. We have been assured by many, some of them very credible witnesses, that during the recent rencontre in Canton between the imperial troops from Hoopih and the local militia, some of the former cut off and ate the flesh of the latter! We shall feel obliged to any of our neighbors for additional information about this matter. The contest rose very high; some say hundreds of lives were lost. We suppose there may have been ten or twenty. This occur- red while the British forces were on the heights, before the armistice had been concluded.
3. Regarding the payment of ransom, we are indebted to a com- mercial friend for the following memoranda.
The authorities paid four millions of dollars in sycee towards the recent levy made upon the city, and the hong merchants contributed two millions in the fol- lowing proportions. Howqua paid
Pwankequa
Samqua, Saoqua, Footae, and Gowqua, each $70,000
$820,000
280,000 60,000
Mowqua, Kingqua, Mingqua and Punhoyqua, each $15,000 Cash in the consoo treasury, being taxes upon the foreign trade,
and intended to pay the debts of broken hong merchants, 280,000 The obligations of Samqua, Saoqua, Footae, and Ğowqua, each
for $50,000, which is to be reimbursed from the first surplus in the consoo funds, or offset against any duties they may owe to the consoo
$2,000,000
Journal of Occurrences.
The four hong merchants who contributed $70,000 each, at first refused to give more than $20,000, saying that as Howqua had most at stake he should bear the burden, and that they had little to fear for themselves; for the loss of the cotton and other foreign merchandize, if destroyed, would fall on the foreign owners or importers. Besides Howqua's contribution, he has lost more than $750,000 by the burning of two packhouses in Shameen.
Indemnity for the Bilbaino and for the demolished factories has been promised, and some part of it has been paid.
4. The people commenced arming for their own defense, in the neighboring villages soon after the British landed above Canton. On the 1st instant, this had extended to 113 villages, each numbering from 15 to 100 fighting men, including the whole male population, between the ages of sixteen and fifty years. They called themselves eping, i. e. 'soldiers of righteousness,' and have these two words written on their banners. We have been told that it was with great reluctance that these soldiers of righteousness' yielded to the commands of the native authorities, who, at the instance of sir Hugh Gough, went out on the 31st to require them to cease from their attacks. Their leaders have published several manifestoes, some of which have appeared in the papers of the day; and they have got into circulation some very bad and exaggerated stories regarding the conduct of the fanqui.
5. Yihshan and Lungwan took their departure from Canton on the 6th, having received a visit from captain Warren of the Hyacinth as they proceeded on their way. Nearly all the troops from the other pro- vinces had at that date left the city, and the people were beginning to resume their usual avocations and in their usual manner. On the 16th it was rumored that Yihshan had returned to the city incog. It has been said also that levies of troops, as recruits, are still being made in this province.
6. All the British forces had withdrawn on the 1st, from the heights, and all have since left the river. Twelve merchant vessels were at Whampoa, on the 15th, and among the number were two opium vessels.
7. Hongkong has been declared a free port, by the British autho- rities. The following has been made public.
By Charles Elliot,, &c. &c., &c. A proclamation.
"It is hereby declared to the merchants and traders of Canton and all parts of the empire, that they and their ships have free permission to resort to and trade at the port of Hongkong, where they will receive full protection from the high officers of the British nation: and. Hongkong being on the shores of the Chinese empire, neither will there be any charges on imports and exports payable to the British government. And it is further clearly declared, that there will be an immediate embargo upon the port of Canton and all the large ports a£the empire, if there be the least obstruction to the freedom of Hongkong. Persons bringing information to the British officers which shall lead to the detection of pirates will be liberally rewarded; and the pirates will be taken and delivered over to the officers of the Chinese government for punishment. At Macao, this 7th day of June, 1841.”
8. The first sale of land, with a view to permanent settlement has been made, of which the following account is extracted from the Hongkong Gazette.
Journal of Occurrences,
1. Upon a careful examination of the ground, is has been found impossible to put up the number of lots named in the governmental advertisement of the 7th instant; and only 40 lots, having sea frontage of 100 feet each, can at present be offered for sale. These lots will all be on the seaward-side of the road. Lots on the land-side of it, and hill and suburban lots in general, it will yet require some time to mark out.
2. Each lot will have a sea-frontage of 100 feet nearly. The depth from the sea to the road will necessarily vary considerably. The actual extent of each lot as nearly as it has been possible to ascertain it, will be declared on the ground. And parties will also have the opportutity of observing the extent for themselves.
3. The biddings are to be for annual rate of quit-rent, and shall be made in pounds sterling, the dollar in all payments to be computed at. the rate of 4s. 4d. The upset price will be £10 for each lot, the biddings to advance by 10s.
4. Each lot having been knocked down to the highest bidder, he will receive an acknowledgment that he is the purchaser of the lot; and this acknowledgment will be exchanged for a more formal title, as soon as the precise measurement and registration of the lots shall be completed.
5. Upon delivery of the titles, the purchasers will be called on to pay the rent for the first year, reckoning from the date of sale.
6. They will also be required to erect upon each lot a building of the appraised value of $1000, or to incur upon the land an outlay to that amount, within a period of six months from the date of sale. As security for the performance of this engagement, a deposit of $500 shall be paid into the hands of the treasurer to the superintendents within one week from the day of sale, the deposit repayable as soon as an equal amount shall have been expended. Non-compliance with these terms will incur forfeiture of the deposit and allotment.
J. ROBT. Morrison,
Acting Sec. and No. Sq. Ft. Knocked down to, price 1-2 6700Gribble, Hughes&Co £80 2-3 7000 Lindsay & Co. 80 3-4 7800 Dent & Co.
Tr. to the Superintendents of Trade.
No. Sq. Ft. Knocked down to, price. 24-25 15200 H. Rustomjee.
Reserved.
4-5 6900 Dent & Co.
64 26-27 65:1027-28
5-6 5400
D. & M. Rustomjee. 50
6-7 6300 Hooker and Lane. 43 7-8 7500 Pestonjee Cowasjee. 50
18000 J., Matheson & Co. 150 17300 J., Matheson & Co. 185 21850 J., Matheson & Co. 230
4644 R. Gully.
8755 Jamieson and How. 60
8-9 8100 Dirom & Co.
8000 John Sinith.
9-10 8400 Reserved.
John Smith.
10-11 9600 H. Rustomjee.
Framjee Jamsetjee. 25
11-12 11200 H. Rustomjee
12-13 10600 Holliday & Co.
52 38-39 38:1040-41 6000
Charles Hart.
Macvicar & Co.
13-14 10800
Gemmell & Co.
14-15 15000 · F., Leighton & Co. 21
32:10 41-42 42-43
9700 11500
Macvicar & Co.
Fox, Rawson & Co. 100
15-16 15900
Robert Webster.
43-44 16500
Turner & Co.
Reserved.
Reserved.
20-21 16200 D. Rustomjee.
46-47 30600
Captain Larkins.
21-22 14400 Innes, Fletcher &Co. 150 22-23 12700 W&T Gemmell &Co.140 23-24 11800 Reserved.
47-48 35000
P. F. Robertson.
Not sold.
Captain Morgan.
9. Mr. Johnston deputy superintendent, has recently been ap- pointed acting governor of the island, and has proceeded thither ac- cordingly. The following is also from the Gazette.
GOVERNMENT NOTIFICATION.
ALEXANDER ROBERT JOHNSTON, esquire, deputy superintendent of the trade of British subjects in China, has this day assumed charge of the government of the
Journal of Occurrences.
island of Hongkong, on behalf of the chief superintendent: and all whom it may concern are hereby required to respect his authority accordingly.
By order,
J. ROBT. Morrison,
Acting Secretary and Treasurer to the Superintendents.
Macao, June 22d, 1841.
10. The death of captain sir Humphrey Le Fleming Senhouse, K. C. H., &c., &c., of H. B. M.'s ship Blenheim, and senior officer in command of the British naval forces on the coast of China, is an- nounced in the Gazette. "He participated in all the privations that the troops underwent on the heights above Canton, and has fallen a sacrifice to the zeal which marked his character." This mournful event occurred at Hongkong on the 13th instant. His remains were interred at Macao on the 17th, in style becoming his rank and station.
11. Sir J. J. Gordon Bremer arrived here on the 18th, in H. C. steamer Queen from Calcutta.
PUBLIC NOTIFICATION.
Her Majesty has been graciously pleased to appoint his excellency, sir JAMES JOHN GORDON BREMER, KNT., C. B., K. C. H., Commodore of the first class, commander-in-chief of Her Majesty's ships and vessels in the east, &c., &c., to be joint plenipotentiary. By order.
J. ROBT. MORRISON,
Macao, June 22, 1841.
Acting Secretary and Treasurer to the Superintendents.
12. A series of charges has been brought against Keshen, in a memorial to the emperor by the imperial commissioner Yukeën, It.- governor of Keängsoo. At ranslation of the memorial has ap peared in the Canton Register of the 22d. The crime of being thrown into consternation and using deceit is the first charge which Yukeën brings against Keshen; that of tarnishing the honor of his country, by being absent from the post of danger, and by being un- prepared to resist the enemy, is the second; an undue assumption of the emperor's power is the third; his base accommodation of matters to his country's disgrace is the fourth; having lowered the dignity of his country, and thereby provoked a bloody and mortal war is the fifth. Yukeën has issued to the people of Keängsoo a proclamation, offering rewards for Elliot, Bremer, Morrison, and others. Possibly he may have the satisfaction of seeing them near his own residence in the course of a few weeks. Among
Among the newsmongers, there is an inventory of Keshen's property. The amount of gold, silver, and precious stones is immense.
13. A second movement of the British forces to the northward is expected to be made in a few days. It is supposed they will first visit some places along the coast, and then upon one of the great rivers move into the heart of the country. We hope ways and means may be devised to gain direct access to the court. What forces are to be employed we do not yet know. It may be easy to take property and obtain ransom money, but a difficult task it will be to gain security for the future: this never can be done until the foreign rela- tions with this country are changed. It is rumored that the emperor has issued new orders for extermination, and proposes to cut off all foreign trade.
CHINESE REPOSITORY.
VOL. X.-JULY, 1841.- No. 7.
ART. I. Meteorological observations made at the island of Chusan
from the month of September, 1840, to February, 1841. THE barometer employed was one of Newman's mountain barometers; the difference between which and the standard barometer at the observatory, Cape of Good Hope, was + 0.014 inches. The elevation of the cistern above the level of the sea during the month of September was 72 feet, during which time the observations were made on a point at the western extreme of the har- bor, opposite to a small island called Guardhouse island in Thornton's chart, and Seaou-chuk san by the Chinese. The subsequent months the observa- tions were made in a house at the western extreme of the suburbs, where the level of the cistern was 21 feet above the mean tidal level. The temperature of the air in the shade was ascertained by a box-wood thermometer (Fah- renheit's scale), close to which was placed a similar one, with a piece of cotton attached to the bulb, which was kept moist and registered at the same period to show the degree of dryness in the atmosphere. The observations for radia- tion were made with similar thermometers, the bulbs of which were ex- posed to the sun's rays, one of them blackened by indian ink. A self-regis- tering thermometer was placed near to the shade thermometer, and the maximum and minimum temperature registered every morning. The rain guage during the month of September was a copper cube of 6 inches, which was surrounded with straw to check the evaporation. Upon the removal of the instruments to the suburbs, one of the rain guages supplied by H. E. the Governor-general was obtained. The register in the table indicates the actual measurement daily, (the rain guage never being emptied.) The observations during the month of September were made by Mr. W. H. Symonds mate of H. M. S. Blenheim, and subsequent to that period by Mr. A. Roger of H. M. S. Blenheim. The hourly register on the 21st of each month was taken in accordance with the directions of the committee for the antarctic expedition and magnetical observatories.
VOL. X. NO. VII.
Meteorological Observations at Chusan.
September.
BAROMETER
m. Baro. | Th. |
1, 29,800 78
Baro. | Th.
12, 918 78
17, 30,000 73
18 29,900
20 30,000
|21| 29,900; 72
23 950 72
DI8 81888 1882E2 CZPEJ☎
Baro. | Th. 85 29,840 90
Baro. Th.
Baro. | Th.
168 8888 8*88**
58 28 ***
236 28232 878%22
29,340 82
806 73 74 74
026 77 29,994
30,000 86
022 73 69 70
29,900 79
|27| 30,064
29,900 76
30,102 75
30,006 78
30,090 75
kze geek* 22272 72668PRÁ×RIZEL
PER BEERZ PERZZ FAEBEFREK2=866
73 71 .76
CELEZE PZIPAK KE282 282
22223* ***** **
THERMOMETER.
Air. Wet. | Air. Wet.
Air. J Wet.
81 1 93 83
222 2288 2893×6
zz2 2623 ** ***
528235682 F
SZIG232ZZ
Meteorological Observations at Chusan.
THERMOMETER.
RADIATION.
Air. | Wet. Air. | Wet.|Air. | Wet. Blk. | Com.[Blk. | Com.|Blk. | Com.[Max. | Min./Guage.
78 123 123
75 4.1 ins)
126 | 125
76 | 4.6
79 76 77 76 76 92 83 87
93 83 81 77 79 76
81 77 79
79 80 77
79 79 85
88 87 84 81 90 79
108 101 | 109] 103
96 92 29
3F8 ZEE8 22
* I 28 64%
* * 26 **.-
88833 ãa
* K**** 2****888258@87%8FF%
2 X XX 828
2 8 8* *Fa
78 | 3.5
ROZSISJAJARIJOJNZZA AZZZZ Z33
78 | 3.2
88 94 94
74 | 2.5
83 83 77
****** 2
* S***2gest b
82 79 79
81 86.5 82
94 94 92
103 99 103 102
95 94 88 96 89 89
99 104 95
91 103 95 | 1.8
69 | 2.04
| 66 2.04
WINDS AND WEATHER.
Calm, 0 bev; bev; Easterly 3 bcv; 3 NNE. 1 c; Wtly. 2 c; Ely 2 or; W. or; 2 or. Calm, 0 bv ; N. easterly 2 bv;
S. Easterly 5 bcv;
S. Easterly 4 c; S. Easterly 5 be;
S. E. 4 bcv;
S. Easterly 5 bcv;
Easterly 2 bv ;
Easterly 3 bcv;
Easterly 3 bcv;
S. Easterly 1 bv ; 4 bv; 4 bc; 4 c;
N. Westerly 4 c; 4 c; 4 cr; 4 cr; 4 cr; 4 cr; N. Westerly 4 bc;
N. Westerly 3 bc;
E. 5 r; S. E., S. E 5 po; S. 5 rm; N. W. 7rq. North 4 pqm; 0 bc;
Northerly 1 bcm; 2 bem, Easterly 2 bom; Calin 0 0; W. 3 bcm; N. E. 3 bc; F.S.E. 4bc. N. Easterly 3 bcm; 4 bem; 3 bcm; N. Easterly 4 bcv;
Easterly 4 c; 4.
Easterly 2 c; 2c.
Easterly 10;
E. by N. 00; N. E. by E. 3; E. N. E. 40; N. E. 10; N. E. by E. 3;
N. E. 30; N. E. by E. 3 orm.
N. E. 2 op ; N. E. by E. 2 or; S. W. 0 pr.
Meteorological Observations at Chustu.
October.
BAROMETER.
THERMOMETER.
m. Baro. Th.
Baro: Baro: Th.
Baro. | Th.
Baro. Th.
Air. Wet.
|| 30,068 229,992 67
30,078 77
30,040 76
29,976 83
29,984 81
30,026 67
74.5 30,076
120 65.5
8PARIRZAZ ZZ ZZSZ
69.5 75.5 73 84
56.5 64.5 59 69.5
18| 0661 68
2578728278788882
678REESLOJEN
PI¤gI8Igtgo
68.5] 66
22 184 65 23 050 65
24 332 54 125 3201 26 260
27 204 70 28 154 69 29 100 67
131 126 67
299832*FAR
88 82824
* KRZ R**
74 || 29,984
22 9928*%% %
61.5] 59
BRAUKLJ68
66.5 66 70.5 69
86FORDFE8
Meteorological Observations at Chusan.
THERMOMETER.
RADIATION.
Air. Wet. Air. Wet. Air. Wet. Blk. ↑ Com. BIK.Com. Blk. | Com Max. | Min. GUAGE.
67 77.5 73
81 78 72 69 70
*PP:*88** 88 2*88 RROZBRANNONN
8 2288X878%
* 88 0686
82 87 88
64 12.42ins
66❘ 2.08
67❘ 1.88
68 67 63
73 72.5 72
95 90 90 85
85 81 87 81
84 80 69
60 58.5 63 66.5 65
83 80 87 80 70 94 86
85 59 .4
93 75 60 3.6 76 61 3.38 58 3.2
8*888*88*87* 09228 P20 Of
70 67 65 63 58
27AHF2323
28588888
60 57 55
75 67 66
WINDS AND WEATHER,
Direction, Force, &c.
N. 2 bc; N. 2 bc; N. N. E. 1 bc; 1 bc; 0 bc; N. E. 3 bc; 3 bc; 3;
N. E. 0 bc; N. 1; N 1 bc; N. 1 bc; N. 1 bc; N. 3 bc; N. W. 4 be; N. E. 4 bc; N. 4 bc; N. 2 bev; N.2; N.2;
N. 1 c.n; cg; 2 c; N. E. 2 bc; 1 c;
N. E. 1 c; 2 bc; S. S. E. 3 bcv; N.ly 3 crn; N.ly 1 bc; 3 bev; 3; N. E.ly 3 bcv; N.E. 1 bcv; N. Ely 0 0; N. by E. 10; N. Ely 4 cg; 3 c; 2c; N. E.ly 2c; 3 bcm; 4 bcm; 3 bev ; 2 bcv ; 2 bcv; N. E.ly 3 bc; 3; E.ly 3 bev; S.E.ly 3 bev; 3. S. W.ly 2 bcm; 40; N. W.ly 4.5 oq; 5 odq; S. E.ly 2 bcv; 2; 3; 3; 2; 1;
N. E.ly 4.5 bcq; N. N. W. 4.5 cq; 4 bev; 3; N. W.ly 2 bcv: 3 bem; 4 c; 4 bc; 30; 30; N.ly 2 bcv; 2 bev; N. N. W 4 bcv; 4 be; 2; N. E.ly 2 c; S. E.ly 2 bev; N. E.ly 2 c; 20; N. E.ly 0 0; N. E.ly 0 0;
N. W.ly 4 opq; 4 cq; 4 cq; 2 bcv;
N. N. W. 2 bc; N.ly 2 bcv; N. W.ly 3 bcv; N. by E. 0 bev; S. E.ly 3 bcv; 3; 3; bcv;} S. E.ly 2 bcv; N. N. W. 3 op; 4 op; 4.5 opq;} N. W.ly 4 oq; 4 oq; 2 o;
N.ly 10; N. N. E. 3o; 30; q; N. E.ly 4.5 oq; N. E.ly 0 bc; 0 c; N. E.ly 4.5 oq; N. E.ly 4 c; 0 od; o or; 0 op; N. W.ly 1 op; N. N. W 1 op; 0 or; N. E.ly 3 or; N. E.ly 2 c; N. W.ly 2 o 0 c; N. E.ly r bev; 1 c; N.ly N. E.ly 1 bc; 0 bev; N.ly 1 cp; N.W. 1 op; 1 cp; S.W.ly 2. 0 cr; N. N. W. 2 cr: N. W. 3 c; N. N. W 3.4
VOL. X. NO. VII. 45*
Meteorological Observations at Chusan.
November.
BAROMETER.
m. Baro. Th.
Baro. | Th.
Baro. Th.
Baro. | Th.
THERMOMETER.
Baro. | Th. Baro. | Th.
Air. | Wot. | Air.
Air. | Wot.
| 29,950
2 30,174
71 29,950 72 64 30,290 62 478 52
29,950 74.5
30,290 61
078 63.5
PR888 28
13 29,978
14 30,044
16 152 58
17 042 52
18 022 47
3758288 88 180 258
333333 832 ****
292 44 66.5
266 63 60
080 63 59
158 62 685 59
228 58 61 56 58.5
2* * 2 ***
30,332 48
204 45.5
228=6288299988 33355
57.5 00 59
2÷3 282=8288 88
63.5. 53
26782 2E÷
22922 22÷
Meteorological Observations at Chusan.
THERMOMETER.
Air. Wet. Air. Wet. Air. Wet. Blk. Com. Blk. | Com. Blk. | Com Ma m/Max. Blk.Com. | Min. GAUGE.
RADIATION.
