660
!
I declined to give any reply. A short time after the hoisting of the flag the entire force was again attacked, but the firing was from such a distance that no casualties occurred and when the troops proceeded to attack in turn the Chinese dispersed. General Gascoigne returned on Sunday afternoon and reported that he apprehended no serious difficulty.
16. On Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday the troops were moving to the westward to search some villages in which it was reported that nine men were imprisoned who had come in from Ping-Shan district to Hong Kong on the 12th instant to present a petition to me praying for clemency on account of the first burning of the matsheds. On each day they were attacked. On Wednesday the attacking force consisted of 2,600 men who, in the neighbourhood of Kam-Tin, advanced across the open in excellent skirmishing order against two companies of the Hong Kong Regiment until they were within 300 yards when they broke and fled. This was the last attack and was repulsed with some loss, which would have been much heavier had not the fire been humanely controlled when the assailants fled. Two guns were taken in Monday's pursuit, and six other guns were found thrown into a deep pond at Un-Long.
17. Since then the villagers acknowledge that in their resistance they were hopelessly beaten and Mr. Stewart Lockhart reports that they are now returning to work. I have instructed him to make every effort to beget confidence and to remove the idea that we have come to change their customs.