402
Memorial to the Emperor.
JULY,
ART. V. Memorial from Yihshan and his colleagues to the em- peror concerning the capture of the forts and heights above Canton. (From the Canton Press.)
THIS day, the 14th day of the 4th moon (3d June, 1841), we, the great rebel. quelling general Yihshan, and the lieutenant-generals Lungwan and Yangfang, respectfully take all the facts relating to the English foreigners making an attack on the provincial city with their ships, and that we exerted ourselves to the utmost, leading on our soldiers to defend the same, which happily has escaped without (much) damage;-and after considering the whole state of affairs, how that we have adopted certain temporary measures suited to the exigencies of the case, and having for their object our being able in future to (maintain the place): all these facts we now respectfully embody in the present memorial, looking up- wards, and hoping that it will obtain a sacred glance. Your slaves already, on the 6th day of the present moon (26th May, 1841), took all the details of what had occurred up to that date, and duly forwarded them as is recorded.
The city of Canton stands at the foot of a bill called Kwanyin shan, while its front extends to the banks of the great river. To the northwest, is the depart- ment of Shaouking foo, and to the north are the lesser districts of Nanheung chow, Leenchow, &c., &c., all of whose merchants and travelers come to the provin. cial city by several branches of the river, which passes by Fatee, and afterward mingle their waters with the great ocean.
From the time that the foreign ships forced their way into the provincial river, they stationed a great many vessels (at the most important points), and thus grasped the very throat and wind-pipe of our communication. The eastern branch by Lecteĭh (neighborhood of Howqua's Folly), and the western branch by Ta Hwang kaou (Macao passage), both communicate with Whampoa, and thence to the Bocca Tigris; there are many arms of the sea flowing in different directions; the creeks, inlets, and outlets are most multifarious; during the floods the whole country is under water, and there is no important pass where a garrison might be placed for defence. Moreover, the fields are cramped and narrow, it is not easy to find a place to pitch a camp,-the hills on the north command the city, so that one may look down and see everything going on within; and the foreigners were constantly in the habit of prying and spying, for sooth it was no easy matter to prevent them.
Having previously prepared our means of attack by fire at Neishing, fifteen le from the city, in which we used rafts of wood floated down from Kwangse, and quantities of paddy-straw brought from Kinshan and other places in the lesser district of Sanshwuy, we dispatched several special messengers in order to have them bound, and properly placed (to drift on the foreign ships). But these said foreigners, having found out for the second time that our fire-rafts were about ready, drew the sword and commenced the war from the 1st of the moon. The rebels sent their ship's boats secretly to sound and get information, but they were beaten back by the officers and soldiers of the garrison, who opened upon them a fire of great guns and matchlocks. So it was until the fifth day (Tuesday, 25th May), when thirty-eight sail of foreign ships rushed up in a body and at- tacked the city; and at the same time (another body of the rebels) proceeded in steamboats to Neishing, and opened their fire upon it: A number of native traitors dressed like sailors in the confusion got into our ships, which were filled with paddy-straw, and set fire to them right and left, and burned the greater part of the fuel in the rear of our troops. These native 'traitors then swam on shore, and proceeded by land to our rear, and thus Neishing, being attacked simulta- neously on three points could hold out no longer.
At this time the river being blocked up (by the enemy), there were no means of forwarding any communication; those who hurried onwards to work the guns had no way of getting there, and those who had previously gone to hasten the arrival (of other guns) had no way of getting them transported to the city. As regards