in the canal. The pursuit was followed up for about seven
or eight miles, and the loss of the enemy was estimated
altogether at not less than from five to six hundred men ,
and only thirty -nine prisoners were taken . On our side,
one man only was killed, and a few were wounded . The
principal loss of the Chinese was inflicted by the fire of
the howitzers upon their dense masses in the narrow
street, and the sustained fire of our column as it advanced
upon them . Not a few , however, were killed inside the
walls of the city. The force they brought against us is
supposed to have exceeded five thousand men,, consisting
of their best soldiers , and a great part of them were evi
dently under the excitement of opium .
DESTRUCTION OF FIRE - BOATS . 285
Early in the morning, the boats of the Modeste and
Sesostris moved up the south -west branch of the river,
in search of fire -boats, but found none . In the after
noon, however, the boats of the Columbine, under Cap
tain Morshed, together with the Queen steamer, pro
ceeded up the other, or north -western branch, and dis
covered, not far up, thirty -seven fire- vessels. They
were all in a state of perfect preparation, being filled
with combustibles and jars of powder, and also pro
vided with leather caps and fire-proof dresses for the
men who were to have the charge of them ; each of
them had also a small punt, or sampan , attachel, for the
escape of those on board. The early discovery of those
which were first sent down, or probably their having
been sent adrift too soon down the other branch of the
river, had evidently disconcerted this part of their plan.
The whole of these boats were scuttled and destroyed .
Some miles higher up, near Tsekee, many more junks,
of every size and shape, were found filled with combus
tibles ; and still more were discovered higher up,moored
on each side of the river. It was also observed that on
the hills opposite Tsekee, there were three Chinese en
campments, one of which was set on fire by the sol
diers, as the boats approached. In fact, it became
evident that preparations of a much more extensive
kind than we could have anticipated, had been made,
for one grand combined effort to drive us into the sea ,
before reinforcements could join us.
The attack upon Chinhae took place about the same
time, but was much less important in its nature, and
conducted with less vigour and resolution, than that on
286 ATTACK ON CHINHAE.
Ningpo. Early in the morning of the 10th March , the
alarm was given that ten fire -vessels were floating down
the river towards the ships of war and transports at
anchor off Chinhae. The boats of the Blonde and the
Hyacinth, under Commander Goldsmith of the latter
vessel , and Lieutenant Dolling of the former, immedi
ately dashed at them , and drove them on shore, out of
the way of the shipping, where they exploded .
About the same time a body of Chinese soldiers
got up close to the west gate of Chinhae, without
being discovered , until they opened a fire of ginjals,
and attempted to force their way in . But Captain
Daubeny, with a company of the 55th, immediately
sallied out of the gate, and pursued them into the sub
urbs, whence they fled towards a joss-house, or temple,
about a mile from the walls, where they joined the main
body, about twelve hundred strong. Colonel Schoedde,
with three companies of the 55th, now joined Captain
Daubeny, and immediately charged them , and put them
to flight. But it was very difficult to follow , or come
within musket range of them , owing to the peculiar na
ture of the ground , which was cut up in all directions by
water - courses ; although the labyrinths of paths and
causeways were, of course, perfectly well known to the
retreating enemy. About thirty of the Chinese and two
of their officers were killed , but the number of wounded
could not be ascertained . A quantity of military weapons
and some powder were captured .
The plans of the Chinese had thus signally failed
at all points of attack ; but it must be admitted that
at Ningpo they shewed a great deal of determination
THE COMMANDERS IN CIIIEF . 287
and personal courage, and their plans were, in reality,
very well arranged.
Information of these important attacks was immedi
ately sent over to Sir Hugh Gough and Sir William
Parker, who were at Chusan, and induced the General in
stantly to return to Ningpo. Sir William Parker also re
turned as soon as he had completed his examination of the
island of Tai-shan ; and he brought with him the Phlege
thon and Nemesis, merely stopping at Chinhae on the
way, to pick up a few marines and small-arm men , from
the Blonde. No time was then lost in pushing up the
south - western branch of the river above Ningpo, whither
the General had preceded him with part of the 18th and
49th regiments, and two guns, in order to learn if the
enemy were in force there.
Tidings had been brought to Sir Hugh Gough, that a
strong body of several thousand Chinese troops were
posted not far from Fungwah, preparatory to another
descent upon Ningpo. But, as soon as he had marched
about six or seven miles up, the Sesostris steamer
moving parallel with him by the river, with part of the
26th regiment on board, positive information was ob
tained that the enemy had retreated over the hills the
preceding night, and that it would be useless to attempt
to follow them .
It only now remained to advance against the strong
body of the Chinese who were known to be posted
along the banks of the other branch of the river, and
who were reported also to have thrown up strong en
trenched camps upon the Segoan hills, at the back of
the town of Tsekee, and to be commanded by three of
their most famous generals.
288 FUTURE OPERATIONS .
CHAPTER XXXII.