74 73 72
23 saccefa
57 57 57 53
52 52 52
61.5 61 585
**** **2 23388
58.5 57 58 57
55 55 54
0 cmp; cm;
52 48 50
WINDS AND WEATHER.
Direction, Force, &c.
N. N. E. 1 o; S. S. E. 2 c; N. N. E. 2 bc ; N. N. W. 3.4 orq; 4 orq; 4 or; N. W.ly 3 or; N. W.ly 3 op; N. W.ly 3 c; 4 c; 3 c; N.N.W. N.ly 2 bev; 2 bev; 2 bev; 2 hev; 2 bcv; 2 bcv; 0 bcm; 0 md; 0 cm; c; c'; bcv;
S. S. W. 2 cm; cm; 0; bcv;
N. N. E. 2 bev; bev; N. W.ly 2 cm; N.N.W. N. W. 2 cm; g; 2 g; N. W.ly 2.3 cp; 2 or: cm; cm: 3 or;
0 cmp; 0 cmp; 2 cm; N. N. W. 2 or; 2 or; N. N. W. 2 cmp; N. N. W. 1 cm; W. S. W. 2 cmd; 2 cmd; N. W. 2 cm; 2 cm; 2; 1 cmd; 1 cmd; N. N. W. 2 cmd; 2 cm; 2 cmd; 2 bev; N.ly 1 bcv; 2 bcv; 4 bev; N. 3 bev; bcv; bcp: W. 3 cp; cmd; 3 cmr; cmd; cmd; cm ;
() cm; cm; 3 c ; r ; 4 qr; 4 opq ;
N. N. W. 5.6 cq; 6.7 cq; 4.5 bcq; 4 bc; 4; N. W. 4.5 cq; 5; 5; 4; Wly 4; 4;
N. N. W. 2 c ; 2 c ; 2 ;
N. N. W. 2 emd; cmd; cmr; 4; 5.6 cmdg; W.ly 5.6 crhq; 4 cmpq; N. N. W. 3 bev; N.ly 4 bcv;
N.ly 3 bev; bc; northerly;
N.ly 2 bev ; 2 bev;
61 62 62
0 bmp; 0; bcv; bcv;
61 60 59
3 bcmp; bcm; bcm; 4; 4
W.ly 3 bcd; cmd; c; 4 cmr; 4 c;
W.ly 3 bc; be; 2 bev; 2 bcv;
0 bev; S.ly 2 bev; bev; bev; S. E.ly 2 bcv;
Meteorological Observations at Chusan.
December.
m. Baro. | Th. Baro.
11 30.2001 ·50 | 30,258
BAROMETER,
THERMOMETER.
11 490 43
16 168 53
UHLAYUMIESSWBUUuggezakts*: Age3
Baro. | Th.
30,2581 63 176 61
Baro. | Th.
-30,282 65 112 63
Baro. Th.
Air. Wet,
Air. | Wet.
30,2681 64
30,200 56
*qu**** **X* **** 4888&g
498 41.5
1838 27MEN ARAN
28 XA X882 APA682RJA888
Meteorological Observations at Chusan.
THERMOMETER,
RADIATION.
6 A. M. Air. Wet. Air. Wet. Air. Wat. Blk. | Com. Blk. | Com. Blk. | Com | Com. Blk. Com Blk. | Com Max. | Min. GUAGE. 95 1 85 63 86 76
88858 88997786
56 55 53 52 53 52 49 49 49 47 48 47
48 47 47 46 51 50 48 47
gg näsaugugaa
56 53 51 50
* ** ***GIS
63 59 60 57 60 59 60 59 56
44 45 45 45 44
53 50 66 61
87 81 93 87 97 87
51 50 49
53 51 50
28 55 45 51 46
34 29 34 29 53
42 41 35
48 51 46
61 70 58
50 55 40
78 67 73
60 57 55
*55 57 56 53
1*88** 6 7 58
5 8=28E BISS
wwww wwONO
****** Nadm*
CEO CARS
GAG SROR
73 48 2.05 59 48 2.05 57 48 2.05
28 3.95 46 34 3.95 27 3.95
WINDS AND WEATHER.
Direction, Force, &c.
Calm, u bev; s. S. W. 1 bcv; calm, N. N. E. Calm, 0 f; W.ly 1 fd; calm; 0 cm; 0 cm W.ly N. N. W. 1 cm: W.ly 2 bcm; calm 0 cm; N. N. W. 4 cq; 4 bevq; N. W. 3 bcv; 3.4 bevq;! Calm, 0 bc; N. E. 4 bevq; E. S. E. 4.5 oqd; Calm, 0 cm; N. W.ly 3 bc; 4 bc; N. N. W. N. N. W. 1 bcv; N.ly 1 bcv; 1 bev; 2 bev; N. W.ly 2 od; 1 cm; N. N. W. 3 c; be; 2 bc N. N. Ŵ. 2 bc; cmd; 2 cmp; cmp; cp; bcv; N. W.ly 2 bcv; 2 bev; 3 bev; bev; 2 bev; N. N. W. 2 bev; 2 bev; c; bev ; 2 c; N. W. 4 bcv; 4 bcv; 4 bcv; c; bevi N.ly 2 bcv; bev; 2 bev; 2 bcv; bev; bev; N. W.ly 4 bcv; 4 bcv; N.ly 2 bev; bev; bev Calm, bev; 0 bcv; bev; bcv;
N.ly 2 bcv; cm; N. N. W. 3 bc; N.ly 3 bc; N.ly 2 c; cm; c; c;c:c;
N.ly 1 cm; 0 cm; cm, N.ly 2 om; 5 op; 5 oqp; N. W.ly 6 cq; & cq; 4.5 cq; 4 cm; N. N W. 5 bcvq; N. W.ly 6 bcvq; N. W.ly 4 bev; 4.5 bcvq; 3 bcv; W. N. Wly 4 bev; bev; cmq;
N. W.ly 3 bev; 3 bev; 3 bcv; bev; be; bev; N. W ly 4.5 bevq; 3 bcv; 3 bev; 3 bcv; 2 bcv; Calm, bey; W. N. W. 2 bev; 3 bcv; bev; Calm, bev; N. W.ly 2 bev; N. W.ly 3.4 bev; Calm, 0 bcm;
Calm, cm; N. N. E. 1 cm; 0 cr; calm, 0 bc Calm, 0 cm; 0 cmr; 0 fp; fr; fr; 0 crq;
N. W.ly 4.5 foq; 3.5 frq; 4.5 fq; 4 bc; 40; N. W.ly 3 cm; 3 om; be; bem; 00:
BAROMETER.
THERMOMETER.
Meteorological Observations at Chusan.
Baró. Th.
Baro. | Th.
Baro. Th.
Baro. Th.
Air. | Wet.
11 30,272
30,316) 48
30,290 50
30,268 52
30,2681 52
518 34.5
456 47.5
332 35.5
[14] 202 49
'380 40.
1251 376 38
* 408 44
28 BANG #94 898 ****
400 42 38
160 53 44 44
48 50 50.
36 32 32
***384 2744228 28
**789487994872
590 31.5
January.
THERMOMETER.
RADIATION.
WINDS AND WEATHER.
Meteorological Observations at Chusan.
Wet. Air. Wet. Air. Wet. Blk. ↑ Com. Blk.Com. Blk.Com Max. Min. GAUGE. 48 48 47 49
51 50 48 47 44 35 35
30 32 30 33
50 45 42
40 42 35 72
72 73 78
62 51 48
53 50 48
54 52 53
44 42 41
CARIAN 798
66 56 56
45 45 44
43 43 43
50 50 48
40 38 37
48 41 66
39 39 38
38 37 38 37 63
35 31 35
32 30 31
Direction, Force, &c.
Calm, 0 cm; 0 cm; N. N. W. 1 cm ; 2 cm; Calm, 0 cm; 0 cm; cm; S. Wly 1 cm; N.WI; N. W.ly 5.6 cq; 5 bcq; N. W. 5 cq; 6.7 cq; N. W.ly 5 cq; 4 beq; N. W.ly 4 c; 4 os; 4 cq; N. W.ly 5 be; 4 be; W. N. W. 5 bc; 4; 4 c; N. N. W. 2b; b; W. 3 bc; N. W. 2 bc; 0 be; Calm; 0 bc; N. W. 3 bc; N. W. 2 bc; N. W.ly 2 bm; bm; W. N. W. 3 b ; bc ; N. W.ly 2 bc; 3; 3 bc; 3;
N.ly 1 bev; S. E.ly 3 bev ; S. E.ly 3 bev; 3 bcv;| Calm. 0 bcm; S. E.ly 1 bcm; N. W.ly 3; 0 m; 0 m; N. W.ly 3 m; m; m; cm;
N.ly 3 cm; S. E.ly 1 cm; 3 cm; 3 cm; or; N. W.ly 5.6 cq; 5 oq; 4.5 oq; N.ly 5 oq; 4 oq; N. W. 3 c; 3 c ; 3 c ; c ;
N. W.ly 3 c; 3 bev; 3 be; 3 c; bc;
Calm, 0 cm; 0 cm; 0 cmd; 0 cr; o; N.W.ly N. W.ly 4 cd; 4 cr; N.ly 4 cmd; cmdq; N.ly 4 cmd; 4 cmr; 3 cm; or; or; or; S. Ŵ.ly 1 fr; fr; W.ly 3 f; 3 f; 4 oq; 4 odq; N. W.ly 5.6 mrq; 5 mq; or; orq; 4 o; N. W.ly 3 bcv; 0;
N. W. 1 c; 0 cm; cm; cm; cmr; or; N.ly 4 cmr; N. Wly; N. Wly 4 or; 3 c; N. Wly 3 bcm; W.ly 4 bev; bem; 3 bcm; N. Wly 2 bov; N. W.ly 5 bem; 5 bemq; bev;| N. W. 3 bcm; bem; 4 cm; bcv;
N. Wły 3 bcm; S. Wły 3 bev; N. Wly 4 ben N. W. 4 bcv; 4 cmq; 4 cmqs; 5 0q; N. W.ly; N. W. 4 cs; N. N. W. 4 cs; 4 cs; cm; 4 c; W. N. W. 3 c; N.N.E. 4 cs; cs; cs; c; Wly;
Meteorological Observations at Chusan.
February.
6 a. M. m. Baro. | Th.
BAROMETER.
Baro. Th.
Baro. Th.
Baro. | Th.
Baro. | Th.
THERMOMETER.
Baro. Th.
Air. | Wet.
Air. | Wet.
Air. | Wet.
30,346 38
30,272 42
356 47.5
17! 200 54
INKXHBRA** * **
* ☺ ☺ ☺ ☺ ** & 225
GAG 20* & ***8*:
947 7 AER CO
Meteorological Observations at Chusan.
THERMOMETER.
RÁDIATION.
3 r. M. Air. | Wet. Aif.
9 P. M. Wet. Air. Wet. Blk.
Corn. Bik.Com. Blk.
39 38 37 37 37 37
47 45❘ 42
43 42 42
8 & at 66266851
688 *** 2 97 9 1 ✡ 20
23 414 8 25 5 3 5 70
32 33 33 40
46 44 44 | 40 38 51 34 36 35 29
55 54❘ 57 46 40 39 76
40 38 37
51 50 48 47
43 43 43 43 41 40
**** ** * * *8**
Lama de 2 * 79.* * *-
48 43 44 44
31 31 62
39 38 67
53- 52 85
£ 7 8 888
75 100 93 95
* 8 * 823
Com Max. Min. GAUGE.
*8 SUAOO62884 SECESSE!
WINDS AND WEATHER.
Direction, Force, &c.
8.6| Calm, 0 cmd; N. N. W. 3 cmr; N. 3 cmr; N.ly 4 cm; 4 cm; N. W.ly 4 cmq; N. N. W. N.ly 8 cm; N. Wly cm; N. W.ly 3 cm. Nly. N.ly 2 bc; 2 bcv; 3; bcv; bov;
Calm, bem; be; N. 3 bc; N. N. E. 3 bc; N. 3 bcv; N. N. E. 3 cm; N. E. 4 cni; cm; Calm. 0 bcv; 0 bc; N. E, 3 cm; N. N. E. 3; Calm, bcv; N.ly 4 bc; N. E. 5 cqe;
N. E. 4 bc; N. W. 4 bev;
Calm, & bc; bcv; W. S. W. bdv;
Calm, 0 bcm; bc; N.ly 3 be; 2 bv;
Calm, bev; Nly 2 bev; N. W.ly 2 bcv; 4.5 bcq. Calm, 0 bc; N. W.ly 3 bcv;
Calm, bcm; S. E.ly 1 bcv; bcv; bev;
Calm, 0 bcm; S.ly 2 bom;
Calm, 0 bcm; N. Ely 2 bcm; S. E.ly 3 bcm; Calm, cmd; N. W.ly 3 bcm; 5; 6 bem;
N. W.ly 5 bcq; 5 bcq; 5.6; 3 bcv; 2 bv; Calin, 0 bcm; S. E.ly 4 bcm;
S. E.ly 4 bcm; 2 bc;
W. N.W.3 cmd; 4.5 cmq; 3 cm; N.ly 3 cmr; N.ly 4 cm;
VOL. X. NO. vii. 46*
Meteorological Observations at Chusan.
METEOROLOGICAL ABSTRACTS DEDUCED FROM
-BAROMETER.-
Month of
9 P. M. 6 A. M.
Baro. Th. Baro. | Th. Baro. | Th. Baro. | Th. Baro. | Th. Baro. | Th.|Air | Wet
"Th. 29.917/75.5 29.952179.4 29.963182.7129.914179. 129.90677.7120.937177.6 73.71 73.2
The month generally fine, only four rainy days for short periods :. 1.8 in. of rain fell. The barometer generally standing below 30 inches; falling in strong southeasterly winds, and rising with nor-
Month of
30.126 66. 30.155 71. 30.147 69.4 30.113 77.8 30.116 69.6 30.134 68. 64. 61.7
Except the four first- below 30 inches, and
The first 10 days fine, the remainder of the month overcast ; wea- ther squally, much rain during the last week. days of this month, the barometer never was rose as high as 30.335 in., and rising with fresh breezes from the northwest. The winds variable, changing frequently several times
Month of
30.156 55.5 30.184 56.6 30.190 59. 30.173 59. 30.173 60. 30.199 58. 51. 50.
This month generally overcast with rain, the barometer in easterly winds fell below 30 inches. Winds were northeast 2 days, N. N. W.
Month of
30.303 52. 30.350 48. 30.326 52. 30.311 53. 30.314 52. 30.335 47. 43. 40.9
Weather finer that last month; the barometer kept very high, being 30.588 inches on the 10th; winds light from the northwest; it gene- rally rose as the winds freshened from that quarter, and during calms
Month of
30.332 39.7 30.447 42. 30.377 45.5 30.304 45. 30.354-44. 30.347 42. 35. 33
Misty weather with a good deal of rain; barometer ranging from 30.606 to 30.084 in., falling previously to southeasterly winds. Snow the last two days; winds fresh, with squalls. From the northwest
Month of
30.366 36.7 30.403 39. 30.389 44.8 30.368 45.3 30.367
Month generally fine; winds northwest 5
45.8 30.387 41. 34.8 33.
days, north 21 days,
The climate of Chusan is subject to a range of temperature similar to that in the same latitude upon the coast of North America: the thermometer in the shade standing at 103° in the month of Septem- ber, and at 25° in the month of February. The following is the range of tmperature during the months that the island was occupied.
September from 103° to 65°. October 92° to 51°.
Meteorological Observations at Chusan.
PRECEDING MONTHLY. REGISTERS.
-THERMOMETER-
September.
Noon. 3 P. M.
Thermometer.
Air | Wet Air | Wet Air | Wet Air | Wet Air Wet Mean. 79.9) 78.3185.4i 80185.91 81.378. 85.3175.71 74.71 29,987 103 1 66 therly breezes; height of the cistern above the sea 72 ft. 7 in. Very strong breezes were not experienced during this month. Winds Ely 10 days, S.Ely 6 days, N. Ely 8 days, and from north to west 6 days.
October.
71. 70.7 74.3 73.2 74.4 68.8 67. 66. 65.6 65. 30.148
during the 24 hours; they were from the north 6 days, northeast 12 days, northwest 9 days, and 4 days from southeast to southwest. On the 29th, the meteorological instruments were removed to the suburbs, where the height of the cistern of the barometer above mean tide level, was 24 feet.
November.
56. 55. 61. 57. 66.6 56. 59. 58. 59. 57. 30.179
8 days, northwest 4 days, northerly 4 days, westerly 4 days, S. S. W. 2 days, and calm 4 days.
December.
43.4 52. 49.2 51. 48.5 48. 46.6 41. 43.4 30.323
fell to 30.02 inches. Winds southwesterly a day, westerly 24 days, northwesterly 15 days, northeasterly a day, northerly 5 days, easterly 1 day, and calm 6 days; much rain during the last week.
January.
42. 42. 45. 43. 46. 43.3 40. 39. 39. 38. 30.360
201 days, west 2 days, southwest 1 day, southeast 1 day, north 2 days, southeast I day, and calm 22 days.
February.
39.7 39. 45.8 43.8 44.2 42.2 41.9 40.9 37.8 36. 30.380
southwest 1 day, southeast 24 days, calın 5 days.
December, 77° to 27°. February 60° to 25°.
November, from 74° to 40°. January, from 60° to 28°. The greatest range of temperature during 24 hours was 28°. Dur- ing the month of January, the barometer was at the height of 30.606 inches, and generally speaking fell in light or easterly winds. A few days, southeasterly winds occurred in the month of September,
Meteorological Observations at Chusan.
but the northerly monsoon could not be said to have commenced until the beginning of October. The following are the number of rainy days in each month. September 4 days, October 3 days, November 12 days, December 7 days, January 11 days, February 3 days.
1 Light air,
Figures to denote the force of the wind.
2 Light breeze,
3 Gentle breeze,
4 Moderate breeze,
5 Fresh breeze,
6 Strong breeze,
7 Moderate gale,
8 Fresh gale,
9 Strong gale,
10 Whole gale,
11 Storm,
12 Hurricane,
Or just sufficient to give steerage way. Or that in which a well condi- ( I to 2 knots.
tioned man-of-war, with all sail set, and clean full, would go in smooth water, from
Or that to which she could just carry in chace, full and by
Royals, &c.
3 to 4 knots.
5 to 6 knots.
Single-reefed topsail and
top-gallant sails. Double-reefed topsails
jib, &c.
Triple-reeed topsail, &c. Close-reefed topsails and
courses.
Or that with which she could scarcely bear close-reefed main-topsail and reefed foresail. Or that which would reduce her to storm stay-sails-
Or that which no canvas could withstand.
If the above mode were adopted, the state of the wind might be regularly marked, in a narrow column, on the log-board every hour. Letters to denote the state of the weather.
b Blue sky; whether clear or hazy atmosphere.
c Clouds; detached passing clouds.
d Drizzling rain.
g Gloomy dark weather.
1 Lightning.
o Overcast; or the whole sky
p Passing temporary showers. r Rain; continued rain.
Thunder.
Visible clear atmosphere.
f Foggy; f Thick fog. h Hail.
m Misty hazy atmosphere. covered with thick clouds.
q Squally.
u Ugly threatening appearance. w Wet dew.
Under any letter indicates an extraordinary degree.
By the combination of these letters, all the ordinary phenomena of the weather may be expressed with facility and brevity. Examples: Bcm, Blue sky, with passing clouds, and a hazy atmosphere. Go, Gloomy dark weather, but distant objects remarkably visible. Qpdli, Very hard squalls, with passing showers of drizzle, and accompanied by lightning with very heavy thunder.
Hourly Register
Weather,
Of the BAROMETer, Thermometer, Radiation, and WEATHER,-Taken on the 21st of the Month.
SEPTEMBER.
Meteorological Observations at Chusun.
WEATHER.
Calm, 0 bcm;
964 78 77
76 83 83
Calm, 0 cm;
78 89 89
Calm, Uc;
30,022 84
82 111 108
N. E. by E. 3 bc;
82.5 116
Calm, 2 bc; cumulus.
| Radiation.
ime. BARO.
THER. RADIATION.
WEATHER.
