5G4 Attempted visit to Fuh-kin. [Oct. 



doubt to cheat us out of the original — an object of some value in the 

 eyes of the Chinese diplomatists, who are always anxious to withhold 

 authenticated papers, for fear of furnishing documents that may some 

 day be brought forward in evidence against themselves — a use to 

 which no unsealed documents can be applied, according to Chinese 

 law and practice. The possession of this copy enabled us to prepare 

 a final communication to the Viceroy, and in order to secure the deli- 

 very into our hands of the original, the ship was dropt up with the 

 flood abreast of the junk fleet, and her broadside brought to bear 

 upon them. There were 19 vessels in all on the spot; but all the 

 smaller ones immediately got under-weigh, and passed within the 

 forts. When we went on board the admiral of the station, we learned 

 that the orders of the Viceroy were addressed to the admiral of Hae- 

 tan, who was on board another junk. He and the envoys from Fuh- 

 chow were sent for ; but it was some time before they made their 

 appearance. Our host, in the mean time, appearing very uneasy and 

 dispirited, we asked what was meant by saying that we were afraid 

 of going on board his ship. Some of us had been there on each day 

 since our return. It was obvious, that fear of retaliation had pre- 

 vented him from renewing his visits since we came back ; but if we 

 thought it right to retaliate it, we should not have imitated the treacher- 

 ous and cowardly conduct of his countrymen, but openly brought 

 our ship to fight the whole of theirs, and he must be perfectly awai'e, 

 that as she then lay she could sink his whole fleet, and destroy every 

 one on board. But this was not our object. The government had 

 implicated itself in the business by inventing such a string of notori- 

 ous falsehoods in defence of the conduct of its officers, and we should 

 leave it to our Government to obtain for us the redress which theirs 

 refused to our simple and respectful application. — The original letter 

 of the Viceroy and his colleagues having been at last produced and 

 taken possession of by me, I returned the copy sent in the morning. 

 We were promised our supply of provisions as soon as we got under- 

 weigh. The final reply to the Viceroy, along with my second peti- 

 tion, under a fresh cover, were now placed in the hands of the prin- 

 cipal envoy, who pressed me hard to receive them back, and even 

 followed me out, as if he intended to throw them after me into the 

 boat. Judging apparently that this would be of no avail, he kept them 

 till evening, and then sent a small fishing boat with them to the ship. 

 The fisherman, however, being warned off, carried them back, and we 

 saw no more of them. On the 18th and 19th, we gradually dropped 

 down to the outer bay. No provisions were ever sent us. 



