LOOT OF THE IMPERIAL SUMMER PALACE AT PEKTN. 683 



soldiers of the expedition, or to lightening the taxes and appropria- 

 tions; we should have imitated, in fact, that which the Prussians in 

 France, and before them. Napoleon, had carried out in Italy. 



Had we proceeded in this systematic way, no one could have made 

 any objections, excepting philosophers, dreamers, and people who insist 

 upon comparing war to an assassination and its booty to the fruit of 

 robbery. 



But this was not done, nor was it possible. I admit that my heart 

 bled on seeing, for instance, the space which separated the palace from 

 our camp covered with silks and precious fabrics trampled in the nmd — 

 goods w^orth twenty millions; on seeing a soldier light his pipe or heat 

 his pot with a vellum of beautiful and unique manuscript; on seeing, 

 at our departure, magnificent timepieces, masterpieces of the watch- 

 maker's art, engraved ivories, thrown into the trodden paths over 

 which rolled the wheels of wagons and of caissons; on seeing the 

 lightl}^ built and magnificent edifices destroyed by ruthless fiamcs. 



Speaking of carriages, here is a curious fact: On arriving at Hai- 

 tien the French arm}- had but a single wagon, belonging to the gen- 

 eral, carr3-ing his tent, dinner service, and cooking utensils; when the 

 army left they had unearthed such a number of well-loaded army 

 wagons that it took them an hour to pass by. The baggage wagons 

 of the English stretched out in an exceedingly long line, and the fan- 

 tastic procession covered at least two leagues of country. 



Behind us followed the Chinese, still insatiate, carrying away the 

 poor remains of our plunder. The unlucky fellows could not carry 

 them into Paradise, as the saying is. After the expedition was over 

 the Tartar soldiers of the Emperor returned to Haitien; and houses 

 and fireplaces were closely searched, all of value was carried back to 

 the palace, and those who stole the precious objects perished by the 

 sword. 



1 perceive that I have not made the most of one circumstance exten- 

 uating our excesses— the exasperation of our soldiers at the massacre 

 of many of their comrades who had been surprised and taken prisoners 



at Tangtcheou. . . • 



At Yuenmingyuen, behind the throne room, was found the uniform 

 of Colonel Foulon de Grandchamp, his notebook, the saddle and 

 bridle of M. Ader, superintendent of hospitals, many articles which had 

 belonged to the English officers, and 15 complete uniforms of the 

 Sikhs. All these things had been brought to the Son of Heaven ni 

 order that he might gloat over these relics of the barbarians. 



On discovering these proofs of the horrible fate of our brothers m 

 arms, the soldiers raised cries of rage. Had they encountered ton 

 palaces like that of Yuenmingyuen, they would have sacked them and 

 burned them with pleasure. 

 SM 1900 U 



