前言

秘方简介

常用词列表

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

CHAPTER XI.

It is worthy 值得 of notice that, just previous 以前 to the arrival 到达 of Commissioner Lin at Canton, the opium 鸦片-trade had received such a check, that it might be said to have been for the time almost entirely suspended 暂停. We have seen the strong measures taken by Captain Elliot against it, which proved that he looked upon it with no favouring eye; and, in short, at that time the opium 鸦片 vessels 容器 had left the river altogether 全部地. But Lin was not a man to do things by halves 对分. He had formerly, when governor of a province 省, earned the character of the people's friend; and he seemed now more determined still to win the appellation of the foreigner's enemy. He had belonged to the party opposed to the empress's influence, and, had she survived 生存 and continued in power, he would never have been sent send on so dangerous 危险 a mission 任务. But, when once the liberal 自由主义的 party, and the advocates 主张；拥护；支持；提倡 for the legalization of the opium 鸦片 trade, upon the grounds of the impossibility 不可能的事 of excluding 阻止…进入；把…排斥在外 it by prohibition 禁令, had been defeated 击败, it became almost a point of honour, certainly of pride 自尊 with Lin, to shew how successfully 顺利 he could carry out the views of the high Chinese, or exclusive 独家 party.

From the very moment of Lin's arrival 到达, clothed with unlimited 无限 power, his rest‧less 不安 energy 能源, and his quick penetrating 穿透 eye, made every officer of his government cower 奶牛 down before him. Indeed, there was hardly an officer of the province 省, from the governor down‧ward 向下, who did not feel conscious of guilt, corruption 腐败, and peculation. From high to low, from rich to poor, Lin determined that a reign 统治 of terror 恐怖 should commence 开始. He had lists prepared, containing observations 意见 upon the characters of all the public officers, of the Hong merchants 商人, and even of the foreigners 外国人. He seemed determined to wage war with everybody. And, as a proof 证明 that his intentions against the foreign community were anything but conciliatory, within a few days after his arrival 到达 he sent round the Hong merchants to the different factories 工厂, to ascertain 探明, by intrigue 诡计 and persuasion 劝说, what weapons the foreigners 外国人 were in possession 所有物 of, and what means they had at hand for their own immediate defence.

Having privately arranged all his plans, and, believing that the foreigners 外国人 were sleeping, Lin now ordered that all the opium 鸦片 in the inner 里面的 waters, and also in the store ships in the "outer waters," should be given up to the officers of his government; and that a bond 键 should be drawn draw up in "Chinese and foreign character, stating clearly that the ships after‧ward 之后 to arrive there shall never, to all eternity 永恒, dare 敢 to bring any opium 鸦片; or, if they did so, that their whole cargo 货物 should be confiscated 没收, and all their people put to death, [by Chinese officers,] and, moreover, that they would willingly 甘心 undergo 经历 it as the penalty 罚款 of their crime 罪行."

This proclamation certainly caused a little panic 恐慌 in Canton, and it was precisely 精确地 what the commissioner 专员 desired; and, the more the foreign merchants seemed disposed 部署 to meet his excellency's views, as far as lay lie in their power, so much the more did the demands of the commissioner 专员 rise. Every concession 让步 on the part of Captain Elliot, or the merchants, was to him a victory gained, and the forerunner of greater ones. Threats thundered 雷声 forth against the heads of the Hong merchants rebounded 篮板球 in threats 威胁 of all sorts, and alarming 警告 statements 声明 from them to the foreigners 外国人.

There seems to be some reason for supposing that, in the commencement 开始 of the business, it was intended by Lin that a certain compensation 赔偿金 should be granted 发放 to foreigners 外国人 for the value of the opium 鸦片 surrendered 投降. Gradually 逐步地, however, as he thought himself getting stronger, this intention was quite lost sight of; and almost at the same time an edict came out, forbidding 禁止 all foreigners 外国人 to apply for per‧mission 允许 to go down to Macao—in fact, preventing them from leaving Canton or Whampoa.

At this period, not ten 十 days had elapsed 过去 since Lin's arrival 到达 at Canton, and there had not been sufficient 足够 time even to reply to his proclamation, only issued the preceding 优于 day, respecting the opium 鸦片 and the bond 键. Lin's impatience 不耐烦 hurried on one event upon another, in his head‧long 头；上端‧长的 career; he issued orders, without waiting to see whether his previous 以前 ones had been attended to. Whatever unfortunate 不幸的 results may have ultimately 最终 sprung from his policy, it can never be questioned that for the time his darling 宠儿 object was, not only to " humble 谦逊的 the foreigners 外国人," but to carry out, to the letter, the express directions of his Emperor, which were delivered to him in these words:—"to scrub 擦洗 and wash away the filth, and to cut up the opium 鸦片-evil by the roots, and to remove 去掉 calamities from the people."

Within a few days after his arrival 到达, we have seen that Lin was embroiled with the whole foreign community; and, in the short space of twenty 二十-four hours, edicts appeared, as has been stated, commanding the surrender 投降 of all the opium 鸦片, whether strictly 严格的 in the Chinese waters or not; and placing under arrest 逮捕 every foreigner, both at Canton and Whampoa, without alleging 断言 any grounds for the proceeding 继续.

The drama 戏剧 was now fast spreading out into its different acts and scenes. An agreement 协议 that one thou‧sand 千 chests 胸部 should be delivered up, only led to the demand for more, and four thou‧sand 千 chests were then required.

Next, Mr. Dent, one of the principal 主要 merchants, was to be brought before the commissioner 专员 within the city; and, in order to save, as he believed, the heads of some of the Hong merchants, he agreed that he would go, provided that he should receive before‧hand 预先 a safe-conduct 进行 from the imperial 帝国 commissioner 专员 himself, guaranteeing 保证 his safe return; but upon any other condition he refused to put himself voluntarily 自行 in his power. The reply to this was, "that, if he did not come of his own free will, he should be dragged 拖拽 out of his house by force;" and the threat 威胁 was added, that, in that case, the high commissioner 专员 would assuredly kill him.

A circular 圆形的 from Captain Elliot now required that "all ships belonging to her Majesty's subjects at the outer anchorages should proceed 继续 at once to Hong-Kong, since her Majesty's subjects were then detained 扣留 at Canton against their will." It will scarcely 缺乏的 be credited 信用, that at this time the only British man-of-war in the Chinese waters was the small sloop, the Larne. This was perfectly well known to the Chinese, who, consequently 所以, conceived 构想 themselves strong enough to proceed 继续 to the highest degree of violence 暴力 and indignity. And, when the Larne after‧ward 之后 went up to the Bogue, and demanded certain explanations 说明 of the Admiral Kwan, (who, we have before seen, was on friendly terms with Sir 先生 Frederick Maitland, on a previous 以前 occasion, when he visited the Bogue in a line-of-battle ship,) the only answer that Kwan condescended to give to the little Larne was, "that she (or rather her captain) ought to know her own weakness 弱点, and be reverentially obedient 顺从的, as Maitland had been before."

At the critical 危急 juncture 契机 I have above described, Captain Elliot resolved 解决 to come up to the British factory 工厂 in person, in a small open boat, and, for a moment, our flag 旗；石地板 was again hoisted 提升, when all were virtually 几乎；实际上；实质上 prisoners 犯人，囚犯, whom 谁 the flag could not protect. He now declared his intention of demanding pass‧port 护照 for all her Majesty's subjects within ten 十 days—(should he not have demanded them at once?) but, having no armed force that he could call to his aid 援助, all he could do was to say, "that, if they were refused for the period of three days after his application, he should be forced into the conclusion 结论 that British subjects were all to be violently 猛烈 detained 扣留 as host‧age 人质, in order that they might be intimidated 威吓 into unworthy concessions 让步."

Lin now had Elliot completely in his power, and was doubt‧less 毫无疑问， much surprised himself at the success of all his schemes 方案. At that moment, neither the flag 旗；石地板 nor the guns of England could protect her people: they were prisoners in their own halls; and it is a positive 正 fact that, for some time, the only chance of relief or protection which they had to look to, was the expected arrival 到达 of two American ships of war, which were known to be on their way out, having been applied for by the consul of that country, upon the first appearance of the difficulties.

This was a grand 宏大的 opportunity for pushing their for‧tune 命运 in that quarter, which the Americans knew well how to profit by. In reality 现实, the whole foreign trade was for a time in jeopardy 危险; but the Americans profited precisely 精确地 in proportion 比例 to the increase of our difficulties, and their trade increased exactly as ours declined 下降. The moment was an advantageous 有利 one for proving to the Chinese that Americans were not Englishmen; although they cleverly 聪明的 made them understand that they had been so once, but at last had conquered 征服 for themselves a name, a flag 3, and a nation.

It has been said that, at a later period, an American merchant 商人 had more than one interview 访问 with Lin, in which various suggestions 建议 were made as to the measures to be adopted; but, whether they were of a favourable or unfavourable nature to English interests, it is impossible to say with confidence 信心. The results of the conference 会议 were kept very secret.

Having secured 安全 all the foreigners 外国人 within his grasp 把握, Lin's next step was to with‧draw 撤回 all the native 本土的 servants 仆人 from the factories, and to forbid 禁止 the sale of provisions 规定 to foreigners 外国人 in any shape. Armed men were posted on every side, to prevent any one from attempting to escape, while the river was blockaded 封锁, and all the foreign boats which could be found were drawn up high and dry on shore, or else destroyed. In the mean‧time 其时, however, no provisions 规定 were supplied by Lin himself; consequently 所以, the foreign prisoners were in a worse plight 困境, in that respect, than the actual malefactors in the cells 细胞 of the public prisons of the town; and his object was evidently 明显地 to starve 饿死 them into compliance 合规 with his wishes, if, indeed, he knew himself what the full extent of his wishes really was.

Captain Elliot was now called upon to deliver up all the opium 鸦片, wherever 随地 it might be found. And yet it was clear enough that Captain Elliot could not possibly know where all the opium 鸦片 was, or how much it might be; and, having already agreed to the demand for, first, one thou‧sand 千, and then four thou‧sand 千 chests, it would clearly be necessary to stipulate 规定 some quantity 量 as a satisfactory equivalent 当量 for all.

Even in their present dilemma 困境 a more decided show of firmness, and a threat 威胁 of the retribution 报应 which would fall upon him here‧after 此后 for his violent 猛烈 proceedings 继续, might, possibly, have restored 修复；使复位；使复职 to the commissioner 专员 some little portion 一部分；一份 of his reasonableness, if not his reason. Nevertheless 虽然, as the whole community of foreigners 外国人 (not the English only) were now under a course of starvation 饥饿 and imprisonment 徒刑, and were in a degraded 降级 position in the eyes of all Chinamen, it is difficult to say if any other course could have been adopted than the one chosen choose by Captain Elliot. A bond 键 was signed, under the influence and by the compulsion 义务 of existing circumstances 环境, by all the parties, that they would not deal any more in opium 鸦片; but they did not accede to the penalty 罚款 of death, & 功放;c. & 功放;c., which Lin had originally 本来 attempted to impose 强加. And, at the requisition of Captain Elliot, they agreed to deliver up all the opium 鸦片 then in their possession 所有物, "for the service of her Majesty's government."

The quantity 量 of opium 鸦片 to be delivered was not stipulated 规定 at the time. But, after returns had been very honourably and equitably 公平 sent to Captain Elliot, it appeared that he could command the enormous 巨大 quantity of 20,283 chests; and he accordingly 于是 agreed that that immense 极大的 number should be delivered up to officers deputed by Lin to receive it. It was also stipulated 规定 that, as soon as one-fourth should be given up, the servants should be restored; that, after one-half had been delivered, the passage-boats should run as usual down to Macao; that trade should be opened as soon as three-fourths had been given up; and that, when the whole of it had been surrendered 投降, "things should go on as usual."

As yet scarcely three weeks had elapsed 过去 since Commissioner Lin had come down, with this enormous 巨大 power upon his shoulders; and yet it had sufficed 满足 to enable 启用 him to effect this vast 广大 change in the relations which existed between the Chinese and the foreign community, and to astonish 使惊讶 even his own countrymen by the energy 能源 and rashness of his measures.

The commissioner 专员 was perfectly surprised at his own success, and equally so at the enormous 巨大 quantity of opium 鸦片 which Elliot declared himself able to pro‧cure 促成. But, in point of fact, there were not so many as 20,000 chests of opium 鸦片 in the "Chinese waters" at that time, although that amount was at last pro‧cure 促成, for vessels were sent to a distance even to seek 寻求 for it, and to purchase 采购 it for Captain Elliot. Some of it was lying at Manilla, whence it was brought over for the purpose.

The next step in Lin's political delinquency 犯罪 was, that he broke break the very agreement 协议 he had just made; and, instead of allowing the passage-boats to pass down to Macao, as usual, as soon as one-half of the stipulated 规定 number of chests had been surrendered 投降, as agreed, he selected 选择 the names of six‧teen 十六 gentlemen out of the whole community, and issued the strictest 严格的 orders against their departure 离开; and directed that every one of the passage-boats should be examined, to see if any of these gentlemen were on board, and to prevent their escape.

Nevertheless 虽然, at this time the commissioner 专员 would seem to have had some misgivings 疑虑 about the posture 姿势 of affairs, and became at one time inclined 倾斜 to recommend the " obedient 顺从的" foreigners 外国人 to the notice of the Emperor, for the purpose of having some mark of favour conferred 授予 upon them. This was thought to point at some kind of compensation 赔偿金 for the value of the opium 鸦片 surrendered 投降, but nothing further was heard of it.

On the 21st of May, 1839, the last portion 一部分；一份 of the stipulated 规定 quantity of 20,283 chests of opium 鸦片 was delivered up at the Bogue, where the rest of it was stored, awaiting 等待 the Imperial pleasure. Many questions arose arise as to how it was to be disposed 部署 of, but at last Lin himself hit upon the clever 聪明的 expedient of destroying it by lime 青柠 and oil, in pits 坑 dug 挖:dig for the purpose, and then pouring 淋；倒 the fluid 流体 compound 组合 into the sea. Double guards were placed to prevent any of the drug 药物 from being stolen, and death was to be the punishment 惩罚 of every delinquent 拖欠的. There were checks and spies 间谍 in all directions, and the process of destruction 破坏 was carried on with great parade 游行. Nevertheless 虽然, it is believed that some of it was purloined, both on shore and on its way from the ships to the landing-place, where mandarin-boats and war-junks 破烂 were collected in great number.

As soon as possible after he had regained 恢复 his liberty 自由, Captain Elliot sent intelligence 情报 of all these occurrences 发生 to Bombay, (for the over‧land 之上‧陆地；着陆 mail,) by a fast sailing 航行；帆 vessel 容器, hired 聘用 expressly for the purpose, called the Ariel; and, at the same time, H.M. sloop Larne was despatched to Calcutta, to report them to the governor-general of India. Consequently 所以, there was then not a single British ship of war of any description in the Chinese waters, for the protection of British life and property. Luckily, the arrival 到达 soon after‧ward 之后 of the American ships of war, the Columbia and the John Adams, served to reassure 再保证 the drooping spirits of the whole foreign community.

Other acts of atrocity 暴行 and bad faith had also been committed 承诺 by the Chinese authorities 权威; but it is remark‧able 非凡的；奇异的；引人注目的 that Captain Elliot, whose 谁的 personal 个人 courage 勇气 and natural 自然 ability have never been questioned, seems to have entered no public protest 抗议, nor addressed any strong remonstrance to the commissioner 专员, either upon this subject, or upon that of his own imprisonment 徒刑, or rather confinement 坐月子, at Canton. The probability 可能性 is, that he thought it use‧less 无用 to do so, unless he were prepared to back his remonstrance by a demonstration 展示 of force. Nevertheless 虽然, after the foreigners 外国人 were released 发布, he issued a notice that all trade on the part of his countrymen with the Chinese should be stopped. And this notice was repeated in still stronger terms after the departure 离开 of the Larne; for he declared that "he saw no prospect 展望 of such an arrangement 安排 of existing difficulties as to admit of British ships proceeding 继续 within the Bocca Tigris, under the sanction 制裁 of his authority 权威, until the opinion of her Majesty's government could be made known to him." And at a later period, he thought it necessary to warn all the merchants, (dated the 29th of July,) "that he had moved her Majesty's and the Indian governments to forbid 禁止 the admission 准许进入 of tea 茶水 and other produce from China into Great Britain and India, during the existence of the preceding 优于 prohibition 禁令 in Canton, unless their manifests 表现 were signed in his presence."

The stop‧page 停止‧页 of the trade by Captain Elliot irritated 刺激 Lin excessively 过度的. It was turning the tables against himself, defeating 击败 him with his own weapons; it savoured of presumption 假定 in his sight; and, moreover, it materially diminished 减少 his revenue 收入. It proved that, however bombastic and ridiculous 荒谬 their professions of indifference 漠不关心 to the trade of foreigners 外国人 might be, they really stood very much in need of it themselves, and, in fact, they felt the stop‧page 停止‧页 of it on our part quite as much as we ever did on theirs. It made Lin actually spiteful; he tried every art to induce 促使 the English to act contrary 相反 to Elliot's orders; and, subsequently 随后的，接着的, when he went down to Macao to see with his own eyes what the Portuguese were about, he went so far as to make it a matter of accusation 指控 against Elliot, that "he had prevented the merchant 商人 ships of his country from entering the port 港口 of Canton."

Such gross 毛 inconsistency 前后矛盾, probably, was never before presented to view in so short a period of time by any public man. Lin was, in fact, completely at bay, and he, moreover, had probably heard by this time that more than one British man-of war was expected. Nevertheless 虽然, he by no means relaxed 放松 in his feelings of bitter hostility 敌意; he listened to everything that was said or written against the English and against opium 鸦片; he so alarmed 警告 the Portuguese, as to make them expel 驱逐 all the English, out of the town, (or, what is the same thing, he threatened to attack the town if the English remained in it;) and he made them prohibit 禁止 the importation of opium 鸦片, which had formerly been permitted upon payment 付款 of duty; though, to this day, the traffic 交通 is continued by them in full vigour at the outer anchorages, and in the Typa near Macao, although it is prohibited 禁止 to be landed at the town, under the eye of the authorities 权威. Nevertheless 虽然, a sufficient 足够 quantity of it is brought into the town for local consumption 消费.

Lin now appeared to have reached the pinnacle of his power. He flattered 奉承 himself that his schemes 方案 had been all successful 成功; his power appeared irresistible 不可抗拒, because no effectual opposition 反对 to it had yet been offered. The more concessions 让步 were made to him, the more exacting he became; and having got the English out of Macao, and made the Portuguese submissive to his will, he then assumed 承担 a very bland 平淡 and condescending tone 音.

In the interim 临时, it was very evident 明显 that a storm 暴风雨 of a new kind was brewing 酿造, which was likely soon to burst 爆裂 upon his head. Moreover, all the attempts he had made to control his own people failed; his executions 执行, his denunciations, and his moral lectures 讲座，课, were alike 同样的 unavailing. He gave the people a year, within which they were to break off the habit 习惯 by degrees, and to reform 改革 their manners; and, at the end of that time, he vowed 发誓 he would execute 执行 every man amongst 之中 them that persisted 坚持 in it. In the mean‧time 其时, he hit upon the last and darling 宠儿 expedient of every Chinese statesman 政治家 and philosopher 哲学家, that of making men mutually 相互 responsible for each other. Thus the whole people were to be divided into tens 十, as they were else‧where 在别处 in the days of Alfred the Great, and each one of the party was to be made personally 亲自 responsible for the good behaviour of all the rest with whom 谁 he was associated 关联.

Notwithstanding all these strong measures, urged with all the sincerity 诚意 of an enthusiast 爱好者, they both failed at the time, and have failed ever since to eradicate 根除 the evil. The demand for the drug 药物 increased with the difficulty of pro‧cure 促成 it; the indulgence 放纵 became dearer owing 欠…债 to the danger which attended it; and, after all that was said and done, opium 鸦片 continued to be sought and enormously 巨大 paid for. It was more generally used than ever; and even attention became directed to the cultivation 教养 of the poppy 罂粟 on Chinese soil, when the difficulty of pro‧cure 促成 it from abroad 到国外 became more urgent 急迫的.

Lin rose rise into high favour, for a time, with the Imperial court, as might naturally 自然地 be expected, and he was appointed governor of the second province 省 in the empire 帝国. But long before the time came for him to remove 去掉 to his new post, his star began to wane 没落, his difficulties increased, and ultimately 最终 his fall was as great as his rise had been rapid.

For several months, as I have before stated, no British ship of war was present in the Chinese waters. It was in this interval 间隔—namely, in the month of July, 1839—that the great difficulty arose which excited so much attention at the time, and has done so since, arising out of the death of a Chinaman, by name Lin Wiehe, at Hong-Kong, during an affray with some British merchant seamen. This event was eagerly 渴望的 taken advantage of by the commissioner 专员 to attempt to enforce 执行 certain claims against the foreigners 外国人. Without entering into tedious 乏味 details, many of which are already well known, it will suffice 满足 to mention that the man's death was really occasioned by a drunken 醉 row 行 at a village near Hong-Kong; that the commissioner 专员, in accordance 按照 with what had formerly been done on a similar 类似 occasion at Canton, demanded the surrender 投降 of the murderer to be tried by Chinese judges, and that Captain Elliot denied 拒绝 the jurisdiction 管辖权 altogether 全部地; but, at the same time, he himself preferred an indictment 起诉书 for murder against a seaman 水手 before a British grand 宏大的-jury 陪审团 at Hong-Kong, who ignored 忽视 the bill. But several men were ultimately 最终 found guilty 有罪的；内疚的 of an assault 突击 only, and it appeared that one party was just as much to blame 指责 as the other.

