078
Journal of Occurrences.
DEC.
shorter inclined plane, and then along the Wall, which we found, for about eight hundred yards, in a very ruinous condition, the first part of it being little better than an embankment of sand, broken at intervals by projecting masses of ruin- ed brickwork.
At half a mile's distance from the fort, however, the Wall commences to show a better state of preservation: here we found it measure 39 feet across; the plat- form was covered with mold, and variegated with flowers of every hue. The Wall on the Tartar side, at this point, shows a fine well-built foundation of hewn granite, surmounted by a slanting brick facing, measuring together 35 feet in height; above this is a brick parapet, 7 feet high and 18 inches thick, divided by small embrasures at irregular intervals, from 8 to 13 feet apart.
At intervals, varying in distance from 200 to 500 yards, the Wall is flanked, on the Tartar side, by towers of brick, 45 feet square and 52 feet high. The one we examined was entered from the Wall by an arched granite doorway, 64 feet high by 34 broad. The construction of this arch is most remarkable, for the Chinese have long ceased to use key-stones in their arches. A flight of steps to the right, within the doorway, leads up to the flat roof of the tower, which is surrounded by a parapet like that upon the Wall. The body of the tower is in- tersected at right angles by low arched vaults, each terminating in an embra- sure, of which there are three on each outer face. From the construction of these vaults, they seem to have been built for archers and spearmen, and not for any kind of artillery; there was no vestige of a parapet on the Chinese side of the Wall, except on the low towers on this face, which intervene midway between those on the outer, but are not vaulted.
From this tower, which is the second inland, the wall continues apparently more or less in a ruined state for about three miles in a N.N.W. direction, over a fine undulating country. It then takes a sudden curve to the S. W., passing near a large town called Shan-hai-wei. Thence it ascends directly up a bleak rugged range of mountains, about 3000 feet in height, creeping up the side like a gigantic serpent, and disappearing over the summit of the ridge.
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The general features of the country about the Wall are very pleasing; the land, rising slowly from the sea up to the foot of the mountain range, is well wooded, and apparently densely populated on the Chinese side. On the Tartar side it undulates gently away into the distance, and appears rich and well cul- tivated, and dotted here and there with villages, the houses of which have roofs exactly similar in shape to those of our omnibuses at home. The only gate through the wall in this district is about three miles inland, and is called the Shan-hai Kwan. This we intended visiting, had not the mandarins prevented We observed, while loitering about the Wall, troops of mounted Chinese galloping out from the interior in the direction of the fort; but, supposing they were only hastening to have a view of us before we left, we took no further notice of thein. Before, however, we had proceeded more than one mile and a half inland, three mandarins overtook us, and informed us that the Tu-tung, or General in command at Shan-hai-wei, had come down to the fort, and that it was his wish we should proceed no further. We accordingly descended from the Wall, and returned through the fields to the terminus. Here we found the General and a numerous suite assembled, with a crowd of mandarins and soldiers; and the bustle and confusion occasioned by their presence unfortu- nately prevented our taking a copy of the inscription on the third tablet, which, there is little doubt, would have afforded much interesting information. But we were thankful to have seen as much as we did; for had the General arrived couple of hours earlier, our landing at all would have been doubtful.
We re- turned to our boats, therefore, satisfied with the result of the expedition, hav- ing, perhaps, seen more of this portion of the Wall than any European before us; and, as all this part of China is still by treaty a sealed country, it may be years before another Englishman enjoys the same privilege. At three P M., the anchor was weighed; and before dark the Great Wall of China had faded from our view.-Illustrated London News, Oct. 5th.
An unsuccessful effort made by Howqua and others formerly belonging to the Co-hong to reëstablish the monopoly in the sale of teas.-See page 406.
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