558 Attempted visit to the [Oct. 



We had already fully resolved on not having recourse to force, unless 

 it became necessary to resort to it, in order to extricate ourselves, if 

 an attempt were made not merely to drive us back, but to seize our 

 persons; and we now proposed to use every exertion to get as far as 

 possible ahead of the war-boats, engage chairs for our conveyance 

 by some inland route, and send back the boat under the charge of 

 the Gunner. 



The day being for the first time clear, we were engaged all the 

 morning in baling out and washing the boat ; and in cleaning our 

 weapons, much rusted by the wet weather we had hitherto experienced. 

 A breeze springing up a little after 1 1 o'clock, we hastened to avail 

 ourselves of it, and all our arms were stowed away as speedily as 

 possible. 



We had gone on some way ploughing the stream in beautiful style 

 when all at once shot began to fall about us. We deliberated for a 

 moment what was to be done. We believed that retreat would not 

 save us from further firing, as long as we were within its reach, if we 

 would take the practice of the troops at the Bogue as an example of 

 the general rule of the Chinese in such cases ; and if we could get 

 out of the reach of their shot by running ahead, we might have time 

 for negociating. On turning a point, however, the wind failed us, 

 and our enemies pursuing us, the firing became more hot and danger- 

 ous than ever. My next idea was to run the boat ashore, and attack 

 the Chinese, but the river was very narrow, and on the opposite bank 

 they had erected a mud breast-work, from which they could fire on us 

 with their small cannon, with full effect ; and it would be exceedingly 

 difficult to get at our assailants, on account of the steepness of the 

 bank where they now stood. After receiving a good peppering, we 

 put about ; but as I anticipated, they continued to fire upon us : and 

 my servant, with one of the lascars, was wounded, though both 

 slightly, and all of the party had narrow escapes from death. The 

 strength of the current soon carried us beyond their fire, and we 

 were in a fair way of reaching Fuh-chow before day-break of the 

 12th, when we unfortunately missed our way some time after the 

 top of high-water, at 2 o'clock a. m. At day-break, we found 

 ourselves on high ground, 60 yards from the nearest point of the 

 river. We had nothing for it, therefore, but to wait the return of 

 the tide. Numbers of men, women, and children came about us 

 to sell geese, fowls, and fish. Some amongst the crowd we recog- 

 nised, as having been amongst those we had seen while attempting 

 the western branch of the river. They noticed the marks of the 

 balls that had passed through the gunwale, or stuck in the sides of 





