and to check the boldness and rapacity of the swarms of
Chinese thieves and rogues, who hovered about like a
raging pestilence in every part of the city, and crowded
in from the country the moment the respectable inha
bitants left the town . The inhabitants themselves were,
in many instances, afraid even to defend their own pro
perty, or to aid our troops in restoring order and regu
larity ; they dreaded the probable imputation of having
traitorously aided the foreigners, and the fear of extor
tion and punishment from their own authorities at some
future period served to disorganize the whole commu
nity. In vain did Sir Hugh Gough appeal to the more
respectable merchants and householders to aid him in
protecting property ; all that he could get from them
was empty promises, of which they were very liberal,
but from which no good result followed. Even within
the citadel, or walled town, it was with the utmost diffi
culty that the daring thieves and vagabonds could be
kept in check ; and hardly could even a single Chinaman
be induced to point out to the guards at the gate the
real bona fide owners of houses or property , in order
that they might be allowed free egress and ingress.
CHINESE THIEVES . 139
The injury which the inhabitants of many Chinese
towns suffered during our operations must not be esti
mated by the actual damage (generally trifling) done by
our fire, or by the presence of our troops. In most in
stances, even before hostilities commenced , the presence
of the Chinese troops, who were marched in probably
from several distant provinces, became almost a scourge
to the inhabitants ; and afterwards, when a town was
taken, and the local government disorganized, much
greater damage was done to the property of the people
by the low mob of plunderers, than would, under any
circumstances, have been allowed by our own victorious
soldiers ; indeed, some instances occurred in which the
former were shot by our guards, rather than desist from
their evil doings.
Our men often resisted temptations of no ordinary
kind ; houses were found abandoned, property left un
protected, shops open, and goods strewed about ; and
even the abominable spirit, samsbu, (distilled from rice)
was sometimes almost purposely placed in their way.
The instances of misconduct were few , even under these
peculiar circumstances.
Among other discoveries was one calculated to corro
borate at first sight the notion of the prevalence of in
fanticide among the Chinese. In a large tank near a
public building, by some supposed to have been an hos
pital, were found the dead bodies of several young in
fants which had been drowned , having been thrown in,
sewn up in pieces of mat. But there was nothing to
determine whether the horrid deed was done out of fear
that violence might be offered to the women and chil
140 ISLAND OF AMOY .
dren , or whether it was really an instance of the prac
tice of infanticide, which has been said to prevail in
China to a much greater extent than it really does.
The former explanation may possibly in this instance,
as in some later ones, be the true one.
The interior of the island of Amoy was not occupied,
or even examined, for it was feared by the General that
the presence of our troops would so much alarm the re
spectable and influential inhabitants, that the whole
place would be given up to the rapacity and lawlessness
of the innumerable miscreants who watched for every
opportunity of letting loose all their bad propensities ;
but the Nemesis, accompanied by the Algerine, and
having in tow the launch and pinrace of the Blonde,
was ordered to steam round the island, and search for
war- junks. None, however, were found .
The island of Kolingsoo appeared so completely to
command the harbour and approach to Amoy, that the
occupation of that position only was calculated to an
swer every good purpose, without any necessity for the
retention of Amoy.
It was the opinion of Sir Henry Pottinger, in which
the General and the Admiral perfectly coincided, that
no measures should be taken for the permanent occupa
tion of the city, and that a small garrison only should
be left at Kolingsoo, while the remainder of the expedi
tion should move further northward with the least pos-.
sible delay. It was necessary , however, to wait a day
or two for favourable winds, and measures were taken
for the destruction of the numerous works which had
been constructed upon the outer islands.
TIGER SOLDIERS . 141
The Nemesis was employed on this important service
on the 30th and 31st. Having been joined by two
launches and other boats, with a party of seamen and
marines from the Wellesley , Blenheim , and Druid, under
Commander Fletcher, she proceeded to destroy some
forts and guns, principally on the south-west side of the
bay, all of which had been abandoned by the Chinese.
On this occasion, five forts or field -works and forty -two
guns were taken possession of and destroyed, and on the
following day several others of the same description
were also disabled. A body of Chinese soldiers, who
showed themselves near a small fort on the island of
Quemoy, at the eastern entrance of the bay , were dis
persed, and several guns, matchlocks, ginjals, & c . , toge
ther with a quantity of gunpowder, were destroyed.
Altogether seventy-seven guns and four forts were de
stroyed in this day's work, and the Admiral publicly
spoke of the “ very commendable zeal ” which had been
displayed.
At Amoy, for the first time, the so -called tiger sol
diers showed themselves, that is, men dressed up in
yellow -coloured clothes, with black spots or stripes
upon them , and a covering for the head, intended to be
a rude representation of a tiger's head , supposed to look
very fierce, and to strike terror into the minds of the
enemy.