Advance upon Tsekee — Horse Artillery — Phlegethon and Nemesis
destroy fire-boats—The Segoan hills — Positions of the Chinese
Tsekee captured -Double attack upon the enemy - Serious conflict
The heights carried — Flight of the Chinese army - Their retreat
harassed by the fire of the steamers — The Chungkie pass — Return to
Ningpo - Chinese kidnappers Curious caricatures — Remarks on
Chinese character - Discovery of their preparations- Night attack by
fire- rafts at Chusan - Awkward position of the Nemesis-— Their plans
fail—Dangerous accident — Visit to the island of Pooto—Consecrated
ground — Its numerous temples — Beauties of the island — Description
-Superstitions of the people — Remarks on the religions of China.
A heavy blow had now been inflicted upon the Chi
nese, by the severe reverses they had met with at Ningpo
and at Chinhae, and by the defeat of all their designs
against Chusan . It was therefore a favourable opportu
nity to follow up our successes, and turn them to the best
advantage, before the effect of the impression already
made could have time to diminish . It was ascer
tained that tlieir troops had with difficulty been kept
together after their late defeat ; and it was reported
that they were about to retreat towards Pickwan, a
town situated about forty miles higher up the river,
at which point they were said to be concentrating their
whole force .
ADVANCE ON TSEKEE . 289
Besides the force said to be encamped above Tsekee,
on the Segoan hills, it was also ascertained that another
body of five or six thousand men was posted in a forti
fied camp, about seven miles further along the hills to
the north -east, close to what is called the Chungkie
Pass, and that the military chest of the army was in
charge of this division. A Chinese military chest is
generally not very well filled, but still there is to a
soldier something very tempting in the idea of a mili
tary chest, particularly when there is a prospect of cap
turing it.
On the morning of the 15th of March, the force
destined for the attack, comprising altogether little
more than a thousand men, including the battalion of
seamen and marines, were embarked on board the
steamers Nemesis, Phlegethou, and Queen, from the
north gate of the city ; the General and his staff, accom
panied by the Admiral and other officers, taking up
their quarters on board the Nemesis, which had been
dexterously brought close into a wharf near the city
gate ; so that on this occasion the troops were embarked
without the necessity of using boats. The naval bri
gade was commanded by Captain Bourchier, of the
Blonde, assisted by Captain P. Richards. Details of
the whole force are given below. There were four
8-pounder guns of the Madras artillery, for which
ponies had been trained , and these were now sent early
in the morning across from Ningpo by land, escorted
by a party of the Madras rifles ; by these means the
distance was materially shortened , by cutting off a
great bend of the river above Ningpo. On reaching
VOL . II . U
290 ADVANCE ON TSEKEE .
the nearest point, opposite Tsekee, the artillery swam
their horses across the river, and were then drawn up in
readiness to advance upon the town, which was about
four miles distant. The road to Tsekee and the nature
of the country were already well known, from the pre
vious visit in the month of December .
Before twelve o'clock, the troops were landed from
the steamers near a village, where there was a sort of
jetty convenient for the purpose ; they then formed,
and marched direct up towards the city. At the same
time, the Phlegethon was sent higher up the river, toge
ther with the Nemesis and two boats belonging to the
Cornwallis and Blonde, to endeavour to get near enough
to the flank of the Chinese army, to harass them in their
retreat.
The Phlegethon started first, because the Admiral
and the General who were on board the Nemesis were
unwilling to land, until they had seen all the rest of
the force on shore before them . But the moment the
Admiral had left the vessel, she was backed out from
>
the landing -place, and went up the river for some dis
tance, stern -foremost, at full speed, until she could be
conveniently turned .
Having passed round a considerable bend in the river,
some miles above the landing-place, they turned up a
small branch or creek close to a village, which appeared
to lead round nearer to the enemy's positions. The
Phlegethon , which was some distance ahead, sud
denly came upon five gun-boats, armed and manned,
at anchor close to a mandarin station, which proved
to have been used as a depôt for powder and mili
ATTACK ON TSEKEE . 291
tary stores. Fourteen fire-rafts were also discovered,
and the whole of these warlike preparations were de
stroyed.
As soon as the troops had marched up pretty close to
Tsekee, they proceeded to occupy a small hill directly
in front of the town, and commanding the southern gate.
A few ginjals and two guns were fired at them from the
walls of the city, but at such a distance as to make it
evident that no serious defence of the place was in
tended. The main body of the Chinese army was to be
seen encamped upon the heights to the northward of
the town , called the Segoan Hills ; and it was equally
evident that the shortest and best mode of advancing to
attack them was by first escalading the walls of the
town, and then marching straight through it to the
northern gate, whence it would be easy to attack the
enemy both in front and on the flank . It was necessary
to ascertain whether the town was occupied by any con
siderable force (which there was little reason to expect),
and at the same time to deprive the enemy of having
the advantage of falling back upon the town when driven
from the heights. Orders were therefore given, that the
naval brigade, with a party of sappers, covered by the
guns under Colonel Montgomerie, should escalade the
walls at the nearest point, while the 49th were to blow
open the south gate, and immediately join them upon
the ramparts. The 49th, on approaching the gate,
found the bridge over a canal just outside recen
destroyed ; but, as the water was shallow, and there
appeared to be no likelihood of meeting with any serious
opposition , they quietly crept along the canal itself,
U 2
292 THE TOWN CARRIED.
which led into the town , and so got under the walls,
upon the ramparts of which they now found the naval
brigade already drawn up.
