5f>2 Attempted visit to the [Oct. 



strongly the expediency of rendering legitimate what was now con- 

 ducted with all the defiance of the laws, and other evils attendant 

 on a smuggling trade already so apparent in Canton. Both messen- 

 gers assented very readily to the soundness of the advice, adding 

 arguments of their own in a very conciliatory strain, and regretting 

 much that it was against the imperial orders. Mr. Gutzlaff dwelt 

 particularly on the facility which Fuh-chow possessed for the tea 

 trade : this they fully admitted ; hut again the Emperor having con- 

 fined the trade to Canton, there was really no remedy ; and it was 

 quite in vain attempting to open the trade at this port. Mr. Gutzlaff 

 then adverted to the murderous attack upon us on the 1 1th. ; of this 

 they at first alleged total ignorance, and then ascribed the attack to 

 the treachery of the common natives. Mr. Gutzlaff however told 

 them, that it was their officers and soldiers who acted to the best of 

 their ability the part of treacherous and cowardly murderers ; while the 

 poor peasantry had always conducted themselves towards us with the 

 greatest kindness. That we were now come with a petition, calling 

 for redress by the punishment of those assassins, the granting of which 

 was the only means of preventing retaliation ; the lives of peaceful 

 people having been brought into the most imminent danger, which 

 violence justified violence in return, even if we were to take a 

 life for each of our lives that had been so endangered. Here 

 all concurred in reprobating such conduct as we had experienced, 

 and in assuring us, that we should meet with no such molestation 

 from them, trying to put as good a construction as possible on the 

 past. Mr. Gutzlaff repeatedly requested them to allow the people 

 to bring us provisions ; but to this they turned a deaf ear. As we 

 rose up to come away, the messenger of the Viceroy, to whom I had 

 handed the petition, wished to return it ; but 1 refused to receive it 

 back. He said he could report what we had said ; but durst not deli- 

 ver the petition. Mr. Gutzlaff, however, succeeded in getting him 

 to promise its delivery, by reminding him, that he had been sent hither 

 on our account, and it would be strange, if after all, we should be 

 obliged to carry our remonstrance ourselves to Fuh-chow. This hint 

 had the desired effect. On the afternoon of the 15th, a polite note 

 was sent to the admiral's junk, requesting a supply of provisions, to 

 be procured for us, as the people were prohibited from bringing any 

 thing to the ship. The boat brought back a remnant of a shoulder of 

 pork, a dried cuttle-fish, and four pieces of sugar-cane ; these were 

 immediately returned. Mr. Gutzlaff was good enough to go on board 

 by another boat, accompanied by Captain McKay and Mr. Stevens, 

 to require an explanation of this piece of rudeness ; and to inform them 