Time Baro. Thr. Air. Wet. Blk. Com: Direction, Force, &c. . Baro. Thr. Air. Wet Bik. C
A. M. | | Com | Direction, Force, &
BARO. THER. A. M. | | | 6h.5m., 29,950, 77 | 75 75
Calm, 00: N. W.ły 20 W.ly.3 bem;
N. E. 3 bc;
16h.5m. 29,950, 72 69
978 72 71.5
30,000| 75 | 74.5
71 83 82
026) 77 77.5
29,986 89
83 120 115
30,000; 82 82.5
N. E. 4 bcm;
82 cloudy
E. N. E. be;
29,994 83 85
N. E. 4 be;
30,008 89
81 96 92
E. by N. 3 e;
986 85 86
N. E. 4 b;
| 29,992| 90
94.583.5 125 113
Calm, bcm;
976 86 87
N. E. 4 b
82 111 102
N. E. by E. 4 bcqm ;
990 86 28.5
E. N. E. b;
30,008 87
86.5 80 107
29,992 83 82
30,006| 81 | 78.5 76
01281 78.5 77
040 80 78
022 81 | 77.5 77
78.5 76.5
002 80 78. 77
29,988| 79 | 77.5|| 76
994 80 77.5 76
992) 80 77 76
4.56 | 30,006] 78 75
30,002 78 76
828EEEBERRpre
N. E. 4 cm;
978 84 85
79 overcast.
N. by E. 3 cm;
978 83 84
Calm, 0 bcm;
992 79 75
Calm, 0;
30,000 76 72
N. E. 1;
30,000 74 72
Calm, 0 bm;
022 73 71
N. N. E. 4 b.
N. N. E. 3 b;
N. E.ly.
Calm, 0 bm;
022 73 71
Calm, 0 om;
10.56 | 30,000, 73 71
N. E. 2 b;
Calm, 0 bcm;
29,988 74 72
N. E. bc;
N. 1 bcm;
30,002 74 72.5
N. N. 0 0;
Calm, 0 om:
29,973 74 72
N. N. E. 1 o;
Calm, 0 rom;
968 73 73
N. E. 20:
Calmol pom
1960_7372
N. E. 0 o;
952 73 71
N. E. 0 0;
vol X. NO. VIT.
Meteorological Observations at Chuzan
Time: Baro. Thr. Air. Wet. Blk.Com: Direction, Force.
WEATHER.
Hourly Register
Of the Barometer, Thermometer, Radiation, and Weather,—Taken on the 21st of the Month
OCTOBER.
THER. RADIATION.
A. M. | |
DECEMBER.
THER. Radiation.
A. M. Baro. | Thr.[Air. | Wet. Blk. | Com. [ Direction, Force, &
WEATHER.
30,144 66 64.5
N. N. W. 2 bc;
30,480 28 | 29
152 67 65.5
180 69 67.5
N.ly 2 bcv;
200 71 68
63 104 99
N.ly 2 c;
214| 73 | 71
N.ly 2 c;
21 73.5 71
200| 75 | 73
N. Wly 3 c:
184 76 74
184| 77 | 74.5
190| 77 | 74.5
192| 73 | 67
192 70 | 64
194 67 65
2201 65 65 58
200 63 | 60
190 65 61
176 66 61
180 64 62
164 63 61
88798***82 238825
N. Wly 3 c:
N.ly 3 bcv;
N. N. W. 2 bcv;
408 40 34
N. N. W. 2 bcv;
N. Wly 3 bov;
428 36 34
N. Ely 4 bcvq;
422 37 35
N. Ely 2 bcv;
400 37❘ 35
N. Ely 1 bov;
N. Ely 1 bcv;
400 37 34
N. Ely 1 c;
362 35 | 33
N. Ely i ci
N. by E. 1 bc;
N. by E. 0 bc;
374 35 33.5 31.6 374 34.5 33 31
374 34 34
388 33.51 33
288385888-::::::::::::::
5588-8886-885888888R
N. Why 4 bev
N. Wly 4:
N. Wly 4;
N. Wly 45 bovq :
31 51 44
N. Why 4; N. Wly, bov
N. N. W. 2 bc:
N. N. W. 3; N. N. W. 4:
N. N. W. 4 bovq;
N. N. W. 2 bev; N. N. W. 0 bem: N. N. W. 0 bởi
N. N. W. 3 boq;
JANUARY.
30,276 45
Coast of China and Corea,
Hourly Register
Of the BAROMETER, &c.,-Taken on the 21st of the Month.
Baro. Thr. Air. Wet. Blk. | Com.
WEATHER,
Direction, Force, &c.
N. Wly 6 mqr ;
N. Wly, 6 mqr;
N. Wly, 6 mqr;
N. Wly, mq; N. Wly, 5 mq; N. Wly, 5 od; N. Wly, or;
N. N. W. 5 orą ;
BIADIATION.
N. N. W. 5 orq;
N. N. W. 4 o;
N. N. W. 4o;
34.5 32.5
34.5 32.5
N. N. W. 5 cq;
N.N.W. 4 c;
422 35 33
Errata.-On page 352, for A. Roger of H. M. S. Blenheim, read A. Royer of H. M. S. Wellesley.
ART. II. Coast of China, &c.: sailing directions derived from nautical observations made by H. B. M.'s squadron in 1840. HEI SHAN, or Black Islands. H. M. ship Wellesley, being in lat. 28° 40′ north, and lon. 121° 57′ east, hauled in to make the Black islands, steering north, and having a depth of 12 fathoms. A point of land, supposed to be one of the Black islands, bore N. W. by W. † W.; shortly afterwards, islands were seen to the northeast, and the ship was kept to the eastward, to pass without them. They were found to consist of a group of 4 or 5 small islands, with several high detached rocks. The northeasternmost of the group, apparently about a mile detached from the others, is a small round rock, shaped like a haycock, with a rock not much above water some distance to the northeast. This group is called the Heishan islands by Dalrymple,
Coast of Ching and Corea.
but is entirely omitted both in Horsburgh's chart of the east coast of China, and in the new Admiralty chart, which give the name of Hih shan or Black islands, to another larger group, which bears about W. S. W., 6 or 7 leagues from the first. Returning to Canton in company with the Melville, Blenheim and Modeste, we all passed within these groups, having a depth of 15 and 16 fathoms, 6 or 7 miles to the westward of the outer group; the southeastern islet of which is in lat. 28° 55′ north, and long. 122° 17′ 9′′ E., or 8' east of the Pagoda hill near the suburbs in Chusan. Wellesley.
Black islands. These islands have a black appearance, correctly resembling the description given in Horsburgh of the Heishan is- Jands. They are distant from the main 6 or 7 miles. Good obser- vations were obtained, which place them in latitude 28° 25′ north, and longitude 121° 55′ east. They are not laid down in the Adıni- ralty chart.
Hihshan islands. H. M. ship Blonde anchored in the neighbor- hood of the Hihshan islands, in 7 fathoms water near the northwest part of the group. These islands are laid down as four in number in the Admiralty chart, but there are at least twelve; the latitude was ascertained to be 28° 52′ N., and long. 122° 5′ E. Blonde.
On the 9th July, at noon, Patahecock, one of the Kewshan islands, bore by observation N. 12° W., distant 65 miles; soon afterwards, steering N. by W., land was reported ahead, distant eight leagues. These proved to be the Heishan or Black islands, whose position in all the charts, except Dalrymple's, is incorrectly laid down. Our reckoning from noon places them in lat. 28° 50' N., and long. 122° 18′ E. Pylades.
From Chusan to Shantung promontory. On the 31st of July H. M. ship Wellesley left the Kewshan group for the gulf of Cheihle. Tungcha shan. On the following morning, several small islets of the Chusan group were seen, the northeastern of which were two small rocky islets, which were supposed to be Tangcha shan. These islets, by their bearing would be in lat. 30° 15′ N., and long. 123° E., or 524 to the eastward of the Pagoda Hill, Chusan. The ship passed 6 miles to the eastward, and had no bottom with 25 fathoms. The whole space between these islets and Ghusan appears to be filled up
with islands. On the ship's return in September, we observed a great many that were not laid down in the charts.
On the 31st of July, H. M. ship Pylades sailed from the Kewshan islands in company with the squadron. On the following day passed the islands of Tsinshan and Teching. The latter is laid down cor-
Coast of China and Corea.
rectly in the Admiralty chart. The former is in lat. 30° 29′ N, and long, 123° 6' E. Off the southwest end of Teching, we observed a heavy break extending more than a cable's length from the shore,
Shantung Promontory. From our leaving the Kewshan islands, until the 4th of August, being then in lat. 35° 12′ N., and long. 123° 35′ E., the wind was from the southeast with misty weather. It then drew round to the S. S. W., still contiuuing hazy. On the morning of the 5th of August, we observed the promontory of Shan- tung. This is a high bold point, with a rugged termination towards the sea, and it has a small pagoda near its end.
Alceste island is small but high, and appears surrounded by reefs. A rock, high above water off its northeast point, bore S. S. E. when on with the north point of Shantung. There is a small island about 5 miles to the westward of Alceste island. The promontory north- west of Shantung is high and rugged, having a small barren island near it; opposite to the island is a bay with a sandy beach upon which several boats were hauled up.
1. At 6 P. M., with the northern rock of Kungtung
W., Great Chuhshan was W., about II leagues dis-
Kungtung 崆峒(Kungkung tao) and 芝罘 Chefon. The north rock of the Kungtung group is high and square. Chefow cape is high, and at a distance from the eastward, appears like an island ; to the southwestward is a remarkable hill with a top resembling a chimney.
Chuhshan bearing S. by W. W., and Chefow S. W. plainly visible from the poop, N. W. by W. tant. The ship anchored for the night in 111⁄2 fathoms, with the Great Chuhshan N. W. by W. W., cape Chefow S. S. W. † W., north rock of Kungtung S. by E. easterly. Very little tide or current was found at this anchorage. Weighed the next morning at daybreak, and carried regular soundings of 12 to 10 fathoms towards the Great Chuhsan, which is higher than the islands in its vicinity, and although of a very barren appearance has a small village on its southeastern side, and cattle were observed on the sides of the hills. Little Chub- shan bears N. 85° 40′ E., from Great Chuhshan, distant about 3 miles.
Shamo. A small island, named Shamo, lies N. 57° W. from Great Chuhshan, and N. 15° W., about 3 miles from Little Chuhshan. Toki lies about 7 miles to the northwestward of Shamo; the Wellesley subsequently visited the island twice: it is mode- rately high and has a high peak near the centre, and is nearly the
Coast of China and Corea.
form of a right angled triangle, the shortest sides being those upon the south and west. There are four villages upon the southern side, and one or two on the side facing the northeast. This island is well cultivated. Fresh provisions, vegetables, and water may be procured. On the ship's first visit, 34 bullocks were procured, which, though small, were in good condition ; a quantity of poultry, eggs, and vege. tables, and from the wells at the villages upon the south side of thé island, 30 tons of water, were obtained in a day. On the second visit 15 bullocks were procured. The Wellesley was anchored in 10 fathoms inuddy bottom, with Machang shi, a small but high islet off the southwest end of 'Toki, bearing N. 78° E., and Toki from N. 64′ W., to N. 56° E. A rock high above water off the southeastern end of Toki bore N. 78° E.; Great Chahshan 8. 45° E. The ship was 910 yards S. 11° 20′ W. from the southeastern point of a little bay, at the head of which is a small village. This point is in lat. 38° 9′ 20′′ N., and long. 120° 52′ 17′′ W. E., ot 1° 16′ 30′′ west of the Pagoda hill on Chusan. Variation 1° 20′ W.
The whole of this part appears perfectly clear with regular sound- ings; the little rock at the southeastern end of Toki, and the small island of Machang shi at the southwestern end may be passed within a cable's length. The whole of the channels between these islands are said to be clear, with the exception of the channel between Toki, and the islands north of it, nearly in the centre of which there is said to be a small sunken rock, with about 5 feet water on it, and deep water all round. The information respecting this rock was derived from the people at Toki.
Quoin or Kiaoyshan. The Wellesley passed twice between Toki and the Quoin, and twice between the Quoin and the island south of it, called, in the charts, Se Keusan, carrying in each case regular soundings 10 to 14 fathoms. There is also a very good passage, with the same depth between the Hihshan or Miaotao islands and Keu- san. In a strong wind from the north we anchored under the Quoin in 12 fathoms, with that island bearing from N. to N. 26° E., about one mile distant; Chuhshan bearing S. 68° E., and Toki from N. 47° E. to N. 72° E. In the Admiralty charts, a rock is laid down to the southward of the Quoin, but we found it perfectly clear in that direction.
The island to the southward of it, called Hou- ki (on the charts written Keusan), has a reef running some little distance from its northern end, and another off its eastern end.
Coast of China and Corea,
From the Quoin, H. M. ship Wellesley sailed from Toki on the 18th of September at Ő A. M., with the tide running to the westward, carrying a depth of 10 and 10 fathoms water from the anchorage, until passing the southeast end of Houke, where it deepened to 13 and 14 fathoms, then shoaled again to 10 and 9 fathoms.
Heshan, or Miaotas group. When passing the west point of the Heshan islands, to which we gave a birth of 3 miles to avoid a reef that extends from the west point in a southwest direction 11⁄2 to 2 miles, and which broke when we passed it, after having rounded the southwestern point of the Hesban island, we hauled up gradually to the eastward, carrying a depth of 7 fathoms. The first anchorage was in 62. fathoms, good holding ground, with the western Heishan island bearing from north 38° west to north 15° west; and Long is- land or Chang shan, the easternmost of the group, from N. 53° 40 E. to S. 78° E.
The next day, we weighed, and ran further to the E. N. E., and anchored in 6 fathoms mud, with a rocky islet off the west, Heshan, bearing north 62° 40′ west, the southwestern point of Long Island or Changshan being N. 3° E., distant of a mile.
Bluff point
with a fort on it at the west side of the entrance to Tăngchow foo, S. 15° 20′ E., and the pagoda on the hill over Tăngchow foo, S. 6° 20′ E. Variation, 1° 32′ W.
There is an extensive and good anchorage under these islands. The holding ground is good and soundings regular from 6 to 7 fa- thoms water, and sheltered from all winds, except the westward, and even with a strong wind from this quarter the land is sufficiently near to prevent any sea from rising; and should it blow so hard from the westward as to prevent a vessel riding in safety, she might weigh or slip and run out through the eastern passage. We could discover no danger to the southward of these islands, except the shoal running off the southwestern point of the Heshan islands, and a spit extending 14 mile or more from the southwest end of Changshan. This spit has irregular soundings, 44 and 2 fathoms, and the latter depth near to its southern extreme. A small, round hill, with a heap of stones on it, forming the extreme of the land to the northeastward of a vil lage on the central island, kept open of the southwest point of Long island N. 30° W., will lead without the shoal in 5 fathoms, The southwest point of Long island is a low bluff, and of a reddish color The hill which forms the mark is low; and to the northeast of the village is another hill higher than this, having also a heap of stones
on its summit.
Coast of China and Coreà.
Aurothef mid-chanuel mark is to bring two distant points on the main land in one line with each other, bearing S. 73° E. When the whole of Toki comes open of Long island, N. ↑ W., you will be to the eastward of the shoal, and may haul out to the northward.
As a stranger may have some difficulty in distinguishing the lead- ing marks, he had better keep nearly as possible in mid-channel be- tween Tángchoo foo and Long island, not coming too near the main to avoid a reef of rocks which extends 2 or 3 miles to the northward from the east part of Tángchow foo with deep water near it.
The south side of Long island, to the westward of the spit, is clear, with 6 and 7 fathoms within a mile of the beach. There is also the same depth near the south side of Middle island; between these two islands a deep bay is formed, with a depth of 3 fathoms, where small vessels might be well sheltered. The southwest point of Long island is in lat. 37° 54′ N., and 120° 48′ 30′′ E., or 1° 20′ to" W. of Pagoda hill in Chusan.
'The Miaotao group is composed of 4 principal islands, and some rocks or islets. To the west are the greater and lesser Heshan (or Black islands), the small middle islands is Mioatao (or Temple is land), and Changskan (or Long island) considerably the largest, is the easterninost. The harbor for Chinese junks (which is the port of Tangchow foo), is the bay formed between Miaotao and Chang-
From Toki towards the mouth of the Pei ho. From the Quoin, the Wellesley steered a W. N. W. course towards the Pei ho, carrying regular soundings 12 and 14 fathoms water until in latitude 38° 41′ N., and longitude 118° 15′ E., when it shoaled to 9 fathoms, and then decreased gradually to 6, in which depth the ship was anchored in lat. 38° 55' N., and long. 118° 4′ E. From this anchorage the land (which is very low near the entrance of the Pei ho), could scarcely be distinguished in clear weather. By the Chinese, Pei ho is called, i. e. “Whité river.”
At another anchorage in 6 fathems, in lat. 38° 58′ N., and long. 118° 7′ E:, a fort at the entrance of the Pei ho, seen from the mast head, bore N. 87° W. by compass.
About 7 miles to the eastward of this anchorage is the southwest point of an extensive shoal, composed of coarse sand and rocks, to avoid which, when running in for the anchorage off the Pei ho, ships should keep 2 or 3 miles to the southward of 38° 59′ N. until the water shoals to 8 or 7 fathoms, when they may keep to the north- ward, anchoring so as to be sheltered from the sea which sets in dur ing strong northeasterly winds.
Coast of China and Corea.
The Shaluyteën islands are low and apparently barren. The Chi- nese name, which signifies field of sand,' very well describes them. The southernmost of these islands has a small temple upon it, which, standing alone and upon an elevated spot, is conspicuous. We pass- ed on two occasions about 8 or 9 miles to the southward of the is- land, carrying 12 to 14 fathoms, but the Volage had 20 fathoms within a mile of the island. The temple is in latitude 38° 55′ N., and long. 118° 371 E., by good observations taken both times in passing. W. From the Quoin, the anchorage off the Pei ho is W. N. W., and the distance 46 leagues, with regular soundings of 12 and 14 fathoms. After a strong southeast wind, we were set considerably to the north- ward; therefore, in running to the westward, care must be taken to avoid the dangerous shoal off the Shaluytéën islands. The latitude of the southern island is 38° 53′ N., and longitude 118° 45′ E.; from this, the shoal extends about W. N. W. The northwest end bore from the anchorage off the Pei ho, which was in latitude 38° 58′ N., and longitude 118° 8′ E., N. 87° E., 9 miles. The southern part of the west end is very steep; in three casts we shoaled the water from where we lay at anchor with the shoal bearing N. ¿ W., in 10 fa- thoms, to 8, 6, and 3. This part is composed of rocks and shingle, leaving a channel for junks between it, and a line of sand extending to the eastward. The depths of water over the bank are 1, 1⁄2, and 1 fathoms; some placès are dry at low water, with numerous fishing stakes, and affording shelter for junks. From the west end, the shoal trends to the northward and N. N. E., about 4 miles, and then east- ward, making a channel for trading junks between it and the shoal that extends from the main.
Good anchorage and smooth water were found in lat. 39° 1′, and 39° 21, in 6 fathoms, particularly during northeasterly gales, at which time vessels off the Pei ho ride heavily.
In running for the anchorage, having sighted the southern Shaluy- teën, which is low and has deep water on the south side (17 fathoms 1 mile distant), steer due west, and do not come to the northward of 38° 54′. You will soon shoal your water to 9, then 10, and 12 fathoms. The latter depth you will carry until the west end of the shoal is north of you. The soundings then will decrease, gradually towards the Pei ho, to 8 and 7 fathoms, when you may either haul up for the anchorage off the latter place, or more to the northward under the lee of the west side of the shoal.
High water at 10h. 45m.; rise and fall 10 feet; at the anchorage off the Pei ho the flood tide sets to the northwest, and ebb to the south-
VOL. X. NO. VII.
Coast of China and Corea.
east. Along the south side of the shoal, the flood follows the direc tion of it W. N. W., at the rate of 4 knots per hour at spring tides; and the ebb to the southeast at the rate of 3 knots; on the west side it sets to the northward, but not with so much velocity. P.
H. M. ship Blonde anchored off the mouth of the Pei ho in latitude 38° 56′ N., and longitude 118° 9′ E., in 7 fathoms water. The rise and fall of the tide was 7 feet.
On the 16th of August, the Blonde weighed for the watering place at Tungtsze kow, in Chinese Tartary. The delineation of the coast-line in this neighborhood in the Admiralty charts appeared
correct.
Bay of Tungtsze kow. On the 18th of Aug., we were in lat. 39° 45′ N., and long. 120° 3′ E., in 8 fathoms water, when the towers on the Great Wall were distinctly seen, bearing from N. by W. to north, distant 5 leagues. Thence the ship steered to the eastward, having regular soundings in 11 to 16 fathoms, when, in lat. 39° 12′ N. and long. 120° 24′ E., the water suddenly shoaled to 10 fathoms; for a short period after which we had 16 fathoms, until approaching the anchorage which is in 8 fathoms; the north point bearing N. N. W. W.; village E. N.; remarkable hill E. † S.; watering place E. by N. N.; south point 8. W. The latitude was 39° 30 N., and longitude by chronometer 121° 20′ E., and by lunar obser- vations 121° 16'. Variation 2° 50′ W. High water at 2h. 30m. Direction of tide W. N. W.; rise and fall 9 feet.