The 18th , in the mean time, had been sent round ,
outside the walls, to dislodge a body of Chinese troops
who occupied a hill a little to the north -east of the city ;
and they were directed to join the rest of our force as
soon as they reached the north gate. The 26th had
been held in reserve to protect the guns, and support
the 49th, if necessary. The town was, however, carried
without any resistance ; and the troops having marched
round the ramparts, the whole force was then concen
trated at the north gate.
It should here be noticed, that the town of Tsekee
lies in aa sort of cup, or basin, surrounded almost entirely
on three sides by steep hills, being open only towards
the river, or to the southward ; from the northern hills
a low spur is sent down towards the northern gate,
and terminates in a small hill within the walls. The
Chinese forces were posted upon these heights, a little
to the westward of the spur just described , but in such
a position that their left was commanded by other hills.
On their right they had a second encampment, a little
in advance, on the north-western side of the town ; but
it was evident that their left could be easily turned, and
that they could be defeated and completely routed, with
out much difficulty.
The General's first movement was to direct the 18th,
with the rifles, to proceed to occupy a hill on his right,
which could only be got at by passing through a steep
ravine, but which quite commanded the Chinese left.
THE SEGOAN HILLS . 293
As soon as they succeeded in crowning its summit, and
had thus turned the Chinese position, the naval brigade
(who, in the mean time, were to occupy two large build
ings under the walls, a little on the north-western side
of the town) were to carry the hill in their front, on
which the Chinese were encamped, while the 49th were
at the same time to attack the centre of the Chinese
position .
It is worthy of remark that the Chinese, with one or
two trifling exceptions, seem never to have made use of
field -artillery. Of course, where they had forts, they
had guns mounted ; but they did not appear to regard
artillery as a necessary part of a regular army.
On this occasion, our loss would probably have been
severe, if the heights had been defended by a numerous
artillery ; but they opened a smart fire of ginjalsupon the
naval brigade (the Admiral himself being at their head),
as they marched across the paddy -fields outside the walls,
with the object of occupying the two large houses, un
der shelter of which they were to form , in readiness for
the attack. They suffered some loss ; and, as it ap
peared that the 18th and rifles, being impeded by the
steepness and difficulties of the gorge they bad to
ascend, were longer in reaching the summit of the hill
than had been expected, the General determined to
commence the attack in front without waiting for the
18th to turn the flank of the Chinese. The advance
was sounded, and the 49th, with the General at their
head, rushed up the hill ; while the naval brigade,
led by Captains Bourchier and Richards, and Com
mander Watson (the Admiral himself taking part in
294 CARRYING THE HEIGHTS .
the attack), made a dash at the other hill, upon the
Chinese right.
Some rockets were fired with great precision into the
enemy's position, by Lieutenant Fitzjames and Mr.
Jackson , of the Cornwallis, but the Chinese poured in a
heavy fire of ginjals and matchlocks upon our troops
as they advanced .
The marines and seamen dashed across the paddy
field, and charged up the hill, which was steep and
rugged, with great spirit, but were boldly met by the
Chinese, who did not shrink from the contest. The
leading division soon gained the summit, and the re
mainder of the brigade pushed round the sides of the
hill, to cut off the retreat of the enemy. In this encoun
ter two officers of the Royal Marines and two officers
of the naval battalion were wounded ; eleven men were
also wounded and three killed.
The General, at the head of the 49th, in the mean time
carried the hill in his front with great spirit, and detached
the grenadiers, under Major Gough, to cut off a body of
Chinese who were attempting to get up the rear of the
other hill, which had already been carried in front by the
naval brigade. This division of the enemy was, there
fore, completely hemmed in, and the slaughter was una
voidably great in the hollow at the foot of the hill.
The 49th now continued to press forward, driving
the Chinese before them in great disorder across the
plain at the foot of the hills ; and the 18th and Rifles,
having by this time succeeded in turning the enemy's
position on the heights, descended into the plain , and
joined the 49th and 26th in the pursuit. The whole
GREAT SLAUGHTER . 295
Chinese army was now in full flight across the plain,
towards the Chungkie Pass, and just passed within range
of the Phlegethon and Nemesis, who had taken up an
excellent position in the creek, for the purpose of cut
ting them off. Their guns opened fire upon the scat
tered fugitives, who suffered severely.
From eight hundred to one thousand men are sup
posed to have been killed, wounded, or drowned, in this
engagement ; every attempt was made to spare them ,
but as most of these troops came from distant provinces,
and were reputed to be their best soldiers, they refused
to surrender themselves prisoners, with few exceptions.
Many officers or mandarins were killed, but only three
were taken prisoners. Many of them deliberately cut
their own throats, when they saw that the day was irre
trievably lost.