The island of Kolingsoo, which has been retained in
our possession ever since its capture, deserves a few re
marks. It is about a mile and a half in length , and
about three quarters of a mile broad, but is very irre
gular in its shape. It principally consists of rocky
142 KOLINGSOO .
broken ground, the greater part of which is barren, but
interspersed with unwholesome rice- grounds, which have
contributed to render the place extremely unhealthy ;
indeed at one period the mortality among the troops
stationed there was dreadful, scarcely even a single
officer having escaped sickness, which proved fatal to
many. The Chinese, however, seem to have suffered
little from it, for there were several neat and even ele
gant country -houses upon the island, ornamented with
handsome carved woodwork , &c. It seemed to have
been used as a place of retirement for some of the
wealthier citizens of Amoy, and our retention of a place
so conveniently situated for giving us the command of
the harbour and trade of the city was a source of great
annoyance, both to the authorities and to the inhabi
tants .
For a considerable time, very little communication
was kept up with the town, and it was scarcely safe to
venture into it ; but since the peace, every disposition
has been shown to receive us in a friendly manner, and
the knowledge which many of the Chinese merchants
have acquired of our character and habits, by trading
with Singapore, will tend materially to facilitate our
future commercial intercourse.
Several American missionaries have resided at Ko
lingsoo, and without doubt will at no distant period
succeed in winning the attention and good -will of many
of the inhabitants of Amoy. A boundless field has at
length been opened for missionary enterprise in the be
nighted empire of China ; for, although it cannot be
said that the country has been made completely acces
AMERICAN MISSIONARIES . 143
sible to the foreigner, still the hostility of the govern
ment has been materially modified .
It rests with Christian nations to profit as Christians
by the opportunities which cannot fail to offer ; not of
pushing themselves by forcible means into the country,
not of violating the ancient social prejudices of the
people, or of interfering with the laws or habits which
regulate their intercourse, but of winning the gentler
affections of individuals, and , through individual sym
pathies, of working upon the feelings and the judgment
of multitudes, so that they may be made sensible of the
blessings presented to them, and learn to become mu
tual instructors to their own countrymen .
I have heard American missionaries distinctly say,
that they met with no open opposition to their instruc
tion, or any disposition to ridicule or decry their prac
tices ; that the people willingly listened, but with diffi
culty understood ; they were more afraid of the novelty
of what was taught them , than of the matter which was
conveyed, or the subject which was presented to them .
Among a people so fond of reading and thinking, and
so given to study and inquiry, as the Chinese generally
are, the best possible results are to be expected from
the judicious teaching of Christianity, and, above all,
of Christian practices. If China is really to be opened,
it is to be effected by missionary enterprise cautiously
and judiciously, and, above all , not too hastily applied.
The most valuable of all aids to these undertakings
is that of medical knowledge, which may be considered
as almost indispensable to the proper character of a
missionary in China. The relief of bodily suffering
144 AMERICAN MISSIONARIES .
(above all, in a country where the medical art is so low
as it is in China) softens the feelings of our nature, and
paves the way for kinder influences over the mind itself.
It will open the family mansion of the most secluded
and prejudiced Chinese, when words or doctrines first
propounded would meet an unwilling or perhaps a hos
tile listener. Religious teaching and the practice of the
healing art, the comfort of the suffering mind, and the
solace of the tortured body, must go hand in hand in
effecting the good work of “ opening ” China.
Why is it that the Americans have.taken precedence
of the English in this great and glorious work, since the
commencement of the war in particular ? For many
years, a talented medical missionary, Dr. Parker, has
dispensed his double blessing upon the Chinese at Can
ton, and can testify to the gratitude of the people, from
the highest to the lowest, and the readiness with which
they have accepted his counsel and his teaching in both
capacities. At Macao, Hong Kong, Kolingsoo, and
Chusan, the Americans have alike preceded us. But it
is to be hoped that this great country, though not the
first to commence latterly, will soon be the most ener
getic to extend the good work . England incurred a
solemn duty when she extorted a peace with China ;
and aa heavier burden was imposed upon her than the
settlement of a tariff, when she demanded and exacted
the concession of those privileges of which she caused
all nations to be partakers.
There is, however, one great and fatal error to be
avoided ; and that is, the rivalry of religious sects
among each other, and the attempt to gain followers at
BRITISH TROOPS. 145
the expense of each other's tenets. It was this want of
unanimity which in some measure produced the decline
of the influence of Roman Catholic missionaries in
China. It would naturally be asked, where are all
these Christian feelings of unanimity, brotherly love,
and good will, of which you speak, when you disagree
among yourselves ? How, in fact, are the Chinese to
comprehend distinctions, when they are taught to be
lieve that there is one Hope, one Faith, and one Lord
of all ? I will not venture, however, to dwell longer
upon such a subject.
The garrison which was left by Sir Hugh Gough
upon the island of Kolingsoo consisted of three compa
nies of the 26th regiment, with a wing of the 18th , and
a small detachment of artillery, comprising altogether
about five hundred and fifty men ; the whole under the
command of Major Johnstone, of the 26th ; and the
Druid, with the Pylades and Algerine, were also to re
main there, under the command of Captain Smith, C. B.,
as a further support, to ensure the complete command
of the harbour of Amoy.
