1835.] Tea Province of Fuh-kin, in China. 561 



come on board our boat when we started ; but contrary to stipulation, 

 thev now a°;ain insisted on coming ; while we showed a determined 

 resolution to resist : oa consulting their commander, they were direct- 

 ed to let us go freely. We lost our way however in the darkness of the 

 night, and were assisted by a war-boat in the morning, in recovering 

 it. As we appr'oached the right channel, we found several war ju ks 

 stationed as a guard. Three or four of them accompanied us for 

 some time, but gradually dropped off. The towing junk too took 

 occasion to make us over to a large open boat, from which we soon 

 afterwards cast off. On passing the forts at the Bogue, we were 

 honored with a salute of three guns from each, as well as from some 

 war junks above, and others below, the forts. At 2 p. m., we got on 

 board the " Findlay." In pursuance of our declared intention, 

 I prepared a petition to the Viceroy, praying for inquiry into the 

 conduct of our assailants on the 11th, and the infliction of adequate 

 punishment upon them for their unjustifiable attempt on our lives. 

 Mr. Gutzlaff was good enough to put my petition into Chinese 

 form, and have it ready for delivery next morning, in expectation, 

 that as had been the practice hitherto, some officer of rank might 

 come on board. None having arrived, however, I resolved to go 

 on board the admiral's junk, and deliver my petition there, explain- 

 ing its object to that officer. Mr. Gutzlaff and Mr. Stevens 

 accompanied me ; we found in the cabin two messengers from the 

 Viceroy, both of them assistant magistrates, wearing colorless 

 crystal knobs; two vice-admirals, Tsung-ping knan, one of them, 

 the naval commander-in-chief of this station ; one colonel of the 

 army, Yen-keih, and one Pa-tseang, or subaltern. Having handed 

 to them the petition, one of the messengers wanted to open it ; 

 but on being requested to deliver it to the Viceroy, began to enquire 

 what were its contents. Before coming to that subject Mr. Gutzlaff 

 adverted generally to our character as foreign merchants, and our 

 wish to import rice. The Chinese assured us that it was from no un- 

 willingness on their parts, that we were not allowed to trade, but that 

 they were obliged to act under the prohibitory orders of the Emperor. 

 As to the importation of rice, the Fu-Tseang at first affected to mis- 

 understand us, as if our application were for permission to export 

 rice to our own country from Fuh-kin. One of the messengers told 

 us, that the Viceroy would give us no answer, when Mr. Gutzlatf 

 quoted some instances of official replies from head quarters, that made 

 him waive this objection. 



Having shewn them the impracticability of efficiently excluding 

 foreign trade from so long a line of coast, Mr. Gutzlaff urged very 