Some curious and interesting documents were found ,
relating to their plans and the disposal of their forces,
amongst which were some public proclamations to be dis
tributed among the people.. Upon the bodies of many
of the slain, pieces of Sycee silver were found, as had
been the case at Ningpo, a few days before.
The strength of the Chinese army was estimated at
from seven to eight thousand men, part of which ap
peared to be a picked body, said to belong to the
Emperor's guard ; they were fine, athletic, powerful,
men . It was also remarked that their arms were of a
superior description ; several improvements had been
adopted ; and the bow and arrow, once the favourite
weapon of the Tartar soldier, had been laid aside on
this occasion.
296 RESULTS OF THE VICTORY .
As usual, several personal encounters took place ; the
Chinese not fearing to engage single-handed with their
foe, or to measure their sword with that of our officers.
In one of these combats, Mr. Hodgson, mate of the
Cornwallis, was wounded, not far from the Admiral.
Colonel Mountain was in some danger of being run
through, but was saved by a timely shot from one of
the 18th . The clothes of the slain were in some in
stances ignited by their matches, and produced , as on
some other occasions, a revolting spectacle.
The night was passed, by our gallant little force, in
the tents from which the Chinese had been driven, and
which were found to contain plenty of warm coverings
and provisions, &c. There were stores of rice, and
bread (cakes) , and flour, in abundance.
Besides the loss already mentioned, the 49th had
three officers and four men wounded. Some of our offi
cers were wounded severely, Lieutenant Lane having had
his arm amputed upon the field .
On the following morning, at daylight, the grain
magazines in the town, belonging to government, were
opened to the people, and , as might be expected, were
rapidly emptied. A large quantity of ginjals, match
locks, and other warlike implements, were also collected
upon the battle- field, and were nearly all destroyed.
Among other curiosities were nine newly-invented brass
tubes, of about three pounds calibre, and thirty-nine
pounds weight, each with two handles ; they had never
been used, but were apparently intended to fire grape
shot. They were curiously bound round with catgut,
and were probably to be fired while held between two
1
RETREAT OF THE ENEMY . 297
men , as they were provided with handles for the
purpose. One of them was given to Captain Hall,
by the Admiral, and has since been deposited with
other Chinese weapons at Windsor. Twenty -three guns
were also captured, principally upon the walls of the
town .
As the enemy had retreated towards the Chungkie
Pass, about six or seven miles distant to the north -west,
where it was reported that another fortified encamp
ment had been formed , Sir Hugh Gough moved in
advance, about one o'clock on the following day, the
16th ; but, having reached the foot of the hills, the posi
tion was found completely abandoned, although it was
by nature a strong one. Dispositions were made for the
attack, but none of the enemy were discovered, and con
sequently the hoped -for military chest was not captured .
The Chinese had only just withdrawn, for they had left
behind them some ammunition, and a supply of inferior
bread, which is tolerably eatable, however, after a long
march .
Having halted about two or three hours for rest, and
after setting fire to all the buildings, our little army
returned to the town of Tsekee the same evening.
It is proper here to remark that the peasantry, and the
inhabitants generally, except where they happened casu
ally to be intermingled with the soldiers during the flight,
showed little concern as to the fate of their countrymen .
They appeared to be more astonished than frightened,
particularly at the swimming of the horses of the artil
lery across the river, and then seeing them harnessed
to the guns.
298 FUTURE PLANS.
The town of Tsekee suffered very little. A large
pawnbroker's shop was one of the greatest curiosities,
being filled with furs, silks, &c. It was a favourite
place of resort, and, besides that, afforded excellent
quarters. It was a large extensive building, like a
warehouse, as is commonly the case in China.
This engagement upon the heights of Segoan has been
considered by military men as the most scientifically
conducted affair which occurred during the war. Its
success, at all events , was complete ; and the Chinese
army, which was now concentrated to the southward of
Hang-chow - foo, for the purpose of covering the provin
cial capital, against which we were expected to advance,
was said to be with much difficulty kept together, and
to be in great want of supplies . The orders of the
Emperor, that the province which was the seat of the
war for the time, should defray all its expences, excited
much discontent , as might be expected .
Any proposed plan of advancing upon Hang -chow -foo,
which might have been thought of, was now abandoned ;
O
and the great river, the Yangtze-Keang, was designed
to be the principal seat of operations during the ensuing
campaign. The vast inland trade passing through this
1
main artery of the empire would be stopped ; the traffic
by the Grand Canal would be at our mercy ; and there
seemed every reason to expect that the presence of a
large military and naval force, in the heart of the
country, would lead the haughty Chinese cabinet to
2
listen to terms of peace, which we hoped to dictate
under the walls of the ancient Chinese capital, the im
perial Nankin, the depository of the ashes of many of
REINFORCEMENTS . 299
the ancient emperors of China. Some, however, looked
forward to a hoped - for advance upon Pekin, the great
Tartar capital, by the river Peiho. The result, how
ever, ultimately proved the wisdom of the former plan
of operations.