The number of troops employed during the operations
against Amoy was as follows
Officers . Men .
Artillery, European and Native, Captain Knowles 9 240
18th Regiment Royal Irish, Lieutenant-Colonel Adams 30 648
26th Regiment (Cameronians), Major Johnstone 8 153
49th Regiment, Lieutenant-Colonel Morris 24 460
55th Regiment, Lieutenant- Colonel Craigie ... 26 731
6 184
Madras Sappers and Miners ....
Total... 103 2,416
VOL . II. L
146 BRITISH FORCES .
Four native officers, and sergeants and drummers, are
included in the second column.
In the afternoon of the 4th of September, the weather
having become calm and fine, the preconcerted signal
for the embarkation of the troops from the town and
island of Amoy was made on board the flag -ship. Upon
this sudden order, the troops were paraded in perfect
regularity, without a single instance of drunkenness or
misconduct, after eight days of harassing duty on shore,
amid temptations of every kind . Under the direction
of Commander Giffard, of the Cruiser, the whole force
was embarked, without any accident, by half- past six
o'clock, on board the Nemesis and other steamers, which
conveyed them out to their respective transports, in
readiness to sail on the following day. Not even a
camp-follower was left behind (and they are generally
a very troublesome class) ; but, in order to make sure
| List of H. M. ships and vessels, and of the Honourable Company's
steam - vessels, in action at Amoy, 26th of August, 1841 .
Wellesley ( Flag) .... 72 Captain T. Maitland.
Blenheim 72 Captain T. Herbert.
4
Blonde 44 Captain T. Bourchier.
Druid 44 Captain II. Smith .
Modeste 18 Captain H. Eyres.
Cruiser 16 Commander Giffard.
Pylades ...... 18 Commander Anson .
Columbine 16 Commander Clarke.
Bentinck 10 Lieutenant R. Collinson.
Algerine 10 Lieutenant T. Mason .
Sesostris steamer 4 Commander Ormsby, I.N.
Phlegethon steamer 4 Lieutenant M'Cleverty, R.N.
Nemesis steamer 4 Mr. W. H. Hall, R.N.
Queen steamer 4 Mr. W. Warden , R. N.
2
A STRAGGLER . 147
that there was no straggler, the Nemesis was afterwards
sent in again to the town, to bring off any one that
might accidentally have bëen left. But the only strag
gler which was found happened to be aa fine fat bullock,
which was soon put on board the Nemesis, and carried
off.
Every preparation was now completed for the depar
ture of our forces on the following morning, the 5th of
September.
L2
148 AMOY .
CHAPTER XXVII.
Mercantile spirit of Amoy - Character of the people — Enterprising colo
nists — English compelled to abandon their factory, owing to extortions
—Prospects of future trade — Capabilities of Amoy - Great trade with
Formosa - Dutch once settled there — Question of an English settle
ment on the Bonin Islands — Their character and position - Notices of
Formosa — The last Tartar conquest — Chinese colonization — Settle
ment of the Dutch — Their expulsion from the island - Productions
-Great trade with Amoy - Probable demand for English manufac
tures — Wreck of the Nerbudda and Ann - History of the unfortunate
sufferers — Their cruel treatment — Imprisonment— Ty -wan -foo
Inquisitiveness of the mandarins— Strange questions - Horrid details
-Hopes raised and disappointed — Final tragedy.
All those persons who have visited Amoy, either out
of curiosity or on matters of business, appear to agree
with each other in regarding it as a place peculiarly
adapted for the extension of European trade. The mer
cantile spirit and enterprise of its inhabitants, and their
anxious desire to trade with foreigners, when not held
back by the arbitrary orders of the mandarins, have
been long known and recorded by several travellers,
before there was any prospect whatever of the trade
being opened. Mr. Gutzlaff observed, respecting it, in
the account of his voyage along the coast : “ Its excel
AMOY. 149
lent harbour has made it from time immemorial one of
the greatest emporiums of the empire, and one of the
most important markets of Asia. Vessels can sail close
up to the houses, load and unload with the greatest
facility, have shelter from all winds, and, in entering or
leaving the port, experience no danger of getting ashore.
The whole adjacent country being sterile, the inhabi
tants were forced to seek some means of subsistance
elsewhere. Endowed with an enterprising spirit, and
unwearied in the pursuit of gain , they visited all parts
of the Chinese empire, gradually became bold sailors,
and settled as merchants all along the coast. Thus they
colonized Formosa, which, from that period to this, has
been their granary ; and visited and settled in the Indian
archipelago, Cochin China, and Siam . A population
constantly overflowing, demanded constant resources
for their subsistence, and this they found in coloniza
tion ; and thus they spread themselves all along the
coast of China, up to Mantchou Tartary. As soon as
the colonists amass sufficient money, they return home,
which they leave again when all is spent.” Elsewhere
he says, “ Many of these merchants, settled in the
northern parts of China, return annually with their pro
fits. It is not surprising, therefore, that aa large amount
of Chinese shipping belongs to Amoy merchants, and
that the greater part of the capital employed in the
coasting trade is their property. Hence, even this bar
ren tract is become one of the richest in China, from
the enterprise of its inhabitants. Wherever the people
go, they are rarely found in a state of abject poverty ;