On a nearer approach to this bay, the north point appears abrupt, and is of a reddish color, sloping towards the north, and perpendicu- lar towards the sea; it cannot well be mistaken for any other part of the coast. The bay is extensive, being 7 or 8 miles wide, and affords ample room for any number of ships; but within 2 or 3 miles, within the point where the watering bay is, there is only 34 fathoms at low water, and it is prudent not to approach nearer. This is on
the south side of the bay (長興) Changhing opposite to (復 州)
Fuhchow on the main.
Coast of Corea and Leaoutung. On the 17th of September, at 10 o'clock A. M., the south head of Leaoutung bearing N. W. by W. 4 miles, discolored water was seen, but it was occasioned either by meeting of the tides or muddy bottom, as not less than 31 fathoms were found. At noon, the latitude was 38° 58′ N., and longitude 121° 18′ E. Blonde.
The south head of Leaoutung is in latitude 38° 40′ N., and longi- tude 121° 12′ E. The head is a bold high promontory. With it
Coast of China and Corea.
bearing E. N. E. 15 miles, we anchored in 15 fathoms mud; and the ebb tide setting strong to the southeast. Steering from thence to the Head, the water deepened to 20, 25, and 30 fathoms. The coast-line from the Head trends to the northeast, and is high and bold, with deep sand bays, affording shelter to junks from the prevailing winds from the northward. We anchored in a bay with the Head bearing N. 70° W., 16 miles. The latitude of the anchorage was 38° 48° N., and longitude 121° 34′ E. It is well sheltered from northeast to easterly winds, but exposed to southward and southwest. From the anchorage, the west point of a rocky island, which forms the bay, bore S. 71° E.; centre of a town N. 56° E.; off shore, one mile, in 16 fathoms. The depth of water is irregular, but the holding ground is good. Wood appeared to be scarce, and cattle were seen in consi- derable numbers. P.
Seaou Ping taou to Victoria bay. The first anchorage on this coast was in 20 fathoms, in a small bight called in the chart Seaou Ping taou, exposed to the southwest winds. The soundings from noon to the anchorage, were 38, 33, 32, 27, 25, and 20 fathoms, with hard ground at the distance of 17 miles from the cape, bearing S. 66° W.; a high steep rocky cliff, N. 62° E.; centre of a town N. 42° E. Lati- tude 38° 46′ N., longitude 121° 37′ E. Three islands lie off the end of this bay. Two of them are connected by a spit of sand.
On the 18th, the Blonde weighed, ran down between the Cap island and Quoin rock to the anchorage in Victoria bay, the sound- ings being 20, 17 and 20 fathoms, and anchored in the latter depth, with the following bearings: Cap island, S. W. by W. W.; white rugged point, W. by S. S.; Sanpan shan tow east. Latitude of anchorage 38° 52′ N., longitude 121° 53′ E. The outer part of this bay affords shelter to winds from westward and northerly to east. During our stay here we obtained some cattle from the large island of Sanshan taqu. B.
Easterly from the bay in which H. M. ship Pylades anchored upon the 17th of September, and distant about 5 miles, is a small island, which on this bearing appears round and much like the Cap in the straits of Sunda, but on the opposite direction, it appears like a quoin; a rock lies off it to the southward. We passed between it and the coast, running along the land to the eastward, having no bot- tom with 25 fathoms. Running from the Cap to the E. N. E., at the distance of 6 miles, we passed close to two other islands, one ap- pearing like a ship under sail. These islands appeared steep to; no bottom with 25 fathoms was obtained a mile from the shore, S. W
Coast of China and Corea.
by W., 5 or 6 leagues from the Cap. We anchored in a small bay to examine the coast. This anchorage is protected from N. W. to S. W. winds, but otherwise exposed. The bay is formed by an island upon the south side, and high bold land to the north. Here fresh water may be had. The inhabitants were civil.
Victoria gulf. From this place, the coast trended away to the northward and westward, into a deep bay or gulf, with good shelter and excellent anchorages. The distance across, at the entrance, is about 13 miles, with two islands nearly in the centre. They are high, and appear as three, one having a neck of sand which is covered at high water. The gulf may be easily known by these islands and a very high black looking hill on the main. The depth of water at the entrance is 21 and 20 fathoms. On running in, the water soon shoaled to 10, 9, 8, and 7 fathoms. We ran in direct for the hill, and carried the latter depth to the entrance of a fine haven, where we anchored 0.8 of a mile off shore.
Plenty of cattle were seen on the hills, but the natives appeared hostile, coming down in hundreds armed with matchlocks and spears. The entrance is in latitude 38° 56′ N., and longitude 121° 50′ E. The northwestern side, or head of the gulf, was examined, and good anchorages found (protected from all winds), in 5 and 51⁄2 fathoms, stiff mud.
E. N. E. from the islands, at the entrance of the gulf, and about 5 leagues distant, is a dangerous reef, which lies some distance off the coast.
11 appeared about 1 mile in extent, and level with the water's edge; we passed two miles to the southward, having 35 fa- thoms. From this we steered E. by S. for the south extreme of a num. ber of islands, and found good shelter on the east side of an island, in latitude 39° 2′ N., and longitude 122° 49′ E. This anchorage northerly winds.
is in 17 fathoms, and well protected from all but There are two islands 4 miles to the eastward of this, lying N. and S., which form a channel with deep water. Stock of every de- scription and vegetables were abundant; but water was scarce. The high water, on full and change days, is at 6h., and the rise and fall 6 feet. Variation of the compass 2° 30′ W.
There is a remarkable rock, bearing S. S. W. from the south point of the island, distant 6 miles, appearing like a junk under sail. It is high, and may be seen 4 or 5 leagues. We passed inside of it, and had no bottom with 30 fathoms. P.
Coast of Corea. H. M. ship Blonde weighed from Victoria gulf, on the 21st of September, and ran between the north island and the
Coast of China and Corea.
main, in 18 to 20 fathoms. There is a dangerous reef of rocks some distance from the land. At 8 A. M., the latitude being 38° 56′ N., and longitude 122° 15′ E., it bore north, being 1 or 2 miles distant. Squally weather with rain prevented any observations at noon, and deprived us of a further view of the land which appeared to trend northerly. The depth of water varied from 18 to 20 fathoms. We then altered our course for the north extreme of an island, passing between it and some remarkable rocks resembling junks under sail, and anchored to the eastward of the largest and westernmost of a group of 5 islands in 20 fathoms, half a mile from the shore, and well sheltered from westerly winds. The bearings were, the east passage E. N. E. to N. N. E.; village S. W. by S.; rocks to the north, N. W. by N.
The Blonde weighed from this anchorage at 9 o'clock a. M. on the 20th, taking the northernmost passage, and at noon was off south part of an extensive group of islands, being in latitute 39° 8' N., and longitude 122° 57′ E.; the soundings being 20, 23, and 24 fathoms. We then hauled to the northward, for a deep bay in which were numerous islands, on the eastern side of which our soundings gradu- ally decreased to 18, 12, 10, and 9 fathoms. We then hauled out, giving the island, which has numerous remarkable rocks off its south- ern end, a good berth, carrying 18 and 17 fathoms, and anchored on the eastern side. The latitude by account being 39° 20′ N., and longitude 123° 12′ E., about 2 miles off shore in 12 fathoms mud. This island affords good shelter from northwest winds. B.
The Pylades weighed from her anchorage in lat. 39° 2′ N., and long. 122° 49′ E., at 8 o'clock A. M., steering N. N. E., and at noon was in lat. 39° 10′ N., and long. 122° 54′ E., in 22 fathoms, the east- ern point of a group of islands bearing N. W., 3 or 4 miles. Steer- ing from this to the northward, we entered an inlet formed by the above group
group and others to the eastward. The high land of Corea was distant about 12 miles. Shoaling our water from 15 to 9 fathoms, we hauled to the eastward and anchored under the last mentioned islands.
The southernmost islands of the group are barren, with sharp pointed rocks appearing much like the Needles. We saw something resembling a fort, or walled town, on the main, at the distance of 5 leagues. The line of coast appeared to trend to the northeast. The flood tide set to the northward, at the rate of 34 knots, and the ebb to the eastward: high water at 8h. 30m.
Coast of China and Corea.
The next day at noon, being in latitude 39° 2′ N., and longitude 124° 39′ E., lost sight of the main land, a group of low islands being in sight, bearing N. by W. distant 10 miles; and the east extreme of a number of high islands S. E. by E., 16 to 18 miles. This position on the Admiralty chart places us 17 miles within the coast-line.
Dangerous reef. From noon, steering S. by E., running at the rate of 7 knots, at Oh. 50m., we suddenly shoaled from 15 to 7 fathoms, rocky bottom; hauled off W. S. W., and soon deepened the water again to 20 and 22 fathoms. Altered our course again to S. by E., and after running a short time shoaled again suddenly, passing from 17 into 10, 7, 6, and 4 fathoms. From the appearance of the broken water and birds, there appeared to be much less water on the shoal. The latitude of the 4 fathom cast was 38° 56′ N., and lon- gitude 124° 37′ E. P.
Tides in the gulf of Cheikle. At the anchorage off the Pei ho, about 16 miles from the land, it was high water on fall and change days at 4 o'clock P. M. Flood tide set to the northwestward, and ebb to the southeast. Its velocity was 1 knot per hour, during spring tides; rise and fall about 7 feet. At Toki and the Heshan group, the tides are very irregular. While at anchor off Toki, the stream ran 22 hours to the westward, while the water rose and fell by the shore. High water on full and change days about 8h. 30m.
During the Wellesley's stay in the gulf of Cheihle, from the 5th of Aug. until the 21st of September, the weather generally speaking was fine, with the wind from every quarter, but rarely blowing stronger than 4, or a moderate breeze. On her passage from the gulf to Chu- san, between the 21st and 26th of September, light and moderate breezes were experienced, and from every point of the compass. When in latitude 34° 3′ N., and longitude 124° 8' E., an island, apparently high, was in sight from the deck, bearing E. N. If this (as was supposed at the time) was Alceste island, it would appear to be laid down too far to the eastward in the chart.
Chusan to Canton in November. Returning to Canton river, from Chusan in the middle of November, the winds varied from N. W. to E. N. E., generally fresh breezes with overcast thick weather. The current was not so strong as we expected; between Patahecock and Chapel island it set the ship S. 40° E., 17 miles in 48 hours; and from thence to the Lema channel S. 41° W., 15 miles in 48 hours.
Surveys in the Yangtsze Keang.
ART. III. Yangtsze Keäng: sailing directions for it derived from
nautical surveys made by H. B. M. ship Conway in 1840. ARRIVING in the bay of Ningpo from the eastward, care must be taken to avoid a tide rock, which lies a short half mile to the north- ward of the Deadman. The bearings from the rock, by compass, are as follows: left extreme Square island, N. 68° W., or W. N. W.; left extreme of the islet north of Kintang, N. 5° E,, or N. † E.; right extreme of Dumb island, S. 52° W. or S. W. W. Passage islet shut in by the south extreme of the Triangles, or the Beacon hill on with the fort (Chaou paou), clears the rock. There is a patch, with 23 fathoms, S. E. by S. from Square island, distant one half mile; the Beacon hill on with the fort also clears the patch. The Conway lay in a good berth, having Passage islet south, and Square island E. N. E. This anchorage during the summer is safe; during the autumn and winter, strong northerly breezes prevail, and shelter must be sought over on the Kintang shore, or off 'Just-in-the-way,' (called by the Chinese Hwangnew tseaou) bringing it to bear northwest about one mile. The steam vessel Madagascar anchored under Passage islet during a blow, but was glad to get out to Just-in.. the-way.
Running to the northward, pass on either side of Square island, and then keep over towards Kintang, so as to bring Square island to bear south as soon as possible; do not bring it to the eastward of this bearing, as the western part of the bay is supposed to be shallow, a patch of 3 fathoms having been passed over lying N. by W., 3 miles from Square island.
Proceeding to the northward, you pass the North islands to port, the largest and easternmost being about 220 feet high, with an islet north of it. To starboard is a small island, named East island, with 3 or 4 islets or rocks north of it; and to the northward of this lies Middle group, the largest of which has a conical hill on its north end. Another of the group, west of the largest, is also high and conical; several islets and rocks lie west of this group, all above
Vessels may pass to the northward between Kintang and Black- wall. The water is deep in the Steward passage; but when through, anchorage is found in 8 or 9 fathoms. Then keep to the northwest, leaving East island to starboard. A vessel can pass to the eastward
Surveys in the Yangtsze Keäng.
of East island and of the Middle group; but east of the latter, there is a bank, which has not been sufficiently examined. The Conway passed over it in 3 fathoms.
Steering still to the northward, you make, on the port bow, the Seshan islands. On the starboard bow is a more numerous group, called Rugged islands. Bottom was found at 6 fathoms throughout. Over the Seshan islands, a solitary hill on the main will probably be seen, which is supposed to be in the neighborhood of Chapo. (Of Chapo more will be said in the sequel.)
Hauling to the eastward, round the Rugged islands, a small islet, the Hen and Chickens, will be seen; and also, beyond this, to the N. E., Gutzlaff's island of the Amherst; it as a cone, and is about 250 feet in height. posed to be what the Chinese call Rocks. This however needs verifying.
appears in this direction Gutzlaff's island is sup- Ma tseih, or Horse
To the eastward lies a large group of islands, up to which carry 6 fathoms; to the northward of these, at a distance of 8 or 10 leagues, lies Saddle island of the Amherst's voyage, making in this direction one conical hill. To port the low land of the main will probably be seen. There is anchorage throughout in from 6 to 8 fathoms.
To proceed still to the northward, steer N. N. E. for the Dange- fous rocks. These are not at all dangerous, being 10 or 12 feet above water; passing these close, steer, if required, to the N. W. for
Shawei shan 沙衛山
To enter the Yangtsze keäng (or ‘Child of the ocean') with a large ship, it probably would be necessary to station a couple of small vessels, one on the edge of the outer bank, the other on the spit higher up. She might anchor 4 or 5 leagues off Gutzlaff's island, while they were being placed. Attention to the following directions ought to carry in 20 feet.
Leaving Gutzlaff's island, keep it on a S. S. E. bearing; and having fun-7 or 8 leagues, Shawei shan will bear N. E. by N. From this point the break or ripple on the bank should be seen, and you may steer N. W. When you have got hold of the bank, steer W. N. W. The low land to port should be visible from aloft; and a tree suffi- ciently remarkable will be distinguished. Keep this tree two points on the port bow. It must be passed at a distance of at least two miles, as the bank extends far out from it. When the tree bears S. E., close the port shore to 1 or of a mile, steering N. W. by
Surveys in the Yangtsze Keäng.
W. for a large clump of trees. The soundings will now gradually
increase to 9 or 10 fathoms.
The outer extreme of the fortifications at Woosung will be seen at 7 or 8 miles distance, abreast a clump called the Treble trees:' run on, keeping from 2 to 1 mile off shore, and anchor with the eastern fort S. by W., and the extreme of the wall N. W. by W.; or you may select any other berth you prefer from the chart. Bush island will be seen, the Bush bearing about north. A bar extends some dis- tance from the mouth of the river, with 2 and 4 fathoms, deepening suddenly to 10 and 12 fathoms. Bush island must not be approach- ed nearer than 2 miles.
Being in mid-channel betwixt Woosung and Bush isla stu about N. W. by W., keeping 1 or 2 miles off shore, and you ... shoal gradually from 8 to 44 fathoms: this point is about 2 miles of shore, abreast of the deepest bight: proceeding, you deepen to 14 fathoms, until abreast a grove or clump of trees, 17 or 18 miles from Woosung. When the west end of the trees on Mason island begins to open of the west point of Tsungming (point Harvey), steer to the northward, opening them gradually, and pass point Harvey at a mile distance: it is quite steep.
From point Harvey, steer N. W. W., on for 3 distant hills and a pagoda, approaching no nearer to Mason island, than 2 miles. When past it steer west, keeping about mid-channel. The trees on Mason island must not be brought to the southward of east, to avoid a shoal running out from the north shore, one third of the distance across. When the Pagoda hill bears N. W., and a large bush on the south shore S. W., you are abreast the shoalest part, and must steer N. W. by W. W., for Round-tree point, distant four miles. The soundings about this point are deep and irregular. When past it, and abreast of a creek and mud fort, the bank is very steep, shoaling from 20 to 2 fathoms, aud then to 4 feet. This you avoid by keeping the large bush in sight S. E. by E. E.; and a course W. by N. 8 miles leads abreast of a small circular fort and other buildings, the highest point reached by the Conway. The whole south shore appears very shoal to or 1 mile off. The channel from this point runs probably about N. N. W., but it requires examination. Running in from sea- ward, the most eligible land to make is Saddle island. No land was seen north of Saddle island from the summit of Shawei shan.
Winds, tides, &c. Off the Seshan islands, the time of high water, at full and change, is 11h. 45m; rise, 12 feet. The flood sets W. N. W.; the ebb E. S. E. Generally off the mouth of the river, it is high
VOL. X. NO. VIL
Surveys in the Yangtsze Keäng.
water on full and change days at about noon, or half an hour after. The rise at spring is 13 feet; at neaps, 10 feet; once 18 feet were noted, but this was probably caused by the ship having swung, so as to change her depth. The stream of the flood comes from the eastward, drawing to the southward about its last quarter, passing round to the ebb from the westward, and so on round by north. The greatest velocity measured was 4 knots, off the northern entrances; but the usual velocity at springs is about 3 knots.
In the river off Woosung, high water at full and change occurs about 1h. 30m. The rise is uncertain, but ranges from 15 to 5 feet. The stream of flood comes from S. E. passing round by east to northward; the ebb comes from N. W., passing round by south.
At the farthest point reached, high water, at full and change, oc- cured about 4h. 30m. The rise was 14 feet; the ebb running 8 hours. The flood at the neaps was nearly obliterated.
In July, the barometer stood at 29.74; and the thermometer at 78°. The prevailing winds were southeast, freshening about the change of the moon.
In August, the barometer stood at 29.78; and the thermometer at 81°. The prevailing winds were southeast, easterly, and northerly. For a day or two there was blowing weather, with a little rain, at the change of the moon.
In September, the barometer stood at 29.90; and the thermometer at 77°. The winds variable, but drawing roand from southeast to north. Blows with rain occurred at full and change. Mornings were much colder than the average temperature.
The temperature, having been taken on the main deck, is not probably very correct. The periodical breezes appeared to increase in intensity at full and change. The barometer rose with the north- erly winds, and fell with westerly and southerly. One hard blow occurred with the barometer at 30.10.
Supplies, &c. The island of Tsungming is highly cultivated, par- ticularly on its northern side. There are a plenty of cattle, used for agricultural purposes; and almost all the islands outside excepting Shawei shan and Gutzlaff's, produce vegetables.
Chapo is situated on the north side of a bay on the north- ern side of the great bay of Hangchow. The land on the right and left of it is high, and appears like islands, the coast of the bay being generally low. The points of the entrance are 5 or 6 miles apart, Rather towards the north entrance lie North and South' islands,
Surveys in the Yangtsze Keäng.
they are not
On the top of
about 1 mile from the shore, and of a mile apart easily distinguished from the high land in the rear. the high conical hill, forming the starboard entrance, are one or two buildings; and rather more than half-way down is a fort, having 4 guns. These are conspicuous objects. The town is situated to the left of the hill, in a small nook; it is defended by a battery and breastwork. The soundings decrease regularly from 10 to 34 fa- thoms close in to the town, and the Algerine anchored, distant from the town battery about 500 yards in 34 fathoms mud, with the follow- ing bearings; fort on the hill N. E. by E. † E.; South island E. by S. S.; remarkable pagoda, W. by S. § S.
A group of small islands, east of Chapo, distant about 8 miles, is likely to mislead, as it is not laid down on the old charts. (Query, Seshan islands?)
Running for the anchorage, round South island, at 2 cables' dis- tance, and haul up for the junks at anchor, when the fort on the hill bears N. E. by E. about 1 mile, you will find from 7 to 9 fathoms steep ground, and sheltered from all winds but S. E. to E. S. E. No dangers were visible.
TABLE of the Latitude and Longitude of the places mentioned in the preceding surveys, with their Chinese names.