The commissioner 专员 then grew grow more angry 生气的 than ever: he caused the few English who still remained at Macao to be still further persecuted 迫害, and it was only through the friendly assistance 帮助 of individual Portuguese families that they were enabled 启用 to obtain 获得 their daily food. The result was, that the whole British community left the place, together with Captain Elliot, and went to live on board the different merchant ships in harbour.

Things could not remain long in such a state of embarrassment 困窘; and, fortunately 侥幸的, on the 11th of September—that is, about three months and a half after the Larne had left those seas—the Volage, under Captain Smith, arrived. That gallant officer immediately perceived 认为 that active steps of some kind must be taken, and he accordingly 于是 issued a notice of blockade 封锁 of the port 港口 of Canton, upon the ground grind "that the regular supplies of food had been prohibited 禁止 to her Majesty's subjects; that the Chinese people had been ordered to fire upon and seize 抓住 them wherever 随地 they went; and that certain of her Majesty's subjects had been actually cut off."

The immediate effect of this notice was to bring the Chinese, in some measure, to their senses; their proclamations against Englishmen were withdrawn—provisions 规定 were no longer prohibited 禁止; and, consequently 所以, Captain Smith very properly withdrew his notice of blockade 封锁. Negotiations were entered into, and it was at length agreed that trade should be resumed 恢复 outside the port 港口 of Canton.

Yet, all on a sudden, even this arrangement 安排 was violated 违反 by the Chinese; and, on the 26th October, notice was issued that they now required that ships should enter within the port 港口 of Canton—that is, within the Bocca Tigris. They repeated the demand for the murderer of Lin Wiehe to be given up, and that a bond 键 should be signed by all, agreeing to be tried by Chinese officers for offences declared by them, before trial, to be capital. If this man‧date 要求 were not obeyed 服从, the whole of the foreign ships were to depart 离开 within three days, under a threat of immediate destruction 破坏.

The whole fleet 舰队, therefore, was now recommended to anchor 锚 in Tongkoo Bay, or Urmston's Harbour, which after‧ward 之后 became the rendezvous of all the ships of war.

It is not necessary here to enter into minute details; it will be sufficient 足够 for the full understanding of the future operations to state that difficulties continued to increase on both sides, without much prospect 展望 of any solution. The Hyacinth having now arrived and joined the Volage on the 29th October, these two vessels proceeded 继续 with Captain Elliot to Chuenpee, some distance below the Bogue, to endeavour to obtain 获得 from the commissioner 专员 some explicit 明确的 declaration 宣言 of his intentions. On the 3rd of November they were attacked by the Chinese admiral with twenty 二十-nine 九 sail 航行；帆 of war-junks 破烂, which, of course, they soon beat off: and thus occurred 发生 the first direct hostile 敌对 encounter 遭遇 between the armed forces of the two nations. War now became more than ever inevitable 必然. Yet, at the end of the following month, these two ships of war were again compelled 迫使 to proceed 继续 to the Bogue, in consequence 后果 of the seizure 发作 of a British subject by the Chinese (not engaged 从事 in selling opium 鸦片) at the anchor‧age 锚‧年龄 of Tongkoo Bay.

The blockade 封锁 of the river and port 港口 of Canton was therefore renewed 更新 by Captain Smith on the 15th January, 1840; but the gentle‧man 先生 who had been seized 抓住, Mr. Gribble, was at once restored, and the blockade 封锁 was consequently 所以 raised.

Scarcely had this taken place, when down came to Macao a new Chinese governor of that district, and issued a positive 正 edict for the immediate expulsion 开除 of all the English. Captain Smith, with becoming spirit, instantly ordered the Hyacinth, Captain Warren, to proceed 继续 into the inner 里面的 harbour for the protection of his countrymen, which measure seemed to give great umbrage to the Portuguese governor, Da Silveira Pinto; and, in consequence 后果 of his representations 表示, she was withdrawn on the following morning.

Occasion was taken to make as much as possible out of this occurrence 发生, as if the Portuguese really possessed 拥有 some authority 权威 in the place beyond that over their own countrymen, and very futile 无用 appeals 上诉 were made to treaties 条约 with the Chinese government. After all, the utmost 极 that could be said of it was, that if it was a little deficient 匮乏 in courtesy 礼貌 towards the Portuguese governor, the latter should have rather volunteered 志愿者 his consent 同意 to it. Nevertheless 虽然, the energetic 有活力 spirit which it evinced undoubtedly 无疑 tended to check the presumption 假定 of the Chinese authorities 权威, and thus far to give some little security 安全 to British subjects. Captain Smith very properly put it upon the ground of its strengthening 加强 the Portuguese governor's hands, which in reality 现实 it did, and which that functionary stood greatly in need of. At the same time, Captain Smith very laudably expressed a hope that the language in which his Excellency would "demand the immediate removal 切除 of the Chinese forces, declaredly sent here to seize 抓住 or destroy my countrymen, (to the deep insult 侮辱 of the Portuguese crown 王冠,) will be not less stringent 严格, and as successful 成功 in its operation, as that in which your Excellency has been pleased to order the withdrawal 退出 of the Hyacinth."

During the whole of this time, preparations 制备 were being made by the Chinese for future operations in the Canton River; fireships were prepared, guns collected, and troops 部队 exercised.

On the 24th March 行军；三月, 1840, the fine frigate the Druid, commanded by Lord John Churchill, arrived off Macao, and thence proceeded 继续 to Tongkoo Roads, a most welcome reinforcement 加强. About this time, also, the Chinese purchased 采购 the English merchant ship the Cambridge, intending to turn her into a man-of-war, and built some strange-looking little schooners upon a European model, with the view of employing them in some novel 小说 way or other against the British ships.

It is said that, at one time, Commissioner Lin got up a sort of sham 假 fight at the Bogue, and dressed some of the assailants in red clothes, in order to habituate the defenders 辩护人 to the sight of the colour of the enemy's costume 服装. Of course the red gentlemen were thoroughly beaten beat. Matters had now proceeded 继续 so far, that it was impossible that any solution of the enigma could be arrived at without speedy 迅速 employment 雇用 of force. The success of their first measures, and the help‧less 无助 condition in which foreigners 外国人 then found themselves, had emboldened the Chinese beyond reason, and had fed feed their presumption 假定 even till 到 it burst 爆裂 with its own self 自己-applause 热烈鼓掌.

Lord John Churchill, who was now, of course, senior 前辈 officer, unhappily 不快乐 died, after a few weeks' illness 疾病, on the 3rd of June. Few days had elapsed 过去 before the Chinese sent a number of fireships to endeavour to destroy the English merchant-ships collected at the anchor‧age 锚‧年龄 of Capsingmoon, but they proved a complete failure.

The British naval 海 force now rapidly gained access‧ion 加入 to its strength. The tidings 潮汐 of the events at Canton had spread to all parts of the world. Preparations had been immediately commenced 开始 in England and else‧where 在别处 for the coming contest 比赛. The Alligator, from New South Wales, under Sir 先生 Gordon Bremer, arrived about this time, as also did the Honourable Company's steamer 蒸汽, Madagascar, and like‧wise 同样 the Wellesley, 74, in which Sir Gordon Bremer hoisted 提升 his broad pendant 垂饰; and, on the 28th of June, 1840, Commodore Sir Gordon Bremer established 建立 a blockade 封锁 of the port 港口 and river of Canton and all its entrances 入口, by command of her Majesty's government. Ships of war now continued to arrive as fast as possible; the force in the Chinese waters was consider‧able 大量; and, within two or three days after the commencement 开始 of the blockade 封锁, the chief command was assumed 承担 by Rear-Admiral the Honourable George Elliot, who had just arrived in the Melville, 74.

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CHAPTER XII.

It will be generally admitted by all who have seen the Canton river, or, as the Chinese call it, Choo-keang, that, in point of size, depth, and picturesque 如画 character, it is one of the finest navigable rivers in the world. Merchant ships of the largest size, perhaps the proudest which float 漂浮, have navigated 导航 it for nearly two hundred 百 years, to within a distance of nine 九 or ten 十 miles from Canton, with little difficulty, and very inconsiderable danger. No foreign commerce with any one port 港口 has been so valuable 贵重的, so extensive 广阔的, or carried on with so much facility 设施. The difficulties of our inter‧course 交往, which have arisen arise within the last few years, have formed an epoch 时代 in the world's history, and stand forth as a leading beacon in the stream of time, pointing towards greater eras 时代；年代 yet to come.

An archipelago of numerous 很多的 islands, most of them rocky 岩石, and only partially 部分 productive 生产的, warns you of the approach to this celebrated 庆祝 river. Strictly speaking, only that portion 一部分；一份 of it above the Bocca Tigris has been called the river; while all below that point, even from beyond Macao upwards 向上, (the latter lying at the distance of from forty 四十 to fifty 五十 miles from the Bogue forts 堡,) has been called the outer waters; nevertheless 虽然, it ought properly to be included within the precincts 管理区 of the river itself 本身.

Since the questions connected 连接 with the opium 鸦片-trade have been brought so prominently 突出 forward, it has been maintained 保持 by some, that the "outer waters" ought not properly to be considered within Chinese jurisdiction 管辖权. But this position would hardly seem to be ten‧able 10‧能够的; and there can be no sound reason for maintaining 保持 that these waters should not be considered as much, and even more, within their jurisdiction 管辖权 as the sea-coast or river islands of any part of Europe are within the jurisdiction 管辖权 of the country to which they belong, to the distance of a certain number of miles from the land itself 本身. In reality 现实, the little peninsula 半岛 of Macao on the west, and the island of Lintao (not to be confounded 混淆 with Lintin) on the east, may be considered as the proper boundaries 分界线 of the entrance 入口 to the Canton River.

These points are about fifteen 十五 to twenty 二十 miles apart 相隔, while between them lie several small islands, through which are the two principal 主要 navigable passages (the western and the Lintao passages) into the river itself 本身. But the island of Lintao, called Tyho by the Chinese, is a long, narrow, mountainous 多山 piece of land, broken break up into numerous 很多的 bays and projecting 项目 points, stretching from south-west to north-east, separated at the latter extremity from the main‧land 大陆 only about the distance of a mile. The passage and anchor‧age 锚‧年龄 between them is called Capsingmoon, and is made use of occasionally 偶尔，间或；有时 even by large vessels, which pass towards the river or across from Macao towards the island of Hong-Kong, which lies off the main‧land 大陆 at about five or six miles to the east‧ward 东方的 of Lintao.[13]

The anchor‧age 锚‧年龄 of Tongkoo Bay, towards which the Nemesis was to proceed 继续 to rejoin 归队 the fleet 舰队, and which is also known by the name of Urmston's Harbour, from having been recommended by Sir James Urmston, formerly President of the Company's factory 工厂 at Canton, is situated 位于 about six miles due north from Lintao, between the little islands called Tongkoo and Sowchow, near the main‧land 大陆, as you proceed 继续 upwards 向上 within the outer waters of the Canton River, along its eastern 东方的 shores. It was here that the fleet 舰队 anchored 锚 in 1823, in consequence 后果 of some discussions with the Chinese, arising out of the affair of the Topaze frigate, which occurred 发生 in the preceding 优于 year.[14]

About five miles distant 遥远的 from Tongkoo Bay, more towards the centre of the river, and a little to the north‧ward 北方, is the small island of Lintin, terminating 终止 in a very remark‧able 非凡的；奇异的；引人注目的, high, conical peak 峰, which is a guide to all vessels passing up or down. It has become famous 著名 as a place of rendezvous for the opium 鸦片 vessels, particularly within the last few years; and a merchant brig, bearing its name, has been recently sold sell to the Chinese as a man-of-war, though old and not very service‧able 服务‧能够的. This island must not be confounded 混淆 with that of Lintao, before alluded 暗示 to, and from which it is about eight 八 or nine 九 miles distant 遥远的.

Having now got fairly into Tongkoo Bay with the fleet 舰队, and feeling something of the interest and excitement 激动 which were awakened 憬 in the breasts 乳房 of all who were brought together in such a place and at such a time, we will next proceed 继续 to recount 叙事 a few of the remark‧able 非凡的；奇异的；引人注目的 events of the year 1840, reserving the description of the other parts of the river for those portions 一部分；一份 of the narrative 叙述 with which they are connected.

Towards the end of July, 1840, the British force assembled 集合 in China had become consider‧able 大量: comprising 包括 no less than three line-of-battle ships, with a Rear-Admiral and a Commodore; thirteen 十三 other ships of war, of different kinds, and a large troop 部队-ship; together with four armed steamers 汽船, belonging to the East India Company. To these must be added twenty 二十-seven 七 transports 运输, having on board the 18th, 26th, and 49th regiments 团, a body of Bengal volunteers 志愿者, and a corps 兵团 of Madras sappers and miners 矿工. The marines 海洋 and seamen were of course prepared to co-operate on shore. This was undoubtedly 无疑 a formidable 强大 force, especially when we reflect that little more than a year had elapsed 过去 since there was no armed force whatever in the Chinese waters, and the flag of England had ceased 停止 to wave even upon the Factories.

The measures adopted by the Governor-general of India, when once the crisis 危机 had arrived, were sufficiently 充分地 energetic 有活力 and decisive 决定性的. The consequences 后果 of the rupture 破裂 were now easily foreseen; and the interest which the state of our relations with China had begun to awaken 憬, both in England and in India, was daily becoming more general.

On the first arrival 到达 of the large force mentioned below,[15] it did not appear to alarm 警告 Commissioner Lin, and his obsequious satellite 卫星, Governor Tang, nearly so much as might have been expected. On the contrary 相反, Lin continued to organize means of defence, to enlist 招募 soldiers, and to arm his forts 堡. It was, moreover, at this moment that he hit upon his not‧able 显着 expedient of offering immense 极大的 rewards 报酬 for the destruction, in any manner whatever, of British ships, either men-of-war or merchant vessels, and also for the capture 捕获 or slaughter 屠宰 of British officers. But the reward 报酬 for taking them alive 活的；有生命的 was to be greater than for killing them. There was also a reward for taking soldiers or merchants, but only one-fifth of the sum 和 if they were killed. A reward was also to be given for the capture 捕获 of coloured people, soldiers, or servants, although its amount was not mentioned.

All this followed after the declaration 宣言 of blockade 封锁 by Sir Gordon Bremer, and after a public complaint 抱怨 had been made by Captain Elliot against Lin and Tang, for various treacherous 奸诈 acts, such as attacking our vessels at night (merchant vessels), poisoning 毒药 the water, and preventing supplies of food from being brought to the factories, & 功放;c.

It was now very evident 明显, that although no formal declaration 宣言 of war had been made on our part, it had become impossible to avoid war‧like 战争‧喜欢；象 operations on an extended scale, and at no distant 遥远的 time.

Rear-Admiral Elliot had now been associated 关联 with Captain Elliot in his diplomatic 外交 functions 功能, and they were nominated 提名 Joint-Plenipotentiaries for settling the matters in dispute 争议 with the Emperor. That object appeared little likely to be attained 达到 by wasting time in negotiations 谈判 with irresponsible 不负责任 and overbearing public officers at Canton; it was, therefore, wisely 明智的；聪明的 resolved 解决 to take advantage of the best season of the year while it still lasted, and to proceed 继续 north‧ward 北方 with the bulk 块 of the force, in order to bring the emperor 皇帝 and his ministers to their senses, by exciting alarm 警告 as near as possible to the imperial 帝国 capital. The Peiho river, therefore, which commands one of the great channels 渠道 of inter‧course 交往 with the metropolis, and is connected with the Grand Canal 运河, through which all the wealth 财产 of China flows to Pekin, was now avowedly the chief point to which the expedition 远征 was to be directed.

This movement 运动 was by no means a mere demonstration 展示 for the purpose of giving éclat to the conduct 进行 of the negotiations 谈判, but was in reality 现实 a hostile 敌对 operation; at all events, it became so as it proceeded 继续, and the results of it may, in reality 现实, be called the First Campaign 运动 in China. It was commonly called the first "China Expedition;" but the appellation was after‧ward 之后 changed to the " Eastern 东方的 Expeditionary force," which was also applied to the second expedition 远征, as will be after‧ward 之后 seen.

A small force being left at the Bogue to maintain 保持 the blockade 封锁, the bulk 块 of the expedition 远征, together with the two plenipotentiaries, sailed 航行；帆 to the north‧ward 北方 at the end of June; part of the force above mentioned did not arrive until after the rest had sailed, but it soon followed the rest.

The first encounter 遭遇 with the Chinese took place at Amoy, in the beginning of July, 1840. The Blonde, forty 四十-four, Captain Bourchier, was sent into the harbour of Amoy, to endeavour to hand over a letter from the English naval 海 commander 命令-in-chief, addressed to the "Admiral of the Chinese nation." This high officer was not there, and the local mandarins refused to receive it, and fired upon a boat which was sent to the beach 海滩 bearing a flag of truce 休战 at the bow 弓, and conveying 传达 Mr. Thom, as interpreter 翻译，弄清含义, for the purpose of delivering the letter to the mandarins, for trans‧mission 传输 to the Chinese admiral. The officers and crew 全体工作人员；全体船员 of the boat had a narrow escape, for, besides being received with every possible indignity, the boat was fired at and struck strike, while preparations 制备 were evidently 明显地 being made for an attack upon the frigate itself 本身. Indeed, nothing could possibly be more hostile 敌对 and insulting 侮辱 than the conduct 进行 of the Chinese officers, who met Mr. Thom at the landing-place. They shewed some inclination 倾角 even to seize 抓住 the boat in which he came, and declared they neither feared him nor the ship either.

The result of their hostile 敌对 bearing and of the attack on the boat was, that the guns of the Blonde were directed with terrific 了不起 effect upon the Chinese batteries 电池 and the war-junks 破烂, immediately the boat reached the frigate. By this fire great damage 损害 was done, and the Chinese troops 部队, who had assembled 集合 on the beach 海滩, were dispersed 分散 in all directions. Having inflicted 造成 this merited 值得 chastisement, as an example to the Chinese, the Blonde again set sail 航行；帆 to join the main body of the force, in order to report the circumstances 环境 to the admiral.

On the 5th of July, the town of Tinghai, the capital of the island of Chusan, the principal 主要 of the group of islands bearing that name, fell fall to her Majesty's arms after a very slight resistance 抵抗. But as this and other operations to the north‧ward 北方, during this brief 简要 season, have been well described by Lord Jocelyn, it will be sufficient 足够 merely to allude 暗示 to them in a cursory way, particularly as they were of minor 次要 importance compared with subsequent 随后的，接着的 events.

The failure of the attempt to deliver a letter from Lord Palmerston to some of the authorities 权威 at Ningpo, to be transmitted 发送 to the cabinet 内阁 at Pekin, became a matter of serious importance, after what had taken place at Amoy, and, in consequence 后果, a blockade 封锁 of the coast was established 建立 from Ningpo to the mouth of the Yangtze River, the most frequented and most commercial part of the whole sea-board of China.

Nothing was more likely to make a deep impression 印象 upon the Chinese government than the stop‧page 停止‧页 of this valuable 贵重的 trade, upon which the daily sustenance of a large part of the population of the interior 室内 actually depended. The ultimate 最终 conclusion 结论 of peace, which was brought about by the more active prosecution 检察官 of these very measures, will be sufficient 足够 to prove their wisdom 智慧 at that time; and it is due to Captain Elliot to mention, that the blockade 封锁 of the Yangtze River was at all times one of his most favourite projects 项目.

About the middle of August, the bulk 块 of the squadron 队 arrived off the mouth of the Peiho, below Tientsin, having been preceded 优于 two or three days by Captain Elliot, on board the Madagascar steamer.[16] Lord Palmerston's communication 通讯 was there at length received, by an officer deputed for that purpose by Keshen, the governor of the province 省, and was forwarded to the emperor 皇帝. Subsequently, a conference 会议 was held on shore between Keshen and Captain Elliot; and, whatever the results may otherwise have been, it is well known that the plenipotentiaries were persuaded 说服, by the ingenuity 创造力 of Keshen, that the future negotiations 谈判 could be conducted 进行 with more satisfaction 满足 at Canton (provided a new commissioner 专员 were sent down from Pekin for that express purpose) than within a hundred 百 miles of the emperor 皇帝's palace 宫.

In the mean‧time 其时, however, while an answer was expected from the emperor 皇帝 to the communication 通讯 addressed to his ministers by Lord Palmerston, the principal 主要 part of the squadron 队, which had come up to the Peiho, sailed further north‧ward 北方, up the gulf 海湾 of Petchelee, to the great wall of China, which has so long been classed among the wonders of the world. The effect of the emperor 皇帝's answer, and of the negotiations 谈判 with Keshen was, that this squadron 队 withdrew from the neighbourhood of the capital; and Keshen himself was appointed Imperial Commissioner, to proceed 继续 at once to Canton, to open negotiations 谈判 with the plenipotentiaries. He was to supersede 取而代之 Lin, whose 谁的 course seemed almost run, and who was ordered to Pekin in haste 匆忙, to answer for his conduct 进行. Nevertheless 虽然, he was subsequently allowed to remain as viceroy, or governor, at Canton, but never succeeded in obtaining 获得 the higher government which had been previously 先前 promised to him elsewhere, in the heyday 极盛 of his favour.

By the end of September, the squadron 队 had returned to Chusan from the Peiho. A truce 休战 was about this time announced 宣布 and published 发布 at Chusan; and a common impression 印象 prevailed 战胜 that a general armistice had been concluded 得出结论 at Tientsin with Keshen, pending the result of the negotiations 谈判 to be carried on at Canton. This, however, was soon found to be erroneous 错误; for, in a letter addressed to the merchants by Admiral Elliot, in Tongkoo Bay, on the 26th of November, (the very day after the Nemesis had reported her arrival 到达 to the admiral,) it was publicly declared that "the truce 休战 had been only entered into with Elepoo, the governor-general of that province 省 [Che-keang], and did not extend further." It must, however, have included the port 港口 of Ningpo, and other parts of the coast of the main‧land 大陆, within the limits of the governor's authority 权威.