During the months of April and May, reinforcements
continued to arrive to strengthen the expedition, and
the belief was general that it was determined to put an
end to the war as soon as possible, by some means or
other. A fresh corps of Bengal Volunteers, a remark
ably fine body of men , arrived from Calcutta ; the 41st
and the 2d Native Infantry arrived from Madras, with a
reinforcement of artillery, and a few horses for the
guns. Several steamers and ships of war, with trans
ports, continued to join in succession — namely, the
Vixen from England, and the Tenasserim , Auckland,
Ariadne, Medusa, and the little Hooghly steamers, be
longing to the East India Company, from Bombay and
Calcutta, all well armed, and some of them peculiarly
adapted for river navigation. Others were expected
to arrive in the course of the ensuing summer.
The Chinese, finding that they met with no success
against us in the open field , turned their attention more
strongly than ever to their two most notable schemes, of
kidnapping our men, one by one, and destroying our
ships by means of fire-rafts. Large rewards continued
to be offered for the capture of our high officers ; but
their successes in this system were confined to the men,
some of whom were occasionally carried off, and a few
were put to death in the most barbarous and inhuman
manner . Indeed, it was not till after the capture of
300 CHINESE KIDNAPPERS .
Chapoo (the next engagement to be described ) that
the Chinese began to treat their prisoners with a little
kindness and mercy .
Many stories of the cleverness of the Chinese in car
rying off prisoners, and of the treatment the latter
afterwards met with , are familiar to the reader. To
wards the close of the war, they were generally pretty
well taken care of, for the Chinese could not be insen
sible to the kind treatment their countrymen met with,
when they fell into our hands. I remember being
nearly caught once at Chusan, just at the close of the
war ; and, the very next day, an attack was made upon
two of our officers, who made an excursion in the same
direction, and had a very narrow escape. Captain Wel
lesley, R.N., and Ensign Shadwell of the 55th, were
surrounded at less than a mile from the city gate. The
latter shot one of the Chinamen in the breast with a
pistol (a single pistol is always useless), but was imme
diately taken prisoner by the others, who were probably
soldiers disguised as peasants. His arms were pinioned,
and he was dragged along by the legs. In the mean
time, Captain Wellesley, instead of firing his pistol,
judiciously ran off towards the city gate, to call out
the guard ; and, the moment the Chinese saw them
advancing, they threw down their prisoner and de
camped . He was thus saved.
On some occasions, the Chinese kidnappers had the
worst of it, and were themselves captured : these were
principally sent down to Hong Kong, to work in chains,
but some were kept in prison at Chusan. The respect
able inhabitants, however, were anxious to bring about
CHINESE CARICATURES. 301
a more peaceable state of things, and they stated that
the kidnappers were not natives of the island, but people
sent over purposely from the mainland. It was evident
that some secret influence was at work among the
people, and that they still dreaded the power of their
own authorities, and were instigated to annoy us.
At length, the Chinese became better disposed, and
then took to the amusement of making Caricatures of
us . Many spirited things of this sort were hawked
about, rudely executed and strangely coloured, but
withal amusing specimens of Chinese drollery. The
two sketches given in a preceding page, one of an en
counter between our own soldiers and the Tartars, and
the other of an English foraging party, are accurately
reduced from the original Chinese caricatures, and show
more evidence of fun and quickness than we should
have expected among so grave a people. There were
many others equally amusing. At Ningpo, they made
a sort of little peep - show of the general and his staff,
intended to be a correct representation of them in little
figures. That of Sir Hugh Gough, with his beautiful
long, grey locks, was fairly done. A capital full length
picture, in oil, of the General, was afterwards executed
at Macao by a Chinese artist, who had been regularly
instructed .
The more the Chinese came to mix with us and to
be acquainted with our character, the more they seemed
to fall into our ways ; and we cannot but think that,
at no distant period, amicable relations will be esta
blished without difficulty, upon an intimate footing.
It has often been remarked , that in many respects they
302 MORE FIRE - RAFTS .
resemble Englishmen in their mercantile, industrious
habits, their ingenuity, and their readiness to combine
together for useful purposes ; their independent spirit,
and their love of argument. They differ materially
from all other eastern nations with which we have
hitherto come in contact .
To return from this short digression . In spite of the
failure of the attempts of the Chinese with fire-rafts, in
every instance, they persevered in their schemes for
burning our ships, with remarkable pertinacity. On the
return of our little force to Ningpo, on the 17th of
March, after the engagement on the Segoan hills, the
Admiral went over to Chusan in the Nemesis, and again
hoisted his flag in the Cornwallis. Reports of the pre
paration of fire- rafts were frequently brought in, and
it was known that a great many boats belonging to the
fishermen and others had been pressed into the service
of the government. 1
.
As soon as the Nemesis had undergone some necessary
repairs ( for which purpose she was beached upon the
sands at Trumball Island), she was ordered to explore
all the neighbouring islands between Chusan and the
Main, in search of fire- rafts, or other warlike prepa
rations. She was joined by H.M.S. Clio, which was
however left at anchor at Keeto Point, Captain Trou
bridge himself coming on board the Nemesis, and bring
ing one of his boats, manned and armed . In almost
every island or bay they visited along the so -called
Nimrod's Channel, Gough’s Passage, Mesan Island, and
other parts to the southward of Chusan, an immense
number of fire-boats, in different stages of preparation,
AN ACCIDENT. 303
were discovered and destroyed ; and, wherever any
opposition was offered , the neighbouring hamlets were
burnt.