Survey's in the Yangtsze Keung.
characters.
Sounds in
Fuhkeën.
Particular spot.
Latitude.
Longitude.
Authorities.
28° 25' N.
121° 55'
S. E. islet
122° 17′
Wellesley.
N. W. part
122°: 5'
122° 18′
Tungcha shan
Tsin shan
東霍山 Tonghok san 盡山
123° 1 ́
Pylades.
Wellesley.
Chin san
Pylades.
Square island
121° 46′
W. island
121° 31′
Hen & Chickens
30° 42'-
Gutzlaff's island
馬磧? Má chek
122° 11^
Saddle island
122° 41′
122° 231*:
Shawei shan
122° 15'
沙衛山 Say-òéy san
121° 30′
Goêseung
122° 47′
Shantung prom.
Surveys in the Yangtste Keũng,
Pei ho anchorage
characters.
Sounds in
Fuhkeën.
Particular spot.
Latitude.
Longitude. Authorities.
S.E. part of bay
120° 52′
S. W. point
Wellesley.
120° 48'
118° 7′′
Shaluy teën
沙壘田| Saylúy têên
118° 371*
Pylades.
Wellesley.
Pylades.
Tungtsze kow
衕子溝 Tôngchoó koe
Anchorage
121° 20'
Leaoutung
Leâou tong
121° 12′
Seaou Ping F.
Seáou Pêng tó
Anchorage
121° 37'
121° 34'
Pylades.
Victoria bay
Anchorage
121° 53′
121° 50'
Pylades.
Dangerous reef
3d anchorage.
122° 49′
4 fathoms
124° 37'
Capture of the Heights above Canton.
ART. IV. A brief account of the assault and capture of the heights and forts above the city of Canton, &c., &c. By an eye-witness.
On the 18th of May, the transports, &c., all got under weigh, for the third time since December last, for the Canton river. With the exception of the sick of the different regiments, and a portion of the 37th regiment Madras native infantry, left to protect the island of Hongkong, and as a guard over the stores there, the remainder of our available force proceeded up the river. Nothing of any importance occurred during the passage up, save a ship occasionally running against a sunken junk, which however caused no further annoyance than the delay, until either a breach had been formed in the side of the rotten junk, or the flood tide had floated the ship off. It was an extraordinary sight to see the Blenheim, 74, towed by a steamer, proceeding leisurely up the back channel—a passage, through which nothing beyond Chinese junks was previously known to have pass- ed. This channel had been, within the last few days, surveyed by captain Belcher of the Sulphur. In fact, the Chinese never would allow foreign ships to proceed up this channel, and it was at all times so blocked up with fishing-stakes as to offer but little temptation to their preferring it to the old and better known passage by Whampoa. The Blenheim proceeded to within nine miles of Canton. The smaller ships anchored within from three to five miles of the city, while some of the 18 and 20 gun ships took up a position opposite to and above the factories.
Early on the morning of the 24th, copies of the following General Orders were sent to the officers commanding the different corps, detachments, &c.
GENERAL ORDERS, No. 1.
Head quarters, Marion, Canton river, May 24th. 1. The period has now arrived, so long looked for by the military portion at large of the China expedition, when it may have an opportunity, in cooperation with our gallant associates of the royal navy, of proving what can be effected by discipline and bravery.
2. Major-general Gough feels a confident assurance that every man will do his duty, that he will have the gratifying task, not only of recording, and bringing to notice acts of gallantry, but (what is of infinitely more consequence in the pre- sent instance, and will afford stronger proof of devotedness to our country's honor and our professional character,) of unshaken discipline and undeviating attention to the orders issued by the officers in the command of columns of attack.
Capture of the Heights above Canton.
3. The nature of the position to be carried, and the probable necessity of sub- dividing the force into separate columns of attack, which may be led through the town and suburbs, make it the more necessary to enforce the most rigid discipline, and to guard against any man leaving the ranks upon any pretence whatever. The man who does so will most probably be cut off; but even should he escape, his name should be branded as a disgrace to his corps.
4. The Chinese system is not one to which the British soldier is accustomed, but if the Chinese have not bravery and discipline, they have cunning and artifice. They have had ample time to prepare, and we may be well assured that their system of stratagem will be called into full play on the present occasion. But, though such a system may be effectual against a mob, which every broken body is, it must fail before the steady advance of disciplined soldiers. The major-general will only add, that Britain has gained as much of fame by her mercy and forbear- ance, as by the gallantry of her troops. An enemy in arms is always a legiti- mate foe, but the unarmed, or the supplicant for mercy, or whatever country or whatever color, a true British soldier will always spare.
5. The troops will be prepared, with cooked provisions for two days, to land this day at 12 o'clock, in two columns.
(Signed)
ARMINE S. H. MOUNTAIN, Lt.-colonel, D. A. G. At the time appointed, boats were in readiness for the conveyance of the troops to the landing-place. The officers of the expedition are much indebted to the commodore, sir Le Fleming Senhoase, for his great exertions in procuring these boats, the construction of which was admirably adapted for protecting the troops from the sun, each capable of carrying from 50 to 200 men, according to their respec- tive sizes. The boats were towed up by the Nemesis, to a place about two miles above Canton, where they arrived about 7 o'clock P. M. A more extraordinary sight, perhaps, never was witnessed, than this fleet of boats, conveying upwards of 2600 fighting men, besides followers, guns, stores, &c., yet no accident happened. Had the enemy been on the alert, they might have committed dreadful havoc amongst us. The guns and artillery were landed during the night, but the remainder of the force did not debark till morning. A false alarm roused us about midnight; but nothing occurred till our landing at daylight on the 26th.
The general was the first on shore; and so soon as the 37th were disembarked, they received orders to accompany him as an escort. The detachment of Bengal Volunteers also accompanied him. The general advanced in a southwesterly direction about a mile from the landing-place to a rising ground, from whence a general survey of the line of country we were to pass over could be taken. From here we could see the enemy's picquets at their posts for miles on every side. They made use of every gesture to encourage us to advance. A portion of the escort was ordered forward to reconnoitre, and to
Capture of the Heights above Canton.
ascertain as soon as possible the force of the enemy in this position. A few of the latter, beating their shields, shouting and brandishing their swords and spears, appeared to have all the wish to exterminate our small party; but they did not come within musket range of us.
When the general had ascertained all he wanted, his escort was directed to join the 1st brigade in the right column. This brigade was formed of the 49th and 37th regiments, with a detachment of Bengal Volunteers. The 2d brigade was formed of the Royal and Madras artillery, and sappers and miners. The corps of seamen, 460 in number, formed the 3d brigade in the right column. The ordnance attached to this column consisted of four 127b. howitzers, four 9lb. field guns, four 5 inch mortars, fifty-two 3216. rockets, and two light 6 pounders; it was commanded by lieutenant-colonel Morris. The left column, which was commanded by major-general Burrell, consisted of the Royal Marines (reserve), the 18th Royal Irish, the 26th Cameronians, a detachment of Madras artillery, and engineers and sappers. The ordnance attached to it was one light 6 pounder, and one 5 inch mortar.
The ground we had to pass over was chiefly paddy-fields and bury- ing-grounds; consequently there was great difficulty and delay in transporting the guns. The headless trunk of a camp follower, who had gone a few yards beyond the landing-place during the night, was found; his body was untouched, but his murderer had no doubt carried away the head of his victim to claim the promised reward.
Long before our guns could be brought to bear upon the forts, the enemy had opened a brisk fire on our advanced columns. Their shot, however, fell short. About 9 o'clock A. M., we returned the fire, simultaneously from the guns, mortars, and rockets. Though the enemy's shot fell close around our men, in every direction, yet no accident happened. In about an hour from the time our guns commenced firing, the Chinese were observed to collect in great numbers outside their forts, evidently deliberating upon the best plan of escape. Our troops were now ordered to advance. The positions we were to attack, namely, the heights and forts above Canton, were barely removed 100 yards from the city wall, and appeared strongly defended. There were four forts, each mounting from eight to ten guns, besides numberless ginjals, which poured forth volley after volley of
A simultaneous attack was made on all the forts; the weather was excessively hot, and the ground of the worst possible description for troops to march over. The 1st and 2d brigades were directed to dis
Capture of the Heights above Canton.
lodge the enemy from the two forts to the south; and the 3d bri- gade (the gallant jacks) those to the west of the city. In the 1st brigade, the 49th took the lead at starting, the 37th M. N. I. and Bengal Volunteers following close on their heels. The 37th were, I believe, the first to reach the summit. Little opposition was offered to their advance. The enemy had all evacuated the forts, and were', seen running down the hills in every direction, letting off myriads of barbed rockets, which did no further injury, than most effectually to prevent the course of their flight being observed.
In one of the two forts to the west, the sailors had hard work of it, the enemy not leaving their stronghold, till, by means of escalad- ing ladders, our fellows effected an entrance, and there hand to hand cut them to pieces. In effecting this, our men were much cut up, chiefly, however, by the flanking fire from the wall of the city.
The reserve was now directed to take possession of an entrenched camp, where the enemy had rallied. This encampment was well covered by the guns from the city wall, and removed more than a mile from the forts now occupied by the first brigade. The enemy was evidently in great force there; and as usual, till our men came too close to be pleasant, waved their banners and encouraged us to come on. Their officers were seen riding on poneys in front of the ranks. Well did the Royal Irish do their work that day, advancing all the way at double quick step, regardless both of the shot from the city walls, and of the showers of grape from the entrenched camp in a few brief moments, everything was in their possession, and after setting fire to all that could be laid hold of, they took their departure. In this advance there were four officers and several men wounded. The rockets worked splendidly, astonishing poor foke not a little.
A fire was kept up from the city wall nearly all night. During the afternoon, the general had a narrow escape, having been at one time completely covered with dust from a shot that struck the ground close by his side. The total amount of our killed and wounded this day was about 70; on the side of the enemy, the actual loss was never ascertained.
The troops bivouacked as they best could during the night. Our worthy chief was the first on the move in the morning of the 26th, when we all eagerly looked forward to a little escalading practice. In this however we were disappointed; sufficient materials had not yet come up for effecting the object contemplated, viz., setting fire to the city. About noon, the animunition, &c., arrived; but, unfortu
VOL. X. NO. VII.
Capture of the Heights above Canton.
nately, by this time it rained in such torrents as to put a stop to all. operations. The inhabitants appeared to be deserting the city in great numbers. On the ramparts, which poured forth such volleya yesterday, not a soul was to be seen, and from the heights. crowds could be observed bearing their property on their shoulders, pouring out of the gates farthest removed from the forts in our possession. To- wards afternoon, a flag of truce (for the overbearing Chinese have at length to their cost come to know the use of the white flag) was seen to wave from the most conspicuous part of the ramparts; and a red buttoned officer, advancing to one of the embrasures nearest to qur position, and also waving the white flag in his hand, seemed to implore an interview. The general, commodore sir Le Fleming Sen- house, and Mr. Thom the interpreter, advanced forward. But on as- certaining that the rank of the Chinese officer was not equal to that of qur's, the latter retired; and major-general Burrell, and captain Gough A. D. C. to the general, were directed to ascertain what the enemy wanted. This proved to be the offer of certain terms to spare the city. The Chinese were told, that it was not in major-general Bur- rell's power to listen to any terms proposed; and that if they wished for an interview with our general, it could not take place from the walls of the city; but that tents should be pitched half-way be- tween our position and the city, and that there our general and com- modore should meet only those of like rank from the enemy. This was after some time agreed to on all sides, and the Chinese declared that their deputation should be at the appointed place in exactly one hour and a half. Hour after hour, however, passed, and, as might have been expected from the previous too well-known character of the Chinese, no deputation arrived, and unfortunately the rain which now fell in torrents, not only prevented the resumption of hostilities, but, thoroughly soaked the ground which formed alike the bed for the general and common soldier. Yet no complaint was heard, and the tropps, in their wet clothes, with little food and less drink, went to the respective duties allotted them for the night, without a murmur.
Up to this date, with the exception of the wounded, there was not a sick man in the force. All eagerly looked forward to the morrów. During this night, the artillery was hard at work-guns, mortars, rocket tubes, &c., with all their appendages, were brought into position. The infantry was placed so as to prevent the enemy from working their guns. The escalading parties were also detailed, which con- sisted of a portion of the 18th Royal Irish and 37th M. N. I. The portion of the wall to be escaladed was between 40 and 50 feet high,
Capture of the Heights above Canton.
and this the artillery expected to reduce to 25 or 30 feet. From its old and ruined appearance, it was believed this could easily be effected. Early on the morning of the 27th, everything was arranged. The guns were loaded and primed. The port fires were lit, and the ge neral and the commodore were taking a last look, previous to giving the signal to commence firing. The enemy too appeared on the alert, numbers of them were seen running backwards and forwards on the ramparts.
A few minutes more, and the work would have commenced, had not an unlooked for messenger arrived with dis- patches from the plenipotentiary to the general and commodore. How anxiously did we all watch the features of those two brave and determined,men, as they each perused their documents. Sir Flem- ing was the first to speak, and those nearest to him heard him say, 'I protest against the terms of the treaty in toto.' The news soon spread. Captain Elliot, as usual, acting on the spur of the moment, had, without even paying those who are so far superior to him in every way the compliment of asking their advice, concluded a peace with the Chinese, and ransomed the city of Canton for six millions of dollars. I leave the reader to judge of the disappointment felt by the troops on learning this intelligence.
On this day, the following General Orders were issued.
General Orders. No. 2.
Head Quarters, Fort Yungkang, Canton, May 27th, 1841: Major-general sir Hugh Gough from his heart congratulates the troops of every arm, composing the force, upon their steadiness under fire, and their brilliant con- duct, on the attack of the heights, and the capture of the several forts above Can- ton, and of the intrenched camp under cover of the city wall, on the 25th inst. 2. This expression of the major-general's best thanks was as fully merited, and is as sincerely accorded, to the naval battalion, and the royal marines, who have nobly upheld the high character of their profession.
3. Where all were emulous to maintain the honor of British sailors and soldiers, it would be impossible to particularize. To all, the major-general's best thanks are due; to all, those thanks are heartily offered.
4. Officers commanding corps and brigades and heads of departments, in ac- cepting the major-general's thanks for themselves, will be pleased to communicate them to their officers and men.
By order. (Signed) ́ Armine S. H. Mountain, Lt. Colonel, D. A. G. As the force was to remain in its present position till the money was paid, the most comfortable quarters that could be procured were given to the troops. The suburbs of the city, and the villages in the immediate neighborhood were completely deserted; not a Chinese was to be seen, except a few old and diseased of both sexes, who were unable to move.
Capture of the Heights above Canton.
Our loss in killed and wounded, up to this date, amounted to about 70. That on the side of the enemy must have been far more, though at first but few bodies were found. A foraging party, when a few miles from our camp, discovered between 60 and 70 dead and dying Tartars in one house, who evidently had been carried there to give us a false idea of the number killed.
One part of captain Elliot's treaty was, that the Tartar troops, from thirty to forty thousand in number, should evacuate the city, lay down their arms, and proceed to a distance of sixty miles from Can- ton. Since the arrival of our force opposite the walls, the Tartar and Chinese troops had been carrying on a civil war within the city, the loss on both sides being very great. Besides this, our shipping and land force had so effectually blockaded and besieged the city, that few or no supplies could enter. Consequently, the inhabitants were now driven to that state, that they would agree to any terms we chose to dictate. How unfortunate that captain Elliot's tempera- ment should be so conciliating! As it is, however, if the sum receiv- ed for the ransom of the city is to go to the navy and military as prize-money, it will amply recompense them for the toils and trou- bles they have endured. This sum being quite unconnected with the original claims on the Chinese, it would be rather unfair that those who succeeded in procuring the same should derive no benefit therefrom.
The 29th of May was a day of rest, and our officers and men were to be seen in every direction walking through the deserted suburbs and villages in the neighborhood of Canton. Some very extraordinary tombs, and places of worship or joss-houses were seen.
One very extensive line of buildings, close under the city wall, was solely de- voted to the reception of the dead. They were in strong substantial coffins, elevated on pillars with perfumed incense-sticks burning on every side. The coffins were generally placed two in one vault; and, with the exception of a close damp smell, there was no un- pleasant sensation perceptible. Outside of the vaults, evergreens and creepers were tastefully arranged, and over the doors of some of them beehives were fixed. The coffins were of enormous thickness and strength. The contents of a few of those that were opened present- ed an appearance almost natural. The badies were all embalmed. They were buried in their, clothes, the cap and button denoting in death, as in life, the rank of the wearer. The body, in some of the coffins opened, must have been from all pearance an inhabitant of its narrow bed for upwards of half a century. The features present-
Capture of the Heights above Canton.
ed a dried and shriveled appearance, and there was a strong pun- gen, aromatic smell perceptible on raising the lid. In the right hand of each was a fan, and in the left of many a piece of paper having Chinese characters written on it. To an antiquarian, there were many things in this village which would have excited much interest.
Two thirds of the money was this day paid, and shipped on board H. M. ship Modeste; and as one million more was to be paid imme- diately, and security taken for the remainder, the troops expected to return to their ships on the 31st. Some of the Tartar troops had al- ready left the city, and others were to leave the following day. Every- thing looked pacific. There were certainly some rumors, that rein- forcements were expected for the protection of Canton, and that this delay, on the part of the authorities, to pay up the money demanded, was merely an excuse to gain time to enable the new troops to arrive. But as the plenipotentiary gave no credence to these reports, of course no one else did. However, on the morning of the 30th, and before we had finished that most agreeable of all medicines in a tro- pical climate, namely, a cheroot after breakfast, the sound of the bugle was heard in the direction of the general's quarters! The sound could not be mistaken. It was taken up on all sides.
Orders now arrived for the 26th Cameronians and 37th M. N. I., to proceed and drive off a large body of the enemy, which was seen approaching our encampment. The enemy was at this time at a distance of nearly two miles from our position, and covered a space of ground upwards of a mile in length. They were certainly between ten and fifteen thousand strong, while our small body did not amount to much more than five hundred. Captain Knowles, of the Royal artillery, with a few rockets, soon checked the impe tuous, ardor of the enemy. The 37th, who had been directed to pro- ceed towards the left, came upon a party of their advanced guard by surprise, while they were quietly sitting under a tree sipping tea, but who no sooner saw us advancing, than they took to their heels in every direction, leaving their spears, their cups, and their buckets of tea for their pursuers, who found it a very pleasant beverage too, the day being very hot. It was about this time that the quarter-master general of the force dropped down, dead from a coup de soleil. The enemy had now retreated about a couple of miles and taken up a po sition on a rising ground, and as usual were waving their banners and shields, and encouraging us to come forward. Our rockets continued to plough line after line though their ranks; still they did not appear intimidated. The rain unfortunately began to threaten. A storm
Capture of the Heights above Canton.
was evidently approaching. The atmosphere was close and dense. The roll of distant thunder was heard, and the rays of the sun during the day had so heated the air that on its being inhaled, a sensation was left in the lungs similar to that felt when the vapor bath has been raised to too high a temperature.
It was evident that the enemy must be driven from their present position, otherwise they might advance upon our camp during the night. The threatening aspect of the weather rendered it necessary, too, that no time should be lost in doing this. It was 1 o'clock P. M., when the general directed the 37th and 26th to advance, and drive the enemy from the heights; the third company of the 37th was detached to the left, the head quarters of the regiment proceeding to the right; and the 26th (Cameronians) also going towards a large vil. Jage to the left. As usual with the Chinese, the nearer we approached the farther they retired. We pursued them about three miles, when it was judged prudent to return.
The rain now fell in torrents, and prevented our seeing an object even at a few yards distance. No enemy was in sight, except a few solitary individuals on the tops of the highest hills. The 3d company of the 37th, and the 26th regiment, were seen almost in a line with and not far removed from the head-quarters of the 37th just before the rain commenced, and no one for a moment feared for the safety of the detached company. In fact we had not proceeded many paces be- fore the men said that the ‘teem we company' was close on our rear.