The plenipotentiaries, Captain Elliot and the Honourable George Elliot, returned to Macao on the 20th of November. It was on the following day that The Queen 女王 steamer was fired at and hit, as she passed the Chuenpee fort 堡 with a flag of truce 休战. She had orders to proceed 继续 up to the Bogue, to deliver a letter which had been entrusted 委托 to her captain from "Elepoo," (probably concerning the truce 休战 he had concluded 得出结论,) addressed to the Imperial Commissioner Keshen at Canton. In return for this attack, she threw throw a few shells 壳 and heavy shot shoot into the fort 堡, and went back to Tongkoo Bay re infect 感染â. This was the second time a flag of truce 休战 had been fired at, although the Chinese perfectly understood understand the peaceful 平静的 purpose which it denoted 表示. The despatch, however, was forwarded the same evening to Keshen at Canton, through the sub 子-prefect of Macao, into whose 谁的 hands it was delivered by Captain Elliot. It was also reported that the command‧ant 命令‧蚂蚁 at Chuenpee sent up some of The Queen 女王's heavy shot, which had lodged 存放 in the fort 堡, as a present to the authorities 权威 at Canton, probably to shew how brave 勇敢的 he had been to with‧stand 经受 such weighty missiles. He did not lose the opportunity to claim a victory for having driven drive her off!

A heavy force was by this time collected at the mouth of the Canton River, rein‧force 加强 as it had been by the arrival 到达 of the Calliope and Samarang, and also of the Nemesis, and by the addition 加成 of a fresh regiment 团, the 37th Madras native 本土的 infantry 步兵.

Keshen arrived at Canton on the 29th of November, and sent an official notification 通知 to that effect to the plenipotentiaries; and it is remark‧able 非凡的；奇异的；引人注目的 that, almost at the same moment, Admiral Elliot was compelled 迫使 to resign 辞职 the command of the fleet 舰队, and also his duties as joint-plenipotentiary, through sudden and severe illness 疾病. A few days after‧ward 之后 he embarked 从事 for England in the Volage, leaving Commodore Sir Gordon Bremer as commander 命令-in-chief, and Captain Elliot for the time as again the sole 唯一 plenipotentiary.

In order to render 给予 complete the general sketch 草图 of passing events to the close of 1840, I must not omit 省略 to mention the gallant affair at Macao under Captain Smith, commanding the Druid, which happened in the month of August, at the period when the main body of the expedition 远征 was engaged 从事 in the operations to the north‧ward 北方, already alluded 暗示 to. It will be remembered that Captain Smith had once before thought it necessary to sail into the Inner 里面的 Harbour, for the protection of British subjects, but had retired upon a representation 表示 being made to him by the Portuguese government.

In the month of August, however, strange rumours of a rather threatening character began to prevail 战胜, but not of a very definite 定 kind. One of the principal 主要 Chinese officers of Macao had been absent 缺席的 for some time at Canton, and, on his return, accompanied 陪, or rather followed, by a body of troops 部队, it became very evident 明显 that some hostile 敌对 measure was in contemplation. A number of war-junks 破烂 were like‧wise 同样 collected in the Inner 里面的 Harbour, having troops 部队 on board. A consider‧able 大量 body of men were also encamped upon the narrow neck of land which separates Macao from the main‧land 大陆, and across which there is a so-called Barrier 屏障, which forms the line of demarcation, beyond which the Portuguese have no jurisdiction 管辖权.

This Barrier 屏障 is composed of a wall, with parapets and a ditch 沟渠 running across the isthmus, and having a gate‧way 网关, with a guard-house over it, in the centre. Beyond the Barrier 屏障 the Chinese had very recently thrown throw up a flanking 侧翼 field-work, mounting 增加 about twelve 十二 guns, with a view of protecting the rear 后 of the Barrier 屏障 from the attack of an enemy attempting to land in boats. The war-junks 破烂 were also placed so close in shore, in the Inner 4 Harbour, as to be able to protect the Barrier 屏障 on that side.

These movements 运动 were quite sufficient 足够 to prove that some attack was actually contemplated 沉思 upon Macao itself 本身, and the result of it, if successful 成功, cannot be thought of without horror 恐怖. But the promptitude and energy 能源 of Captain Smith anticipated 预期 the designs of the Chinese, and, by a most decisive 决定性的 and admirably 令人钦佩 combined movement 运动, he soon scattered 散落 the whole Chinese forces like chaff before the wind. Taking with him the Larne and Hyacinth, with the Enterprise 企业 steamer and the Louisa cutter, he sailed boldly 胆大的；醒目的 up towards the Barrier 屏障, and ran in as close as the shallowness of the water would permit. He then opened a spirited fire upon the whole of the Chinese works and bar‧rack 营房, which the Chinese returned. Their soldiers were seen mustering 鼓起 from different points, for the defence of the position.

In the course of an hour, the firing of the Chinese was almost silenced, and then a single gun was landed upon the beach 海滩, which raked 耙子 the Chinese position, while a small body of marines 海洋, under Lieutenant Maxwell, with some small-arm men from the Druid, under Lieutenant Goldsmith, and about two companies of Bengal volunteers 志愿者, under Captain Mee, altogether 全部地 about three hundred 百 and eighty 八十 men, landed, and drove drive the Chinese, with consider‧able 大量 loss, from every one of their positions. On the British side, four men only were wounded 创伤. The Chinese guns were spiked 穗, but none were carried away, and the whole of their troops 部队 were dispersed 分散, nor did they after‧ward 之后 approach the Barrier 屏障, except to carry off the spiked 穗 guns. The bar‧rack 营房 and other buildings were burned burn; and all our men having re-embarked 从事 late in the evening, the vessels returned to their former anchor‧age 锚‧年龄 in Macao roads.

Seldom 很少 has a more signal service been rendered 给予 in so short a space of time, than this well-timed and energetic 有活力 measure adopted by Captain Smith.

There still remain one or two points worth noticing, in order to complete the series 系列 of events which happened in the year 1840. Among these, one of the most important was the issuing of an Order in Council, for the establishment 机构 of courts of admiralty in China, for the adjudication of prizes 奖赏, & 功放;c. It was to the effect that, "in consideration 考虑 of the late injurious proceedings 继续 of certain officers of the Emperor of China towards certain of our officers and subjects, and, whereas 而, orders had been given that satisfaction 满足 and reparation 赔偿 for the same should be demanded from the Chinese government, it was necessary, for the purpose of enforcing 执行 those orders, that all vessels and goods belonging to the Emperor of China or his subjects should be detained 扣留 and brought into port 港口; and that, in the event of reparation 赔偿 and satisfaction being refused by the Chinese government, a court of admiralty should be formed for the purpose of adjudging and condemning 谴责 them as prizes."

This order in council was not acted upon, except on a very limited scale, and for a very brief 简要 period. It was after‧ward 之后 considered more equitable 公平 that the burden 负荷，重负 of the war should be made to fall as much as possible upon the government of China, and as little as possible upon the people; and this highly judicious and humane 人道 determination 决心 was carried out as much as possible, and with the best results, during all the latter part of the war, much to the credit 信用 of all concerned.

During the year 1840, very little progress was made in our endeavours to gain over the Chinese people to our interests, or to conciliate their forbearance, in any of the places in which we were brought into contact 联系 with them. At Chusan, in particular, they evinced the most hostile 敌对 spirit towards us, and lost no opportunity of exhibiting 展示 their hatred 仇恨 of the foreigner. It was not without great difficulty even that provisions 规定 could be obtained 获得 for our men; there was evidently 明显地 some secret influence which operated to prevent the people from meeting us amicably, and made them, for some time, resist 抵抗 even the temptation 诱惑 of gain, so difficult for a Chinaman to with‧stand 经受. Nothing tended to exhibit 展示 their hostile 敌对 spirit so much as their per‧severe 持之以恒 attempts to carry off our men by stealth, when‧ever 随时 they could find an opportunity; and indeed the kidnapping 绑架 system was followed up with many circumstances 环境 of barbarity, to the very close of the war.

This embittered our men very much against the Chinese, and we may almost wonder that their prisoners, when they fell into our hands, received such lenient treatment 治疗 in return. The story is well known of Captain Anstruther's capture 捕获 at Chusan, at the distance of only two or three miles from the town, his being tied up in a sack 解雇, and subsequently carried over in a boat to Ningpo on the main‧land 大陆, and the curious history of his confinement 坐月子 in a bamboo 竹 cage 笼子, three feet long by two feet broad; and other instances 例 of a similar 类似 kind, in which the prisoners were treated with the utmost 极 barbarity, have been so often recounted 叙事, that a passing allusion 典故 to them will here be sufficient 足够. Captain Anstruther, however, would seem to have been more leniently treated than many of the other prisoners: and I have heard him declare that, with respect to the better class of mandarins at Ningpo, he had little cause of complaint 抱怨 to urge against them, considering that he was a prisoner 犯人，囚犯 in an enemy's hands. His talent 天赋 for drawing, however, enabled 启用 him to conciliate their good will, and to earn for himself some indulgences 放纵 which others were not fortunate 侥幸的 enough to pro‧cure 促成. He sold his drawings and particularly his portraits 肖像, for a tolerable price. Many of the other prisoners, however, were treated with frightful barbarity, and, in some instances 例, they were put to death.

A much more formidable 强大 enemy to us than the Chinese was soon discovered, in the terrible sickness 疾病 which broke out among our troops 部队 at Chusan, and carried off many a brave 勇敢的 man pre‧mature 过早 to his grave 坟墓；严重的. The low, swampy rice 稻-grounds surrounding the town, the want of proper drain‧age 引流, the exposure 经受 to the hot sun, and the use of the deleterious spirit which the Chinese call samshoo, made from rice, (of which a vast 广大 quantity was manufactured on the island for exportation,) all these causes combined sufficed 满足 to produce fever 发热, dysentery, and various complaints 抱怨, which committed 承诺 great havoc 浩劫 among the men. The island was subsequently, however, rendered 给予 less unhealthy 不良 by better arrangements 安排, and by enforcing 执行 greater cleanliness.

At Amoy, after the affair of the Blonde, a strict 严格的 blockade 封锁 was maintained 保持 by the Alligator and other vessels, which interrupted 打断 the whole trade of that important commercial city. But none of our ships astonished 使惊讶 and alarmed the Chinese so much as the steamers 汽船; they were particularly alluded 暗示 to in the official reports to the emperor 皇帝, and were described as "having wheels at their sides, which, revolving 围绕, propelled 推进 them like the wind, enabling 启用 them to pass to and fro 来来往往 with great rapidity, acting as leaders 领导;" and it is not surprising that the Chinese should soon have christened them the "Demon Ships."

The effect of our operations to the north‧ward 北方 had already been to excite great alarm 警告 in the mind of the emperor 皇帝 and of his ministers; indeed the panic 恐慌 created by the first approach of a hostile 敌对 force was so great, that a very small body of men might have marched 行军；三月 almost from one end of China to the other, so little were the Chinese prepared for resistance 抵抗. But gradually 逐步地 they recovered 恢复 their energy 能源, improved their means of defence, adopted better weapons, and cast 投 heavier guns. As far as personal 个人 bravery 勇敢 could aid 援助 them, they were by no means an enemy to be despised 讨厌. The spear 矛 and the bayonet frequently crossed each other; perhaps more frequently than the bayonets of Europeans do; and, in not a few instances 例, the long spear 矛 was more than a match for the shorter bayonet. Hand to hand encounters 遭遇 with the Tartar troops 部队 were not uncommon 罕见 towards the close of the war; and, indeed, many of our men learnt learn, to their cost, that they had held the Chinese far too cheap 便宜的. Instances occurred 发生 in which the powerful 强大 Tartar soldier rushed within the bayonet-guard of his opponent 反对者；对手；敌手, and grappled 抓钩 with him for life or death.

We may now revert 还原 to the period of the arrival 到达 of the new Imperial Commissioner Keshen at Canton, with a view to treat with the plenipotentiaries, according to the terms agreed upon at the Pehio, as before mentioned. His predecessor 前任, Lin, whose 3 fall had now commenced 开始, could not resist 抵抗 giving a parting warning to the people, against the continuance of their pernicious habits 习惯; and he even assured 向…保证；肯定地说 them that, if they still persisted 坚持, "they would assuredly, one and all of them, be strangled 扼杀."

In the beginning of December the greater part of our naval 海 forces had again assembled 集合 below the Bogue, although a squadron 队 was still left to the north‧ward 北方. Notwithstanding that Keshen had arrived for the ostensible purpose of inquiring 打听 into and settling all matters in dispute 争议, it was evident 明显 that the Chinese were making hostile 敌对 preparations 制备, with a view to a very different mode 方式 of settlement 沉降 of the question. A feeling of uncertainty 不确定 and apprehension 顾虑 prevailed 战胜, such as generally precedes 优于 some great movement 运动. The Chinese, on their side, were collecting troops 部队, and raising new works; while, on our side, every pre‧caution 预防 was taken, in case a resumption 恢复 of hostilities 敌意 should be called for.

On the 13th, the Nemesis, which had been for some days at anchor 锚 with the fleet 舰队, a few miles below Chuenpee, conveyed 传达 Captain Elliot down to Macao, while the rest of the fleet 舰队 moved nearer up towards the Bogue, as if with the object of supporting the "negotiations 谈判" by a firm display 显示 of power. Captain Elliot's stay at Macao was very short, and from the increased activity of our preparations 制备 at the Bogue, it became evident 明显 that the "negotiations 谈判" were not going on satisfactorily.

Numerous communications 通讯 were passing between Macao and our fleet 舰队 at the Bogue; Captain Elliot himself went backwards 向后的 and forwards several times in the Nemesis, and the moment seemed fast approaching when some very decided blow was to be struck.

The following description of the scene of operations will therefore be found interesting. About twenty 二十-two to twenty 二十-five miles above the island of Lintin, before described, and consequently 所以 about the same distance above Tongkoo Bay, on the same side of the river, is a projecting 项目 head‧land 头；上端‧陆地；着陆, about a mile and a quarter wide, distinguished at a consider‧able 大量 distance by the high peak 峰 in which its summit 首脑 terminates 终止. On either side of it there is a fine sandy 沙 beach 海滩, off which there is a good anchor‧age 锚‧年龄. This is Chuenpee.

The hill, which is its principal 主要 feature 特征, stands rather towards the northern 北方的 side of the promontory, and is divided into two conical eminences, upon one of which there was a high building, resembling 类似 a watch tower 塔, which was now fortified 强化, and formed a conspicuous 显着 object as you ascend 登 the river. At the bottom of the hill there were a consider‧able 大量 stone battery 电池 and other works. The whole of these had been very recently strengthened 加强 and extended. A line of entrenchment, with mud 泥 batteries 电池, had also been carried round the rear 后. Behind the hill also, in an opening looking towards the north, or into Anson's Bay, another small battery 电池 had been erected 直立, with an enclosed 围起来 space or square for bar‧rack 营房, surrounded by a parapet wall.

The extent of these works was not properly known, until the attack upon the place had commenced 开始. It was generally believed that the promontory and hill of Chuenpee were connected with the main‧land 大陆, and it was not until some time after the place was taken that the discovery 发现 was made, as will presently be described, that Chuenpee was, in reality 现实, an island.[17]

On the opposite or western side of the river, which is here about three miles wide, is another smaller promontory, called Tycocktow, with a line of strong batteries 电池 close along the shore, faced with granite 花岗岩: This was also subsequently found to be an island. The whole of the country which borders 边；界 the river is mountainous 多山 and picturesque 如画.

Returning again to the east side, about four to five miles above Chuenpee, we come to the high hill and fortifications of Anunghoy, the most important of the works at the Bogue. Between Chuenpee and Anunghoy lies the beautiful 美丽 bay called Anson's Bay, about two miles deep; on one side of which it was at one time proposed to found an English town. Anunghoy, like Chuenpee, was discovered to be also an island; and that circumstance 环境, as will be after‧ward 之后 seen, was a source 资源 of great anxiety 焦虑 to Keshen, who saw the consequent 结果 weakness 弱点 of the position of Anunghoy, and reported it to the emperor 皇帝. In fact, our light squadron 队 might have probably gone up the river by the passage at the back of Anunghoy, without passing through the Bogue at all. But these facts were not then known.

The works at Anunghoy consisted 组成 of two very strong, heavy batteries 电池, built of excellent granite 花岗岩, and partly of the composition 作文；构图 called chunam. The masses of stone were after‧ward 之后 found to be of immense 极大的 size, so much so, that it was no easy task 任务 to blow the works to pieces, even after they were taken. The two principal 主要 batteries 电池 were connected together by temporary 临时 works of recent construction 施工; and according to the usual Chinese practice, a semi‧circular 半‧圆形的 wall was carried round the rear 后 of each fort 堡 along the side of the hill.

The breadth 宽度 of the river from Anunghoy to the opposite side is from two to three miles, being some‧what 有些 less than it is lower down between Chuenpee and Tycocktow. But in the very middle of the river in this part are two rocky 岩石 islands, called North and South Wantung, of mode‧rate 有节制的 elevation 海拔, and also a smaller rock, scarcely visible 可以看见的；可视的 at high water. Hence 因此 there are two channels 渠道 up the river, one on either side of these islands, but that on the east side towards Anunghoy is the one which had always been frequented by foreign ships, and was considered to be the Bocca Tigris, or Bogue.

The passage on the western side of Wantung was not only not frequented by Europeans, but not even known to be navigable, until our preparations 制备 were made for the capture 捕获 of the Bogue forts 堡, when some of our ships passed up on that side to the attack of North Wantung. The true Bogue, or eastern 东方的 passage, is only about three quarters of a mile wide; the current, or rather the tide 潮汐, is very rapid, on which account ships generally prefer keeping rather near to the Anunghoy side. Of the two islands called Wantung, the northern 北方的 is the highest and largest, lying quite opposite Anunghoy, and was very strongly fortified 强化. South Wantung, the smaller island, was not fortified 强化 by the Chinese, being not considered by them of sufficient 足够 importance to require it. It lies some distance lower down the river, and looking at their relative positions, you would hardly suppose they were within effectual gun-shot distance from each other. Such, however, was the case; and the Chinese forts 堡 on North Wantung were shelled 壳 from South Wantung by a small battery 电池, constructed 构造 by a detachment 分离 of our troops 部队 in a single night, being covered during their work principally 原则上 by the Nemesis, which ran close in shore for that purpose, being her‧self 她自己 sheltered by the island.

Further to obstruct 阻碍 the passage up the Bogue, the Chinese had carried an immense 3 chain, or rather a double chain, across it, supported by large rafts 筏 from one side to the other, one end of it being secured 安全 at Anunghoy, and the other end being fastened 系牢 into a rock near South Wantung, which was nearly covered at high water. To complete the account of these famous 著名 defences, it only remains to mention another fort 堡 on the western side of the river, nearly opposite Wantung, which was called Little Tycocktow, and was not of recent construction 施工. By the Chinese themselves, these extensive 广阔的 works were considered impregnable, for they had not yet experienced the tremendous 巨大 effect of the concentrated 集中 fire of line-of-battle-ships.

Tiger Island can scarcely be said to form part of the Bocca Tigris; it lies nearly two miles above Wantung; and, although there was a consider‧able 大量 stone battery 电池 on its eastern 3 side, it was not likely to be of any service, and the Chinese wisely abandoned 放弃 it, and removed 去掉 the guns. This island, however, is a remarkable 4 feature 特征 in the general aspect 方面 of the river, being in reality 现实 a high rocky 岩石 mountain, cleft in two at the top, and presenting to view several deep chasms on both sides, yet clothed with verdure in some parts, while it is rudely 粗鲁的 broken up in others. It is altogether 3 a very peculiar 奇怪的 object, although it cannot be said to bear much resemblance 相似 to a tiger 虎's head, from which it takes its name.

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CHAPTER XIII.

The Imperial Commissioner Keshen now wisely resolved 解决 to gain as much time as he could by negotiation 谈判; and seemed in the first instance 例 to have almost equalled his predecessor 前任 Lin, in his desire "to control the foreigners 外国人, and to reduce them to sub‧mission 服从." His conferences 会议 with that functionary, who now remained at Canton as viceroy, were numerous and confidential 秘密的; but, instead of precipitating 沉淀 the crisis 危机 by mad 疯狂的 violence 暴力, he professed 宣称 to trust rather to the "employment 雇用 of truth and the utmost 极 reason" to attain 达到 his ends.

Keshen's cautiousness was at once shewn by the instructions 指令 which he issued respecting the nature of the white flag, and by his enjoining that for the future the troops 部队 were "not rashly 皮疹 to open their artillery 炮兵, without first ascertaining 探明 what was the purpose of the approach of any boat bearing such a flag." And, moreover, that "they were not to provoke 惹 hostilities 敌意, by being the first to fire on the foreign ships, nor in their desire for honours to endeavour to create trouble." On his side, like‧wise 同样, Captain Elliot was quite as anxious 焦急的 to avoid a collision 碰撞 as Keshen himself; and thus affairs went on until the close of the year, without any approach whatever to a solution of the difficulties. Keshen exhibited 展示 a vast 广大 deal of tact and

"—— cunning 狡猾, which in fools supplies,
And amply 功放, too, the place of being wise 明智的；聪明的."

Great as our force already was even at that period, it does not at all seem to have intimidated 威吓 Keshen, who appeared to gain courage 勇气 as he gained time. Indeed, it could hardly be expected that the ancient barrier 屏障 of Chinese pride 自尊 and self 自己-sufficiency would crumble 崩溃 down before a single blow, however strong; and even the chief actor 演员 in the scene himself hesitated 犹豫 long to strike, when he knew that it would make an empire 帝国 tremble 发抖.

