1841.
Memorial to the Emperor.
405
your majesty in a secret memorial; and when we, your slaves Yihshan and Lungwan arrived afterwards in Kwaugtung, we found that on the right side and on the left, the throats of our communication were already in the hands of the enemy.
On going up the stream of time, we find that Canton has carried on commercial intercourse with all foreign countries for about 200 years. The natives of Canton most thoroughly know the dispositions of the foreigners and their likings; the peo- ple who dwell on the coast, such as the fishermen, and the boat people, those who constantly come and go with the tide through our military stations, are all in league with them, and understand their language; these are greedy after gain and fond of strife. Love of country (of the natale solum) hangs loosely about them; there- fore it is that the foreigners do not grudge expense to get them into their em ployment, and consequently their hearts are turned towards their masters, while they are dead to us; they obey their foreign masters in all things, they convey the most secret intelligence, and there is nothing in short that they may not he induced to do! Although we have already caught several, and immediately execut- ed them, yet the traces of the others being obliterated in a great commercial vortex like this, there is really no way of distinguishing them. A still worse feature iş that there are those who falsely make soldier's dresses, and imitate the badges, and enter our ranks as if they were going to battle. These perhaps run away at the first onset (to spread a panic among our men), or they attack and wound our officers and soldiers! Their villanies are quite innumerable; so much so that many of them are positive spies in our very camp! In this late affair we secretly caught several, and after decapitating them we exposed their heads to the people by way of warning.
On a previous occasion, your majesty's slave Eleäng during the second moon (i. e. after the fall of the Bogue), had proclamations cut out and printed in which he assured them that what was past and gone would be pardoned, and promised them wealth and honors if they would reform and exert themselves. Your slaves also again and a third time issued proclamations exhorting them to renovate themselves, and promising most handsome rewards, and yet those of them who returned to their allegiance were few indeed.
Again, our great guns by sea and land being already lost, and we having no others to replace them, our vessels of war being without sailors to man them, our land troops whenever they approached the bank of the river to repel the enemy, being met by the fire of the foreigners, which was fierce in the extreme, those defences which we depended upon, such as mounds of earth, sand-bags, cotton waste, and cowhides, though built up more than a chang (three yards) thick, being shot through, our soldiers had not a spot left them where they could set their foot. Now although the 17,000 and odd troops of the imperial army who have been ap pointed to defend this post, possess officers who have had long experience in the army, and though both they and the common men most nobly risked their lives, yet alas, the ground in the neighborhood of Canton is not fitted for giving battle; it is difficult there to pitch so much as a camp, and what between the heat and the moisture, if (troops) remain long there, they are sure to have a deal of sickness; putting out of view those we left in garrison at Fuhshan and Shih- mun, of the rest we could only use some seven or eight out of every ten. And upon this occasion, when the foreign ships advanced in a long unbroken line, and attacked the city, our officers and people, though they exerted themselves most valiantly, and quite regardless of their personal safety, struggled hard with them for several days and nights; yet, alas! the native traitors fanning and inflaming the minds of people on one hand, while on the other the foreign banditti having effected a landing on the southern side, and having in their possession all the roads and heights north of the city, whence they looked down upon us, the whole provincial city was before their eyes, and the danger was indeed most imminent !
We, your slaves, having been fed and reared by the bounty of your majesty, and having further received your majesty's commands to proceed hither for the defence of the frontier, what need is there for the slightest commiseration should our single lives be lost (in the discharge of our duty); but remembering that within
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.