A CRUISE UP THE YANGSTZE IN 1858-59. 215 



Taeping territory, for we now came on Imperial fleets 

 and armies in overpowering profusion, judging "by the 

 number of flags and amount of display. They were 

 evidently besieging Ngan-king in a Chinese fashion ; 

 and " rebellion-quelling generals " were crowing on 

 the heights and eminences around the northern side 

 of the city, at the long-range distance of about three 

 and a half statute miles. The country, however, on 

 the south bank was quite open to the Taepings ; and 

 on our return downwards we had occasion to visit 

 and communicate with the farmers in that direction. 

 We found that although they disclaimed being Tae- 

 pings, they acknowledged having paid taxes, under 

 compulsion, for four years to the authorities then in 

 Ngan-king. They had not much to complain of, they 

 said. Mandarin and Taeping " squeezed " about 

 equally. It was the people in the large towns and 

 cities, not the petty farmers, that suffered by the 

 Taepings. When asked why they wore long hair 

 that is, allowed all their hair to grow without shaving 

 any part of the head if they were not Taepings 1 

 they exhibited all the true cunning of the Chinaman, 

 by pointing to the huge tail into which it was plaited, 

 and with a twinkle of their eyes, explaining that the 

 arrangement enabled them to please both parties. 

 With the hair all over their heads they could prove 

 themselves true rebels to the Taepings, and when the 

 Imperialists did come back they would only have to 

 shave as of old, and the tail of the Chinaman, pur 