But the great, the haughty, the mysterious 神秘 China was at length destined 注定 to open her portals 门户 to the resist‧less 抵抗‧少 "barbarian." Among the important personages who contributed 有助于 indirectly 间接 to bring about this wonderful 精彩 result, perhaps not the least remarkable 5 was the Empress her‧self 她自己, to whom 谁 some allusion 典故 has already been made. Very little was heard concerning her at the time, in remote 远程 parts of the world, and therefore a few additional 额外 notices must be interesting. She must, indeed, have been a person of no ordinary character, who could have raised her‧self 她自己, by her talents 天赋 and her fascinations 魅力, to a seat upon the throne 王座 of the Emperor of China. Her early history is little recorded, but her influence was secretly known and felt in almost every part of the empire 帝国, even before she obtained 获得 the short-lived honours of an empress.

It is difficult to imagine how any woman, brought up in the subordinate 下属 position which is alone allotted 分配 to the sex 性别 in China, with the imperfect 不完善 education which is there attain‧able 达到‧能够的, and with all the prejudices 成见 of her early life, and the proud assumption 假设 of superiority 优势 of the other sex 性别 to con‧tend 抗衡 against, could have had imparted 传授 to her the peculiar 奇怪的 tone 音 of character which she possessed. In her attempts to reform 改革 and to improve, she never ceased 停止 to be Chinese; indeed, she seems to have thought that to restore 修复；使复位；使复职 what was fallen fall to decay 腐烂 was the best kind of reform 改革. She sought the removal 切除 of abuse 滥用, the purification of public offices, and the improvement 起色 of the details of administration 行政 through‧out 始终 the country. Her influence became par‧amount 最重要的; and those who could not be gained by her arguments 论据 are said to have been led by her fascinations 魅力.

The words of the Emperor's public eulogy of the Empress, after her death, will in a measure point out this feature 特征 in her character. He declared that "she was over‧flow 溢出 of kindness 善良 to all, lovely 可爱的 and winning." She held control over the hearts of those about her, not by dint of authority 权威, but by gentleness and forbearance. "Her inter‧course 交往," he added, " lightened 变轻 for me the burden 负荷，重负 of government, and the charms 魔力；使陶醉 she spread around conciliated all hearts. And now I am alone and sad 悲哀的."

In her choice of persons for high employment 雇用, the Empress possessed the most valuable of all talents 天赋 to those who are called upon to exercise their power of selection 选择—that of distinguishing not merely abstract 抽象 merit 值得, but of discerning 辨别 those less conspicuous 显着 qualities of the mind which constitute 构成，组成，被视作 fitness 身体素质 for office and aptitude for public distinction 区别.

The greatest influence of the Empress seems to have been exercised about the years 1835 and 1836, and it was just at that period that the question was so keenly 热切的 debated 辩论, at court and elsewhere, whether opium 鸦片 should be permitted, under certain modified 修改 regulations 规, or whether it were possible to put an end to the traffic 交通 by force, and to drive the nation from its use by fear. This was evidently 明显地 the commencement 开始 of a new era 时代；年代 in that country, for whatever might be the result of the debate 辩论 upon this important question in the Chinese cabinet 内阁, the effect of it was to occasion the agitation 搅动 of the subject through‧out 始终 the empire 3. Agitation in China!

But a spirit of change had now begun to tincture even the minds of true Chinamen, and the amiable 可亲 Empress her‧self 她自己 became affected 影响 by, and even in a measure encouraged, that movement 运动. The vice 副职的；副的-president of the sacrificial board, by name Heu Naetze, and others, amongst 之中 whom 3 was reckoned 估计 also Keshen, belonged to the immediate favourites of the Empress, and but for that high protection it is probable that Heu Naetze would hardly have ventured 企业；投机活动；商业冒险 to present his famous 著名 memorial 纪念馆 in favour of the legalization of the opium 鸦片-trade.

His chief and most important argument 论据 was, not that it would be a good thing in itself 本身, but that it would be perfectly impossible to prevent it by any means the government could adopt; and also that foreign trade generally was of importance to China, from the revenue 收入 which it produced, and the employment 雇用 which it gave to the people. He shewed how totally ineffectual every increase of punishment 惩罚, even to death itself 本身, had proved, for the prevention 预防 of the practice, which, on the contrary 相反, had increased ten‧fold 10‧折叠; and he then went on to make it evident 明显 that "when opium 鸦片 was purchased 采购 secretly, it could only be exchanged with silver 银; but that, if it were permitted to be bought buy openly, it would be paid for in the productions of the country." And he cleverly adds: "the dread 恐惧 of the laws is not so great among the people as the love of gain, which unites them to all manner of crafty devices 设备, so that sometimes the law is rendered 给予 wholly 全 ineffective 不灵." But he would still prohibit 禁止 all public officers, scholars 学者, and soldiers, from using it, under pain of instant dismissal 解雇 from the public service.

It is known that the Empress received this recommendation 建议 with particular favour, but the Emperor referred it for the consideration 考虑 of the crafty old Tang, the Governor of Canton, who was at the very time deriving 派生 a large revenue 收入 from winking 眨眼 at the clandestine sale of the drug 药物. The answer of Tang and his colleagues 同事 was decidedly 果断地 favourable to the project 项目. They declared that "the circumstances 环境 of the times rendered 给予 a change in the regulations 规 necessary." They openly admitted that the payment 付款 of distinct 不同 duties would be far less onerous than the payment 付款 of bribes 贿赂; that the laws could then be administered 管理, and would be respected; and that the precious 宝贵的 metals which were now oozing 沁 out of the empire would then be retained 保留 in it. They even went so far as to say that the dignity 尊严 of the government would by no means be lowered by it; and they farther declared that the prohibition 禁令 of the luxury 豪华 made it more eagerly sought for.

Here, then, was clearly another triumph 胜利 on the Empress's side; and those who were opposed to her principles 原理 feared it as such, and redoubled their efforts to produce her fall. But the recommendation 建议 did not even stop at that point; for it went so far as even to encourage the cultivation 教养 and preparation 制备 of the poppy 罂粟 within the empire, in order to exclude 阻止…进入；把…排斥在外 a portion 3 of the foreign article from the market.

One might have supposed that the influences which were now at work to produce a better state of foreign trade, backed by the countenance 面容 of the Empress, and supported by the apparent 清晰可见的；显而易见的；明白易懂的 neutrality 中立 of the Emperor, would have sufficed 满足 to occasion some modification 修改 in the existing laws.

Keshen himself, who had what is called a long head, though in good favour with the Empress, and influential 有影响的 in the country, seems to have remained at that time neutral 中性 upon the question in agitation 搅动. Others, however, shewed a bitter hostility 敌意 to every change, but bitterest of all to the whole race of foreigners 外国人. When they could no longer argue with success against the principles 原理 of what might be called the free-trade party, they raked up all the smouldering ashes 灰 of deadly hostility 敌意 to foreigners 外国人, because they were not Chinese, (however estimable they might otherwise be,) and they appealed 上诉 to an old saying of the Emperor Kanghe, the grand‧father 祖父 of his present Majesty—namely, "that there is cause for apprehension 顾虑, lest 免得, in centuries to come, China may be end‧anger 危害 by collision 碰撞 with the various nations of the West, who come hither from beyond the seas." Indeed, it is well known that there prevailed 战胜 in China a tradition 传统 to that effect; and also another, "that China would be conquered by a woman, in time to come." And so generally were these two predict‧ion 预测 or traditions 传统 remembered during the war, that the impression 印象 came to prevail 战胜 among many of the people that it would be use‧less 无用 to resist us, because we were a people from the far west, and were ruled by a queen.

The two principal 主要 memorials 纪念馆 on the opposite side of the question have been pretty generally circulated 流通; one being by Choo Tsun, a member of council and of the Board of Rites, the other by Heu Kew, a censor 审查 of the military 军事 department. They argued for the dignity 尊严 of the empire, and the danger "of instability 不稳定 in maintaining 保持 the laws." They called for increased severity 严重 of the law itself 本身, not only to prevent the exportation of silver 银, but to arrest 逮捕 the enervation and destruction of the people, and they openly declared their belief that the purpose of the English was to weaken 柔弱的:weak the people and to ruin 破坏 the central 中央 land; and they further appealed 上诉 to all the "luminous admonitions" of the emperors 皇帝 and others of olden days against the influence of foreigners 外国人. Memorials also came in from many of the provinces 省, particularly those along the coast, she‧wing 她‧翅膀 that even the army had become contaminated 污染 by opium 鸦片, and that soldiers sent against the rebels 反叛 in recent seditions were found to have very little strength left, though their numbers were large. In short, the whole of the memorialists on the anti 抗-importation side argued to the effect that increased severity 严重 could stop the use of opium 鸦片, and therefore that it ought to be stopped, because it tended to enervate the people, and make them an easy prey 猎物 to the foreigner, while the quantity of silver 银 exported 出口 enriched 丰富 the latter in proportion 比例 as it impoverished 时间一长 the former. Thus the hatred 仇恨 of opium 鸦片 and detestation of the foreigner became very nearly synonymous 代名词.

At length, when the Emperor's beloved 心爱 son died from the effects of opium 鸦片 in the imperial 帝国 palace 宫, then the grief 哀思 of the Emperor, and the conviction 定罪 of the misery 痛苦 produced by the drug 药物, worked upon his feelings fully 充分 as much as upon his judgment 判断. An attempt was made to place the question upon moral grounds; and the Emperor affected 影响 on a sudden to weep for the misfortunes 不幸 of the nation, and to lament 哀叹 the depravity of his "dear children;" and his paternal 父亲的 heart, in the exuberance of its benignity, determined to cut off all their heads, if they would not mend 修理 their ways. Thus, by degrees, the reformation 改革 of morals became the subject of agitation 搅动 quite as much as the principles 原理 of trade had been before. By this time, the influence of the Empress had quite declined 下降. She forgot forget that in making many friends she had made many influential 有影响的 enemies. Neither her beauty nor her talents 天赋 could save her, and she fell rapidly from her pinnacle of power. She only lived to share the Emperor's throne 王座 for about five or six years; a very short but remarkable reign 统治. She could not survive 生存 the loss of her power; and when her opponents 反对者；对手；敌手 so completely recovered 恢复 theirs, her proud spirit sunk 淹没:sink under the weight which pressed upon her.

Nothing could be more touching than the expressions of the Emperor, published 发布 in the Pekin Gazette. He calls her a perfect pattern of "filial piety;" and therefore bestows 赐给 upon her the posthumous title of the "perfectibility of filial obedience 遵守." It should be here remarked, that what they call "filial piety" is the highest moral attribute 特性；特质；属性 in the Chinese system of ethics 伦理.

The Empress died in the beginning of 1840, and was buried 埋葬 with great pomp; the whole nation was ordered to go into mourning 悼 for a month, and the public officers were not to shave 剃须 their heads for one hundred 百 days, as a mark of their sorrow 悲痛. Her death left the Emperor Taou-kwang surrounded by troubles and dangers in his old age, with few about him whom he could trust, and none to comfort him in his difficulties. She left two or three young children. But he had six children by his former wife, of whom nearly all, or, it is believed, more than half have died.

The Emperor was born bear on the 20th September, 1782, and is therefore upwards 向上 of sixty 六十-two years old. He ascended 登 the throne 王座 in 1820. The troubles and continual 持续 disturbances 骚乱 which have marked his reign 统治, the frequent rebellions 暴动 and disorders 混乱 which have long been the constant 不变 theme 主题 of his animadversions in the Pekin Gazette, may perhaps be considered less as the result of his own measures than as the marking features 特征 of the present era 时代；年代 in Chinese history. He ascended 登 the throne 王座 when disorders were almost at their height, and when a conspiracy 阴谋 had already broken out in his father's palace 宫. Indeed, he was expressly selected 选择 by his father to be his successor 接班人, (although not the eldest 最年长, but the second son,) because he had on a former occasion distinguished himself by his energy 能源 and success in crushing 压破 a traitorous attempt within the palace 宫.

The Emperor appears to be an amiable 可亲 but weak man, well intentioned towards his people, sensible 明智 of the difficulties of his country, but, at the same time, blinded and misinformed by the favourites about him, and retaining 保留 too many early prejudices to be able thoroughly to cope 应付 with all the difficulties which have from time to time beset him.

The next most important character who figured at the period which has been already alluded 暗示 to was Commissioner Lin, of whom so much has been said. The principal 主要 features 特征 of his character have been already delineated 勾画. He is described as having been stout 肥硕 in person, with a vivacious but not unpleasant 不愉快 manner, unless highly excited; with a keen 热切的, dark, penetrating 穿透 eye, which seemed to indicate 表明 that he could assume 承担 two opposite characters, according as it might suit his interest or his ambition 抱负. He had a clear, distinct 不同 voice, and is said to have rarely 很少；不常见；难得 smiled. His countenance 面容 indicated 表明 a mind habituated to care. In the course of his proceedings 继续 at Canton, he seems never to have permitted himself to adopt the character of a "negotiator 谈判代表," but invariably 不变地 to have assumed 承担 that of a "dictator 独裁者," which was more natural 自然 to him. His word was law. He was not dismayed 沮丧 by sudden difficulties, and appears to have been quite sincere 真诚的 in all his wishes to arrest the progress of the evils he complained 抱怨 of, and to reform 改革 the morals of the people. With this object, he closed all the gaming-houses at Canton, which were as numerous as the opium 鸦片-shops, or more so, and were generally maintained 保持 in conjunction 连词 with the latter; so much do vices 副职的；副的 court each other's company.

In reality 现实, Lin feared the foreigners 外国人 as much as he hated them. But the inter‧course 交往 he now had with them led him to value their knowledge more highly, and probably he knew full well that knowledge is power. He had portions of English works translated 翻译 for his own use, such as Thelwall's pamphlet 小册子 against opium 鸦片, Murray's geography 地理, (parts,) & 功放;c.; and he had in his employ three or four young Chinamen, who knew something of English, and of English habits, having visited the straits' settlements 沉降, and one of them the United States.

Lin was by no means wanting in energy 能源 to meet the great crisis 危机 which he had contributed 有助于 so much to produce. In addition 加成 to the enlisting 招募 of troops 部队, the preparation 制备 of defences, the casting 种姓 of guns, building of fire-vessels and gun-boats, & 功放;c., he directed that many passages of the river should be blocked up with stones, and others staked 赌注 across with piles 堆.

In short, Lin was a bold 胆大的；醒目的, uncompromising, and specious man. He tried to console 安慰 the Emperor, by assuring 向…保证；肯定地说 him that he was quite certain that, along the northern coast, sickness 疾病 and cold would carry off all the barbarian forces, even if the want of food, and the exhaustion 衰竭 of their powder 粉 and shot, did not reduce them to extremities; but he never once alluded 暗示 to any probability 可能性 of being able to beat off the barbarians in fair fight.

With regard to his successor 接班人, Keshen, his character will be better developed as we proceed 继续. But it is worth while here to remark, that Keshen appears to have been one of the few about the court who began to apprehend 拘押 serious consequences 后果 from Lin's measures. He had always been cautious 小心的 in committing 承诺 himself, and though no friend of the foreigners 外国人, he had feared their power, and felt the weakness 弱点 of his own country, as well as the necessity 必须 of trying some other measures than those means hitherto 迄今 employed, to put a stop to the perpetual 永动的 disturbances 骚乱 which took place in several parts of the empire, and threatened rebellion 暴动 even within the capital.

Keshen was an astute courtier, a polished 擦光 and well-mannered man, and all those who were present at either of his two interviews 访问 with Captain Elliot were struck with his courteous and gentleman‧like 先生‧喜欢；象 manner. Although he made every preparation 制备 for resistance, he seems to have thought he could gain more by diplomacy 外交, and he resolved 解决 to take advantage of the disposition 性格 for negotiation 谈判 rather than dictation on Captain Elliot's part, to play his cards with tact and cunning 狡猾, in the hope of gaining time. But he saw his weakness 弱点, and the impossibility 不可能的事 of con‧tend 抗衡 with success against our forces, and, having distinctly 历历 reported thereon to the Emperor, he was, of course, set down as a coward 胆小鬼, and, consequently 所以, as a traitor 叛徒. He had the boldness to tell the Emperor the actual weakness 弱点 of his strongest points of defence; whereas 而, Lin only stated how much stronger they would have been, had the government made it a rule to have devoted 奉献 ten 十 per cent. of the whole customs 习惯' revenue 收入 of Canton to the improvement 起色 of their means of defence, the building of ships, and the casting 种姓 of cannon 大炮.

In one thing, however, Lin and Keshen were both of a mind—namely, as to the importance of the foreign trade of Canton to the imperial 帝国 revenue 收入. They ventured to correct the Emperor's notion 概念 that the customs' duties of Canton were "unimportant 不重要, and not worth a thought," by telling him that they "already" produced upwards 向上 of thirty 三十 millions of taels, or ten 十 millions sterling 英镑, and that, as the revenue 收入 of Canton far exceeded 超过 that of any other province 省, a portion of this consider‧able 大量 sum 和, which was obtained 获得 from foreigners 外国人, should have been applied to defending themselves against foreigners 外国人.[18]

Much has at various times been said about Keshen's treachery and bad faith. But it will be seen, as we proceed 继续, that he was driven into these acts by the distinct 不同 orders of the Emperor, and that keeping faith with us was to be viewed as treachery to his master. Indeed, the severity 严重 of Keshen's punishment 惩罚 at the Emperor's hands proves not so much how ill 生病 he served his master, as how unfortunate 不幸的 he was in having a much more profound 深刻 head than Lin, in being able to see farther into futurity, and to catch the shadows of coming events; in short, how much too far in advance of his countrymen he was, in being able to appreciate 欣赏 their position in the face of the foreigner, and how unfortunate 不幸的 in presuming 假设 to attempt to ward off the dreaded 恐惧 blow by timely concession 让步.

Without anticipating 预期 further the remarkable points in Keshen's career, which will be better developed as we proceed 继续, we may now turn our attention to the interesting events of the year 1841.

We have already seen that there was little probability 可能性, at the close of 1840, of any satisfactory arrangement 安排 being made between Keshen and Captain Elliot without a resort 度假胜地 to arms. Accordingly, all preparations 制备 were completed; and, the first week in January having passed without any nearer prospect 展望 of a settlement 沉降, although repeated opportunities had been given to Keshen to arrange matters amicably, as had been proposed at the conference 会议 at Tientsin, orders were at length issued for the immediate resumption 恢复 of hostilities 敌意. The morning of the 7th of January, 1841, was the period fixed on for the attack upon the forts 堡 at Chuenpee and Tycocktow, being the lowest, or, in other words, the first, you approach in ascending 登 the river. The object was to reduce the whole of the famous 著名 defences of the Bogue one after the other, and, if necessary, to destroy them.

The plan of attack upon Chuenpee, and the forts 堡 on the opposite side of the river at Tycocktow, was as follows, under the direction of Commodore Sir Gordon Bremer, who, it will be remembered, had become commander 命令-in-chief upon the retirement 退休 of Rear-Admiral the Honourable George Elliot, in consequence 后果 of severe illness 疾病. The troops 部队, comprising 包括 detachments 分离 of the 26th and 49th regiments 团, (the greater part of which were with their head-quarters at Chusan,) under Major Johnstone, of the 26th, together with the whole of the 37th Madras Native Infantry, under Captain Duff, of that regiment 团, and a detachment 分离 of the Bengal Volunteers, under Captain Bolton, were to embark 从事 on board the Enterprise 企业 and Madagascar steamers 汽船 by eight 八 o' clock 钟 in the morning, to be conveyed 传达 to the point of debarkation, which was selected 选择 about two miles and a half below Chuenpee, to the south‧ward 南方‧病房, where they were to be landed in boats. The Nemesis took on board a large portion of the 37th. A battalion 营 of royal 王国的 marines 海洋, upwards 向上 of five hundred 百 strong, under Captain Ellis, were to be landed in the boats of their respective 各自 ships; while a body of seamen, under Lieutenant Wilson, of the Blenheim, were also to join the landing force. A small detachment 分离 of the royal artillery 炮兵 was to be under the command of Captain Knowles, R.A., having under him the Honourable C. Spencer; and one twenty 二十-four pounder howitzer, with two six-pounder guns, one from the Wellesley, and one from the Melville, were to be landed, together with thirty 三十 seamen, to be attached 连接 to them for the purpose of placing them in position; also fifteen 十五 men from the Blenheim were to be employed in the rocket 火箭 and ammunition 弹药 service.

In front of the Chinese entrenchments there was a ridge 岭, by which, in a manner they were commanded, and upon the crest 波峰 of this the guns were to be placed. While this was being done, strong covering parties were to be pushed in advance, and to act according to circumstances 环境, waiting for the effect of the fire from the guns, as well as from the ships, which were to be placed in the best positions for silencing the batteries 电池.

The whole of the force on shore was under the command of Major Pratt, of the Cameronians, and comprised 包括 altogether about one thou‧sand 千 five hundred 百 men.[19]

As regards the naval 海 force engaged 从事, it was ordered, that the Queen and Nemesis steamers 汽船 should proceed 继续 to take up a position within good shelling 壳 distance, according as the depth of water would permit; and at once to commence 开始 firing into the fort 堡 upon the summit 首脑 of the hill. Having rendered 给予 this post untenable, and having watched the advance of the troops 部队, which might be selected 选择 to take possession 所有物 of it, they were then immediately to attack the lower fort 堡, along the shore near the northern point, if it should not have been already abandoned 放弃 or carried. Meanwhile 同时, the fire from the fort 堡 above, by this time expected to be in possession 3 of a portion of our troops 部队, was also to be turned in the same direction; and, when the enemy should be driven out, they were to be "dealt deal with" by the remaining part of the troops 部队.