It would be difficult to give a description of this retrograde move- ment. The rain had completely obliterated every trace of a footpath. There was nothing but one sea of water before us. The thunder and lightning were awful. The Chinese, I have no doubt, looked upon the storm as a judgment inflicted by their gods upon the bar- barians. About 4 P. M., the 37th arrived at the position they had started from. There the worthy general still stood; though drenched with rain, he would not move, till he saw us all safe back. And how gratified must every man present have been to see him so satisfied with what had been done. With his head uncovered, he shook hands with and thanked the native officers for their exertions. The 26th was seen approaching. The third company of the 37th was supposed to be coming up in the rear of that corps. On the arrival of the Jatter, however, what was the surprise of all to hear that they had seen nothing of the missing company. It was now about 5 o'clock p. M., and that portion of the force that had been employed all day was fatigued, and the rain had rendered their muskets unserviceable,
Capture of the Heights above Canton,
so that it would have been useless to have sent them in search of our missing men; an express was therefore dispatched for two com- panies of the Royal Marines armed with percussion muskets. The rear of the 26th, while retiring, had been much annoyed by the one- my. Taking advantage of the almost helpless state of our men--none of whose muskets would go off, and their bayonets becoming all but useless weapons when opposed to long spears, so that little resis- tance beyond self-protection could be offered—the enemy contrived to pull over some of our men, with an instrument resembling a shep- herd's crook attached to a long bambon, and afterwards rush on their unfortunate, victims with their swords.
Great anxiety was now entertained for the fate of the missing com- pany. The food of the sepoys had just been cooked, when the order arrived to fall in; and such was the anxiety of the men to close with the soors who had been the means of bringing them from their owir country (an expression the sepoys were often heard to make), that they preferred leaving everything untouched, saying they would have a better appetite on their return; consequently none of them had taken any food since the previous day at noon. They had been exposed too, for the whole day to very harassing duty, at one time under a broil ing sun, and at another under drenching rain. It was therefore very natural to suppose that by this time they were considerably fatigued.
In a small force like ours-at least small compared to the numbers opposed to us-the loss of even one company of sixty men' would be severely felt. But Providence had destined it otherwise. An oc‹ casional musket shot was heard by the marines in' search; and on advancing towards the spot whence it proceeded, a distinct 'hur- rah' was heard to follow each report. The marines also fired a few shot, and returned the 'hurrah,' and before the men' were aware of it (for at this time it was quite dark and continued to rain), came suddenly upon a large body of Chinese, who scampered off as soon as they saw our men approaching, and exposed to view the lost party, drawn up in form of a aquare. A feu de joie was fired by the marines in the direction of the flying cowardly enemy, after which the whole party turned homewards, the marines carrying such as were wounded. It was about 9 o'clock P. M., when the men reached the lines, where many hearty congratulations passed on all sides.
It now appeared that this company commenced retiring about the same time with the rest of the force composing the advance; and' that after they had proceeded a few hundred yards, their rear was
Capture of the Heights above Cantón.
assailed in the same níanner as the rear of the 26th; and that before assistance could reach them, one of the rear rank was pulled over and cut to pieces. Young Berkeley, with half a dozen men, rushed forward to try and save this poor fellow. But it was too late : though he struggled hard for his life; and even when surrounded by numbers; and deprived of his musket, made good use of his bayonet, till covered with wounds he could resist no longer. The musket was picked up by one of the enemy, who, fixing his eyes on the officer (for he had by this time returned to his place in the square, which at the moment had been suddenly formed,) and, stepping behind a bush, deliberate- ly rested the musket on a branch, and coolly turning over the wet powder in the pan, apparently not at all understanding the use of the flint and steel, applied his own slow match to the powder, which, on exploding, lodged the ball in Mr. Berkeley's right arm. At this time not a musket would go off, and little resistance could be offered with the bayonet against the enemy's long spears. The men, after remain. ing in this position for a short time, were enabled to advance to a more defensible one, where too they were soon surrounded by thou- sands of the enemy, who had they possessed the slightest determination could have at once annihilated them. The rain ceasing to fall for a time, enabled the men to discharge a few of their muskets. The enemy was not removed above 15 yards, and every shot told as a mat- ter of course. Many of the sepoys, after extracting the wet cartridge, very deliberately tore their pocket handkerchiefs or lining from their turbans (the only dry thing about them), and baling water with their hands into the barrel of their pieces, washed and dried them. They were then enabled to fire a few volleys in succession, and as each shot told with great effect in the crowd, the enemy was forced to retire; our small party were then enabled to proceed a considerable way homewards, followed however, though at a respectful distance, by the enemy. The rain again returning, encouraged the Chinese to advance; nothing therefore was left for our men, but a third time to form a square, in which position they made up their minds to remain till morning. But they had not been there more than two hours when the marines came up.
During the whole of the period this small party was so much ha- rassed, no body of men could possibly have been steadier, or behaved with greater coolness and bravery. The eagerness with which they obeyed the orders of their officers, their agility in warding off every blow, and resisting the sudden rushes on the square, their deter- mination in saving the lives of their comrades, who more than once
Capture of the Heights above Canton.
all but fell into the hands of the enemy, and their steady conduct throughout, reflect not only credit on themselves, but also on the army they belong to; and deserve to be recorded in the annals of British India, as a proof of what can be effected by discipline and bravery.' The loss this company sustained was one private killed, one officer and 14 men severely wounded. It was commanded by lieutenant Hadfield, an old and experienced officer.
The party had hardly quitted their position, when the enemy open- ed a fire upon them from a small gun, which they had mounted on a neighboring rising ground, but the shot fell short.
The next day, sir Hugh issued the following General Orders referring to this affair.
GENERAL ORDERS. No. 3.
Head Quarters, Fort Yungkung, 31st May, 1841. To the wing of the 26th (Cameronians), the company of Royal Marines, three companies of the 37th Madras N. Infantry, and detachment of Bengal Volun- teers, who were engaged yesterday in repelling the advance of a large body of the enemy, major-general sir Hugh Gough offers his best thanks for their steady and spirited conduct, which was as satisfactory to the major-general, as it was creditable to them.
By order. (Signed)
ARMINE S. H. MOUNTAIN, Lt.-colonel, D. A. G.
On the 31st, the enemy again appeared collecting in large num- bers, and the troops were again under arms. But from yesterday's expe- rience, we knew it would be labor lost to pursue them. The general, meantime, suspecting that this assemblage of troops was a preconcert- ed arrangement of the Chinese authorities in the city, intimated to the latter, that, unless all hostile show on their part was removed, he should immediately storm and take possession of the city. Such was now the alarm of the Kwangchow foo, and Yang, "the rebel- quelling general," that they advanced, with an escort, and held an interview with the officer commanding the Chinese troops outside, and they dispersed on the following day.
Five millions of dollars having been received, and security procur- ed for the remainder, the force left the heights above Canton, and returned to their ships, leaving this great city a second time 'a record of British magnanimity and forbearance.'
VOL. X. NO. VII.
Memorial to the Emperor.
ART. V. Memorial from Yihshan and his colleagues to the em- peror concerning the capture of the forts and heights above Canton. (From the Canton Press.)
THIS day, the 14th day of the 4th moon (3d June, 1841), we, the great rebel. quelling general Yihshan, and the lieutenant-generals Lungwan and Yangfang, respectfully take all the facts relating to the English foreigners making an attack on the provincial city with their ships, and that we exerted ourselves to the utmost, leading on our soldiers to defend the same, which happily has escaped without (much) damage;-and after considering the whole state of affairs, how that we have adopted certain temporary measures suited to the exigencies of the case, and having for their object our being able in future to (maintain the place): all these facts we now respectfully embody in the present memorial, looking up- wards, and hoping that it will obtain a sacred glance. Your slaves already, on the 6th day of the present moon (26th May, 1841), took all the details of what had occurred up to that date, and duly forwarded them as is recorded.
The city of Canton stands at the foot of a bill called Kwanyin shan, while its front extends to the banks of the great river. To the northwest, is the depart- ment of Shaouking foo, and to the north are the lesser districts of Nanheung chow, Leenchow, &c., &c., all of whose merchants and travelers come to the provin. cial city by several branches of the river, which passes by Fatee, and afterward mingle their waters with the great ocean.
From the time that the foreign ships forced their way into the provincial river, they stationed a great many vessels (at the most important points), and thus grasped the very throat and wind-pipe of our communication. The eastern branch by Lecteĭh (neighborhood of Howqua's Folly), and the western branch by Ta Hwang kaou (Macao passage), both communicate with Whampoa, and thence to the Bocca Tigris; there are many arms of the sea flowing in different directions; the creeks, inlets, and outlets are most multifarious; during the floods the whole country is under water, and there is no important pass where a garrison might be placed for defence. Moreover, the fields are cramped and narrow, it is not easy to find a place to pitch a camp,-the hills on the north command the city, so that one may look down and see everything going on within; and the foreigners were constantly in the habit of prying and spying, for sooth it was no easy matter to prevent them.
Having previously prepared our means of attack by fire at Neishing, fifteen le from the city, in which we used rafts of wood floated down from Kwangse, and quantities of paddy-straw brought from Kinshan and other places in the lesser district of Sanshwuy, we dispatched several special messengers in order to have them bound, and properly placed (to drift on the foreign ships). But these said foreigners, having found out for the second time that our fire-rafts were about ready, drew the sword and commenced the war from the 1st of the moon. The rebels sent their ship's boats secretly to sound and get information, but they were beaten back by the officers and soldiers of the garrison, who opened upon them a fire of great guns and matchlocks. So it was until the fifth day (Tuesday, 25th May), when thirty-eight sail of foreign ships rushed up in a body and at- tacked the city; and at the same time (another body of the rebels) proceeded in steamboats to Neishing, and opened their fire upon it: A number of native traitors dressed like sailors in the confusion got into our ships, which were filled with paddy-straw, and set fire to them right and left, and burned the greater part of the fuel in the rear of our troops. These native 'traitors then swam on shore, and proceeded by land to our rear, and thus Neishing, being attacked simulta- neously on three points could hold out no longer.
At this time the river being blocked up (by the enemy), there were no means of forwarding any communication; those who hurried onwards to work the guns had no way of getting there, and those who had previously gone to hasten the arrival (of other guns) had no way of getting them transported to the city. As regards
Memorial to the Emperor.
stores for the soldiers, though we had abundance of corn heaped up in our gran- aries, which we could have ground at any time, yet the food and rice of the com- mon people is all brought from the country round about; thus in making a stouf defence of the city, the merchant could never dispose of his wares; and what would be worse, the people could not without. difficulty procure their daily food. Add to this, that the roar of the cannon was unceasing, the people of the new city (south side), one following the example of the other, all moved into the old city (north side), and there they had a struggle. Such a state of things could not last long before the supply would become exhausted, and then the anger of the multitude would be quite irrepressible! We humbly think that the important post of the provincial city concerns the whole province; should it be lost by any remissness, then the thieves and vagabonds of every district would avail themselves of the opportunity, and rise in swarms like so many wasps! Moreover, an organized army (though disbanded) may be reassembled; in march- ing troops through the country, numerous opportunities present themselves for selecting important passes, and engaging the enemy at advantage, but there is no principle by which we may abandon the provincial city to its fate; if the city hold out, or if it be lost, the awful responsibility rests with us your slaves, and for the city to be lost and for us to perish along with it, does not appear to be the plan best suited to the welfare of the country! We your slaves nave again and again reflected on all the circumstances of the case, and are compelled to con- fess that we found ourselves at our wits' end!
Having previously examined the site of the city, and found that the forts on the north were small and cramped in their construction; and could not contain many soldiers, we could only select our best troops and station them on the northern quarter, placing some guns there that they might make a stout defense. Thus they waited until the foreigners, having landed from their ships at Neishing, were pushing straight forward to the north side of the city, when our men open. ed a thundering fire and killed more than ten of the foreign rebels, and upwards of a hundred of the native traitors! The said foreigners upon this retired to the heights above the town, and the forts remained in their possession; it being now dark, we drew off our troops within the city.
Thus matters went on till the 7th day of the moon (Thursday, 27th May), when the whole of the inhabitants of the city came rushing in crowds and presented petitions, begging and praying that we would take measures to save their lives, and at the same time the soldiers on duty at the embrasures reported that they had seen the foreigners beckoning with their hands towards the city as if they had something to communicate. We thereupon immediately ordered the brigadier Heung Suyshing to mount the city wall and look. He saw several barbarian eyes' pointing to heaven and earth, but could not make out what they said. He forth- with called a linguist to inquire what they wanted, when it appears they said, that "they begged the great general to come out, as they had some hardships to complain of to him." Upon this, the commanding officer (or tsungping) Twan Yungfuh said to them in an angry tone-"how can the great general of the celestial dynasty come out to see such as you? he has come here by command of the great emperor, and he knows nothing more about you than to fight with you!" Upon this the said barbarians took off their hats and made a bow; then they sent away the people who were about them, and casting their weapons on the ground, performed an obeisance towards the city wall. Twan Yungfuh, -having previously got permission from us your slaves to do so,-then asked them what grievances they had to complain of, which had caused them to resist the forces of the Central land, and conduct themselves so madly and rebelliously on many occasions. They in course replied, that "they the English, could not carry on their trade, that their goods were not being consumed, that their capital was wasting away, and that their debts were not being repaid them; and that as both parties were firing off their great guns on the side of the new city, they had no means of making a communication there, and therefore they had come to this side to beg the chief general that he would implore the great emperor in their behalf, that he would have mercy upon them, and cause their debts to be repaid them, and graciously permit them to carry on their commerce, when they would immediately withdraw their ships from the Rocca Tigris, and deliver up all the
Memorial to the Emperor.
forts they had taken, and never dare again to raise any disturbance:" and other words to that effect. And at the same time all the bong-merchants handed in a petition stating, that "the whole body of the foreign merchants had authorized them to say for them that they only wanted to carry on trade as before, and to have the debts cleared off which have been owing to them for many years, when they would immediately take all their ships of war, and withdraw them beyond the Bocca Tigris," &c., &c.
Your slaves, having taken an enlarged view of the question, and duly weighed and deliberated thereanent, came to the conclusion, that the defences of the Bocca Tigris being already lost, those within and those without had alike no place of strength to depend upon, and it would be better to grant their terms and thus save the city from its perilous situation, and reanimate the drooping spirits of its inhabitants, rather than continue a struggle which was jeopardizing the many millions of lives of the whole province, and which might not have a suc- cessful result after all. On summing up the pecuniary resources of the single province of Canton, we find that its custom-house duties and land-taxes do not yield less than three millions of taels annually, and if we could only get these foreign claims cleared off, in the course of a few years the province would reco ver itself: whereas if we sit idly waiting for a long time, perhaps some unlooked- for calamity may overtake us, when not only will it be impossible for the pro- vince to recover itself, but it will be involved in vast expense, thrown into utter confusion, and the common people of the land, who are the very essence of the land itself, should they meet the poisonous influence (of a foreign war?), the consequences might be very grave indeed. Therefore it was that after maturely deliberating together, we dispatched the Kwangchow foo, Yu Paoushun, to do the best he could, and in accordance with the request of the merchants to grant for the time being the favor of carrying on commercial relations to all countries on the same footing;-thus viewing the recovery of the people from their state of destitution as the object of primary importance.
Commerce is to these said foreigners the very artery of life. Let us wait quietly till the foreign ships of war have retired, and the native traitors are dis- persed, when, beginning with the river in front of the city, and continuing the work down to the Bocca Tigris itself, at every important pass we shall block up the course of the river with piles of stones, and there erect forts and place guns; and thus, having secured the door of entrance, we shall have ample means to op- pose their progress, and maintain our defences. And finally, having thus our gripe on their thrapple, should they ever dare again to give rein to their out- rageous conduct, we can in a moment stop their commerce;-this then is a mode of governing them which is always in our own hands.
These facts relating to the late attack on this city, and the temporary expe- dients which we have adopted in the exigencies of the case, we now respectfully unite with the other memorials which we have sent up successively, and humbly hope that a holy glance may be cast upon them, and the sacred will in course manifested.
Supplementary memorial to the preceding.
Further, your slaves Yihshan, Lungwan, and Yangfang, received your sacred majesty's special commands to lead a body of troops to Canton to attack and ex- terminate the English robels; and your slaves Ahtsingah (the Tartar general of the garrison), Ke Kung (the viceroy), Eleäng (the lieutenant-governor), and Yusuy (the too tung, or Tartar lieutenant-general), had alike with us a share of the responsibility of holding out the provincial city-there was not a day that we did not consider how we might massacre utterly this hateful brood, thereby manifesting the majesty of heaven (i. e. China), and gladdening the hearts of men. How then should we dare to act (apparently) in opposition to such sentiments, and bring forward plans for temporary expedients? Alas! this arose wholly from the necessity of our position; we could not possibly help it. And we cannot do otherwise than lay before the holy lord the feelings of bitterness that now swell
our bosoms.
There are eight serious difficulties in the way of defending the city of Canton from attack, which your slave Yangfang, on a previous occasion, laid before
Memorial to the Emperor.
your majesty in a secret memorial; and when we, your slaves Yihshan and Lungwan arrived afterwards in Kwaugtung, we found that on the right side and on the left, the throats of our communication were already in the hands of the enemy.
On going up the stream of time, we find that Canton has carried on commercial intercourse with all foreign countries for about 200 years. The natives of Canton most thoroughly know the dispositions of the foreigners and their likings; the peo- ple who dwell on the coast, such as the fishermen, and the boat people, those who constantly come and go with the tide through our military stations, are all in league with them, and understand their language; these are greedy after gain and fond of strife. Love of country (of the natale solum) hangs loosely about them; there- fore it is that the foreigners do not grudge expense to get them into their em ployment, and consequently their hearts are turned towards their masters, while they are dead to us; they obey their foreign masters in all things, they convey the most secret intelligence, and there is nothing in short that they may not he induced to do! Although we have already caught several, and immediately execut- ed them, yet the traces of the others being obliterated in a great commercial vortex like this, there is really no way of distinguishing them. A still worse feature iş that there are those who falsely make soldier's dresses, and imitate the badges, and enter our ranks as if they were going to battle. These perhaps run away at the first onset (to spread a panic among our men), or they attack and wound our officers and soldiers! Their villanies are quite innumerable; so much so that many of them are positive spies in our very camp! In this late affair we secretly caught several, and after decapitating them we exposed their heads to the people by way of warning.
On a previous occasion, your majesty's slave Eleäng during the second moon (i. e. after the fall of the Bogue), had proclamations cut out and printed in which he assured them that what was past and gone would be pardoned, and promised them wealth and honors if they would reform and exert themselves. Your slaves also again and a third time issued proclamations exhorting them to renovate themselves, and promising most handsome rewards, and yet those of them who returned to their allegiance were few indeed.
Again, our great guns by sea and land being already lost, and we having no others to replace them, our vessels of war being without sailors to man them, our land troops whenever they approached the bank of the river to repel the enemy, being met by the fire of the foreigners, which was fierce in the extreme, those defences which we depended upon, such as mounds of earth, sand-bags, cotton waste, and cowhides, though built up more than a chang (three yards) thick, being shot through, our soldiers had not a spot left them where they could set their foot. Now although the 17,000 and odd troops of the imperial army who have been ap pointed to defend this post, possess officers who have had long experience in the army, and though both they and the common men most nobly risked their lives, yet alas, the ground in the neighborhood of Canton is not fitted for giving battle; it is difficult there to pitch so much as a camp, and what between the heat and the moisture, if (troops) remain long there, they are sure to have a deal of sickness; putting out of view those we left in garrison at Fuhshan and Shih- mun, of the rest we could only use some seven or eight out of every ten. And upon this occasion, when the foreign ships advanced in a long unbroken line, and attacked the city, our officers and people, though they exerted themselves most valiantly, and quite regardless of their personal safety, struggled hard with them for several days and nights; yet, alas! the native traitors fanning and inflaming the minds of people on one hand, while on the other the foreign banditti having effected a landing on the southern side, and having in their possession all the roads and heights north of the city, whence they looked down upon us, the whole provincial city was before their eyes, and the danger was indeed most imminent !
We, your slaves, having been fed and reared by the bounty of your majesty, and having further received your majesty's commands to proceed hither for the defence of the frontier, what need is there for the slightest commiseration should our single lives be lost (in the discharge of our duty); but remembering that within
Memorial to the Emperor.
this city are several millions of lives,-what evil have they done that they should be exposed to this poisonous influence (i. e. the horrors of war)? Moreover a pro- vincial city is a most important position! In it are all the granaries, treasuries, and state-prisons (of the whole province), and these are of the utmost consequence to us! Should such an important position once be lost through remissness, difficult would it be to recover it; in the meantime, our native banditti would avail them. selves of the opportunity, and start up in every direction, and the entire province would be thrown into commotion; a contingency which one cannot bear to con- template.
