راہ دار سے
288
Sü, by Imperial appointment High Commissioner, Governor General of the Two Kwang, &c. &c., &c., in reply:
I am in receipt of Your Excellency's letter of the 22d of the 8th moon, (8th October), and have fully acquainted myself with the contents of it. My mind is most anxiously concerned about the injuries which the men and officers of Your Honourable Nation, engaged in the extermination and capture of the pirates, have suffered from the ignition of the powder to which the latter, in their desperation, set fire.
The Civil and Military officers to the Eastward had reported that, on the 10th of the 8th moon (26th September), certain pirates, whose vessels were in the harbour the military station of Ping-hai, had fallen upon Tá-ngau (Tái-ò), a village within the creek. Shin, the Chief Magistrate of this district of Kwei-shen, acting in concert with the military authorities, had put himself at the head of the troops and volunteers, and from the fort of Cheh-tsang, had sunk three and burned one of the vessels of the pirates, of whom upwards of 100 were killed; some ten of the troops and volunteers being at the same time wounded.
The pirates now made for Shan-wi (Sán-mi), and being there again beaten off by the troops and volunteers, stood out to sea, where they fell in with the cruisers of Your Honourable Nation, on being attacked by whom they got away to the harbour of Tun-t'au. Here the Commandant of Hwui-chau, the Chief Magistrate, and an officer of the rank of captain, opened upon them from the forts, and having, by the cross fire of these, set one of the ships in flames, they took alive 18 of the crew as they were making their escape ashore, and as soon as they had extracted from them all they had to say, forwarded them to the city.
The destruction of the whole fleet of the pirates, and the death of some 400 of them, of which I am informed in the letter now under acknowledgment, will greatly gladden the hearts of all men.
Upon the receipt of the reports from the Eastward, I had already sent an express to the civil and military officers along the Coast, with orders to make search and to seize in all directions, in the hope that (the pirates) might thus be swept clean away, and utterly extirpated.
As Su-a-páú (Tsü-á-pò) was wounded, he would, I imagine, have difficulty in flying to any distance. If he be not yet dead, as soon as he shall be taken, he shall of course be punished with the utmost rigour; there shall be no possibility of his resuming his evil career [lit. no sprout however small (which might again flourish) shall be left.]
While thus replying to you, I avail myself of the opportunity to wish that the blessings of the season (Autumn) may daily increase to Your Excellency.
A necessary communication addressed to Mr Bonham, H. B. M. Plenipotentiary, &c., &c., §. Táukwang, 29th year, 8th moon, 25th day, (11th October, 1849.)
True Translation,
T. F. WADE,
Assistant Chinese Secretary.