The Madagascar and Enterprise 企业 steamers 汽船, as soon as they had landed their troops 部队, were to join the division under Captain (now Sir Thomas) Herbert, in the Calliope, having with him, the Larne, Captain Blake, and the Hyacinth, Captain Warren. They were directed to proceed 继续 to attack the batteries 电池, towards the northern extremity, as well as in front, and to be prepared to proceed 继续 to capture 捕获 some of the numerous war-junks 破烂, which were seen at anchor 锚 at the bottom of Anson's Bay. The two steamers 汽船 above-mentioned, were also to hold themselves in readiness 准备就绪 to go along‧side 并肩 any ship that might chance to require their services.

Captain Belcher, of the Sulphur surveying 调查 vessel 容器, was to take upon himself the general charge of the steamers 汽船, in the first instance 例, so far as concerned "the placing them in a position already ascertained 探明 by him;" which, probably, referred to the position to be taken up for shelling the upper fort 堡, as well as to the point of debarkation for the troops 部队.

Such, then, was the plan of attack upon Chuenpee; that of Tycocktow will follow better when the account of the Chuenpee action is completed.

The landing and re-embarkation of the forces was under the direction of Lieutenant Symons, of the Wellesley, and the whole of it was conducted 进行 with great regularity 规律性. The landing of any consider‧able 大量 body of troops 部队 is always an exciting scene; but, now, for the first time in the history of China, if we except the trifling 琐事 affair at the barrier 屏障 at Macao, European troops 部队 were about to meet in battle the sons of the "flowery nation," upon the very soil of the "Celestial Empire." Nor did the Chinese shrink from the contest 比赛 in the first instance 例, for they had yet to learn the irresistible 不可抗拒 power of European war‧fare 战, and the destructive 破坏性的 efficacy 功效 of European weapons.

The leading troops 部队 were the royal marines 海洋 and the royal artillery 炮兵, the guns being dragged along by the blue jackets 衣服. The road lay through a winding valley for nearly the distance of a couple of miles, until it led to a trans‧verse 反式‧诗 ridge 岭, from which, the whole of the Chinese works could be viewed, consisting 组成 of a strong, entrenched 巩固 camp, flanked 侧翼 by small field-batteries 电池 of recent and hasty 匆 construction 施工, and connected with the Hill Fort above, by a high breast‧work 乳房，女性‧工作 continued up the hill towards it.

The object of the Chinese was evidently 明显地 to protect the rear 后 of the fort 堡, which was plainly the key of the position. In the rear 后 of their field-batteries 电池 were deep trenches 沟 for giving shelter to their men from our shot, and the Chinese could be seen lining the works, and waving their flags 旗；石地板 in defiance 蔑视.

The guns of the royal artillery 炮兵 were soon in position upon the ridge 岭, and began firing with great precision 精确 into the entrenched 巩固 camp; while an advanced party of the royal marines 海洋, crossing the shoulder of the hill to the right, drove the Chinese speedily 迅速 from it; and, then, descending 下来 into the valley beyond, came upon a second encampment, with a small field-battery 电池, which was soon cleared. A detachment 分离 of the 37th M.N. Infantry had also been sent further round to the right of the advance, where they encountered 遭遇 the Chinese in some force.

While all these operations were going on, The Queen and the Nemesis steamers 汽船 (the latter having first rapidly disembarked her portion of the 37th, with the main body of the force) took up a position within good shelling distance of the Hill Fort. The Nemesis, from her light draught of water, was enabled 启用 to take up her station inside The Queen, and both vessels commenced 开始 throwing shell 壳 with great precision 精确 into the fort 堡, much to the astonishment 惊愕 of the Chinese, who were unacquainted with this engine of destruction.

Captain Hall had on this occasion, as on several subsequent 随后的，接着的 ones, the able assistance 帮助, as a gunnery officer, of Mr. Crouch, one of the mates 伴，友 of the Wellesley, who was permitted to serve for a time on board the Nemesis.[20]

The Chinese could not long with‧stand 经受 the fire of the sixty 六十-eight 八 pounder of The Queen, and the two thirty 三十-two pounder pivot 枢-guns of the Nemesis, the shells from which could be seen bursting 爆裂 within the walls of the fort 堡.

At the same time, on the land-side, the principal 主要 entrenched 巩固 camp had by this time, been carried by the main body of the troops 部队, and, twenty 二十-five minutes after the shelling of the fort 堡 had commenced 开始, the British flag was seen waving upon its top, and the firing ceased 停止. Major Pratt himself, with only two marines 海洋, had been the first to run up the hill and reach the fort 堡; upon which, the Chinese, seeing that they were pressed behind as well as before, abandoned 放弃 the fort 堡 in great confusion 混乱, leaving Major Pratt and his followers 信徒 in possession of this most important position, upon which the British flag was hoisted 提升 by a royal marine 海洋.

The Nemesis, as soon as this was perceived, hastened 加速 on to join the ships of war, (the Calliope, Larne, and Hyacinth,) which had taken up their positions, nearly within musket-shot of the lower batteries 电池, and were doing great execution 执行. The works were however, constructed 构造 of strong material, comprising 包括 large blocks of the composition 作文；构图 called chunam, very much resembling 类似 stone but less fragile 脆弱. The Nemesis came up just in time to pour 淋；倒 in several discharges 卸货 of grape 葡萄 and canister from both the pivot 枢-guns, and had then to witness one of the most dreadful 可怕 spectacles 场面；眼镜 of war. The Chinese in the battery 电池 had already been assailed by our troops 部队 from the fort 堡 above; and now, a party of the royal marines 海洋, and the 37th M.N.I., which had previously 先前 cleared the second camp in the valley behind, were seen coming round the hill, ready to pounce upon them as they attempted to escape out of the fort 堡. The unfortunate 不幸的 men were thus hemmed 下摆 in on all sides; and, being unacquainted with the humane 人道 practice of modern war‧fare 战, of giving and receiving quarter, they abandoned 放弃 themselves to the most frantic 疯狂的 despair 绝望.

Now were to be seen some of those horrors 恐怖 of war which, when the excitement 激动 of the moment is over, and the interest as well as danger of strategic 战略 manœuvres are at an end, none can remember without regret 后悔 and pain. The Chinese, not accepting quarter, though attempting to escape, were cut up by the fire of our advancing troops 部队; others, in the faint 微弱的 hope of escaping what to them appeared certain death at the hands of their victors 胜利者, precipitated 沉淀 themselves recklessly 鲁莽 from the top of the battlements; numbers of them were now swimming in the river, and not a few vainly 徒劳的 trying to swim, and sinking 淹没 in the effort; some few, however, perhaps a hundred 百, surrendered 投降 themselves to our troops 部队, and were soon after‧ward 之后 released 发布. Many of the poor fellows were unavoidably 不免 shot by our troops 部队, who were not only warmed with the previous 以前 fighting, but exasperated 恶化 because the Chinese had fired off their matchlocks at them first, and then threw them away, as if to ask for quarter; under these circumstances 环境, it could not be wondered at that they suffered. Some again barricaded 壅 themselves within the houses of the fort 堡, a last and desperate 殊死 effort; and, as several of our soldiers were wounded by their spears 矛, death and destruction were the consequence 后果.

The slaughter 屠宰 was great; nor could it be easily controlled when the men were irritated 刺激 by the protracted 拖长 and use‧less 无用 attacks which were made upon them from behind walls and hiding-places, even after the British flag was hoisted 提升. It is wonderful 精彩 that the casualties 受害者 among the men were not more numerous.

The command‧ant 命令‧蚂蚁 of the fort 堡 was killed at the head of his men; and it is related that his son, as soon as he found that his father was dead, resolving 解决 not to survive 生存 him, and being unable 无法 to avenge his death, jumped into the sea, in spite 恶意 of all remonstrance, and was drowned 淹死.

Those who have witnessed the individual bravery 勇敢, be it courage or be it despair 绝望, frequently exhibited 展示 by the Chinese during the war, in almost every encounter 遭遇, will be slow to stamp 邮票 them as a cowardly people, however inefficient 低效 they may be as fighting men in armed bodies, against European discipline 训练 and modern weapons.

The most painful 痛苦 of all the scenes on this occasion was that of the bodies of men burnt burn perhaps to death when wounded.

It is well known that the bow 弓 and arrow 箭头；矢 is the favourite weapon of the Tartar troops 部队, upon the dexterous use of which they set the highest claim to military 军事 distinction 区别. The spear 矛 also, of various forms and fashions, is a favourite weapon both of Tartars and Chinese; but the match‧lock 比赛；火柴‧锁, which in all respects very nearly resembles 类似 some of the old European weapons of the same name, except that the bore bear is generally some‧what 有些 smaller, is of much more modern introduction 介绍, and by no means so much in favour with the Chinese; this is occasioned principally 原则上 by the danger arising from the use of the powder 粉, in the care‧less 粗心 way in which they carry it. They have a pouch 袋 in front, fastened round the body, and the powder is contained loose in a certain number of little tubes 管 inside the pouch 袋, not rolled up like our cart‧ridge 盒式磁带.

Of course, every soldier has to carry a match or port 港口-fire to ignite 点燃 the powder in the match‧lock 比赛；火柴‧锁 when loaded. Hence 因此, when a poor fellow is wounded and falls, the powder, which is very apt 易于 to run out of his pouch 袋 over his clothes, is very likely to be ignited 点燃 by his own match, and in this way he may either be blown blow up at once, or else his clothes may be ignited 点燃; indeed, it is not impossible that the match itself 本身 may be sufficient 足够 to produce this effect. At Chuenpee, many bodies were found after the action not only scorched 烧焦, but completely burnt, evidently 明显地 from the ignition of the powder.

In one of the latest encounters 遭遇 during the war, at Chapoo, where a few of the Tartars defended themselves so desperately 拼命 in a house in which they had taken refuge 避难所, they were seen stripping themselves altogether, in order to escape the effect of the fire upon their combustible clothes when the building was in flames 火焰; and many other instances 例 of a similar 类似 kind were noticed during the war.

With respect to the attack upon the fort 堡 at Tycocktow, on the opposite side of the river, the Nemesis was not concerned in that part of the operations of the 7th January. The force employed on that service was placed under the orders of Captain Scott, of the Samarang, 26; and consisted 组成, in addition 加成 to that vessel 容器, of the Druid, 44, Captain Smith; the Modeste, 18, Commander Eyres; and Columbine, 16, Commander Clarke. Captain Scott was directed to proceed 继续 to attack the forts 堡 upon Tycocktow, and to dismantle 拆除 them, spiking 穗 the guns, and destroying the forts 堡 as much as possible; after which, he was to take up a convenient 方便的 position in reference to the expected operations against the proper Bogue forts 堡 higher up.

Captain Scott led the way gallantly in the Samarang, without returning the fire of the Chinese, until he dropped anchor 锚 within cable 电线's length of the middle of the fort 堡. The Modeste, Druid, and Columbine came up almost directly after, and then commenced 开始 the terrific 了不起 thunder 雷声 of artillery 炮兵, which soon sufficed 满足 to shatter 打碎 the walls, and to make a breach 突破口, through which the seamen and marines 海洋, which were landed from the ships, soon carried the fort 堡 by storm 暴风雨. The Chinese fled in all directions up the hill, but not without witnessing, to their cost, the deadly effect of our musketry upon their confused 使困窘 bodies; nor did they yield without she‧wing 她‧翅膀 some instances 例 of bold 胆大的；醒目的 personal 个人 courage.

The attack was led by Lieutenant Bowers, first lieutenant 陆军中尉 of the Samarang, who received a sabre cut across the knee; which shews that the Chinese did not run away without first coming to close quarters; their loss, however, was consider‧able 大量. The guns in the fort 堡 were all spiked 穗, and then thrown into the sea; the magazines 杂志 and other buildings were set on fire, (the wounded having been first removed 去掉;) but it was not thought necessary to pursue 追求 the Chinese further.

As soon as these operations had been completed, the whole of the party which had landed, comprising 包括 the boats' crews 全体工作人员；全体船员 of all the ships engaged 从事, returned on board. Part of them had proceeded 继续 to attack the northern end of the fort 堡, namely, those of the Druid and Columbine, and were commanded by Lieutenant Goldsmith, (since promoted 促进,) and great praise 赞扬 was given to all the officers and men concerned, for their gallantry and good conduct 进行. The number of guns destroyed was twenty 二十-five; those which were captured 捕获 at Chuenpee amounted altogether to sixty 六十-six pieces, of various calibre, including those in the entrenchments, as well as those upon the upper and lower forts 堡. Many of the guns, however, were not mounted 增加, she‧wing 她‧翅膀 that the preparations 制备 for defence had not been completed; some were only 6-pounders, but a great portion of the remainder 余 were about equal to our own 12-pounder guns. Of course, they were all rendered 给予 unserviceable.

The operations of this day have not yet, however, been all described. So far as relates to Chuenpee and Tycocktow, little remains to be added, except that the killed and wounded, on the part of the land force, on our side, amounted to thirty 三十; and on that of the naval 海 force, to eight 八 men and officers. But the destruction of the war-junks 破烂 in Anson's Bay also formed part of the feats 功绩 of this day; and, as it more particularly relates to the Nemesis, it shall be reserved for a separate chapter 章节.

CHAPTER XIV.

The total destruction of the Chinese squadron 队 of war-junks 破烂, on the day of the action of Chuenpee, (7th January,) under the orders of Admiral Kwan, completed the discomfiture of the Chinese by sea and by land. The engagement 订婚 took place in Anson's Bay, which has already been described as lying between Chuenpee and Anunghoy. The Nemesis here took a most distinguished part; and some of the boats of the Calliope, Hyacinth, Larne, Sulphur, and Starling, co-operated with her in the action, in which Lieutenants Watson and Harrison, and other officers of the Calliope and Larne, deservedly won win their laurels.

At the bottom of Anson's Bay was the entrance 入口 of a small river, unknown 未知 until now, having a small island at its mouth, some‧what 有些 on the Chuenpee side. Within this, and in a measure protected by a sand 沙-bar which ran out from it, lay the Chinese fleet 舰队 of about fifteen 十五 war-junks 破烂, moored 泊 in a good position in shallow 浅的 water, so as to prevent the near approach of our ships. Directions had been given to Captain Herbert, of the Calliope, to make arrangements 安排 for the attack of these war-junks 破烂, as soon as the defences on Chuenpee should have fallen. The moment, therefore, that it was perceived on board the Nemesis, as she ran up towards the lower battery 电池, and poured 淋；倒 in her grape 葡萄 and canister, that the upper fort 堡 had fallen, and that the lower one could not longer hold out, she hastened, without a moment's delay 延迟, to the attack of the enemy's squadron 队. Full steam 蒸汽 was set on, without waiting to see what other measures might be taken elsewhere to effect the object.

In her anxiety 焦虑 to secure 安全 the post of honour, the Nemesis rounded the point of Chuenpee a little too close, and struck rather heavily 很大，沉重地 upon a rocky 岩石 reef 礁 running out some distance from it, but upon which it was thought that there was still water enough to enable 启用 her to float 漂浮 safely. She did indeed pass over it, but not without striking; but her iron 铁器 frame did not hang upon it as a wooden 木制的 one would probably have done, and she proceeded 继续, without even stopping her engines. That the force of the blow however was consider‧able 大量, and would probably have seriously damaged 损害 a wooden vessel 3, is shewn by the fact of her having the outer paddle 桨-ring of one of the wheels broken, together with two of the long arms attached 连接 to it. It is evident 明显 that a blow which would cause such injury 伤 to iron 铁器 would have done much more serious damage 损害 to wood.

About this time, Captain Belcher, of the Sulphur, joined her, with two of his ship's boats, anxious 焦急的 to par‧take 平价‧拿 of the honour of the affair. A few of the Sulphur's seamen also came on board. As she pushed along, she was also rein‧force 加强 by Lieutenant Kellett, of the Starling, who brought his gig 演出, or whale 鲸-boat, and subsequently did good service.

As they approached the position in which the Chinese junks 破烂 were drawn up, it was easily perceived that it had been well chosen, with scarcely more than five feet water round the vessels, and that, in fact, they could not be attacked in front, except by boats. However, the Nemesis, having the great advantage of drawing less than six feet water, was able to approach near enough to bring her two 32-pounder pivot 枢-guns to bear within good range. Just at this moment also a large boat, or pinnace, of the Larne, was observed, making its way round the outside of the little island, with a view to cut off the junks 破烂 in the rear 后.

The boldness of this manœuvre, under the command of Lieutenant Harrison, was much admired; and, indeed, the dashing 短跑 way in which many similar 类似 attacks were made on other occasions during the war took the Chinese by surprise, and struck them with a whole‧some 全部的‧一些 terror 恐怖, even before they came to close quarters.

One of the most formidable 强大 engines of destruction which any vessel, particularly a steamer, can make use of is the Congreve rocket 火箭, a most terrible weapon when judiciously applied, especially where there are combustible materials to act upon. The very first rocket 火箭 fired from the Nemesis[21] was seen to enter the large junk 破烂 against which it was directed, near that of the admiral, and almost the instant after‧ward 之后 it blew blow up with a terrific 了不起 explosion 爆炸, launching 发射 into eternity 永恒 every soul on board, and pouring forth its blaze 火焰 like the mighty 威武 rush of fire from a volcano 火山. The instantaneous 瞬间 destruction of the huge 巨大 body seemed appalling 惊恐 to both sides engaged 从事. The smoke, and flame 火焰, and thunder 雷声 of the explosion, with the broken fragments 分段 falling round, and even portions of dissevered bodies scattering 散落 as they fell, were enough to strike with awe 威严, if not with fear, the stoutest 肥硕 heart that looked upon it.

It is related that, at the battle of the Nile, when the French admiral's ship, L'Orient, blew up, both of the fiercely 凶猛的-fighting foes 敌人 paused 暂停 in horror 恐怖 at the dreadful 可怕 catastrophe 灾难, and neither side renewed 更新 the fight for at least ten 十 minutes after‧ward 之后. So here also, although the explosion 爆炸 was far less violent 猛烈, and the con‧tend 抗衡 parties comparatively 比较 trifling 琐事 in number, and far less excited by the contest 比赛, there was a momentary 短暂的 pause 暂停; the very suddenness of the catastrophe 灾难 added something to the awe 威严 and rejoicing 欢庆, combined, which it excited. The rocket 火箭 had penetrated 穿透 into the magazine 杂志 of the junk 破烂, or had ignited 点燃 some of the loose powder too often scattered care‧less 粗心 about the decks 甲板 by the Chinese gunners. They naturally 自然地 felt that the same fate 命运 might readily befall any of the other junks 破烂; and, after some discharges 卸货 of round shot had been thrown into the nearest junks 破烂, (four of them were after‧ward 之后 found lodged in the admiral's junk 破烂,) their crews were observed endeavouring to escape on shore, some upon the little island, and others upon Chuenpee; while, at the same time, the junks 破烂 were all cut away by those remaining on board, in order that they might drift 漂移 on shore, and enable 启用 the rest to escape.

The Chinese hauled 运输 down their colours on board their junks 破烂 at about half-past eleven 十一, but continued firing after‧ward 之后. At about twelve 十二 o' clock 钟, the boats of the Nemesis, in company with the others which were present, put off to board the junks 破烂. Only two of the smaller ones succeeded in getting away up a small branch of the river, while two more escaped for the moment up another principal 主要 branch to a large town, but were subsequently captured 捕获.

Some of the junks 破烂 drifted 漂移 on shore; and, as there could be no utility 效用 in saving them, they were all successively 连续 set on fire, by order of Captain Belcher, and ultimately 最终 blew up. In some of the junks 破烂 which were not yet quite abandoned 放弃 by their crews, the poor Chinamen, as the English sailors boarded them on one side, rushed wildly over on the opposite one, or let themselves down by the stern 严肃 chains, clinging 依偎 to the ship's rudder. Others, as the fire gained upon their junk 破烂, retreated 撤退 before it, and continued hanging to the yet untouched 不变 portions of it, until the flames advancing upon them rapidly, they were obliged 责成 to throw water over their own bodies to enable 启用 them to bear the intense 强烈的，极度的 heat, still desperately 拼命 clinging 依偎 to their fate 命运, more from fear of ill 生病-treatment 治疗, if they should be taken prisoners, than from any rational 合理的 hope of being saved. In many instances 例 they would not be saved; in others, they could not, and were destroyed as their junk 破烂 blew up.

On the following day, the principal 主要 part of the guns were recovered 恢复, altogether upwards 向上 of eighty 八十 in number, of which eight 八 or ten 十 were hand‧some 英俊 brass 黄铜 Portuguese guns, 6, 9, and 12-pounders.

Altogether, eleven 十一 junks 破烂 were destroyed on the spot. Scarcely had this duty been completed by the different boats engaged 从事, when the Nemesis hastened on up the river, and at the distance of about three miles, came upon a large town, where she found two war-junks 破烂 moored 泊 close to the shore, but abandoned 放弃 by their crews. The consternation of the people was extreme; they were seen running away from the town in all directions; the surrounding hills were crowded with the anxious 焦急的 and astonished gazers, wondering what was going to happen next; never, of course, having either seen or heard of a " devil 魔鬼 ship" before, and well knowing that her visit could only be a hostile 敌对 one. It was enough that they had already heard of the total destruction of their fleet 舰队 at the river's mouth. The place was not at all fortified 强化, not a shot being fired on either side.

The tide 潮汐 was now beginning to fall, and as the water was not deep, and the bar would soon become impassable, and the day was already far advanced, it was thought better to return without exploring the river higher up. Accordingly, taking in tow 拖 the two junks 破烂, the Nemesis again descended 下来 the river; but one of the junks 破烂 getting aground on the bar at the entrance, was obliged 责成 to be left behind, while the other was taken safely down, and soon after five p.m., the Nemesis joined the squadron 队 off Chuenpee, and received the thanks of the commodore for the services she had rendered 给予 during the day. She had received no important damage, the paddle 桨-box only having been injured 损伤 by a well-directed shot from one of the junks 破烂.