on the contrary, they are often wealthy, and command
150 AMOY .
the trade of whole islands and provinces, as well by
their capital as by their superior enterprise and indus
try .” The English, who had formerly a factory at Amoy,
were compelled to relinquish the trade by the severe
extortions to which they were subject. The Dutch
continued it for a longer time, but neglected it when
their influence at Formosa ceased . The natives of
Amoy have always shown themselves ready to cultivate
the friendship of foreigners, wherever they have been,
and in their dealings they have aa character for honesty
beyond all other Chinese. They are more ambitious of
successful mercantile enterprise than of literary dis
tinction or advancement, which is generally so dear to
a Chinaman .
It is thus evident that no place better calculated for
Į
the purpose than Amoy could have been selected , for
the extension of our trade with that country . If con
ducted with prudence in the first instance, and if ami
cable relations and mutual confidence be gradually and
cautiously established, it can hardly be doubted that, in
the course of very few years, our commercial intercourse
will lead to a friendly and intimate connection with the
people. “ Justice and forbearance,” says Gutzlaff,
“ must be on our side ; we should do our utmost to con
ciliate by unequivocal acts of kindness, and we should
prove ourselves Christians by honest dealings, and phi
lanthropists by our religion .”
The shops of Amoy are generally well supplied with
the necessaries and luxuries of life, the merchants are
civil ; and although the town is neither handsome nor very
cleanly, and the population in some parts of it are
ΑΜΟΥ . 151
densely crowded together, still there are many fine
houses, which indicate the possession of wealth and con
sequence.
An immense trade is carried on between Amoy and
the island of Formosa, to which a great number of emi
grants are even still attracted, from the province of
Fokien. Before the occupation of Hong Kong was
thought of, several proposals were made for forming a
British settlement upon Formosa, as being conveniently
situated for extending our trade with the inhabitants,
not only of the adjacent district of Fokien, but of
the whole coast of China. This suggestion was partly
encouraged by the recollection of the settlement which
the Dutch once possessed upon the island ; but it seemed
to be forgotten that the Dutch were at length forcibly
expelled, and that the population having greatly in
creased since that period , it is not likely that we should
be suffered to retain possession of any part of the island
without being constantly harassed and provoked to
bloodshed ; moreover, the privilege of trading with
Amoy does away with all probability of advantage to
be derived by direct trade with Formosa.
Among other proposals, that of a settlement upon the
Bonin islands (which are said already to belong to Great
Britain ) was suggested, with a view to commercial en
terprise with China ; and Mr. Tradescant Lay warmly
supported this notion. These islands were taken pos
session of by Captain Beechey , of H.M.S. Blossom , in
1827, and they extend from latitude 27°, 44 ', to 26 °,
>
30' n., being about five days' sail from the Lew-Chew
islands , and three from Japan. In the course of a few
152 NEW ROUTE TO CHINA .
years, it is not improbable that Port St. George, the
principal harbour, may be resorted to with the object of
pushing our trade even into Japan itself. At the pre
sent moment, indeed, several Englishmen and other
Europeans are settled there, and are principally con
cerned in the whale fishery. There are also a good many
natives of the Sandwich Islands at Port St. George.
The islands are volcanic, but are rendered productive
with moderate cultivation .
It is worth while here to mention that the Bonin
islands and the Sandwich islands lie directly in the line
of future intercourse between China and the west coast
of America, and that it has been thought not improba
ble that a new route to China may some day be opened,
by way of California and the islands above-named .
To return from this digression to the island of For
mosa, which has claimed our particular interest, since
the massacre of so many of our shipwrecked country
men by the authorities, shortly before the termination
of the late war. In this horrible tragedy no less than
two hundred and eighty -three human beings were put
to death in cold blood , without any other crime than
that of helplessness, and without any other object than
that of obtaining rewards by fabricated statements, and
honours by false pretences. Formosa was the last con
quest of the present Tartar dynasty, and even since it
has been brought under Chinese dominion , the rebellions
and disturbances of its unruly inhabitants have been a
frequent source of alarm to the government. The im
perial troops have been frequently defeated with great
slaughter, and peace is said to have been purchased by
FORMOSA . 153
bribes more frequently than it has been won hy con
quest. The aboriginal inhabitants are still numerous
in the mountain districts, and along some parts of the
eastern shores, but they are said to be much oppressed
by the Chinese colonists, and also by the authorities.
