COL. ANSTRUTHER THOMSON 293 



followed by other mandarins, rushed in and de- 

 manded from us the reason of the firing. We said 

 we were prisoners, they should know best ; but prob- 

 ably the Chinese had delayed so long the bombard- 

 ment had commenced, as we had warned them would 

 be the case. He said our lives were in great danger, 

 and asked us our advice. We said the only advice 

 we could give him was to accede at once to Lord 

 Elgin's demands. In the meantime a man had come 

 in to say the guns were not shotted, so Parkes and I 

 knew it had been a salute, but this we kept to our- 

 selves. Hangki said we must go and see Prince 

 Kung, and we afterwards learnt from his servants 

 that the gates having been closed when the guns were 

 first heard, he was lowered down the wall, sixty feet 

 in height, in a basket, as Kung was at the summer 

 palace. The day passed very slowly. Early on the 

 8th we sent to Hangki's house, and learnt he had 

 returned, and would call on us in an hour. When 

 he came he said he had seen Mr. Wade, that Lord 

 Elgin had increased his demands, and he did not see 

 how we were to be released. At last he informed us 

 that he hoped we should be released that afternoon 

 at two o'clock. We anxiously looked forward for that 

 hour without betraying any anxiety for it. When it 

 arrived we were placed in a covered cart together ; 

 there were four others, but we were not allowed to 

 look into them. A large escort cleared the way for 

 us, and we drove for the north-western gate. Know- 

 ing the soldiers had charge of it, it was an anxious 

 moment till we saw the great doors swing open and 



