2!;2 



Through the Yang-tse Gorges 



this remote nation. Their peculiar aversion to war and love 

 of ease notwithstanding, the Chinese have suffered more 

 disastrously from internal convulsions and disastrous wars 

 than almost any people in history. Their history seems to 

 prove the fact that, for nations as for individuals, the 

 worst way to obtain peace and quietness is to ostensibly 

 seek it. 



As an instance of their unwarlike (and Christian) disposi- 

 tion, and of their devotion to appearances above everything, 

 Captain Hall, of the famous Nemesis, the first steamer that 

 rounded the Cape, tells a good story of our first war with 

 China, in 1839. Told off to take a fort below Canton, he 

 moored his ship off the place until the Chinese commandant 

 came off in his barge to call on the strange fire-ship. In 

 his silks, and satins he was assisted up the gangway and 

 taken to the captain's room; the portly Chinaman turned 

 out to be an ex-compradore who had been given the post 

 as a potential barbarian tamer, or, at least, familiar with his 

 wiles. Upon the British captain giving him the unpleasing 

 information that the ship had been sent to demand the 

 surrender of the fort, or, failing this, to capture it by force, 

 the Chinese commandant remarked that if he surrendered 

 he would lose his head. The captain replied expressing his 

 sorrow to be compelled in that ca.se to open fire at daylight 

 next morning. The Chinaman calmly replied : " All right ; 

 you along my belong good flen ; you no puttee pillee, my 

 no puttee pillee; bimeby you come ashore, my pay you 

 fort ; so fashion no lose face, no spoilem man." * And the 

 fort was honestly handed over on the following day. 



* " AH right, you are my good friend ; neither side need shot their 

 guns ; then you land and I will surrender the fort ; thus appearances., 

 will be saved and no one hurt." 