When the Tartars first began the conquest of China,
great numbers of discontented spirits went over to For
mosa , from the neighbouring provinces, and it has been
corded that one hundred thousand people took refuge
there. The island belongs to the province of Fokien ,
along which it is situated at a distance varying from
seventy to one hundred and twenty miles, the passage
between it and the mainland being called the Formosa
channel. The length of this island is about two hun
dred and twenty miles, but the breadth of it is extremely
irregular. The Chinese population is at present sup
posed to amount to about two millions, and is con
stantly on the increase, by the accession of an influx of
emigrants from the mainlånd adjoining. They are at
tracted thither by the fertility of the soil, and the great
facilities for cultivating sugar and rice, which are there
grown to an extent sufficient to supply a vast quantity
of these necessary articles to the inhabitants of the
mainland, and to employ several hundred trading junks
in the traffic .
It is worthy of remark, that the Dutch contrived to
establish themselves upon the island of Formosa, and
ultimately to form a factory there, before the Tartar
conquest, and before it was regularly colonized by the
Chinese. The Japanese also partly contributed, though in
small numbers, to colonize the island. The Dutch had a
154 FORMOSA .
sinall garrison at a place called Tanshuy, or Tamsui, at
the northern extremity of the island, and another at
Kelung, not very far from it. Their object was to
make use of their settlement as a depôt, or centre of
trade, from which their operations could be extended
along the coast of China and Japan. Their influence
was, however, of very short continuance, as they were
ultimately completely driven out of the island , after
some few struggles, by the famous pirate, Coxinga, in
1662, about thirty or forty years after they had fairly
established themselves on it.
The present capital of the island is built upon the
site of the principal Dutch factory of former times, and
is called Taywanfoo ; it is upon the west coast, some dis
tance down towards its southern end . The harbour has, 1
however, become almost inaccessible, except to vessels 1
of very light draught of water, owing to the accumula
tion of sand, which is thought to frequently change its
place. Indeed, the sea has gradually continued to re
tire from many parts of the coast, and harbours which
were once frequented are at present inaccessible.
1
From the time of the expulsion of the Dutch, to the
period of our operations upon the coast of China, little
seems to have been known or heard of Formosa ; and,
owing to the jealousy of the Chinese, and other causes ,
no attempt seems to have been made to explore the 1
island . The colonists are described as being generally
very turbulent and given to violence, as it has become a
place of refuge for all the bad characters who can ma
nage to escape from the mainland ; but it is also the
home of many respectable and enterprising settlers ;
1
FORMOSA . 155
although being removed from the control of the superior
officers of the province, they live with less restraint, and
therefore readily become bold and lawless. For the same
reason, the local mandarins are cruel, rapacious, and
ignorant; and their behaviour towards our unfortunate
countrymen will suffice to stamp them with the charac
ter of treachery and thorough baseness. But the culti
vation and prosperity of the island have increased in a
rapid and remarkable manner ; and it is evident that
British manufactures will soon be spread among its nu
merous population, through their intimate connexion
with Amoy .
Besides furnishing immense supplies of rice, For
mosa also produces great quantities of sugar, camphor,
and tobacco, which are exported to Amoy. A great
part of the camphor is already carried down to Singa
pore in the trading junks from Amoy, but probably our
own trading vessels will henceforth procure supplies of
it on the spot, in exchange for cotton and other manu
factured articles.
Unruly as the people of Formosa are , the island is
nevertheless somewhat famous for its schools, which
are said to be in aa flourishing condition. Mr. Gutzlaff
states, that the rich men of Fokien frequently send
their sons over to obtain literary degrees at Formosa ;
and the Dutch, at an early period, took pains to spread
Christianity among the inhabitants, who, at that time,
were comparatively few in number. A few books on
Christianity were translated by them into the For
mosan language, and they were very successful in
making converts. Since they abandoned the island,
156 THE NERBUDDA TRANSPORT .
however, nearly all traces of their early labours have
disappeared.
The close connexion of Formosa with Amoy will
probably be the means of reviving amongst the inhabi
tants some of the lost spirit of Christianity' ; for we
cannot doubt that, in all parts of China, the increase of
missionary labour will keep pace with the increase of
commercial intercourse.
The wreck of the Nerbudda transport, on her way up
to join the expedition with camp -followers, in the month
of September, 1841 , soon after our forces left Amoy,
and the loss of the brig, Ann, a trading vessel, on her
way down to Macao, from Chusan, in the month of
March following, upon the shores of Formosa, served
to attract unusual attention towards that island , and
to put us in possession of some little information
respecting the interior.
The history and ultimate fate of our shipwrecked
countrymen is calculated to awaken the most painful
interest. On board the Nerbudda there were altogether
two hundred and seventy -four people ; of whom , twenty
nine were Europeans, two natives of Manilla, and two
hundred and forty -three natives of India. The captain
and the rest of the Europeans, with the two Manilla
men, and only three Indians, got away in the ship’s
boats immediately after she struck, and were provi
dentially picked up some days afterwards by a trading
schooner, called the Black Swan, on her way down to
Hong Kong. The unfortunate Indians, to the number
of two hundred and forty, who were left upon the wreck,
after remaining by her for five days , managed to con
PRISONER'S NARRATIVE . 157
struct rafts, upon which they attempted to reach the
shore. Many of them , however, perished in the surf,
and others are supposed to have been murdered by the
Chinese plunderers. The exact number, therefore, who
fell into the hands of the Chinese authorities, and were
imprisoned and subjected to the greatest privations, can
not be ascertained ; but they were thought to amount,
according to the best information which could be ob
tained, to more than a hundred and fifty.
