Directory_and_Chronicle_1841 — Page 524

1841.

Capture of Captain Anstruther at Tinghae.

507

To the westward lay a long and

survey in which he was engaged. pretty valley leading to the level ground, northwest of the camp at Tinghae.

From the knoll, captain A. went down the western side of the pass, and in a very short time was sensible that he had gone too far. His path led by a joss-house, or temple, on the right, and on both sides was so overhung with thick trees as to make it quite dark. The temple stands in a walled garden, full of large trees. He determined, as soon as he could get through this dark and dangerous looking place, to return to the camp. But on reaching the end of the grove, he found that he and his attendant, an old Lascar, were followed by a crowd. He took no notice of this, but turned to the left, meaning to ascend the hill again. He had hardly turned, when a Chinese soldier, rushing out from the crowd with a hoe in his hand, struck furiously at the old Lascar, who, to avoid the blow, and in great alarm, ran up his master, and the captain, taking from him the iron spade, which he had used to pitch the flag-staff, met the soldier and drove him back: but a number of others, armed with double pronged spears, renewed the charge, and the poor old man and his master both had to run. Captain A. now bade the Lascar to make the best of his way up the hill, thinking the Chinese would only follow him (An- struther), and so allow the old man to make good his retreat. But he refused to leave his master. Moreover, the armed people kept on the hill-side so as to cut off, if possible, all chance of escape in that direction; the captain therefore determined to attempt to force his way through a long valley.

"I am," says he, “but a bad runner, and my poor old servant was worse, so I went slowly along the valley, turning round now and then to keep the Chinese at bay. Meantime, the whole population. of the valley gathered with loud shouts in our front, and it was evi- dently a hopeless job. I could not get my old man to leave me and try to escape unnoticed, so we went on together, and at a turn in the path, which had now crossed to the southern side of the long valley (which lies east and west), I was opposed by a few scoundrels with sticks and stones. I charged them, and they got all round me, and then my poor old man ran back about eighty yards, where he was met by the crowd following us, and struck down. I have an inex- pressible reluctance to write what follows-but must. I attempted to force my way towards him, but could not, and I saw the inhuman villains pounding his head with large stones, as he lay with his face downwards. I cannot doubt that he died."