It must have been a fine sight for the troops 部队 who were in possession of Chuenpee, to witness from the top of the hill the encounter 遭遇 with, and total destruction of, this fleet 舰队; the numerous burning masses, and the loud 响亮的 explosions 爆炸 as they blew up; with the boats pulling about among them, lighted by the glare 强光 of the fires. All this, added to the excitement 激动 which always attends the being a looker-on while others are actors 演员 in deeds 行为 of danger, must have formed a most animating 活跃 spectacle 场面；眼镜. The scenery 风景 about Anson's Bay is moreover bold 胆大的；醒目的 and picturesque 如画, and the limited space in which the affair took place, must have added something to the interest it awakened 憬.

To the Chinese this had been, in all respects, a most disastrous 惨重 day. Their stone walls and their wooden walls had been alike 同样的 destroyed; and, although they might before have dreaded 恐惧 us by sea, they had never until now had an opportunity of testing the power of Europeans on land.

On this day, the 7th of January, 1841, the native Indian troops 部队 and the Royal Marines constituted 构成，组成，被视作 consider‧able 相当 more than two-thirds of the whole force employed on shore.

The loss of many hundred 百 killed and wounded on the Chinese side, with something less than forty 四十 wounded and none killed on our side, shews rather that the Chinese were deficient 匮乏 in proper weapons to match their foes 敌人, than wanting in personal 个人 bravery 勇敢 to meet them in the fight; and, as they were not yet acquainted 认识 with the European mode of sparing 节省；多余的；备用件 an unresisting enemy, they suffered great loss from unsupported and use‧less 无用 resistance, when timely sub‧mission 服从 would have saved many lives. They exasperated 恶化 our troops 部队 without a chance of benefiting 效益 themselves.

The Chinese admiral, the fine old Kwan, lost the red ball or button 按钮 of his cap 盖, the emblem 徽 of his rank 排列, during the encounter 遭遇 with the junks 破烂. It was reported that he wished to meet his death at the hands of his foe 敌人, and was with some difficulty borne bear off by his attend‧ant 服务员; but this fate was reserved for him on a future occasion, and he shewed himself a chivalrous and brave 勇敢的 man. The loss of his ball or button 按钮, which has certain marks upon it which probably indicate 表明 that it is conferred 授予 by imperial 帝国 favour as an emblem 徽 of rank 排列, seemed naturally 自然地 to occasion him the greatest possible anxiety and trouble. He, in fact, made application for it to be returned to him, if it chanced to have been found; and it is gratifying 取悦 to know that, through the intervention 干涉 of Captain Elliot, her majesty 威严's plenipotentiary, it was recovered 恢复 and generously 慷慨的 restored to him.

The total number of guns taken or rendered 给予 unserviceable during the operations of this day, ashore 岸上 and afloat, amounted to one hundred 百 and seventy 七十-three pieces, including eighty 八十-two in the junks 破烂, of which a few were brass 黄铜, but mostly of small calibre.

The junks 破烂 with which the Nemesis was engaged 从事 in Anson's Bay were provided with quite a new sort of boarding-nettings 网, if they can be so called. Probably old Admiral Kwan, whose reputation 名气 as a seaman 水手 was not very great, had heard that English ships of war were sometimes provided with nets 网 when going into action; and, therefore, without knowing very well what might be the purpose of them, he determined to have them like‧wise 同样. But he made a sad 悲哀的 mistake concerning the object for which they were intended. He very naturally 自然地 thought, that, in the position which he had taken up in shallow 浅的 water, only the boats of the squadron 队 could come close to him, and he hit upon the bright notion 概念 of trying to catch them with his nets, just as a poacher 偷猎 catches his sleeping game by throwing a net 网 over them. A number of strong fishing-nets were fastened all round the sides of the junks 破烂, not extended so as to impede 阻碍 any one trying to get on board, but triced up outside over each of the guns, in such a way, that, when our boats should come along‧side 并肩, the nets were to be thrown over them, men and all; and thus our jolly 欢乐 tars 柏油 were to be caught catch like hares 野兔 in their form, and handed over to the tender 纤弱的 mercies 宽容 of the emperor 皇帝.

No sooner, however, did the guns of the Nemesis open fire, than the nets were all forgotten forget in their fear of the shot and the rockets 火箭; and, long before the boats could get along‧side 并肩, the defenders 辩护人 and men-catchers were glad 高兴的 to be off, to avoid being themselves caught.

A more unwieldy-looking machine, or one less calculated 计算 for efficient 有效率的 service at sea, than the old-fashioned junks 破烂, can scarcely be conceived 构想. Although, since the commencement 开始 of the war, they have gradually 逐步地 improved them very much in the fashion of the hull 船壳, the masts 桅杆 and sails 航行；帆, and all that appertains to the rigging 操纵 of a vessel, are very little different from what they have hitherto 迄今 been.

It should be noticed, that the boats and smaller rigged 操纵 vessels of the Chinese are generally very much superior 优越 to their large junks 破烂 in form and convenience 方便 of arrangement 安排, and often sail very well. The family to whom the boat belongs lives entirely on board, and, for the combined purposes for which their boats are generally used, perhaps no arrangement 安排 could be better adapted 改变；适应于 for making the most of a limited space; and they are, moreover, kept remark‧able 非凡的；奇异的；引人注目的 clean.

The war-junks 破烂 are of different sizes, and have guns varying 变化 in number from four to four‧teen 十四, and even more, mounted upon them, of various calibre, some of foreign make, but principally 原则上 Chinese. The smaller junks 破烂 are also adapted for oars or sweeps, of which they sometimes can work as many as twenty 二十 on either side. The crew 全体工作人员；全体船员 are further provided with a great number of spears 矛, swords 剑, matchlocks, and frequently large jingals, not unlike 不像 our musquetoons, fitted with a rest upon the bulwarks of the vessel, so as to give the power of taking a steady aim. There are generally a large number of round shields 盾 on board, made in a saucer 茶杯托-like fashion, and about two and a half to three feet in diameter 直径. They are composed of ratans, or canes 甘蔗, strongly twisted 扭成一束 or woven in together, and are so elastic 有弹力的, that it would be very difficult to cut through them with a sword 剑; and even a musket-ball fired from a long distance, and hitting them at all in a slanting 倾斜 direction, would be turned off. They are usually hung all round the bulwarks, resting upon the top and outside of them, giving a very striking appearance.

A large junk 破烂 puts one very much in mind of one of the old Roman galleys, only it is less efficiently 有效率的 constructed 构造 for venturing 企业；投机活动；商业冒险 away from land, and is not unfrequently gaudily ornamented 装饰 with green and yellow colours.

Several improvements 起色 have been adopted by the Chinese since the commencement 开始 of the war. They had constructed 构造 a number of gun-boats for the defence of the river higher up, upon European models; and, towards the close of the war, they built one or two large junks 破烂, which they called frigates, with great improvements 起色 in shape and general arrangement 安排, and regular port 港口-holes for the guns on the deck 甲板 below, and with heavy guns, too, mounted in them. One of these we saw near the Bogue, after the peace, mounting thirty 三十-six guns, all of foreign manufacture, many of them 9 and 12-pounder iron guns, made by Fawcett, of Liverpool, and purchased 采购 either at Macao or at Singapore. The junk 破烂 was very clean, and in good order, painted green, and coppered 铜; and, with the exception of the masts 桅杆 and sails, which were in the old style 样式, she looked very well. This vessel was said to have been constructed 构造 by order of Tinqua, one of the Hong merchants, who has distinguished himself by his zeal 热情 in defence of his country; and it was by him presented to the emperor 皇帝, together with a European barque, and a brig, rather the worse for wear in the merchant service, which he purchased 采购 at consider‧able 大量 cost.

But the most remarkable improvement 起色 of all, and which shewed the rapid stride 迈 towards a great change which they were daily making, as well as the ingenuity 创造力 of the Chinese character, was the construction 施工 of several large wheeled vessels, which were after‧ward 之后 brought forward against us with great confidence 信心, at the engagement 订婚 at Woosung, the last naval 海 affair of the war, and were each commanded by a mandarin of rank, she‧wing 她‧翅膀 the importance they attached 连接 to their new vessels. This, too, was so far north as the Yangtze Keang, where we had never traded with them; so that the idea must have been suggested to them by the reports they received concerning the wonderful 精彩 power of our steamers 汽船 or wheeled vessels.

To anticipate 预期 a little, it may here be mentioned, that the vessels had wooden wheels, very like an under‧shot 在…下面‧射击 mill 磨坊-wheel, which were moved by machinery inside the vessel, worked by a sort of capstan by manual 手册 labour, the crew 全体工作人员；全体船员 walking it round and round, just like walking up an anchor 锚 on board a man-of-war; the horizontal 水平的 revolution 革命 was turned into the upright 直立的 one by strong wooden cog-wheels, upon regular mechanical 机械 principles 原理.

When once the spirit of change and improvement 起色 has taken hold of the Chinese, it is impossible to say where it will stop among so ingenious 巧妙 and indefatigable a people. Even the emperor 皇帝 himself has ordered still greater changes to be made since the peace, and has directed that "the best materials for building ships shall be pro‧cure 促成 from all parts of the world; and that, as only ships built on European principles 原理 can con‧tend 抗衡 with European ships, they must gradually 逐步地 learn to adopt European models themselves. But, as this can only be effected by time, and the ships are required now to sup‧press 压制 the pirates 海盗 which infest his coast, they are at once to purchase 采购 foreign ships and learn to exercise their crews."

To return from this short digression, we may now ask what sort of a report was made by Admiral Kwan to his mighty 威武 master, upon the subject of these first actions below the Bogue—the first great collision 碰撞 between the power and science of the west and the self-confidence of the remote 远程 east. Keshen, clear-sighted as he certainly was, could not fail to perceive 认为 the many troubles and humiliations 屈辱 to which his country must become subjected if hostilities 敌意 were pushed to extremes. He was fully 充分 alive 活的；有生命的 to the serious defeat 击败 he had sustained 维持；遭受, yet dreaded 恐惧 to break the truth too suddenly to his haughty master; wise 明智的；聪明的, therefore, in his generation 代, he declared there had been a "drawn battle." He informed his master that the contest 比赛 had been maintained 保持 from eight 八 A.M. until two P.M., and that "then, the tide 潮汐 ebbing 落潮, the foreign vessels ceased 停止 firing, and anchored 锚 in the middle of the stream, each side maintaining 保持 its ground."

He then details the measures he had adopted for rein‧force 加强 the position, and apologizes 道歉；认错；谢罪 for the absence 缺席 of more detailed information, upon the ground of his anxiety to communicate 通信 the earliest possible intelligence 情报.

The emperor 皇帝, or rather his ministers, were not so easily to be duped. Keshen was at once declared to be "incompetent 无能;" and it was ordered that his conduct 进行 "should be subjected to the severest consideration 考虑;" while poor old Kwan was accused 指责 of being "at all times devoid 没有 of talent 天赋 to direct, and, on the approach of a crisis 危机 to be alarmed, perturbed, and without resources 资源."

From the earliest times to the most modern, success has been vulgarly 庸俗 considered in all countries to be the grand criterion 标准 of merit 值得; and the "Felix" of the ancients, the successful 成功, the favoured of the gods, stands nearly as par‧amount 最重要的 in the estimation 估计 of the world now, as it did even in days of old. Kwan was accordingly 于是 at once deprived 剥夺 of his rank and insignia of office, but was ordered hence‧forth 今后 to labour to attain 达到 merit 值得, bearing his punishment 惩罚 in the mean‧time 其时.

Various plans were suggested for future proceedings 继续 against the English; it was admitted that the junks 破烂 could not cope 应付 with our ships on the open sea, and it was therefore recommended "that our vessels should be enticed 诱惑 into the inner 5 waters, and that there should be employed expert 专家 divers 潜水员 to go down at night, and bore holes in their bottoms," while other parties were to come "stealthily upon them at night and board them unawares 不知道, and mass‧acre 屠杀 the whole of their crews." Above all, a grand preparation 制备 of fireships was to be made, filled with various combustibles, which, with a favourable wind, were to be let loose upon them, and, in the confusion 混乱 resulting from this attack, their war-vessels were to follow and complete what the fire-vessels had commenced 开始. Great rewards were again offered for the taking or destruction of any of our ships, and 50,000 dollars was to be the recompence for a line-of-battle ship.

We must now return to the current of events which took place immediately after the capture 捕获 of Chuenpee. The evening after the engagement 订婚 was spent spend in making preparations 制备 on both sides for renewing 更新 the contest 比赛 on the morrow. Every one on board our ships was excited with the occurrences 发生 of the day, and anxiously 焦急的 longing for the dawn 黎明 of morning, when the thunder 雷声 of our artillery 炮兵 should make even the walls of Anunghoy and the famed Bogue forts 堡 tremble 发抖 and fall. At length the sun rose, bright and full of promise, on the morning of the 8th. The boats of H.M.S. Sulphur were sent out to take soundings higher up towards the Bogue. The Nemesis was first under weigh 称重, and was directed to proceed 继续 at once up to Anunghoy with a couple of rocket 火箭-boats.

The morning was calm: the line-of-battle ships were slowly moving up to the positions assigned 分配 to them in front of the principal 主要 forts 堡; already had the Nemesis taken up a position within capital range of the southern 南部的 battery 电池 of Anunghoy, in such a manner that only three or four guns could be brought to bear on her from it. Already had she thrown in several shells and shot, when the signal, for her recal was observed flying most provokingly from the mast 桅杆-head of the Wellesley, and being enforced 执行 by more than one signal gun, the firing ceased 停止. Just as the exciting moment had arrived, and every man was calculating 计算 in his own mind how soon the forts 堡 would be reduced, the stillness, not of breath‧less 咋舌 anxiety, but of bitter disappointment 失望, prevailed 战胜 in every man's bosom.

It soon appeared that old Admiral Kwan preferred to try his skill in cunning 狡猾 and diplomacy 外交 rather than in war, and had sent off a small boat to the flag-ship, under a flag of truce 休战, with a note addressed to the plenipotentiary. The fact has excited some amusement 娱乐, that a little boat, with an old woman and a man in it, was sent off to bear proposals for the cessation 戒烟 of hostilities 敌意 at the very moment of their commencement 开始; and that this humble 谦逊的 paper, sent in this extra‧ordinary 非凡的 way, was received, and became the ground‧work 地面‧工作 of an armistice, which was concluded 得出结论 in the course of the day.

Soon after four o' clock 钟 in the afternoon, the Nemesis was sent to convey 传达 Lieutenant Maitland, of the Wellesley, to Anunghoy, as bearer of a chop 劈 or official document 文件, relating to the truce 休战, and to a projected 项目 treaty 条约 of peace, the precise 精确 terms of which did not transpire.

Many animadversions were made upon this proceeding 继续; but Captain Elliot was placed in very peculiar circumstances 环境. He was, undoubtedly 无疑, desirous to avoid open rupture 破裂 with the Chinese, if possible, and to use his best tact and judgment 判断 in negotiation 谈判, which would, of course, be of little avail 果 unless backed by a strong force, ready to support his claims, and, therefore, necessarily assuming 承担 a threatening attitude 态度. Above all, the value of the revenue 收入 to be derived 派生 from tea was so great, and its importance as an article of consumption 消费 so much thought of, that Elliot believed himself to be best serving his country when he best followed out, according to his judgment 判断, these two principal 主要 objects. That Captain Elliot may have been influenced by occasional 偶然 errors 错误 of judgment 判断 is far from improbable 难以置信, but that he was wanting in natural 自然 talent 天赋 or principle 原理, or a wish to serve faithfully 忠实 his queen, his government, and his country, his most unscrupulous detractors have scarcely ventured to maintain 保持. It is fortunate 侥幸的, at all events, that it can still be said that measures of uncompromising hostility 敌意 were not urged until every other method 方法 of persuasion 劝说, and every less powerful 强大, however ingenious 巧妙, argument 论据 had been tried and found wanting.

Negotiations continued at the Bogue, but the Chinese, in spite 恶意 of the truce 休战, were observed to be increasing 增加 their defences, and notice was accordingly 于是 given to them to desist. The communications 通讯 were frequent, and, on the 17th, just a week after the commencement 开始 of the truce 休战, Captain Elliot went down in the Nemesis to Macao. There seemed, however, to prevail 战胜 an impression 印象 that the affair was so far from being settled, that another collision 碰撞 could scarcely be avoided, and therefore no measure of pre‧caution 预防 was omitted 省略 on our side.

On the 20th of January, a circular 圆形的 was issued by Captain Elliot, dated at Macao, announcing 宣布 that preliminary 初步 arrangements 安排 had been concluded 得出结论, but reserving the details for future negotiation 谈判. Hong-Kong was to be ceded 放弃 to us; an indemnity of six million dollars was to be paid by the Chinese in six equal annual 全年 instalments, one million being paid down at once, and the last in 1846; direct official inter‧course 交往 was to be maintained 保持 upon terms of perfect equality 平等, and trade was to be resumed 恢复 within the port 港口 of Canton, within ten 十 days. But it would also appear that an intimation had been made of an intention to remove 去掉 the greater portion of the trade to Hong-Kong, for it was provided that it should only continue "to be carried on at Whampoa until further arrangements 安排 were practicable at the new settlement 沉降."

Nothing could at first appear more satisfactory than this arrangement 安排; but, as will presently be seen, it gave ample 充足 time to the Chinese to make further preparations 制备 for defence, and abundant 丰富 loop‧hole 漏洞 for the exercise of their crafty ingenuity 创造力. At the same time, Captain Elliot urged upon the consideration 考虑 of his countrymen "the necessity 必须 of adopting a conciliatory treatment 治疗 towards the people, and a becoming deference 尊重 for the country upon the threshold 阈 of which we were about to be established 建立."

Nothing further need here be said upon this subject, except that on the following day, the 21st January, the Nemesis was sent to convey 传达 two mandarins to Chuenpee, who were to receive back the forts 堡 from Captain Scott, of the Samarang, who had been appointed pro 亲 tempore governor of this fortress 堡垒. The British colours were hauled 运输 down, and the Chinese dragon 龙 was hoisted 提升 in their place, under a salute 礼炮 from the flag-ship; it was very evident 明显 that no salute 礼炮 had ever sounded so welcome to Chinese ears before. As soon as a few guns could be got ready for the purpose, the salute 礼炮 was returned by the Chinese.

We had certainly shewn rather a chivalrous leniency to their government, in thus so suddenly restoring 修复；使复位；使复职 to them one of their principal 主要 strong‧hold 据点. Indeed, everything looked extremely peace‧able 和平‧能够的 upon paper, and the Chinese contrived 图谋 to create a temporary 临时 belief in the sincerity 诚意 of their intentions.[22]

It will be remembered that Sir Gordon Bremer had not yet been named joint plenipotentiary, which did not take place until after his return from Calcutta in The Queen steamer, in the month of June following. He had proceeded 继续 to India in that vessel, at the end of March 行军；三月, after the arrival 到达 of Lieutenant-Gen. Sir Hugh Gough, probably in order to confer 授予 in person with the governor-general.

Thus ended what may be called the second act, (the first having been the taking of Chusan, and the expedition 远征 to the Peiho) of the great drama 戏剧 of the Chinese war. In his report to the emperor 皇帝, respecting these several occurrences 发生, Keshen declared that "he had only made conditional 有条件的 concessions 让步 to the English; merely promising that he would ear‧nest 热心的 implore the emperor 皇帝's favour in their behalf 代表."

Immediately after the restoration 恢复 of the forts 堡 on the 21st to the Chinese, the commodore went down to Macao in the Nemesis, leaving the Wellesley in the Lintao passage, the main body of the fleet 舰队 having proceeded 继续 to Hong-Kong. It was feared, however, that things could not long remain in statu quo; and on the 26th, Captain Elliot himself left Macao in the Nemesis, and went up the Canton river to hold a conference 会议, which it had been arranged should take place with Keshen in person, in order to settle those points which, it has been stated, were reserved for future consideration 考虑.

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CHAPTER XV.

The famous 著名 conference 会议 which took place between Keshen and Captain Elliot, some miles above the Bogue, close to a pagoda on the banks of the river, at what is called its Second Bar, has attracted 吸引 very great and deserved attention. Although its results were, in a political point of view, really of little moment, there is reason to think that Keshen, as well as Elliot, was anxious 3 to adjust 改变；调节 the pending difficulties without further resort 度假胜地 to arms. The advantage, however, which delay 延迟 of any kind would afford to Keshen, and the ultimate 最终 interruption 中断 of the negotiations 谈判, followed, as it was, immediately by the capture 捕获 of the Bogue forts 堡, have led many to conclude 得出结论 that Keshen had all along no other object than that of putting us off our guard, in order that he might complete his still imperfect 不完善 arrangements 安排 for defence, and then throw down the gauntlet to us in defiance 蔑视.

This view of the matter appears to have been a good deal exaggerated 夸大; and we shall perceive 认为, as we follow this narrative 叙述, that Keshen was thoroughly sensible 明智 of his own weakness 弱点, and really did desire to avert 避免 the storm, but was fairly driven into extreme measures, and the suspension 悬挂 of all amicable inter‧course 交往, by positive 正 orders from Pekin. Indeed, he was after‧ward 之后 accused of treason 叛逆, bribery 行贿, and incapacity, because he even condescended to confer 授予 at all with Captain Elliot, instead of advancing boldly upon him, and driving him and all his troops 部队 and ships away from the coast. Keshen saw the imbecility of such conduct 进行, and although he knew the hopelessness of an attempt to defend the river, he had no other alter‧native 替代 but to obey 服从; he had already been deprived 剥夺 of some of his decorations 装饰 for having listened to terms at Chuenpee, and his only hope of saving himself from ignominy, and even death itself 本身, was by striving 努力 hard to exhibit 展示 greater zeal 热情 in the defence of the Bogue, which, nevertheless 虽然, he scarcely hoped to be able to maintain 保持.