On board the brig Ann there were in all fifty -seven
souls ; of whom, fourteen were natives of Europe or
America, four Portuguese, five Chinamen, and thirty
four natives of India. Out of all those who were taken
prisoners, belonging to both vessels, only nine ultimately
escaped an untimely fate, and were restored at the end
of the war, according to the terms of the treaty.
The following account of what befel the unfortunate
sufferers on board the Ann will apply with little varia
tion to those who were wrecked before them in the
Nerbudda. It is extracted and condensed from a curi
ous journal, kept by one of the sufferers, a fine young
man, who was a passenger on board . It was found
concealed in his cell, after his unfortunate fate, and
cannot but awaken feelings of deep commiseration for
all his companions in distress. It was written upon
common Chinese paper, with a piece of bamboo, and
the account was continued to within five or six days of
the time when the final tragedy is supposed to have
1
The information in the text was extracted from the manuscript,
more than a year ago, in China. But the journals of Mr. Gully and
Captain Denham have been recently published in full, in this country.
158 PRISONER'S NARRATIVE .
taken place. It was written day by day, as the various
little occurrences took place, and some of the observa
tions casually made upon the appearance of the island
will be read with great interest ; but I have thought
proper to omit the minutiæ and repetition of abrupt
and hasty notes, which would have been tedious and of
little benefit.
It will here be proper to mention, that prompt re
dress and “ condign ” punishment upon the heads of
those high officers, whose false and pitiless misrepre
sentations occasioned the final catastrophe, has since
been demanded, in firm and dignified terms, by Her Ma
jesty's Plenipotentiary ; and one of the conditions in
sisted on was, “ that the property of the high authori
ties of the island, who were perfidiously concerned in
the affair, should be confiscated , and the amount paid
over to the officers of the British government, to be ap
plied to the relief and support of the families of the in
nocent men who suffered ."
By the orders of the Emperor, a strict investigation
has been made into all the circumstances connected with
the dreadful event ; and a report has been sent up to
Pekin , by the Viceroy of Fokien, condemnatory of the
misrepresentation and duplicity of the authorities of
Formosa .
The whole of the fifty -seven individuals who were on
board the Ann quitted the wreck at daylight; and,
having marched along the shore about two miles, they
fell in with two junks, lying wind-bound in a small
river or creek. They hoped to be able to put to sea,
and stretch across to Amoy ; but the gale continued so
PRISONER'S NARRATIVE . 159
violent that it prevented them from getting out of the
creek. They were not ill-treated by the Chinese junk
men, but, as they were without food of any kind, and
exposed to a cold, cutting wind, it was soon evident
that they must surrender themselves to the Chinese
authorities. Soldiers soon gathered round them in
crowds; and , as they had very little ammunition , any
attempt to defend themselves, which might have caused
the death of some of the soldiers, or of the mob, would
certainly have been followed by the massacre of the
whole party. In the afternoon, they all gave them
selves up,, without having fired a single shot, and with
out attempting to make any kind of resistance. They
were immediately stripped and marched away, exposed
to the most cutting wind and sleet, without any cover
ing, their feet cut by the sharp shells with which the
beach was covered, and with very little allowance of
food . It is not surprising, therefore, that two men soon
died from fatigue and exposure, and several others fell
from sheer exhaustion, and were obliged to be carried
along in baskets ; others were afterwards carried in
sedans, more for sake of security than from any feeling
of compassion for them . It was remarked, that, during
the whole journey of thirteen or fourteen days, to the
capital of the island, the lascars or Indian sailors showed
a great deal of bad and selfish behaviour towards each
other. Each man of the party had a ticket fastened
round his neck, stating what he was, and whence he
was brought; being treated in this respect like public
criminals . For a great length of time their food was
only salt fish and greens, with sometimes rice. They
160 PRISONER'S NARRATIVE .
suffered all sorts of abuse and indignities in every town
and village through which they passed ; but it is re
marked, “ that the women (who did not appear to be at
all secluded) did not join in this, although they exhi
bited the usual curiosity of the sex. ” They were ob
served throughout the whole journey to be very plain,
but they had a pretty fashion of dressing their hair, by
weaving natural flowers amongst it."