To sum up the whole, it being impossible to all appearances that we could have held out the city much longer, and the consternation of the people increasing every day, the inhabitants came one on the heels of another, and with much weeping and wailing begged that we would take measures to save their lives. We, your slaves, thought over the subject a third and a fourth time, and we came to the conclusion, that, if we did not make some temporary arrangement, matters were likely to get ten times worse than they were, and so in like proportion should we find it difficult to exculpate ourselves from our increase of crime. If, however, before making these arrangements, we have not laid a statement before your majesty, and waited the imperial pleasure before presuming to act, we beg to assure your majesty that it was owing to the extreme urgency of the case which would not admit of any delay. We humbly confess that we have erred and blundered in every particular, so that had we a hundred mouths, we could not plead exemption from the consequences of our grievous crimes. We there. fore beg an imperial decree that we be handed over to the Board of Punishments to be most severely dealt with.
Second supplementary · memorial to the preceding.
And further, Canton has held commercial intercourse with all foreign coun- tries for about 200 years, and our hong-merchants, having had dealings with the foreign merchants for such a length of time, the debts which the former owe to the latter have in consequence become very large On various occasions the foreigners have petitioned that these might be repaid, and the different hoppos have always at the time deprived those hong-merchants who were most deeply in- debted, of their office, and cast them into prison, apportioning the claims to be paid back by the other hong-merchants in Instalments, as is duly recorded;—such has hitherto been the mode of procedure.
Now, however, the original hong-merchants Woo Pingkeën (old Howqua) and others have petitioned setting forth, that "formerly, when the English carried on trade, we (the hong-merchants) owed them accumulated sums; and although it had been fully understood and agreed upon that we were to pay them by in- stalments in a certain number of years, yet the English trade having been stop- ped since the year 1839 up to the present moment, we have never been able to clear off the debt. Now having received your excellency's commands to ex- amine how we may most speedily clear off these accounts. how dare we under such circumstances procrastinate in the slightest, or make vain excuses! Besides our own ways and means when strained to the very uttermost, we are still in arrear 2,800,000 taels; and as matters are very urgent, and the different tea and silk merchants have all gone away for a time, we have really no way of borrowing the money. We can only beg that your excellencies will be graciously pleased to lend us the said sum of 2.800,000 taels out of the monies in the public treasury, with which we shall clear off these foreign claims; and we, the hong-merchants, shall lay aside the consoo fund arising from our respective shares of foreign trade. and
pay the same back by instalments in the course of four years;” and words to that effect.
Your slaves deliberated upon the matter a third and a fourth time, and it ap peared to us, that, though this is merely a debt of the hong merchants, yet at the present moment, it is intimately bound up with the question at issue with the foreigners; and should we make the slightest mistake (in refusing the request), it might lead to the most fatal consequences; so we judged it best to acquiesce and lend the hong merchants the sum required, to be repaid by instalments within the time agreed upon, and we conceive that we have good security for the
Loss of the Cutter Louisa.
ultimate recovery of the same. Therefore, without making further excuses for our folly and rashness, we now beg to acquaint your majesty with the circum- stance, having previously paid over the said sum to the hong merchants. Those claims being now liquidated, surely the said foreigners can have no further ex- cuse to raise disturbances.
Besides having duly advised the Board of Revenue, your slaves now humbly band up this supplement for imperial inspection. A duly prepared memorial.
ART. VI.
Narrative of the loss of H. B. M.'s cutter Louisain a tyfoon, July 21st, 1841. By W. M.
JULY 20th. Went on board the Louisa, with the commodore and captain Elliot, for the purpose of proceeding to Hongkong to rejoin the Wellesley. The wind being light, and the ebb tide making strong, we were compelled to anchor about 2 o'clock P. M., to wait for the flood, which made about 5 ; and a good breeze then springing up, we stood along through the Lantao pas. sage, though rather too far to the southward, having been drifted down by the tide. The wind gradually freshened to about a double-reefed topsail breeze, and at 10 o'clock, finding we were going to leeward, we anchored close under the island of Laff-sam-ee; wind north.
July 21st. At about half past 12 o'clock at night weighed again, and endeavored to weather the island of Ichow, but could not; and the cutter being close to the shore, and having missed stays twice, we were compelled to go to leeward of it. Wind north, a little westerly: course to Hongkong, northeast. Attempted to work to windward, but could do nothing; cutter again missed stays, and in wearing, when the mainsail was jibed, the main- boom snapped in halves. We double reefed the sail, got a sheet aft, and tried her under that sail, with the mizzen, fore-staysail, and jib, but she was lag- ging away to leeward so fast, that, the wind too having increased consider ably, we were forced to anchor about half way between Ichow and Chichow, with a reef of rocks astern of us; as we anchored, the mizzen bumkin went before the sail could be taken in.
As day broke, the prospect was anything but cheering; it was blowing a gale from N. W. to N. N. W., and evidently increasing in violence every moment: a heavy sea was running, which the little cutter rode out beautifully, only now and then shipping a sea; every hatch was now bat- tened down, and the increasing sea frequently broke over us; our anchors and cables being good, we held on well: About 8 o'clock A. M., it was mani- fest that we must slip, but it was determined to hold on until we could do so no longer; about 9 o'clock a. M., the heavy pitching carried away the jib-boom; and, the gaff-topsail being still aloft, after much difficulty it was got down, and the head of the topmast twisted off, but the spar could not be
Loss of the Cutter Louisa.
got on deck; it was accordingly lashed, and we stood by to slip. About a quarter past 10 o'clock, the land was seen through the haze, close under our lee, and the cutter was driving down upon it: we immediately slipped, cut away the mizzen-mast, and put the vessel before it, shipping some very heavy seas in the attempt. The fore-staysail was hoisted, but instantly blown out of the bolt-rope; the peak of the mainsail was then ordered to be swayed up above the gunwale, in order that we might have her under coinmand ;-the men clapped on the throat-halyards, and the peak fell down and was jam- med in the larboard gangway abaft; we were by this time within 60 yards of the shore, upon which the surf was breaking terrifically. Mr. Owen, the second master, incautiously went before the gangway, and attempted to - lift the peak out clear, the men swaying on the halyards at the same time; it suddenly flew out, and jerked Mr. Owen into the sea, swung round, and was brought up by the fore rigging; the gaff went in two, and the sail, with part of the gaff, went forward, and was jammed before the rigging,—the foot of the sail towing overboard, thus leaving us an excellent little sail to scud under; it was instantly lashed and made secure. A tumbling sea, which broke over us, washed everything off the deck, that was not lashed, and amongst other things a hen-coop, which poor Owen got hold of, after having taken off his pea-jacket in the water. Another heavy sea broke on board, washed away the man at the tiller, and unshipped it; we were within 20 yards of the surf, and our situation truly awful. Owen's fate now seemed but the precursor of our's, and our moments, we thought, were numbered; but the hand of the Providence was stretched forth to save us. Lord Ame. lius Beauclerk caught hold of the tiller, and endeavored to ship it, but a heavy lurch sent him to leeward; I picked it up, and, with the assistance of the men, it was shipped, put hard a-port, and we passed clear of the end of the island, with the surf nearly breaking on board of us.
We could do nothing but run before the gale, keeping a good look-out ahead, and thus we passed about an hour of anxiety and uncertainty, lest there should be other land to leeward. Our doubts on this matter were soon over, for the cry of breakers right ahead' seemed again to warn us, that our lives were but of short duration; the land appeared towering many hundred feet above us, and the roar of the breakers, as they dashed against a precipi- tous wall of granite, was heard above the fearful violence of the tempest.
•Hard a-port!'-and- hard a-starboard !'-were shouted out in quick suc- cession by captain Elliot, who was standing forward, holding on by the fore rigging: as the little vessel obeyed her helm, a blast, which seemed a con- centration of all the winds, threw her nearly on her broadside, but she gallantly stood up again under it, and we passed within a few yards of a smooth granite precipice, on which the sea, first broke, and to have touched which would have shivered the cutter into a thousand fragments. We ran along this frightful coast, the wind nearly abeam, for not less than 300 yards, expecting every moment to be our last; but God, in his infinite mercy, was pleased to have us in his special keeping, and we rounded the end of this
Loss of the Cutter Louisa.
land, with the feelings of men who had been delivered from a frightful, and as we deemed, an inevitable, death, with not a chance (from the nature of the coast) of one of our lives being saved.
We now had evidently (from the long following seas) got out of the im- mediate vicinity of the islands, and the wind abated a little; the sail was scarcely sufficient to steady the vessel, and to keep her before the seas, which frequently broke over us. We passed through a space of about two and a half or three miles, which was covered with floating fraginents of wrecks of Chi- nese and foreign vessels, affording a inelancholy proof of what devastation of property and loss of life must have been caused, and that, our lives being spared, we had much to be thankful for.
It was now about 3 o'clock P. M., and the wind had gradually veered round to E. and S. E., and continued shifting between those points, so that our course was from W. to N. W., but nearer the former than the latter. We concluded that we had passed to the southward of the Ladrones, and, if so, that we must, by steering that course, be running directly for the shore about Montanha. The water now became very much discolored, so much so as to leave a sediment on the decks and on our clothes, as the sea broke over us: two hand leads were lashed together, and we got soundings in 7 fathoms. The gale was blowing with redoubled fury, and it was plain that, this time, as we were running on towards the main, (or rather, the western inlands,) there was only one chance of safety for us, and that was to get into one of the many creeks or channels för boats which are rather numerous about that part of the coast; and, failing this, to run her into shoaler water, let go the anchor, and put our trust in that all-seeing Providence, who had already twice preserved us. High land right ahead!" again put to flight all our specula. tions; and we were once more to find ourselves saved from imminent peril. The wind literally howled and screamed through the rigging, and our little sail began to show symptoms of being no longer able to withstand the fearful conflict. Again the land towered above us, and a surf broke close on our larboard beam, about 150 yards from the shore; we cleared this danger, and ran along the land. Suddenly, through the mist, a gap was seen in the out- line, and high land trending away beyond on both sides, which captain Elliot instantly declared to be a creek; our hopes were fixed on rounding the point, where we should be, comparatively speaking, in shelter; but the thing seemed impossible. The wind and waves, as if determined not to be again robbed of their prey, raged with inconceivable fury; and the surf, breaking to a height of 150 feet, gave us too sure intimation of what would be our fate should we but touch the iron-bound coast. We steered as high for clearing the point as possible; we gradually neared it; each surf broke closer,—we could only hold our course; we seemed bearing down upon the breakers ; it was an awful monient!-we were looking for and expecting the shock, beyond which all would be oblivion; a surf broke almost on board, and the cutter was hid in the spray-a terrific blast split our sail to shreds; 'hard a port!'—
VOL. X. NO. VII.
Loss of the Cutter Louisa.
amoment of breathless suspense,—and, thanks be to Almighty God, we pass- ed clear! We felt directly that we were partially sheltered, and stood by the anchor, for we were drifting right upon the shore; it was accordingly let go, and held, checking her way for a moment, and nearly taking her under water. A heavy sea broke over us, and I fancied we were lifted over a rock, for I was quite sensible of a shock, which a person who has once been aground cannot easily mistake; the cable flew out of the hawse, and the anchor again brought us on our beam-ends; the water was up to the combings of the hatchways, but she rose very slowly; we were within 30 yards of the rocks, and em- bayed; the cable had checked her considerably, and we slowly drifted toward the shore, captain Elliot conning her. The cable running out, she struck about 15 or 20 yards from the precipitous coast, the next sea lifted her so that she bilged, and filled instantly, with her starboard bow touching a detached rock, and receding with the sea. Several people jumped overboard, others got on the rocks on the starboard bow, and threw themselves down to prevent being washed off by the surf, which now swept the vessel, and threatened her with almost instant annihilation. Great danger was apprehended from the fall of the mast, which would have come upon those who were on the rock. One of the boys swam over, and a rope being thrown him, he made it fast to the shore, and it was passed round a portion of our rock of refuge, by which means all hands got safely on shore. Captain Elliot and two of the men were washed off the rock, but fortunately succeeded in reaching the land, though much exhausted.
There we stood,-out of all danger from the violence of the tempest,-and saw the gradual destruction of the gallant little vessel which had borne us along so well, through a storm hardly to be surpassed in violence, and through perils which men doubtless sometimes witness but seldom live to recount; and I do not believe there was a man amongst our number, 23 in all, who (thoughtless though sailors be) did not offer up a fervent prayer of thanksgiving to God, who had so signally vouchsafed to stretch forth his hand and save us.
Two or three of the men now went up the hill to look at the surrounding country, but nothing was seen of any human habitation; they returned and reported accordingly. About half past five, the tide had fallen so that we went down to the wreck to endeavor to save a small quantity of provisions, and to get some blankets and cloth clothing to shelter ourselves against the inclemency of the weather. We succeeded in procuring both, but not in such quantities as we could have wished; and, as the vessel was going to pieces, it was not safe to make a very long stay on board. We got, besides a sail, or part of one, a tarpaulin, and 8 bottles of gin, a small portion of which was instantly served out to all hands, upon which with a small piece of raw beef or pork, we made our first meal after nearly 24 hours' fasting.
As many as could get them, put on cloth under thin trowsers, and those who had flannel waistcoats were fortunate. We then began to make
Loss of the Cutter Louisa.
arrangements for passing the night. Having found a fissure in the side of a precipice, open at the top with a small space outside, we placed stones so as to cover a small mountain stream, that ran through the centre of our com- fortless abode, and strapped the tarpaulin up across the entrance, where it was exposed to the unabated fury of the typhoon. Having taken off our clothes and wrung thein and put them on again, the commodore, captain Elliot, lord A. Beauclerk, myself, the commodore and capt. Elliot's servants, and a little Portuguese boy, sat down in a circle, with our backs to the sides of the cavern and the tarpaulin, and had a large blanket thrown over all. As there was no room for more inside, a wet sail was spread outside over the rocks. Mr. Fowler and Lena (2d mate), and the men rolled themselves up in blan- kets, and laid down exposed to the wind and rain. The latter descended in tor- rents all night, pouring down upon us in little cascades from all parts of the rock above, making a channel amongst the people on the sail; in fact it was very like lying down to sleep in a running stream. Of course few were for- tunate enough to close their eyes in slumber, and the gradual breaking up of the little cutter continually called forth an exclamation from some of us, as crash after crash was heard above the noise of the wind and breakers. We who were within the cleft, remained in a sitting posture all night, for there was no room to recline.
At length morning of the 22d dawned, and we saw all that held together of the Louisa; her taffrail jammed between two rocks, and a few of the deck planks adhering, but all the rest was scattered along the coast in fragments. We stripped, wrung our clothes, and put them on again, and having served out a small quantity of spirits, several exploring parties went out to endeavor to find some Chinese.
We were not very far from a sandy bay, on which were cast up many articles of wreck; along this bay a party was sent, whilst others went up the hills; some descended to our own wreck, and a few remained in or near the cavern. We had not been down long before we discovered under planks and timbers the bodies of three Chinese frightfully lacerated by the rocks; their vessel must have been driven on shore during the night. Sud- denly I heard myself hailed, and looking up saw two Chinese, each of them appropriating a blanket. All hands were instantly recalled, and we began to talk to them; one of them had a most benevolent countenance, and to him was the conversation principally addressed. This man gave captain Elliot a paper which was folded and quite saturated with water, but after some time we got two of the folds clear, and were delighted to see capt. Elliot's signa. turé, and some of the cutter's men said they recognized our friend as one of the boat people at Macao. He was instantly offered 1000 dollars if he would give us a fishing boat to take us thither; this he undertook to do very readily, and beckoned us to follow him, which we did, having first shouldered the beef and pork and gin, and put as many clothes on as we could get. On the top of the hill, we were joined by the party which went round the sandy bay; they said they had found the bodies of eleven Chinese, and the wreck of
Loss of the Cutter Louisa.
a large junk, and one of them had picked up the box containing the com- modore's decorations, which we distributed amongst ourselves and put in our pockets. We were very badly off for shoes; I had only one, and the conse- quence was my feet were much cut; we walked along over two hills in single file, and as we topped the third, saw an extensive valley with a long sandy beach on which the sea was breaking heavily. A creek ran up on the left side by a considerable village or hamlet, and the place seemed full of people. Scarcely had we appeared over the hill when we were seen by the Chinese; the women and children ran away screaming Fanqui! Fanqui! and the men, armed with bill-hooks rushed up the path in hundreds, railing at and menae- ing us. However, our benevolent guide explained matters to them, and about 60 passed us to go and plunder the wreck. At length one of them stop- ped captain Elliot, and commenced rifling his pockets; I was walking behind captain Elliot, and the same fellow thrust his hand into my pockets, in which was the star of the Hanoverian Guelphic order: I squeezed my arm to my side to prevent his taking it, when he shook his bill-book in my face, and another fellow jumped upon a large stope, and flourished his weapon over my head; still I held on, when the first man struck me a severe blow on the arm with the back of the bill-hook. Captain Elliot looked round just then, and said it was no use resisting, and that I had better give up every- thing to them, they being twenty to one, and we wholly unarmed, and in their power. I accordingly resisted no longer, and repeated captain Elliot's advice to those behind me. Having taken the contents of our pockets, and eased the bearers of the beef, pork, and gin of their loads, they returned and stripped us of clothing, just allowing a regard for common decency, after which they molested us no further. The only two amongst us who were struck were the cominodore (who was knocked down) and myself.
On our arrival before a little shed, one of the outermost houses of the vil- lage, our friend commenced preparing it for our reception, a proceeding we did not by any means admire. as we had understood that a boat would at once take us to Macao; but he said the wind was too high, which in truth it was, and we were therefore compelled to enter and wait the result. Our man, who was named Mingfong, made a fire, and give us a breakfast of rice and salt fish, which we were too happy to get; having satisfied our appetites, we en- deavored to dry our clothes and make ourselves as comfortable as men in our situation could do. We presently ascertained with great satisfaction that there were no officers in the place, so that if we could manage properly there was every probability of our escaping a trip to Peking. Captain Elliot in- creased the sum originally offered to 2000 dollars, if they would take us to Macao as soon as the wind moderated, and after some difficulty it was agreed to.
We had the satisfaction of seeing the people passing and repassing with different articles of our property in their possession, many of which they brought to us to inquire the uses of. The bodies of the three Chinese had been discovered almost on the spot where the Louisa was wrecked; and as they
Loss of the Cutter Louisa.
bore some frightful marks caused by dashing against the rocks, it was sup posed we had murdered them. This was a very awkward affair; but we could only deny it strenuously, with every expression of horror that such a crime should be imputed to us, who had so providentially been saved from the same fate as these poor men. However, they would not be persuaded to the con- trary, or they did not understand our explanation, until Lena, by gestures, showed them that in all probability the junk people had lashed themselves to spars, and in endeavoring to reach the land on them, had been dashed against the rocks, which accounted for their lacerated appearance, and the ropes found round their bodies. They went away apparently satisfied, but occa- sionally two or three would return and revive the matter, making demon- stration of sharpening knives and cutting throats. When they found the cutter's arms, they were also very angry, and stormed and railed against us most violently.
All the women and children in the place crowded round to look at us (particularly when eating), and many were the inquiries made as to the sex of old Joe, the commodore's black Gentoo servant, who wearing ear-rings and having his hair turned back and twisted in a knot behind, did bear some slight resemblance to a female; but on closer inspection, his thick beard, whiskers, and mustaches might have satisfied the most sceptical amongst them; they had however taken away his ear-rings, and one savage attempted to cut off his ear.
We had another mess of rice towards evening, and that night slept around the fire, though not very soundly, for we were apprehensive the Chinese had some design upon us, but I believe no harm was intended; people were walking about all night which kept us on the que vive. The wind having moderated very considerably, capt. Elliot proposed to them to go that night; but they were afraid of the ladrones, and though tempted by an additional 1000 dollars they refused; their wives appeared to object to the proceeding, or I think they would have been induced to go. During the night, capt. Elliot made a final arrangement, by which we were to start at daylight on the morning of the 23d, in two boats; in each boat there were to be but two people, the remainder to be sent for on our arrival at Macao, for which ser- vice they were to receive 3000 dollars, and 100 for each of the boats.
