COL. ANSTRUTHER THOMSON 275 



the escort mounted and ready, and we rode hard to 

 get to our army before the action commenced. As 

 far as Chang-kai-wang we got on well, but the town 

 was so crowded with soldiers we could not g-o out of 

 a walk. As we cleared the town we broke into a 

 canter, but we had not gone a quarter of a mile 

 when fire suddenly opened from more than a 

 hundred guns, and in a few minutes we saw some 

 shells bursting in the air. We now pushed on at a 

 hard gallop. Anderson and I were riding in front, 

 the road was narrow, and the bank lined with 

 infantry ; a large body of cavalry were galloping on 

 our right flank and rear with matchlocks ready to 

 fire. Going at this pace had much the appearance 

 of running away, and half our saddles would have 

 been emptied by the fire they were going to open 

 on us, and which we had no power of returning. 

 Anderson and I, therefore, thought it better to 

 halt — to get the cavalry in front of us, so as to 

 charge through them if necessary, and also to decide 

 what was to be done. As soon as we halted a 

 Chinese officer rode up and with great civility said 

 that he perceived we were bearers of a flag of truce, 

 but that as the battle had begun he could not let us 

 through the middle of their lines, but that the 

 General who was close by would no doubt give us a 

 free pass round the flank of the army, and that he 

 would either send, or perhaps the quickest way 

 would be if any two of us would go with him to the 

 General. We had a short consultation ; Brabazon 

 voted that Parkes should decide what was to be 