After the first two or three days, they came to a
considerable walled town, where they were placed for
the night in two cells, about eight feet by seven feet,
in which twenty - five unfortunate beings were stowed, !
with nothing to lie upon, the weather being intensely
cold. Three guards were placed over them . The rest
of the party were taken by aa different route, but they
all ultimately reached the capital. One large town
they came to was enclosed , as were some others, by a
high, red brick wall. It was situated in a large paddy
swamp or valley, interspersed here and there with small
hamlets, around which the bamboo plantations were
growing in great beauty and luxuriance, and of extra
ordinary height, many of them measuring upwards of
sixty feet. In some of the smaller towns and villages,
the so-called gates ( for they all had them ) were con
structed of bamboo . The country appeared well culti
1
Probably the women at Formosa are much less numerous, compared
with the men, than in most other places. The men come over from the
mainland, but do not bring their women. It is believed that infanticide
of female children is very prevalent at Amoy. The men are driven by
poverty to emigrate, and have no means of providing for female children,
who are therefore frequently smothered or drowned.
PRISONER'S NARRATIVE . 161
vated in many parts, and wheat and sugar-cane were
met with ; but other parts of the country were very
barren, and covered with large stones, such as are called
boulders, ” in some parts of England. Generally, the
men were made to wear handcuffs, but they were not of
great strength, for some of the party managed to break
them off'; and they were then carried along in chairs,
under a strong guard of soldiers, but were occasionally
allowed to walk. Wherever they went, the crowd and
annoyance of the hosts of curious gazers, who frequently
insulted them, was so great that it was a relief to get
lodged in the common gaol, which was divided into
several cells, each cell having cages in it, made of
wooden bars, just like the dens of wild beasts. The
cells were also provided with a regular pair of stocks,
in order to afford greater security, if required. One of
the cells was filled with Chinese prisoners.
The great object of the mandarins now appeared to
be, to get some of the party to admit that the Ann was
a man - of-war, sent to look after the crew of the Ner
budda, who were known to be still upon the island.
With this view, two of the men were mercilessly beaten,
but without the desired effect. So common and so
public a practice did opium -sinoking appear to be, that
even the soldiers who acted as an escort carried their
opium-pipes in their girdles. For the first twelve days,
the prisoners were never allowed to wash even their
faces, and at length they could only do it in aa dirty pool
by the road side. For the last four days before they
reached the capital, called Ty -wan -foo, they were com
pelled to wear leg-irons as well as handcuffs . Generally,
VOL . II . M
162 PRISONER'S NARRATIVE .
they were allowed to purchase their own food during the
journey ; for which purpose a little money was given to
them, at the rate of one mace, or about fivepence, a
day. But this was only after the first few days.
It was remarked that wheel - carts were in common
use in the island, and tracks of them were seen in all
directions. On the mainland of China these are un
known, except in the neighbourhood of Pekin ; but, in
the island of Hainan , to the southward of Canton, they
are very common, and similar in construction to those
in use upon Formosa . They are, however, very clumsy
and inconvenient ; the wheels, which are small, being
composed of two semicircular pieces of solid wood,
joined together, with the axle fixed into the wheel
itself, so as to revolve with it, and not within it, but
made to turn round under the body of the cart. The
roads or causeways are generally broader than upon the
mainland, and were in many places shaded with bam
boos on each side. Several rivers were crossed near the
capital, and the country was somewhat improved in ap
pearance.
About twenty miles from Ty -wan -foo they passed a
night in a large town, with walls built of chunam ; at
the entrance of which were placed several very long
guns, not mounted on carriages, but fixed upon the
ground, rather to indicate their good intentions than
their ability to perform them . Here again they were
lodged in the common gaol ; and, on the following
morning, the Chinese servant who had been taken pri
soner with them had a chain put round his neck, in ad
dition to his leg -irons and handcuffs. The next night
PRISONER'S NARRATIVE . 163
(the last before they entered the capital) was spent at
an inn by the road-side, which was so crowded with
travellers that scarcely any food could be procured.
The Chinese had regular fights and scrambles for the
little which was to be had, and their appetites appeared
by no means delicate ; but, whether their hunger was
appeased or not, they were all prepared in the evening
to enjoy in good earnest the luxury of the opium -pipe,
soldiers and travellers all alike ; nor did the two man
darins who were present interfere in any manner to
point out its impropriety.
On the 24th March ( fourteenth day since the wreck),
they were destined to make their wretched entrance
into the capital. At the distance of six or seven miles
from it, they were met by an officer and a few soldiers,
by whom their names and their numbers were called
over, according to a list which the officer held in his
hand, and they were then separated into smaller parties,
and led by different routes into the city. As they ap
proached the gate, they, for the first time, caught a
glimpse of the sea, with a few junks at anchor at a dis
tance, towards which they hopelessly strained their
longing eyes. The walls of the city appeared to be in a
state of dilapidation, except near the gateway, where
they had been recently repaired and whitewashed. The
prisoners were now fairly within the capital of Formosa,
and were conducted to an open space, planted thickly
with trees, but broken up by rough water-courses, over
which there were several bridges of stone. Thence they
were led through back lanes, avoiding the principal
streets, to the house of a high mandarin , in front of
M 2
164 PRISONER'S NARRATIVE .
which they halted for aa short time : here such was the
pressure of the crowd and the curiosity of the people,
that the chairs in which they had been brought were
nearly pulled to pieces before they were ordered to get
out and enter the outer gateway of the mandarin's
house.
