IN THE LAST CHINA WAE. 357 



time to leave off running. We were short of ships at 

 this time, and from the Bogues to Whampoa, a distance 

 of fifteen miles, there was no ship guarding and blockad- 

 ing the river. The Mandarin junks had, therefore, 

 numerous safe outlets, as well as retreats, by the 

 different creeks which opened into the river in that 

 distance. The little passenger steamer, which still 

 stuck to the river, had comparatively safe work of it 

 until she reached the Bogues ; but from there to 

 Canton was the ticklish part. However, as I said, she 

 stuck to her work. One day she had rather more 

 than her usual number of Chinese passengers, and 

 the captain, a plucky little man, obtained leave from 

 the Admiral, then at Hong-Kong, to ask for a guard of 

 men from the ship stationed at the Bogues. I was 

 sent on board with twelve men to guard the steamer. 

 I first saw all the passengers — of course Chinese — 

 passed under hatches, and put a sentry over them to 

 watch their proceedings. We then steamed away up 

 the river. 



Two o'clock came, and with it dinner ; and I now 

 found we had two young ladies amongst three or four 

 other European passengers. These two girls were going 

 to Whampoa, where their father had some business in 

 connection, I think, with the docks at that place. We 