Two or three days were occupied in this important
service, during which the Nemesis had her false rudder
carried away ; and, owing in a great measure to this
accident, and to the remarkable strength of the currents,
as she was attempting to pass between the island of
Luhwang and another small one lying off its eastern
point, the current caught her bows, and threw her
heavily, broadside, on to the rocks. The vessel was
soon got off again , but she had bilged in the starboard
coal-bunker. The water was pouring in fast, but it was
thought that the engine -pumps would suffice to keep it
under, until a good sandy beach could be found to run
her ashore upon . But the water gained so fast upon
the pumps that the fire would not burn much longer,
so that it was necessary to run her ashore upon the
nearest beach . As the tide ebbed, the water ran
out again through the leak ; and then, by digging a
deep hole in the sand, it was easy to get down be
low the ship's bottom , and stop the leak from the out
side.
A great many fire-boats had been destroyed upon the
island that day ; and , as it was known to be occupied
by a body of Chinese soldiers, a military mandarin on
horseback having also been observed superintending the
completion of the fire-boats, it was possible that an
attack might be made on the vessel at night, and it was
therefore prudent to hasten the repairs. The rent was
full three feet in length, but it was filled up with stout
304 PRECAUTIONS .
wedges of wood, covered with oakum, and driven firmly
into itfrom the outside.
To prevent any surprise by the Chinese, sentries
were posted upon the neighbouring hills, to give warn
ing of their approach ; and, by way of being before
hand with them, a requisition was sent up to the prin
cipal village, written in Chinese, by a Chinese servant
on board, demanding from the head men , or elders of
the place, a supply of provisions, namely, a couple of
bullocks, a dozen geese, two or three dozen ducks and
fowls, and so forth ; and threatening to pay a hostile
visit to the village next day, if they did not comply.
After some deliberation , all these things were promised ;
80 that the authorities, instead of planning an attack
upon the vessel, or any attempt upon the men during
the night, had quite enough to do to collect these sup
plies by the following morning. In the mean time, the
vessel was repaired and got off again. Information of
the accident was, however, conveyed to the Admiral by
the Clio's boat ; and he immediately sent down the Phle
gethon, with the launch of the Cornwallis, to render
assistance. By the time they arrived in the morning,
the vessel was already, to their astonishment , prepared
to proceed to Chusan, where she arrived in the course
of the day .
The result of this little expedition was not only the
destruction of a great number of fire-boats, but the full
discovery of the extensive preparations which were
being made, in every direction, for an attempt to destroy
our ships.
The Nemesis was now hauled on shore again , upon
FIRE -RAFTS . 305
the beach, on Trumball Island, and the damage was
thoroughly repaired.
Information of the intended attack on our shipping
at Chusan had been obtained by Captain Dennis, the
military magistrate of Tinghai, late that evening, and
was by him communicated to the Admiral. Orders
were therefore sent to the different ships of war and
transports, to be upon the alert, and have all their boats
in readiness. The Nemesis was the only vessel to which
the information was accidentally not conveyed ; pro
bably because it was thought she was ashore.
A little after eleven, p.m. , three divisions of fire-rafts
were observed drifting down towards the shipping, from
the eastern end of the harbour, some from the direction
of Sinca Moon , close along the island of Chusan, some
between Macclesfield and Trumball islands, where the
Nemesis lay, and others again outside the latter, by the
Sarah Galley passage. The first intimation of their
approach was given by two lights being observed at
some distance ; this led to a suspicion of fire -rafts, and
by the time the men had got to quarters, several of the
fire - vessels burst into flames ; others were gradually set
on fire, and were seen to take the three different direc
tions before described. Nearly twenty of them drifted
down between the islands off which the Nemesis lay ;
and, as they gradually came within range, her guns
opened on them , to try to drive them on shore . There
was a small boat ahead of each raft, under sail, and
with men in it to tow the rafts in the required di
rection
The Nemesis was of course in considerable danger ;
VOL . II . X
306 FIRE -RAFTS .
for the rafts or fire -boats were chained two and two
together, so as to hang across the ship’s bows. Steam
was got up as quick as possible, the cable was ready to
be slipped in case of need, and the steamer's boats
were sent out to tow the rafts clear, as they were
rapidly bearing down upon her, with a strong ebb-tide.
They were all in a complete blaze as they drifted past
on either side of her ; and so close were they, that
it was necessary to wet the decks and the side of the
vessel continually, on account of the great heat. Her
guns continued to fire at them, in order to sink them , if
possible.