Here they were drawn up in line, to have the tickets
round their necks copied ; but, before the process could
be half finished, the pressure of the crowd became so
great that the mandarins were obliged to discontinue
the task. A ludicrous scene followed , which, for the
moment , afforded amusement even to the prisoners
themselves. The enraged mandarins charged the mob
in great fury, and whipped them with their long tails,
which, having silk woven on to the ends, gave some
{
tolerable cuts to the people's faces. For a few minutes
our hapless prisoners were put for refuge into a small
temple which was close at hand ; but even here the
mob pressed so hard upon them that the door was
nearly smashed in ; and, as a last resource , they were
marched off with heavy irons on their legs, which
bruised them at every step, to a prison in the court
yard of a superior mandarin's house, about one hundred
yards distant. Here their treatment was very bad ; for 1
several successive days they were brought up before the
mandarin to answer an infinity of questions, many of
them very puerile, about the names, ages, and duties of
every one on board the Ann ; also about geography and 1
the possessions of Great Britain , and where the poppy
was grown ; how money was raised, & c . & c . The Chi
nese carpenter of the vessel acted as interpreter ; and,
PRISONER'S NARRATIVE . 165
on one occasion, both he and the other Chinaman were
severely flogged with bamboos.
After some time, those who could draw were allowed
to sketch ships, carriages, and other things, which ex
ceedingly amused the Chinese, who were glad to pur
chase them ; so that by these means they were able to
procure food and tobacco, and thus to diminish in some
degree their chances of being carried off by starvation
or sickness.
After the lapse of a week or two, fever broke out,
and they were then separated into smaller parties, and
were put into different cells or prisons, some faring
better, some worse, according to the temper or caprice,
or even roguery, of the particular jailor who chanced to
have charge of them . One of these wretches seems to
have been a perfect fiend of his class ;; he kept one party
of ten miserable human beings in aa den so small that not
one of them could lie down at night. It will scarcely
be believed that they were made to exist for two whole
months in this horrid black hole, only eleven feet six
inches long, by seven feet six inches wide ; grudging each
other every little inch of room , and longing even for
the little bit of space which the single insensible bucket,
which was the only piece of furniture, occupied in their
den . Here were ten human beings stowed away toge
ther, some sick, some sore, and all in pain and misery.
For some time they were not permitted to come out of
the den at all, but at last they were let out once a day,
and were allowed a very little water to wash them
selves ; only two or three, however, could wash them
selves on the same day, so that the whole of them could
166 PRISONER'S NARRATIVE.
only be able to wash themselves once in three days. Of
course, they were dreadfully infected with vermin of
every kind, and, as the author of the journal expresses
it, “ A few weeks have sufficed to bring me down from
a strong hale man , to a wretched helpless being, dis
gusted with myself.”
Many attempts were made to get a note sent across
to Amoy,to give information of their situation ; and the
promise of one hundred dollars on its safe delivery, and
one hundred more on bringing an answer back (to be
paid at Amoy ), sufficed to induce a tolerable trusty
Chinaman to undertake the task. We shall see pre
sently how far it succeeded . It has before been stated
that the several parties fared differently, according to
the humanity or rapacity of the particular jailor . Some
thing also depended upon the particular mandarin under
whose supervision they were placed , but it is noticed
that the highest, or red button mandarin, was the best
of all, and frequently ordered some of the hardships they
complained of to be remedied, particularly as regarded
the quality of the food .
On the other hand, it is stated , that one of the jailors,
who was humane enough to allow his party of prisoners
to be shaved, was taken before a mandarin and punished
2
with fifty strokes of the bamboo ; after which, no visitors
were allowed to see them at all, and the jailor became
very sulky, except when he was drunk, which he gene
rally was, by the use of opium, every evening. Some
times they were taken out of prison in order to draw
for the mandarins, at others, to undergo repeated exami
nations for their amusement. In the first instance, how
PRISONER'S NARRATIVE . 167
ever, the object invariably was, to betray them into an
admission, however remote, that the vessel was really a
man -of-war. But it was quite evident that they knew
perfectly well that she was not so, and at length the
red button mandarin put an end to this part of the busi
ness. From this time, their questions were more of a ge
neral nature,, but many of them were exceedingly absurd .
The mention of Sir Henry Pottinger's name (for they
appeared already to have heard of him) invariably made
them angry , and on one occasion they inquired whether
he was a white or a black man. They also inquired
a good deal about the Queen , her court, and ministers ,
mode of life, &c., and how many husbands she was
allowed to have ; expressing great astonishment when
they learnt that in Europe kings and queens , as well as
private individuals , had only one wife or husband ; and
then they proceeded to enumerate the virtues of their
own emperor, and to plume themselves upon their own
cleverness .
On one occasion , they asked whether America had not,
some time or other, been situated in England ? whether
a man could now walk from London to America in a
week ? how large London was, and how many outside
( foreign) nations are subject or tributary to England ?