At daylight on the 23d we were prepared to start, but the Chinese tanta. lized us by making thole-pins, mending sails, &c.; at last we had the satis- faction of seeing two boats come down the creek, and anchor abreast of our dwelling. The people to whom the boats belonged now refused to let them go unless 150 dollars were given for each, and this after some demur was agreed to, as every moment's delay increased the probability of our falling into the hands of the officers; but no sooner had the blackguards been promis- ed the 150 dollars than they increased their demand to 200, Here our friend Mingfong took our part and abused his countrymen for their rapacity, and de- clared we should not be so imposed upon, he would sooner take but one boat. All was at length settled. We had chowchow (amongst which they gave us
Loss of the Cutter Louisa.
part of our own pork), and having bid good bye to those who were to remain behind, at about 8 A. M. the commodore and captain Elliot got into one boat, and myself and captain Elliot's servant (who was sick) went in the other; they made us lay on our backs at the bottom of the boat and covered us with We got through the surf and out to sea without any mishap, as the weather was fine; further than that I knew nothing until about 2 p. m., when they uncovered us and gave us some rice. We had just finished our light re- past, when the man sitting above hit me a pretty hard blow on the head, and made signs for me to lie down again; this I did, and was covered with the mat; a few minutes after I heard a rush as if some large boat were passing us, which was the case. They said nothing to us, but the other boat was hailed, and asked what was the news, and whether many vessels had been wrecked on their part of the coast; to which suitable replies were given, and we passed on this was a mandarin boat! They little thought what a prize was within their grasp the two plenipotentiaries. Doubtless we were through- out these three days of adventure and peril, in the special keeping of Pro- vidence. In about two hours, I again ventured to look up, and to my great joy discovered two ships anchored at a considerable distance. I could not recognize the land, and was quite mystified as to our situation; at last, I determined that it must be the Typa, and I was right: we passed to the left of Monkey island, and Macao opened to our view; glad indeed were we, and thankful for our deliverance. We saw a vessel not far behind working up for Macao, which capt. Elliot made out to be a lorcha, and we could no longer remain under cover, but throwing off the mats, stood upon the thwarts and waved our hats to attract their attention, at the same time telling the Chi- nese to give way, which they did most lustily. My boat was a faster one than the other, and consequently got alongside first, when I met with an unexpected reception: all the Portuguese and lascars were drawn up with swords, muskets, and pistols, so that I had nearly been shot at the moment of deliverance. However, captain Elliot's servant explained who were in the other boat, and we went alongside instantly; they had mistaken us for la- drones, hence the muskets, swords, and pistols. The commodore and captain Elliot were on board within a few minutes after us, and we were regaled with soft tack and pine-apple by the people on board, who seemed overjoyed at seeing us.
We soon came to in the Inner Harbor, and were all landed safely at the Bar fort; the commodore was in a blue worsted sailor's frock, a light pair of trowsers of four days wear, shoes and a low crowned hat; captain Elliot, in a Manila hat, a jacket, no shirt, a pair of striped trowsers and shoes; I had shirt and trowsers, no hat, and a pair of red slippers, borrowed of a Parsee on board the lorcha. The commandant of the fort was most amiable, and particularly anxious to turn out the guard for the commodore, who certainly did not look in a fit mood to appreciate such a mark of respect, his appear. ance bearing a close resemblance to a highly respectable quarter-master, who had been dissipating consequently, the turning out of the guard was strongly
Outrages on Americans in Canton.
deprecated, and the idea abandoned by the gallant Portuguese. Steps were instantly taken to procure the liberation of those still left in the hands of the Chinese. A boat was dispatched to the island, accompanied by Mr. Thom, and all the crew brought to Macao on the 25th inst.
I hardly need add, that on our arrival at our quarters, we instantly cleaned ourselves, and fully enjoyed the comforts of a good meal and an uninterrupted night's rest, after what had been our lot to undergo, and which with God's help, we had
so fortunately escaped-peril by water, peril by land, and
peril of a captivity in the hands of the Chinese.
ART. VII.
Notices of outrages committed, May 22d, on the crew of a boat belonging to the ship Morrison, and on others who were resident in Canton.
WANT of space in our last number compelled us to postpone these notices. On the morning of the 22d of May, a boat's crew from the ship Morrison, captain Benson, consigned to Messrs. Olyphant & Co., was fired on, and the officer and three passengers with all the crew, excepting one who was lost, were taken prisoners. Mr. Coolidge, of the house of Augustine Heard & Co., was soon after seized near his own factory by the Chinese, and carried a prisoner into the city. Tơ understand correctly the bearings of these outrages, we must keep in mind the circumstances under which they were committed.
The high officers from the court of Peking, Yihshan and his col- leagues, becoming aware of captain Elliot's design to withdraw the resident merchants from the provincial city, had endeavored to prevent this by declaring in the most unequivocal and solemn manner that all were, and would be, safe in their factories. Warned, however, by the constantly decreasing number of boats on the river, and by the daily departure of people from their homes and shops, foreigners' made their best efforts to complete their business, and retire from the city. Captain Elliot's circular (see page 294) came out on the morning of the 21st, recommending a departure before sunset. This same day the hong-merchants came to the foreigners with a message, received the preceding evening from the lieut.-governor, declaring, 'that the Chinese did not intend to disturb the peace; that business should proceed as usual; that all the foreigners had better remain; and that the authorities would not commence hostilities;' &c. Copies of
Outrage on Americans in Canton.
the prefect's edict, confirmatory of all this, and bearing date 20th May, were sent to several merchants, English and American. Yihshan and his colleagues, also by proclamation, declared that no hostile purposes were entertained towards the foreigners in Canton. In the teeth of these declarations, the Chinese hastened on their secret preparations, and during the afternoon of the 21st, soldiers and arms were brought into the warehouses of the hong merchants, not far from the factories where foreigners were weighing teas!
Referring to the edicts of the prefect and high commissioner, and to the state of affairs at Canton on the 21st, Mr. Morss (partner in the house of Olyphant & Co.) thus wrote to a friend in Macao.
The general inference was, that the Chinese authorities, expecting an attack by the English for which they were unprepared, issued these edicts to foreigners with a design to throw upon capt. Elliot all the responsibility of a renewal of hostilities. From advices received on the morning of the 21st of the progress of the force up the river, it was evident it would not reach this before the 23d or 24th. I considered it prudent, however, after captain Elliot's circular had appeared, recommending foreigners to retire from Can- ton before sunset, to be prepared to leave for Whampoa on the 22d, and arranged with captain Benson to return with two of his boats on Friday eve- King, Mr. Coolidge engaging to keep me company. With every assurance of protection from the Chinese authorities and of their peaceful intentions, we conceived ourselves perfectly secure in passing the night in our factories; although all the other foreigners had removed. At nine in the evening, the boats arrived from Whampoa. The linguist had that moment left me, and reported all quiet. Having made preparations for an early move in the morning, I continued writing until 10 o'clock, when the alarm of fire was heard, and the report of cannon. From the terrace we saw the burning junks moving towards the vessels at Shameen; but the shot were flying so near, that we were soon obliged to descend. At an early hour on Saturday morn- ing, the comprador urged that we should leave before the Chinese soldiers assembled in front of the factories. Accordingly at 6 o'clock, one of the boats with the second officer of the Morrison, and Messrs. Millar, Taylor, and Gutierres, started for Whampoa. To guard against accident, in case of ex- amination, the boat was provided with a chop, in Chinese, stating to what ship she belonged. Mr. Coolidge then parted with me, to go to his factory, saying he would soon return; having waited for him nearly two hours, a noise in front of the house attracted my attention, when I found, to my surprise, that the factories east of Hog-fane, were in possession of the mob, who were busily removing all their contents. At this moment Mr. Coolidge's servants came to tell me that he had been carried into the city. After looking upon this scene of plunder for a little time, and fearing it had already gone too far to be checked by the authorities, and that all the factories would share the same fate, 1 procured, but with some difficulty, the assistance of a police-man with his attendants, and under their protection (after the payment of sixty dollars), our second boat was carried from the hong to the river, the rabble being too intent upon plunder to give us more than a passing look. Once afloat, with a strong flood tide, we soon reached the Nemesis."
We now revert to the case of Mr. Coolidge, who had intended to go our board the schooner Paradox in the afternoon of the 21st; but
Outrages on Americans in Canton.
finding that many others were going in her, and that Mr. Morss would wait for the Morrison's boats, he concluded to remain, and go down to Whampoa with him on the morning of the 22d. From a letter detailing the particulars of his seizure, and of the imprison- ment of himself and others, Mr. Coolidge has allowed us to make the following extracts.
"At this time [6 o'clock A. M.] all was quiet in the neighborhood of the factories. I went back, therefore, to my own house to see what was doing there, but found the doors closed, and the compradore and coolies gone. Returning to Mr. Morss, I was met at the head of Hog-lane by a body of soldiers, who rushed upon me with drawn swords, and would have cut me down, but for some of the factory coolies, who happened to be near and cried out that I was an American. At this moment, an officer with a red button came up, followed by about fifty men with spears and matchlocks, and took me pri- soner. I was led away to the city in despite of remonstrances. The streets were full of soldiers, and coolies carrying cannon to the square in front of the factories. After a long march, we found ourselves in an open space quite near to the city wall, on the east. Here were Yihshan's head-quarters, and everything indicated the presence of a high functionary. There was a great crowd and movement, officers in any number, and of all degrees; with coolies, grooms, executioners, and guards; soldiers in uncouth dresses, evi- dently not of this province, and full of the worst spirit towards foreigners. In the streets I had been struck with a general air of unconcern, which I could hardly comprehend, considering how near the British forces were; but, here, it was the reverse; all was hurry and bustle, and messengers on horseback constantly went and came.
"We were approaching the place where Yihshan was, when an officer stopped us; and after a delay of many hours, during which I was exposed to the curiosity and savage abuse of the crowd, I was placed in a chair, and sent to the anchǎsze, or criminal judge. There, to my grief and surprise, 1 found upon their knees, in chains, bloody, and almost without covering, my clerk Mr. Gutierres, with the officer and part of the boat's crew of the Morrison. The poor fellows had been fired on immediately after leaving the shore; some had been lost or killed, and the rest wounded; the boat plunder- ed, and the men put in irons and brought into the city. They were tell- ing me these things, when the judge fiercely bade them to be silent, and ordered me to sit down at his feet. He then interrogated me, asking how many of these men were English, and bidding me tell the truth that he might out off their heads! I answered, that they belonged to an American ship, which had been but two days at Whampoa. He said that all the English- men they took pretended to be Americans; and that we ought to speak a different language, and wear a different dress that he might know us apart! At this time, the sailors, exhausted from their wounds and exposure to the sun, fell down, not being able to remain upright, on the stone floor, any long- er; and this man, one of the highest officers of the province, ordcred his coolies to make them get on their knees again! They did so, with tears and groans, beseeching him for a little water, which was given to them on iny saying they were innocent men.
"After much cruel and contemptuous treatment, we were taken to the common prison, where Mr. Gutierres and myself were lodged with the jailor, and the officer and seamen put into a cell; here, charged with no offense, in addition to the irons they already wore, they were chained two and two by the neck. In an adjoining cell was a man from Icängshan who had com-
VOL. X. NO. VIL
Outrages on Americans in Canton.
mitted four murders, and he was less heavily ironed than they. Opposite were the Malays who belonged to the Scaleby Castle, pinioned so closely as scarcely to be able to move hand or foot.
"At 5 P. M. the doors were opened, and Mr. Millar was brought in. He was lying on a board, apparently insensible. His wounds had been so clum- sily bandaged that he had fainted more than once from loss of blood; and in this way he had been brought through the streets. Next came Mr. Tay- lor; and shortly after a seamen, who had a deep cut in his head, and a wound in the side: from him we learned that nothing had been seen of the boy Sherry, after the boat was taken: he must have been killed or driven overboard and lost.
"We had remained for thirty hours without a word from any quarter, when two of the junior hong-merchants came, with some of the linguists, and proposed to me to go somewhere, and explain a chop which Mr. Delano, the vice-consul, had sent in. This I declined to do; and they left us, but re- turned shortly after to say that I might leave the prison, but made no refer- ence to the men, nor gave any apology for the ill treatment we had all re- ceived Of course, I refused to go under these circumstances. The next day, the Kwangchow foo came, and Howqua, and strongly urged me to go, saying, "it was all a mistake," &c. Their pressing the matter so earnestly made us suppose that the American men-of-war had arrived, and that they were anxious to get rid of us for fear of trouble with the commodore: on this account 1 was disposed to stay; but Mr. Millar was anxious to get away, and the men too, naturally enough; and I therefore agreed to go, Howqua promising for the Kwangchow foo that we should be honorably taken home, and that full compensation should be made to me for loss of property by the pillage of the factories. Accordingly we were put into chairs at the prison door, but the blinds of the sedans were taken away that we might be seen with insulted as we were carried through the streets. We had not gone far, when we met Yihshan, surrounded by officers on horseback and in chairs, and a tumultuous throng of soldiers and attendants; these no sooner saw us than they thrust our chairs aside, knocked off the tops with their swords, and howled and hooted at us as they passed. When they had gone, we were taken to the factories, and there left, among the ruins, without protection or shelter. I then went to Howqua and remonstrated; and he gave orders that we should be taken to the consoo house, and promised also that a chop for Whampoa should be procured from the Kwangchow foo; but at the con- soo house, we were told the city gates were shut, and that no chop could be obtained. We were left therefore to speculate on the chances of the night. At last, word came that the English had landed in front of the fac- tories; and our great anxiety now was to let them know of our situation; but no one would venture out—the coolies from fear of the English, and the sailors of the Chinese. After a time, some une volunteered, and had gone as far as the outer gate, when there was a cry that soldiers were coming; they proved to be the Cameronians, who, quickly forcing in the doors with their muskets, entered, with major Pratt at their head; capt. Elliot and Mr. Mor- rison were with him; and I cannot tell you with what feelings of good-will we looked on every one of those red coats.
"The soldiers made a litter for Mr. Millar and carried him to the facto- ries, where his wounds were properly dressed for the first time since they had been received, now 60 hours! The sailors too were taken care of; and we were all soon sent off in the boats of H. B. M.'s fleet, the seamen and Messrs. Taylor and Gutierres to the Modeste, and Mr. Millar and myself to Mr. Dent's schooner, the Aurora, where we were most kindly received.
Perhaps it may be supposed that, after all, the wounds received were
Outrages on Americans in Canton
slight, and that I have exaggerated the sufferings of Mr. Millar and the others. It is not so.
Two of the seamen had bullets in them, and a third had a deep gash in the head; Mr. Millar was most severely wounded; and Mr Gutierres has been ever since confined to his bed from the effect of in- juries received that day. I cannot better close this statement than in the words of H. B. M. plenipotentiary, who in his proclamation of 17th June, to the people of Canton, says: It is well known that on the morning of 22d ultimo a disgraceful rabble, headed by the troops, burst into the factories, searching for merchants and innocent people, living there under the solemn protection of the government. And Elliot is well aware that the Chinese officers took a conspicuous part in this scene of outrage and plunder. Then let the treatment of some unfortunate Americans, seized by the officers on that occasion, be considered. Already severely wounded, they were heavily chained and mercilessly beat by the soldiers with their arms. These wretch- ed people were then taken before the provincial judge, and this unworthy dignitary, forgetting all the principles of humanity and justice, treated them as if they had been felons, instead of being victims of the injustice of the high commissioners. Some of them were killed; and is it to be believed that a great nation will suffer this perfidy and outrage without vindica- tion?" "
To the foregoing extracts, little heed be added. The reasons which have been adduced by Mr. Morss for remaining in Canton, during the night of the 21st, are ample enough. Fuller assurances, and from higher authorities, could not be had. Personal security was promised, with complete indemnity in case of any loss.
The excuse, that it was all a mistake, is as unworthy as it is false. The firing on the boat was not a mistake. It was wanton barbarity. The soldiers knew the boat belonged to an American ship, for they were assured of this by a shopman who was with them. Knowing the men to be Americans, and that they must be recognized as such when brought before the authorities, what did these base men do? They gravely proposed to decapitate their prisoners, and go with their heads (which could tell no tales) and claim the rewards, offered by the high officers for the heads of Englishmen! It was these same soldier's, who, on a subsequent day, denounced certain natives as trai- tors, and then took their heads in order to claim a reward. And, if the truth should ever be disclosed in this world, it may yet appear that the head of the poor sailor-boy was taken for this same wicked purpose. Young Sherry was the son of the harbor-master of New York. When the Morrison was on the eve of sailing, his mother came to the wharf, and begged the captain and the mate of the ship to be kind to him, and careful of his welfare. One of the sailors saw him struck and taken hold of, as they ran the boat in, near the shore, alongside of larger craft lying there.
From that moment, nothing more do we hear of the boy Sherry. The story of his loss will be a melancholy one to his afflicted parents,
Journal of Occurrences.
Had a Chinese lost his life under similar circumstances, and by foreign hands, what would have been the conduct of the provincial government? Life for life would have been the demand; and fail- ing to apprehend the guilty, the innocent would have been made to suffer. In the present instance, the high officers promised security, and reparation should any loss be sustained.
loss be sustained. What reparation have they made? What can they make? Can they indemnify Mr. Mil- lar, Mr. Gutierres, and the wounded seamen, for the injury they re- ceived? It would be cruel mockery to talk of reparation to the bereaved parents of the unfortunate Sherry. But will a great nation pass these things by unnoticed, and allow the guilty to go unpunish- ed? Shall no investigation be made? Shall no remonstrance be lodged against the faith-breaking and treacherous officers of the celes- tial court? We have been told that when these innocent men were lying with chains about their necks in prison, the address of the vice-consul, sent up from Whampoa demanding their release, was not only sent back to him, but was returned unopened! Conduct such as this needs no comment. If it may go unrebuked, then farewell to all national honor, to all personal safety. We hear that Mr. Morss intends, on the arrival here of commodore Kearney, to submit to hijn the case of these outrages. We do not indeed know what instruc tions the commodore may bear; but surely if such wrongs are to be passed by unnoticed, it will only induce contempt and lead on to the repetition of these outrages. Whenever he arrives, he will, we trust, do his duty, and honorably maintain the dignity and rights of his country.
ART. VIII. Journal of Occurrences; meteorological observations; nautical surveys: capture of forts above Canton; Yihshan's me· morials; tyfoons and losses thereby; reopening of British trade; transportation of the ex-governors Lin and Tăng; im- perial commissioners; indemnity from the Chinese; British ex pedition; prospects of the war; sickness and deaths; Mrs. No- ble's departure for England.
For the meteorological observations, nautical surveys, account of the capture of the heights above the city of Canton, narrative of the loss of the cutter Louisa, &c., we present our best thanks to those gentlemen who have enriched our present number with their very
Journal of Occurrences.
valuable and interesting papers. Always such communications for the pages of the Repository will be acceptable.
In the meteorological tables, the careful reader may detect a few errors, most of which, however, are of such a nature that they can be easily corrected.
In the nautical surveys, whenever practicable, the introduction of Chinese characters, for the names of places, will tend to remove any embarrassment resulting from the use of different European systems of orthography. The Chinese names, in their own character, should always be inserted, if it be possible to obtain them. It would be well, if each surveyor on the coast could be accompanied by a native
assistant.
The narrative of the capture of the forts above Canton, we hoped to have been able to illustrate by subjoining to it a plan of the city and of the heights, &c. This we shall endeavor to give in a subse- quent number. The only Tartar troops in Canton are those in the city, under the command of the commandant. All those who have been called to Canton from the other provices are Chinese, not Tar- The numbers appointed by the emperor, given us by a native friend, are thus: 10,000 from Szechuen; 5,000 from Kweichow; 5,000 from Hoopih; 5,000 from Hoonan, 5,000 from Kwangse; 10,000 from Keängse; -on the rolls presenting a grand total of fifty thou- sand fighting men. Probably the actual number did not exceed 35,000; and of these we doubt if more than 20,000 were in or near the city. Putting it at 20,000, and adding an equal number for the pro- vincial troops, will give Yihshan and his compatriots 40,000 soldiers for the defense of the provincial city, against less than 3000 British troops and a few small ships of war. The troops seen on the hills, on the 30th, were villagers, who had banded themselves as e ping, or 'soldiers of righteousness,' headed by leaders chosen by themselves, each village having its own standard and chief, numbering in all per- haps twenty-five thousand. It was well for these fellows that they dispersed themselves when they did; for dreadful indeed would have been the havoc, within and without the city, had they spurned the orders of the prefect and magistrate who bade them (or rather coaxed them to) retire.
Yihshan's memorial, with all its errors, contains some unwelcome truths for the imperial ear. It is said that many innocent men- soldiers and others, natives of Canton-were denounced as traitors by the troops from the other provinces: hence the civil war in their own camp within the walls of the city. Yihshan has given a false coloring to this part of his report; and at it the people of Canton are highly indignant. A second report, and of a later date, is in circula- tion. It is full of falsehood and deceit, but givves some important information touching the course of policy to be pursued towards fo- reigners. There can be no doubt that the provincial government and imperial commissioners will proceed to active measures of defense as soon as it may be done with impunity.
Tyfoons, and losses occasioned by them, on the 21st and 26th
29.25 N.
29.15 N.
rainy, squally.
29.03 N. E.
strong wind.