292 REMINISCENCES OF 



kerchiefs ; a letter also from Wade to Parkes. The 

 letter said Lord Elgin had been in communication 

 for a week with Kung, the Emperor's brother, and 

 now Prime Minister, but that the Chinese were so 

 full of evasion that the army would advance and shell 

 Peking. A long and unsatisfactory conversation 

 ensued ; the misfortune was the Chinese would not 

 believe in the nearness of their danger. I examined 

 the things sent from the camp carefully, and on one 

 handkerchief found written in Hindostanee that the 

 big guns were to open on the city in three days' time ; 

 on a shirt, also worked in silk, I found the same 

 information, and asking us if possible to communicate 

 what part of the city we were in. Each day that 

 passed brought the crisis nearer ; we knew our fate 

 must be decided in three days. One day Hangki 

 called in the afternoon and announced that there had 

 been a most unsatisfactory discussion ; that we were 

 to be beheaded ; but if we had any last letters to 

 write he would take charge of them and call in two 

 hours' time. When he called we had both finished 

 our letters, and he said in the morning he would take 

 them. But on the following day he said for the next 

 day or two we were safe. On the morning of the 

 7th the long-expected sound of guns awoke me. I 

 pushed Parkes and was up in a moment. We went 

 into the courtyard, avoiding, however, exhibiting any 

 anxiety. Our jailers and guard had also turned out, 

 and were watching us anxiously. The firing was 

 slow and steady, but it suddenly ceased. While we 

 were discussing what it could have been, Hangki, 