Other divisions of the fire -rafts, which came down the
passages before described, were driven ashore by the
boats of the squadron, and blew up, without doing any
mischief to our shipping. Altogether, between fifty
and sixty of them at least had been sent down , from
the eastern side of the harbour ; but it was reported
that another division of them was to come down by the
western side, from the direction of Sing Kong, as soon
as the tide turned ; a division of boats, under Lieute
nant Wise of the Cornwallis, was therefore sent to en
deavour to find them out and destroy them at once.
They were soon discovered to the number of thirty, at
anchor off a sandy beach, outside of Bell Island , and
their destined work of mischief was frustrated .
On the following morning, the Nemesis and Phlegethon
steamers were again sent to search through all the adja
cent islands ; and the Nemesis succeeded in discovering
many more fire -boats, which were now destroyed , upon
the different islands ; stacks of fire -wood and other
A FLYING MANDARIN . 307
combustible materials which had been collected for the
purpose were likewise set on fire. In one village, there
were a number of boats half filled with combustible ma
terials ; and the whole village was put into an uproar when
the crew of the steamer began to set fire to them . It
turned out that they had been pressed into the service by
the mandarins, and the people naturally wished to save
their boats, on which their livelihood depended. Only
one poor old woman, however, was permitted to retain
her boat, for they might all have been pressed by the
mandarins again .
A party of armed seamen and marines were now sent
up towards aa hill in the rear of the village, along which
a number of men had been seen retiring, and amongst
them a military mandarin, which made it probable that
they were soldiers. The Chinese made a hasty retreat,
but the mandarin was observed to try to hide himself
behind aa tombstone, while he pulled off his warm jacket
and nearly all his clothes, and lastly his satin boots, and
then, giving them to a man who attended him, away he
ran for his life, down the hill on the opposite side, so
that there was no chance of overtaking him .
The Phlegethon had been sent in an opposite direc
tion ; but on that side no fire-boats were discovered,
notwithstanding the active exertions of Lieutenant
M'Cleverty. Altogether not less than one hundred fire
boats were destroyed on these different occasions, be
sides those which had been previously destroyed by the
Nemesis and the boat of the Clio. Ilow many Chinese
lost their lives in the affair it is impossible to say ; but
many of them must have been drowned in attempting
x 2
308 THE NEMESIS IN PERIL .
to escape on shore, after the fire -rafts burst into flames.
In fact, in all the numerous little sheltered bays among
those islands, fire -rafts were destroyed in greater or
lesser numbers.
On one occasion , and without any warning, the Ne
mesis ran at full speed, and at high water, upon a dan
gerous conical-shaped rock, off the north -eastern extre
mity of Deer Island, near the southern coast of Chusan ,
although she had frequently been through the same pas
sage before, without having discovered the danger.
The tide began to fall almost immediately she struck ,
so that she was left with her bows high and dry out of
water, and her stern deep in the water, while she had
seven fathoms close alongside of her. It was a remark
able position for a vessel to be placed in ; part of her
bottom was completely clear of the rock and the water
too, the vessel being only held by its extremities ; and
when the tide rose, every attempt to haul her off proved
ineffectual. A large indentation, or hollow, was suppo
>
sed to have been made where she rested upon the rock,
which of course held her fast.
The only resource was to try to float her off, by fairly
lifting her up, with the help of large casks and junks.
The launch and pinnace of the Cornwallis having been
sent to her assistance, eight large casks were got out,
and boats were sent out to press half a dozen of the
largest Chinese trading junks, to assist in the opera
tion . As soon as they were brought alongside, the
vessel was lightened , strong hawsers were passed under
her bottom , and were secured over the bows of three
junks, placed on either side, and then carried aft round
A HOLY ISLAND . 30 :
the junk's quarter, and thence led forward and secure
round the mast. By these means, as the tide rose, the
junks fairly lifted the head of the steamer off the rock,
and she was launched into her own element, without
having sustained any material injury.
From what has been already stated , it will be readily
inferred that the navigation of the Chusan islands is
intricate and not unattended with danger ; but the na
tives are so well acquainted with the shoals and rocks
and currents in the neighbourhood of all the islands,
that an accident is scarcely known among them .
Perhaps the most curious and interesting of all these
islands is the consecrated island of Pooto, situated very
near the eastern end of Chusan, and only about sixteen
miles distant from the town of Tinghai. It is a small,
rocky island, broken up into numerous picturesque val
leys and romantic glens, the hollows of which are richly
cultivated , and abounding in trees and aromatic shrubs ;
while, from the steep and rugged heights, a most beau
tiful prospect presents itself on every side, the waters
around it being studded with almost innumerable islands
as far as the eye can reach . But it is most celebrated
for its numerous temples, of which there are said to be
nearly four hundred (but this number is probably exag
gerated ), dedicated to the idolatrous worship of Foo, or
Budha. The whole island is, in fact, a large monastery,
divided into many brotherhoods. “ All the sumptuous
and extensive buildings of this island , ” says Medhurst,
are intended for no other purpose than to screen
wooden images from the sun and rain ; and all its in
habitants are employed in no other work than the reci
308 THE NEMESIS IN PERIL .
to escape on shore, after the fire- rafts burst into flames.