Let us now, however, accompany 陪 the Nemesis up the river, in order to see what sort of an affair the grand conference 会议 at the Second Bar really was, and how the interview 访问 between the plenipotentiary of England and the high-commissioner 专员 of China actually came off. It was naturally 4 expected that it would be an affair of great ceremony 典礼, and as it was the first time that any inter‧course 交往 had been permitted upon terms of perfect equality 平等 with any of the high Canton authorities 权威, and as it was to happen in accordance 按照 with the stipulations of the new treaty 条约, it excited great interest, and kept the curiosity 好奇心 of every one alive.

Adequate 足够的；合格的；合乎需要的 preparations 制备 were made on both sides, becoming the high rank of the respective 各自 parties, and doubt‧less 毫无疑问， each of them was calculating the most likely mode of making a good impression 印象 upon the other. One hundred 百 marines 海洋, picked men from the Wellesley, Druid, and Calliope, were embarked 从事 on board the Madagascar steamer, to be carried up as a guard of honour for Captain Elliot, at the meeting; they were commanded by Captain, now Lieutenant-Colonel, Ellis, C.B., having with him Lieutenants Stransham and Maxwell. The excellent bands of the Wellesley and Calliope were also in attendance 勤, and it was expected that the Chinese would be astonished and properly " impressed 给…留下深刻印象；使钦佩" by the appearance and manœuvres of the men, while they would be gratified 取悦 and put into a good humour by the enlivening tones 音 of the music.

On the 26th of January the Nemesis started from Macao, with Captain Elliot and several officers on board, and proceeded 继续 directly up the Bogue. She was subsequently joined by the Madagascar, which was to accompany 陪 her up to the place of meeting. Captain Herbert, the Honourable Captain Dundas, and Captain Maitland, attended the plenipotentiary. And now, for the first time, two steamers 汽船 were to enter the true Canton river, and as the Nemesis was the leading vessel through the Bogue, she had, consequently 所以, the honour of being the first steam 蒸汽 vessel, whether of wood or iron, which ever navigated 导航 the "inner waters" of the Celestial Empire.

It was just at this time that the French corvette, Danaide, arrived in the China waters, having been sent out purposely to watch our movements 运动 in that quarter. This, indeed, could have been her only object, for, as regards protection of trade, the French have never had any trade with China worthy 值得 of the name, nor indeed had the French flag floated 漂浮 over the walls of the foreign factories at Canton for many years, until after the access‧ion 加入 of Louis Philippe to the throne 王座. Since that time it has always been exhibited 展示 rather in hope of the future than for the protection of present interests, for, except the French consul and his attend‧ant 服务员, there has been, until recently, scarcely a French ship in China.

As the declaration 宣言 of blockade 封锁 was still in force against the port 港口 of Canton, the Danaide was not permitted to proceed 继续 higher up than Chuenpee, but her commander 命令, Captain Rosamel, was politely 有礼貌的 invited by Captain Elliot to accompany 陪 him on board the Nemesis, that he might be a witness of the coming interview 访问; an act of courtesy 礼貌 which was hand‧some 英俊 acknowledged 确认.

As the two steamers 汽船 passed through the Bogue, each with a flag of truce 休战 at the fore 前面, they were saluted 礼炮 with three guns (the greatest number ever given in China,) by the forts 堡 on both sides. The Chinese also manned the works, and hoisted 提升 numerous gay 快乐的 silken flags; and the effect of their curious costumes 服装, and the general appearance of the forts 堡 of Anunghoy and Wantung when their battlements were crowded with the eager 渴望的 spectators 观众, were very imposing 强加. Certainly, the passage of two steamers 汽船 between them, the first they had ever seen, must have been an exciting novelty 新奇. The bold 3, rocky 岩石 steeps 陡峭的 behind the batteries 电池 of Anunghoy, frowning 皱眉, as it were, and really commanding the batteries 电池 below, grinning 微笑 defiance 蔑视 with their whitened battlements, and the opposite island of Wantung, with its numerous works, the more distant 3 shore of the main‧land 大陆 on the other side, and the remarkable Tiger Island ahead; all these formed a very interesting and remarkable spectacle 场面；眼镜.

Just at the foot of Tiger Island, about two miles above the Bogue, could be distinguished a long stone battery 电池, which, on a nearer approach, appeared deserving 应受 of closer inspection 检查, although, from its position, it was not likely to be of much use for the defence of the river. The Nemesis, accordingly 于是, little fearing shallow 浅的 water at any time, ran up towards it, and came so close to the battlements as to touch them with her yards; in which position, had her intentions been hostile 敌对, it was very evident 明显 that she could batter 面糊 the walls with her guns with perfect impunity, for the guns of the fort 堡 could not be depressed 压抑 sufficiently 充分地 to point at her hull 船壳 in that position.

This manœuvre thoroughly confounded 混淆 the Chinese, who looked on in evident 明显 wonder. And they so far profited by the hint 暗示 after‧ward 之后, that they abandoned 放弃 the fort 堡 altogether as use‧less 无用 and untenable, and carried away the guns to add to the strength of the Bogue forts 堡 lower down.

Beyond the Bogue and Tiger Island the river begins to expand 扩大 again, and for some miles presents to view a flat, rich, alluvial country, in which are an immense number of canals 运河 and water-courses, serving to irrigate the paddy or rice 稻 fields, and to afford innumerable 无数 lines of internal 内部 communication 通讯, which in that country mostly take the place of roads and bridges.[23]

It was precisely 精确地 at the pagoda at the Second Bar, as it is called, that the conference 会议 was now to be held; and there, at about six o'clock 3 in the evening, the Nemesis and Madagascar came to anchor 锚. A couple of mandarins, or officers of inferior 下 grade 年级, (for let it not be supposed that a mandarin is necessarily a great man) came on board, deputed by Keshen, to welcome the arrival 到达 of the plenipo.

A list of the names and rank of those officers who were to be present at the interview 访问 on the following morning, was sent in to Keshen, in English and Chinese, so that he might be quite prepared, when each gentle‧man 先生 should be presented to him by Captain Elliot, to receive him courteously.

Early in the morning the guard of marines 海洋 were landed, together with the bands of the Wellesley and Calliope. A finer body of men is rarely 很少；不常见；难得 seen. Soon after nine 九 o'clock, the whole of the officers were ready to go on shore, which was accomplished 完成；实现；达到；做到 partly in the boats of the two steamers 汽船, partly in very clean and convenient 方便的 Chinese boats provided by Keshen. They had to pull some little distance up one of the numerous creeks 溪 which open into all the Chinese rivers, and the scene as they approached was very novel 小说 and interesting. On either side were several very gaudily ornamented boats belonging to Keshen, very similar 类似 to the boats of the Hong merchants at Canton, who had also arrived under the guidance 指导 of old Howqua.[24] They could scarcely hope to enjoy the honour of a place at the conference 会议, and were, therefore, probably ordered by Keshen to attend upon him. They were not admitted even into the same tents 帐篷 with Captain Elliot and his suite 套房.

The guard of marines 海洋 drawn up on either side highly astonished the Chinese, but the people were kept from pressing too close by a long line of railing 围栏；钢轨 put up for the occasion. The road from the immediate landing-place to the grand tent 帐篷 was spread over with various coloured cotton 棉 coverings, and decorated 装饰 with branches of trees.

At nine 九 A.M., Captain Elliot, accompanied 陪 by Captain Herbert, and the Honourable Captain Dundas, landed, and went up in state, preceded 优于 by the bands, to the principal 主要 tent, which was very like a large long booth 亭, ornamented inside with yellow hangings, in token 代币 of its belonging to the representative of the emperor 皇帝. At the further extremity of it was another tent or apartment, reserved more especially for Keshen's private use, and into this only Captain Elliot and one or two officers in personal 个人 attendance 勤 on him were admitted.

The whole party were presented to Keshen in the outer tent 3 including Captain Rosamel of the Danaide; the list sent in the previous 以前 evening being referred to, as each gentleman of the party made his bow 弓 to the Imperial Commissioner.

The first private audience in the inner tent between Captain Elliot and Keshen was merely one of ceremony 典礼, and lasted only a few minutes; the medium 中 of communication 通讯 being through Mr. Morrison, the interpreter, the gifted son of the late Dr. Morrison, so celebrated 庆祝 as a Chinese scholar 学者 and philologist.

After the first introduction 介绍 was over, it was announced 宣布 that a grand déjeûner à la fourchette was prepared in the outer tent for the whole of the party, upwards 向上 of twenty 二十 in number. Interminable was the success‧ion 演替 of dishes 盘 of the rarest and most expensive 昂贵的 kind, according to the best Chinese principles 原理 of gastronomy. The luxury 豪华 of the shark 鲨鱼's-fin 鳍 and the bird's-nest （鸟）窝 soup 汤 was here tasted for the first time, and, without going deeply into the mysteries of the Chinese "cuisine 烹饪," it will be sufficient 足够 to say that a Chinese feast 盛会 is a very sumptuous and tedious 乏味, but, withal not unpalatable affair. It necessarily occupied 占据 consider‧able 大量 time, and it was not until two o'clock that those officers not in personal 个人 attendance 勤 upon Captain Elliot were able to return on board the steamers 汽船.

In the interim 临时, Keshen could not resist the wish to gratify 取悦 his curiosity 好奇心 concerning our fine-looking fellows the marines 海洋, and three of the tallest and finest men were selected 选择 for his personal 个人 examination 检查. He did not conceal 隐藏 his surprise, and even requested that they might be made to go through some of their evolutions 演化. Keshen also examined their arms and accoutrements minutely.

He had himself a small body-guard of Chinese soldiers, tolerably well dressed, but otherwise of poor appearance, compared with our own picked men, and they seemed quite at a loss to comprehend 理解 the purpose of the movements 运动 they witnessed.

There were a good many small tents pitched 沥青 round about the principal 主要 reception 招待会-tent, and, as each of these was ornamented with a gay 快乐的 flag, and other decorations 装饰, the coup 政变-d'œil of the whole scene was sufficiently 充分地 imposing 强加.

Keshen's manner through‧out 始终 is described as having been particularly kind, gentleman‧like 先生‧喜欢；象, and perfectly dignified 褒. He might, indeed, be called a courtier-like gentleman in any country.

What may have passed between Keshen and Captain Elliot, during their private conference 会议 in the afternoon, it would be use‧less 无用 to surmise. They met and parted upon terms of equality 平等 and apparent 清晰可见的；显而易见的；明白易懂的 good understanding. There seems reason, however, to think that very little was definitely 无疑 settled; and, after the lapse 失误 of two or three days, Captain Elliot merely announced 宣布 in a circular 圆形的 that "negotiations 谈判 were still proceeding 继续 satisfactorily," but at the same time "he warned her majesty 威严's subjects against proceeding 继续 to Canton for the present, as it would be acting contrary 相反 to what he conceived 构想 right for the public interest." At the same time, however, Hong-Kong was pro‧claim 宣布 a British possession, and all its Chinese inhabitants 居民 declared to be British subjects. Provision 规定 was also made for the government of the island.

Whatever terms Keshen may have agreed to at the conference 会议, it is well known that he was soon forbidden 禁止:forbid by the emperor 皇帝 to carry them into execution 执行. They are therefore of little moment.

Captain Elliot returned on board the Nemesis in the afternoon, apparently 据…所知；看来；据说；听说 satisfied; and in the evening a display 显示 of rockets 火箭 and fire‧work 焰火 took place from the vessel, for the amusement 娱乐 of the imperial 帝国 commissioner 专员 on shore.

In the meantime 4 the Madagascar returned down the river with the marines 海洋. On the following day, the 28th, two superior 优越 mandarins came on board to pay their respects, and were saluted 礼炮 with three guns; and, later in the day, the whole body of the Hong merchants like‧wise 同样 came to pay their respects to his excellency; but, it is worthy 值得 of remark, that Keshen himself did not come in person to make a return-visit of ceremony 典礼.

Whatever may have been the reason of this omission 省略, it was unfortunate 不幸的 that Captain Elliot did not take some notice of it. It might be said that Keshen was afraid of compromising 妥协 himself with his imperial 帝国 master, if he condescended so far as to pay a visit to a foreigner on board his own vessel. But it is possible that another reason also may have weighed 称重 not a little in his mind. He got the Kwang-Chow-Foo, or prefect of Canton, who was there, to ask Captain Elliot to dine 吃饭 with him on board his barge 驳船, or large covered boat, and his invitation 邀请 was accepted. Keshen looked upon this as far below the supposed dignity 尊严 belonging to the rank which Elliot held. After this act of condescension on Captain Elliot's part, Keshen not improbably 难以置信 regarded it as far beneath 之下 his own dignity 尊严 personally 亲自 to visit Captain Elliot. Nor is it at all surprising, when we consider that the court of China is, without exception, the most ceremonious in the world. Indeed, at Pekin there is a regular "Court of Ceremonies" to arrange all the complicated 使复杂化 details.

Thus ended the whole business of this famous 著名 conference 会议. It should also be mentioned that, before they parted, Keshen made a few presents to Captain Elliot, but not of any very great value, and others to Captain Herbert, which were divided among some of the officers. Soon after three o'clock the steam 蒸汽 was once more got up, and giving and receiving a parting salute 礼炮 of three guns, the Nemesis turned her head again down the river, having the Louisa cutter in tow 拖. The forts 堡 at the Bogue again saluted 礼炮 her as she passed; and, late in the evening, she came to anchor 锚 in the Tong Koo Roads, until day‧light 日光 enabled 启用 her to proceed 继续 to join the commodore, who was then in Hong-Kong harbour.

As yet the treaty 条约, in virtue 美德 of which we took possession of Hong-Kong, had not received the emperor 皇帝's assent 同意; and our own precipitate 沉淀 restoration 恢复 of Chusan, which had been ordered by Captain Elliot, was likely rather to impede 阻碍 than to promote 促进 the object it was intended to effect. The mere word of Keshen was the only authority 权威 which we had to rely 依靠 upon, the ratification 批准 of which was at least doubtful 疑. However, both the commodore and Captain Elliot seemed already to regard the island of Hong-Kong as a positive 正 acquisition 获得, and took the present opportunity of steaming 蒸汽 all round it on board the Nemesis.

Little good appears to have resulted from this first interview 访问. Indeed, shortly after his report of it to the emperor 皇帝, Keshen received a severe reprimand 惩戒 from the emperor 皇帝 for what he had already even pretended 假装 to promise. He was told that "a mere glance 一瞥 at his memorials 纪念馆 had filled the emperor 皇帝 with indignation 愤慨."

Yih-shan, a Tartar general of great repute 名气, and who will be found to figure after‧ward 之后 on several occasions, was now sent down to Canton, invested 投资 with the office of "general pacificator of the rebellious 悖;" and two assistant 助理 functionaries, called Lung 肺-Wan and Yang-Fang, were also ordered to repair 修理 thither, "to co-operate in the work of extermination." Additional 额外 troops 部队 were also despatched.

These orders of the emperor 皇帝 were issued on the 30th of January, but did not reach Keshen until the 10th or 11th of February. On our side nothing important took place for several days; arrangements 安排 connected with the establishment 机构 of Hong-Kong were continued; and there was a constant 不变 passing to and fro 来来往往 of officers between that place and Macao, for which purpose the Nemesis was always employed.

The 2nd of February was the day on which it had been agreed with Keshen that the trade of the port 港口 of Canton should be opened—namely, ten 十 days after the Chinese new year. No proclamation to that effect, however, was issued by the commissioner 专员. Various rumours were already afloat concerning the measures in progress up the river for obstructing 阻碍 its navigation 导航; and, at length, finding that the "satisfactory manner" in which it had been pro‧claim 宣布 on the 30th of January, that the negotiations 谈判 which were proceeding 继续 had already, in the following week, assumed 承担 an "unsatisfactory 不满意 tone 音," and that, in fact, everything appeared very delusive, Captain Elliot determined to go up to the Bocca Tigris in person, and demand a distinct 不同 explanation 说明 from Keshen of what were really his intentions. It was known that Keshen had reached the Bogue; and Captain Herbert had even sent an officer to compliment 赞扬 him upon his arrival 到达 on the 29th of January, and a salute 礼炮 of three guns was fired in honour of the occasion. On the 10th of February, Captain Elliot embarked 从事 on board the Nemesis, accompanied 陪 by Captain Smith and Captain Knowles, of the artillery 炮兵, together with Major Pratt, of the Cameronians, and Mr. Morrison as interpreter, and was conveyed 传达 up the river, anchoring 锚 for the night in Anson's Bay.

On the following morning they once more passed through the Bogue, the battlements of which were manned by the Chinese, as the steamer passed; and a salute 礼炮 of three guns was fired from each of the batteries 电池, which was of course returned by the Nemesis. So far everything looked pacific and complimentary 免费 enough. Having passed completely through the Bogue, she came to anchor 锚, about ten 十 o'clock, above the forts 堡, a little to the north of Anunghoy, and close to the boats of the imperial 帝国 commissioner 专员, who was already there. This was on the 11th of February; and it is a curious coincidence 巧合, that it was on this day that Keshen received the imperial 帝国 commands to resume 恢复 vigorous 蓬勃 measures against Captain Elliot and all the foreigners 外国人.

The interview 访问 on this occasion was comparatively 比较 one of little ceremony 3; indeed, Keshen had made no preparation 制备 for it on shore, and received Captain Elliot in his own covered barge 驳船, unattended by any mandarins of rank, and without any display 显示 or attempt at effect.

Captain Elliot, on his part, having merely introduced the officers who came up with him from Macao, in order that they might make their bow 3 of respect to the emperor 皇帝's representative, immediately proceeded 继续 to business without loss of time, in the most private manner possible. During the few minutes that his suite 套房 were present, however, it did not escape their notice that some mighty 威武 change had already come over the spirit of the great commissioner 专员. There was an appearance of constraint 约束 about him, as if his mind was down‧cast 往下‧演员, and his heart burdened 负荷，重负 and heavily 很大，沉重地 laden 载货. He never indeed for a moment lost his self-possession, or that dignified 褒 courtesy 礼貌 of manner which no people can better assume 承担 than the Chinese of rank; but there was still something undefinable in his bearing, which impressed upon all present the conviction 定罪 that something untoward had happened. Some of the party even guessed that he had been degraded 降级 from his high rank, which was, in fact, the case. Enough, at all events, was visible 可以看见的；可视的 upon the surface, to awaken 憬 Captain Elliot to the necessity of extreme tact and caution 小心, before he placed any reliance 依赖 upon Keshen's power, whatever may have been his will, to act up to his promises.

What may have passed at this second interview 访问 between these two high representatives it is not the place here to discuss; suffice 满足 it to say, that the conference 会议 on this day lasted no less than six hours, and was renewed 更新 on the following morning for about three hours more. This will be enough to shew that many points of great importance and some minuteness must have been closely debated 辩论.

Keshen, meantime 5, was doubt‧less 毫无疑问， fully 充分 aware 知道的, that not one single iota of what he might promise would ever be acceded to by his haughty master; and, therefore, his only object in protracting 拖长 the discussion and entering into the "trouble‧some 麻烦 minutiæ of commerce" must have been to leave something still open to discussion, and some points remaining to investigate 调查 "upon principles 原理 of the purest reason."

How great must have been his rejoicing when he at length succeeded in winning from Captain Elliot a further delay of ten 十 days, for the fair preparation 制备 of a definitive 明确 treaty 条约 for his signature 签名! What a heavy weight must have been removed 去掉 from his oppressed 压迫 spirit, when he at length beheld the dreaded 恐惧 steamer depart 离开 peaceably from the Bogue! The certain reprieve of ten 十 days, in which he might, perhaps, complete the preparations 制备 already commenced 开始, and even far advanced for the defence of his strongest positions, was indeed a piece of unlooked-for good for‧tune 命运.

The formal drawing out of the definitive 明确 treaty 条约 was hastened on, in order that every excuse 原谅 for further delay on the part of Keshen might be removed 去掉. Indeed, ten 十 days had only been fixed as the longest period, within which, if the treaty 条约 were not executed 执行, hostilities 敌意 would be renewed 更新.

Perhaps, after all, it redounded to our credit 信用 that extreme measures were only at length adopted, when every other means of effecting a settlement 沉降 had been tried in vain 徒劳的. Forbearance towards a feeble 微弱 enemy, as long as there was the faintest 微弱的 hope of bringing him to reason by simpler means, will redound more to our honour in the pages of future history, than a precipitate 沉淀 display 显示 of our energy 能源 and our power. At all events the treaty 条约 which was ultimately 最终 concluded 得出结论 was much more advantageous 有利 to commerce and civilization 文明 in general than it would probably have been had an earlier settlement 沉降 taken place. The Chinese were brought to yield by degrees, and, therefore, the compact 紧凑 is much more likely to be durable 耐用 than if it had been wrung from them by an earlier and more sudden emergency 急.

Nevertheless 虽然, before even the draught of the proposed treaty 条约 had been fully 充分 drawn up at Macao, rumours were continually 不断 brought concerning the extensive preparations 制备 for defence which were still going on up the river. Some naval 海 and military 军事 officers were accordingly 于是 sent up to the Bogue, to ascertain 探明 how far these rumours might be well founded; and it was now discovered "that military 军事 works upon a great scale were in progress, that troops 部队 were collected upon the heights, that entrenched 巩固 camps were being formed on both sides of the river, and that the island of North Wantung was bristling 鬃 with cannon 大炮."

