560 Attempted visit to the [Oct. 



his people to take to his boat, and ordered off the rest of his men. 

 He agreed to assist us in getting off from the field where we lay, 

 and to tow us on our way as far as Mingan — a tower and fort, a 

 short way below the place, where the western branch rejoins the 

 Fuh-chow river. We asked him if there was no way of going down 

 without passing under the bridge of Fuh-chow. He said, there was > 

 and that he would probably take us by that route, We got afloat 

 about 11a. m., and two or three hours afterwards, recognised our 

 position to be that which we had abandoned in despair four days 

 before. Had we remained where we lay on the 8th, till the flood 

 had made, it would have carried us into the main river, and we 

 should have had one or two days start of the war boats, or perhaps 

 entirely escaped their observation. The Kwanfoo continued on board, 

 except when relieved by an inferior officer from the towing boat, 

 intending, as we presume, that we should appear to be his prisoners. 

 In the afternoon, the wind became very strong, and the fleet ran in 

 towards a large village, where they proposed anchoring for the day. 

 Finding, however, that the bottom was stony, and that there was 

 already too little water for our boat, we refused to remain, and were 

 preparing to set sail, when the officer, who hud brought us on, earnestly 

 requested to be taken into our boat again. We received him on board, 

 and were again taken in tow, the other war boats accompanying. At 

 dusk, they wished to take us to another large village ; but we pointed 

 out a more sheltered spot, and they took us there accordingly. The 

 officers still remaining on board, Mr. Gutzlafp was requested to 

 desire them to withdraw, which they did ; and as they had been 

 uniformly civil since morning, I sent each of them a pair of blue 

 printed cotton handkerchiefs. It was settled that we should again 

 get under-weigh with the morning's ebb, and that after reaching 

 Mingan, we should pursue our way to the ship, without further attend- 

 ance. At 10 o'clock p. m., I was surprised by a letter from Captain 

 McKay, of that day's date ; he stated that he had been importuned in 

 the most abject manner, to recal us, as orders had been issued to 

 drive us out ; which could not be carried into effect. He concluded that 

 we must by that time have got so far on our way, that before we 

 could be overtaken, we must have accomplished our object. At 

 1 a. m. of the 13th, we got under-weigh, towed as before ; but escorted 

 by a numerous fleet of war junks, one of which carried three lanterns, 

 and the others, one each, on their poops ; as all these vessels had to 

 make short tacks in a narrow channel, the sight was rather fine ; and 

 when we reached Mingan, a number of rockets were discharged, which 

 had a very grand effect. We had not permitted any Chinese officer to 