In fact, in all the numerous little sheltered bays among
those islands, fire -rafts were destroyed in greater or
lesser numbers.
On one occasion, and without any warning, the Ne
mesis ran at full speed, and at high water, upon a dan
gerous conical-shaped rock, off the north -eastern extre
mity of Deer Island, near the southern coast of Chusan,
although she had frequently been through the same pas
sage before, without having discovered the danger.
The tide began to fall almost immediately she struck,
so that she was left with her bows high and dry out of
water, and her stern deep in the water, while she had
seven fathoms close alongside of her.. It was a remark
able position for a vessel to be placed in ; part of her
bottom was completely clear of the rock and the water
too, the vessel being only held by its extremities ; and
when the tide rose, every attempt to haul her off proved
ineffectual. A large indentation, or hollow, was suppo
1
sed to have been made where she rested upon the rock,
which of course held her fast.
The only resource was to try to float her off, by fairly
lifting her up , with the help of large casks and junks.
The launch and pinnace of the Cornwallis having been
sent to her assistance, eight large casks were got out, 1
and boats were sent out to press half a dozen of the
a
largest Chinese trading junks, to assist in the opera
tion . As soon as they were brought alongside, the
vessel was lightened, strong hawsers were passed under
her bottom , and were secured over the bows of three
junks, placed on either side, and then carried aft round
A HOLY ISLAND . 30 :
the junk's quarter, and thence led forward and secure
round the mast. By these means, as the tide rose, the
junks fairly lifted the head of the steamer off the rock,
and she was launched into her own element, without
having sustained any material injury.
From what has been already stated, it will be readily
inferred that the navigation of the Chusan islands is
intricate and not unattended with danger ; but the na
tives are so well acquainted with the shoals and rocks
and currents in the neighbourhood of all the islands,
that an accident is scarcely known among them .
Perhaps the most curious and interesting of all these
islands is the consecrated island of Pooto, situated very
near the eastern end of Chusan, and only about sixteen
miles distant from the town of Tinghai. It is a small,
rocky island , broken up into numerous picturesque val
leys and romantic glens, the hollows of which are richly
cultivated, and abounding in trees and aromatic shrubs;
while, from the steep and rugged heights, a most beau
tiful prospect presents itself on every side, the waters
around it being studded with almost innumerable islands
as far as the eye can reach . But it is most celebrated
for its numerous temples, of which there are said to be
nearly four hundred (but this number is probably exag
gerated) , dedicated to the idolatrous worship of Foo, or
Budha. The whole island is, in fact, a large monastery,
divided into many brotherhoods. “ All the sumptuous
and extensive buildings of this island ,” says Medhurst,
are intended for no other purpose than to screen
wooden images from the sun and rain ; and all its in
habitants are employed in no other work than the reci
312 BUDHISM IN CHINA .
ples no images are found ; but he was a politician, and
was employed in the public service, long before he became
a moralist.
Laoutze was a contemplative enthusiast, who taught
the cultivation of reason, abstraction from the world ,
self-denial, &c.; and then wandered into the absurdities
of magic arts and demoniac possessions. Nevertheless,
he is said to have had some glimmerings of a future
state . His followers are in the present day called the
sect of Taon.
The Budhism of China probably differs little from
that of India ; the daily prayers are repeated in aa lan
guage of which the priests do not understand a sylla
ble. In the temple are the three huge Budhas — the
Past, the Present, and the Future ; with a Goddess of
Mercy, a God of War, a God of Wealth, and others.
There is, in front of the altar, a large bronze cauldron,
for burning gilt paper ; and a huge drum and a bell, to
awaken the especial attention of the god . Such are the
temples of Pooto .
In cases of extreme emergency , as during the preva
lence of great drought and threatened famine, the Em
peror orders prayers to be offered up in the temples of
all the three sects for a cessation of the evil. But the
Confucian is the system of religion to which the Empe
ror and his court adhere .
A HOLY ISLAND . 311
being built on the declivity of the mountain's side,
which terminates in the valley. The yellow tiles of
some of them indicate former imperial protection. The
most picturesque sites have been chosen for them, and
even caverns in the rocks have in some parts been
turned into a succession of gilded temples.
There are good causeways leading to every part of
the island ; on every crag there is either a temple or a
little image; the gardens are laid out with extreme
care and neatness ; and, were you not startled by the
gross idolatry which surrounds you, and repelled by
the dull, vacant, half-idiotic look of ignorant supersti
tion stamped upon the countenance of every man you
meet, you might be almost tempted to believe that it is
a rich and happy, a favoured and contented spot. Some
of the temples are very striking, and might be called
beautiful. In one of them was a very large library, for
the use of the monks ; but, as far as I could judge, the
books appeared to have been little, if at all, used.
It may be well here to remind the reader, that there
are three religious systems prevailing in China, and to
lerated by the government, viz. those of Confucius, of
Laoutze, and of Budha. The two former were contem
poraries, and flourished about five hundred years before
the Christian era . That of Budha was introduced from
India, very soon after the beginning of our era, and
gained such hold among the common people of China,
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