Directory_and_Chronicle_1841 — Page 436

1841.

Outrages on Americans in Canton.

417

finding that many others were going in her, and that Mr. Morss would wait for the Morrison's boats, he concluded to remain, and go down to Whampoa with him on the morning of the 22d. From a letter detailing the particulars of his seizure, and of the imprison- ment of himself and others, Mr. Coolidge has allowed us to make the following extracts.

"At this time [6 o'clock A. M.] all was quiet in the neighborhood of the factories. I went back, therefore, to my own house to see what was doing there, but found the doors closed, and the compradore and coolies gone. Returning to Mr. Morss, I was met at the head of Hog-lane by a body of soldiers, who rushed upon me with drawn swords, and would have cut me down, but for some of the factory coolies, who happened to be near and cried out that I was an American. At this moment, an officer with a red button came up, followed by about fifty men with spears and matchlocks, and took me pri- soner. I was led away to the city in despite of remonstrances. The streets were full of soldiers, and coolies carrying cannon to the square in front of the factories. After a long march, we found ourselves in an open space quite near to the city wall, on the east. Here were Yihshan's head-quarters, and everything indicated the presence of a high functionary. There was a great crowd and movement, officers in any number, and of all degrees; with coolies, grooms, executioners, and guards; soldiers in uncouth dresses, evi- dently not of this province, and full of the worst spirit towards foreigners. In the streets I had been struck with a general air of unconcern, which I could hardly comprehend, considering how near the British forces were; but, here, it was the reverse; all was hurry and bustle, and messengers on horseback constantly went and came.

"We were approaching the place where Yihshan was, when an officer stopped us; and after a delay of many hours, during which I was exposed to the curiosity and savage abuse of the crowd, I was placed in a chair, and sent to the anchǎsze, or criminal judge. There, to my grief and surprise, 1 found upon their knees, in chains, bloody, and almost without covering, my clerk Mr. Gutierres, with the officer and part of the boat's crew of the Morrison. The poor fellows had been fired on immediately after leaving the shore; some had been lost or killed, and the rest wounded; the boat plunder- ed, and the men put in irons and brought into the city. They were tell- ing me these things, when the judge fiercely bade them to be silent, and ordered me to sit down at his feet. He then interrogated me, asking how many of these men were English, and bidding me tell the truth that he might out off their heads! I answered, that they belonged to an American ship, which had been but two days at Whampoa. He said that all the English- men they took pretended to be Americans; and that we ought to speak a different language, and wear a different dress that he might know us apart! At this time, the sailors, exhausted from their wounds and exposure to the sun, fell down, not being able to remain upright, on the stone floor, any long- er; and this man, one of the highest officers of the province, ordcred his coolies to make them get on their knees again! They did so, with tears and groans, beseeching him for a little water, which was given to them on iny saying they were innocent men.

"After much cruel and contemptuous treatment, we were taken to the common prison, where Mr. Gutierres and myself were lodged with the jailor, and the officer and seamen put into a cell; here, charged with no offense, in addition to the irons they already wore, they were chained two and two by the neck. In an adjoining cell was a man from Icängshan who had com-

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