These preparations 制备 certainly looked very unlike 不像 the preliminaries 初步 to the signature 签名 of a treaty 条约 of peace; "and from this moment," says Sir Gordon Bremer, "I must confess 供认 that my faith in the sincerity 诚意 of the Chinese commissioner 专员 was completely destroyed." It was in fact to be no longer doubted that hostilities 敌意 would be speedily 迅速 resumed 恢复. And although the orders of the emperor 皇帝 to Keshen to cancel 取消；终止；撤销 the treaty 条约 agreed on, and to provide means for the immediate extermination of the foreigners 外国人 had not then been made public, enough was already known to make it evident 明显 that the intentions of the government were very far from being of a peaceful 平静的 nature.

On his side, Captain Elliot had done his utmost 极 to impress 给…留下深刻印象；使钦佩 the Chinese with a confidence in his "good faith;" and so anxious was he to hasten 加速 the evacuation 疏散 of Chusan, that he had not only sent up a vessel of war to convey 传达 the necessary orders, but had also forwarded an over‧land 之上‧陆地；着陆 despatch, by the hands of a Chinese special messenger 信使, to the same purport 旨趣.

Scarcely a month, however, had elapsed 过去 when Captain Elliot began to doubt whether the Chinese really meant to act up to their promises with equal good faith. On the 20th of January, he had declared, in a public proclamation, that he had no reason to call in question the "scrupulous sincerity 诚意 and enlarged 放大 opinions of the very eminent 杰出 person with whom negotiations 谈判 had been pending;" and it was just a month after‧ward 之后, on the 20th of February, that he declared that the "imperial 帝国 minister and high commissioner 专员 had failed to conclude 得出结论 the treaty 条约 which had been sent up to the Bogue ready prepared for signature 签名." This document 文件 was carried up by the Nemesis. But, as the commissioner 专员 had already left the Bogue and gone to Canton, it was transmitted 发送 to him by the hands of a confidential 秘密的 person in the employment 雇用 of Keshen, who had been distinctly 历历 named to Captain Elliot for the purpose. Four days were allowed for the return of the messenger 信使, and the Nemesis was directed to wait at the Bogue for the answer, until the expiration of that period, when she was to return to Macao, either with or without the treaty 条约.

As the time agreed on approached its expiration, reports became more numerous than ever, concerning the hostile 敌对 preparations 制备 in progress. The edict of the emperor 皇帝 addressed to Keshen, before spoken speak of, was now made public, and a proclamation was pasted 粘贴；面团 on the walls of Canton, (but whether by the orders of the viceroy or not does not appear certain,) by which a reward 3 of 50,000 dollars each was offered for the heads of Captain Elliot and Sir Gordon Bremer!

The four days of the stay of the Nemesis at the Bogue were not spent unprofitably. Advantage was taken of this opportunity by Captain Hall to examine the new works of the Chinese, many of which were still in progress, (during a truce 休战 and while a treaty 条约 of peace had been agreed on!) Numerous sand 沙-bag 袋 batteries 电池 had been erected 直立, and others were in course of completion, half‧way 半 up the hill of Anunghoy. Troops were crowding upon the hills on the opposite side, while upon the Island of North Wantung equal activity was displayed 显示.

But the observations 意见 were not limited entirely to the works at the Bogue. Captain Hall set out with a single boat's crew 3 upon an adventurous 爱冒险的 and interesting excursion 短途旅行 up Anson's Bay, to the mouth of the river in which the junks 破烂 had been destroyed on the day of the Chuenpee. Just within the entrance, several large mandarin boats were now observed collected together, and surrounded by a vast 广大 number of labouring men. This excited some surprise, as there wore wear no works visible 可以看见的；可视的 upon which they could be employed; but the object of this bustle 忙碌 was unexpectedly 不料 discovered after‧ward 之后. The mandarin boats and a great part of the people, thinking probably that the single boat of the Nemesis was only the advanced one of many others similar 类似 to those which had destroyed their war-junks 破烂, made off as fast as they could, leaving her to pursue 追求 her course unmolested.

Having, in the former ascent 上升 of the river in the Nemesis, observed that a branch of it turned off to the right towards Chuenpee, Captain Hall, determined to explore it now. It branched off about one and a half to two miles from the entrance, and soon led to a very consider‧able 大量 village on the right or Chuenpee side, (in ascending 登,) while, nearly opposite to it, a large sand-battery 电池, recently erected 直立, was discovered, mounting eight 八 guns, and further on, was a strong stone battery 电池. Neither of these fired at the boat, although the gunners ran down to their guns, as if apprehensive of an attack.

To the astonishment 惊愕 of all in the boat, it was now found that this branch of the river, or creek 溪, or whatever it might be called, instead of leading further up the country, inland 内陆, gradually 4 turned round and encircled 包围 the whole of Chuenpee, communicating 通信 with the "outer waters" to the south‧ward 南方‧病房 of that promontory. Thus it was evident 明显 that Chuenpee was an island.

Having passed quite through the passage, so as to reach the point of junction 连接点 with the "outer waters," Captain Hall landed on Chuenpee in company with Mr. Turner, the surgeon 外科医生 of the vessel, and Mr. Gray, a midshipman of H.M.S. Herald, and, sending the boat round the promontory to the opposite side, walked across without any mole‧station 痣‧站. Nothing particular worth noticing was observed in this excursion 短途旅行, except the large farm-houses, which were passed, together with several extensive sugar 食糖-works, in full operation.

A visit made to the Tycocktow side of the river was less promising, although equally successful 成功. It was thought desirable 合意, on the following day, to reconnoitre the defences in that direction; and accordingly 于是 Captain Hall, accompanied 陪 by Mr. Compton, proceeded 继续 in the ship's cutter across the river for that purpose. A large number of troops 部队 were collected upon the heights, upon which were numerous tents; and several large transport 运输 junks 破烂, not less than twenty 二十 sail, were hastily 草草 landing troops 部队, guns, and ammunition 弹药. It was also noticed that boats were passing round at the back of the hill and works, through a large canal 运河 or creek 溪; so that, although it was not possible to explore the lines of communication 通讯 from one part to the other, it became very evident 明显 that the neighbourhood of the river, although apparently mountainous 多山 and rugged 小块地毯, was accessible 无障碍 to boats on all sides, and was in fact composed of distinct 不同 islands.

The question of the intentions of the Chinese was soon decided; for the fort 堡 on Wantung, as the boat passed between it and the main‧land 大陆, on that side, fired at it with round shot. There was no mistaking the tone 音 of defiance 蔑视 which this indicated 表明; but Captain Hall was sufficiently 充分地 acquainted 认识 with the Chinese character to be reluctant 不情愿 to turn back at this threat, because the affair would have been reported as a great victory, with their usual exaggeration 夸张. The little bow-gun of the boat was therefore instantly fired at the troops 部队 who were looking over the battlements of the fort 堡; and no further mole‧station 痣‧站 being attempted by the Chinese, she again pursued 追求 her way, content with this token 代币 of defiance 蔑视.

These little reconnoitring excursions 短途旅行 sufficed 满足 to shew, were anything still wanting to bring conviction 定罪 to the most unbelieving, that the Chinese were fully 充分 aware 知道的 that no treaty 条约 of peace was likely to be signed, and that they looked forward to the resumption 恢复 of hostilities 敌意, not only without much apprehension 顾虑, but with tolerable confidence in the probability 可能性 of their own success.

On the evening of the 18th, the four days agreed on for the return of the messenger 信使 from Canton having fully 充分 expired 到期, the Nemesis was moved up from Chuenpee to the Bogue, where she remained one hour, waiting for an answer from the imperial 帝国 commissioner 专员. None, however, was brought; and as everything now so plainly indicated 表明 that cannon 大炮-balls alone were to be expected as a reply, Captain Hall resolved 解决 to return to Macao, and report all that had been seen and done to the plenipotentiary and the commander 4-in-chief. Not a moment was lost in communicating 通信 the results of the reconnoitring excursions 短途旅行, the firing of a shot from North Wantung, and the non 非-appearance of the messenger 信使 at the appointed time.

The most incredulous now no longer doubted; the film was raised even from before the eyes of Captain Elliot himself, and orders were given that all the officers should join their respective 各自 ships. The light division, which was then in the roads of Macao, or at the mouth of the river, was placed under the orders of Captain Herbert (since made K.C.B.) of the Calliope, and was directed to proceed 继续 immediately to the Bogue. It consisted 组成 of the Calliope, Samarang, Herald, Alligator, Sulphur, and the Nemesis; and the object was "to prevent, as much as possible, any further defensive 防御性 preparations 制备 on the part of the enemy, but not to run any unnecessary 不必要 hazard 冒险 until the main body of the force came up." At the same time, the commodore hastened over to Hong-Kong, in the Madagascar steamer, for the purpose of taking up the ships of the line, consisting 组成 of the Wellesley, Blenheim, and Melville, seventy 七十-fours, and the steamers 汽船, Queen and Madagascar; leaving the Druid, with the Jupiter troop 部队-ship, and the transports 运输, Sophia, Minerva, Thetis, and Eagle, to follow.

These active measures were briefly 短时间地 announced 宣布 by Captain Elliot, in a circular 3 issued on the same day to the following effect, simply stating that "circumstances 环境 had induced 促使 the commander 5-in-chief to announce 宣布 to H.M. plenipotentiary his intention to move the forces towards the Bocca Tigris,"—from which it would seem that the responsibility 责任 of this inevitable 必然 measure was rather assumed 承担 by Sir Gordon Bremer than by the plenipotentiary; but Captain Elliot had also written to Captain Herbert, stating that he left him at liberty 自由, and moved to prevent the continuance of defensive 防御性 preparations 制备 at the Bogue.

It was on the day following this movement 运动 (the 20th) that Keshen's notification 通知 of his unwillingness 不愿意 to continue negotiations 谈判 became known at Macao; and shortly after‧ward 之后, the emperor 皇帝's edict (before alluded 暗示 to) was also promulgated 颁布, in which every proposed measure of conciliation towards the foreigners 外国人 was recalled 召回, and orders given, on the other hand, that "they should be rooted out entirely."

On the morning of the 21st, a reconnoitring party landed, unperceived, upon the island of Wantung, consisting 组成 of Captains Elliot, Herbert, and Belcher, and Lieutenant Stransham, and they were able to count seven‧teen 十七 more guns, newly 最近，新近-mounted, in addition 加成 to those which had been observed on the former occasion.

The truce 休战 had already fully 充分 expired 到期, but hostilities 敌意 did not commence 开始 immediately, as might have been expected. On the 22nd, a Chinese boat happened to be stopped, in which was found a messenger 4, who was recognised by Lieutenant Watson as an active agent of the Chinese authorities 权威. It was naturally 5 suspected that he was the bearer of orders of some kind or other to the local officers, and such was found to be the case. They were addressed to Admiral Kwan, desiring him to hurry on the stopping-up of the channel 渠道 which runs at the back of Anunghoy, by which the latter becomes an island. The means employed were stones and stakes 赌注, and sunken junks 破烂, which had been collected in large quantities 量 at a place called Sanmannkow, which must have been the large town known to lie in the rear 后 of Anunghoy. Thus all our observations 意见 respecting the intentions of the authorities 权威 were fully 充分 confirmed 确认, and it could now no longer be doubted, on our part, that a heavy blow must at once be struck.

CHAPTER XVI.

Keshen, who had spent all his life either in large provincial 省级 capitals or in the imperial 帝国 city itself 本身, could have had little opportunity of learning anything either relating to foreign trade or foreign ships, still less was he acquainted 认识 with the "outer waters" along the coast of the empire.

After describing them to his imperial 帝国 master, he boldly ventures 企业；投机活动；商业冒险 his opinion, that the reputation 名气 of the fortifications of the Bocca Tigris, as a place of defence, have been much overrated, and he goes on to say—"It is, then, clear that we have no defences worthy 值得 to be called such. It is, in truth, the local character of the country, that there is no important point of defence by which the whole may be maintained 保持."

No wonder that such a declaration 宣言 from a man who was also the third member of the imperial 帝国 cabinet 内阁, taken, as it was, from personal 个人 observation 意见, should have sounded unpalatable and even traitorous to the emperor 皇帝's ear. But this was not all. Indeed, one might almost imagine that some European must have pointed out to him defects 缺陷 which his own unpractised and unaided eye could never have detected 发现，察觉，看出.

Lin, on the other hand, had never dared 敢 to report to his master the full extent of the information which was given to him, though he was fully 充分 prepared to adopt every advice 劝告 which tended to obstruct 阻碍 the commerce of England, and impede 阻碍 an amicable settlement 沉降 of the difficulties.

Such truths are always hard to bear, and harder to believe, and were consequently 所以 not believed, because they were true. But Keshen did his best to improve his weapons; he sent for a founder 创办人 of cannon 大炮, who gave him a new model, and undertook to make some experimental 试验 pieces. Yet it did not escape Keshen that, even if he succeeded in casting 种姓 good cannon 大炮, he could only do so as a preparation 制备 for the future. "They could not be ready," says he, "for the business we have now in hand. These are the proofs 证明," he adds, "of the inefficiency 低效 of our military 军事 armament, which is such that no reliance 依赖 can be placed upon it."

He proceeded 继续 to say that it would be necessary to employ a naval 海 as well as a land force to defend the Bogue, but then threw out a suspicion 怀疑 that the seamen were not to be depended on, for that "he had heard a report that, after the battle of Chuenpee, these men all went to their commander, or Tetuh, and demanded money of him, threatening that they would otherwise disperse 分散; and he had, therefore, personally 亲自 made inquiry 调查 into the matter, and found that the report was perfectly true, and, moreover, that the Tetuh, having no other remedy 治疗法, (evidently 明显地 the pay was in arrear,) was obliged 责成 to pawn 典当 his own clothes and other things, by which means he was enabled 启用 to give each of them a bonus 奖金 of two dollars, and thus only could he get them to remain for a time at their posts."[25]

Moreover, he added, "our ships of war are not large and strong, and it is difficult to mount 增加 heavy guns upon them. Hence 因此 it is evident 明显 that our force here, (he was writing at the Bogue,) as a guard and defence against the foreigners 外国人, is insufficient 不足."

Keshen next remarked upon the character of the people of the province 省. "Your slave has found them ungrateful and avaricious. Of those who are actual traitors 叛徒 it is unnecessary 不必要 to say anything. But the rest are accustomed 使习惯 to see the foreigners 外国人 day by day, and intimacy 亲密关系 has grown grow up between them." And he proceeds 继续 to contrast 对比 them very unfavourably with the people of Chusan, "who felt at once that the foreigners 外国人 were of another race."[26]

Keshen then appealed 上诉 to the history of the past, and made particular allusion 典故 to the difficulty which had formerly been experienced, in over‧come 战胜 even the pirates 海盗 upon the coast, who were at length only reduced to sub‧mission 服从 by a promise of security 安全 upon condition of laying down their arms.[27] Finally he expressed great fear, that if he gave battle, he would be unable 无法 to command a victory, and, in that case, the dignity 尊严 of the empire would be sullied, and the lives of the people sacrificed 牺牲.

To understand the full importance of these remarks, it is necessary to bear in mind that they were written before the action of the Bogue took place, and as a ground for asking for the emperor 皇帝's consent 同意 to the terms proposed by Captain Elliot. Others, however, were called to aid 援助 in his councils at this time, and, among the high officers of Canton, Lin himself was consulted 咨询；请教；查阅. They appeared to concur 同意 with Keshen; at all events, they knew that upon his head would rest all the responsibility 责任.

The memorial 纪念馆 containing Captain Elliot's demands was sent up to Pekin, together with this report, which was founded upon personal 个人 observation 意见; and Keshen implored the emperor 皇帝 to look with pity 怜悯 upon "his black-haired flock 群, the people, and that he would be graciously 亲切 pleased to accede to the requests made by the foreigners 外国人, and to grant 发放 them favours beyond measure. Thus," he added, "shall we lay the foundation 基础 for victory here‧after 此后, by binding and curbing 抑制 the foreigners 外国人 now, while we prepare the means of cutting them off at some future period."

Keshen was a true Chinaman of the new school, (for there are new schools even in antique 古董 China,) and, in most respects, the very opposite of Lin. Sensible of the weakness 弱点 of his country when matched with England, conscious of his inability 无力 to fight his enemy with success, he nevertheless 虽然 hazarded 冒险 the chance, when the commands of the emperor 皇帝 compelled 迫使 him to aim the blow. He, however, did his utmost 极 to gain time, and even endeavoured to impose 强加 upon Captain Elliot, and to hope against hope itself 本身. After all that Keshen had said, the defence of the Bogue was conducted 进行, as we shall now perceive 认为, with more energy 能源 than might have been expected, and, indeed, with consider‧able 大量 spirit.

On the following morning, at dawn 黎明, the Nemesis took Captain Elliot once more up to the Bogue, where he remained about an hour, as if in anxious expectation 期望 of some communication 通讯 from the shore. But this last lingering 萦绕 hope was again deceived 欺诈. Captain Elliot, being now fully 充分 satisfied that no peace‧able 和平‧能够的 communication 通讯 from the Chinese was any longer to be expected, finally left the Bogue, and finding H.M.S. Herald at anchor 锚 off Lankeet, just below Chuenpee, he went on board that vessel, leaving the Nemesis to pursue 追求 her way down to Hong-Kong.

On the 22nd, Captain Herbert, with the light squadron 队, took up his position at the anchor‧age 锚‧年龄 off South Wantung, where Captain Elliot announced 宣布 to him that Keshen had failed to conclude 得出结论 the treaty 条约, and that he was therefore to consider himself moved, to prevent the continuance of the defensive 防御性 preparations 制备. The Nemesis having joined him from Hong-Kong on the 23rd, Captain Herbert embarked 从事 on board that vessel, and, taking with him the pinnaces of the Calliope, Samarang, Herald, and Alligator, commanded by Lieutenants Watson, Bower, Dewes, and Woolcomb, proceeded 继续 up Anson's Bay to explore the river before described as opening at the bottom of it.

It was reported that the Chinese were staking 赌注 it across; and, from the bustle 忙碌 which had been previously 先前 observed there, when the boat of the Nemesis ventured into it, there was reason to believe that hostile 敌对 preparations 制备 were being made. Moreover, it was thought advisable 可取, if possible, to examine the channel 渠道 which had been found to lead round in the rear 后 of Anunghoy; for upon this fortress 堡垒, as the most extensive of the defences of the Bogue, it was thought the principal 主要 attack of the squadron 队 would be made. Suspicion 怀疑 was also excited by the contents of the intercepted 截距 despatch of Keshen to Admiral Kwan.

On entering the river, it was no longer to be doubted that preparations 制备 for defence had been commenced 开始. A great number of boats were observed busily employed in driving stakes 赌注 or piles into the bed of the river, across which others were trying to moor 泊 a strong raft 筏. No sooner was the steamer discovered approaching, than the boats all pulled away, and the Chinese were seen scampering off as fast as possible. However, when it came to the point of pulling up the stakes 赌注, in order to make a passage between them for the boats which were in tow 拖, all on a sudden a heavy discharge 卸货 from a masked 面具 battery 电池, close abreast of the spot, was poured upon them, and at once betrayed 背叛 the cause of the secret preparations 制备 before observed.

The steamer immediately poured in a volley 齐射 of grape 葡萄 and canister from her bow and stern 严肃 guns, while the boats pulled away towards the shore, to carry the works by storm, opening their fire from their bow-guns as they advanced. The Chinese fled, after some resistance; and the battery 电池, which was of very recent construction 施工, was at once taken possession of by the crews of the boats, the colours being taken by Lieutenant Bowers. It was found to mount twenty 二十 guns of various calibre, which were immediately destroyed. There were also lying on the ground a vast 广大 number of guns dismounted, probably not less than sixty 六十, which appeared to have been landed out of their junks 破烂, or recovered 恢复 after the destruction of their fleet 舰队 in the bay. These were all rendered 给予 use‧less 无用, with the exception of a few brass 黄铜 ones, which were carried away as trophies 杯. Their magazines 杂志 and buildings were also totally destroyed. The number of killed among the Chinese were about thirty 三十, but no wounded were found, as they had probably been carried off by their companions 同伴 in arms. On our side no casualties 受害者 happened.

Content, for the present, with this successful 成功 feat 功绩, Captain Herbert returned in the Nemesis, and rejoined 归队 the squadron 队, at its anchor‧age 锚‧年龄, a little to the south‧ward 南方‧病房 of South Wantung. On the following morning they all returned to the scene of the previous 以前 exploit 利用, and set about pulling up the piles, to clear a passage. This time, like‧wise 同样, they were fired at, but from a different quarter. The Chinese troops 部队, posted on the hills above, commenced 开始 firing at the working party, but it was soon returned from the thirty 三十-two-pounders, by which they were speedily 迅速 dispersed 分散. A passage having at length been cleared, the Nemesis steamed 蒸汽 up the river for some distance, until she had nearly reached the large town at the back of Anunghoy; but, as there appeared to be no further hostile 敌对 preparations 制备 going on, Captain Herbert thought it better to return and complete the destruction of the fort 堡, raft 筏, & 功放;c., which had been only partially 部分 done the day before; after which they returned to the squadron 队, which the commodore himself had now joined, with the three line-of-battle ships and the Druid.

The next day, the 25th of February, was the great day of preparation 制备 for the combined and resolute attack of all the Bogue forts 堡. The batteries 电池 which were to be reduced were as follows:—The geographical 地理 positions of the Bogue have already been described. Beginning from the south end of the promontory of Anunghoy, which of course you approach first, there were several strong works along the shore, the ridges 岭 on the hill's side above being also armed with guns wherever 随地 they could be conveniently 方便的 placed; and upon the top, which was pretty steep 陡峭的, an entrenched 巩固 camp had been formed, calculated for about twelve 十二 hundred 百 men. On this side were two consider‧able 大量 sand-batteries 电池, not long erected 直立, mounting, as was after‧ward 之后 found, thirty 三十 guns of small calibre.

Proceeding on along the front was the old battery 电池 of Anunghoy, which, in a manner, seemed to have given place to a new and extremely well built one, partly of granite 花岗岩 and partly of chunam, and reaching down almost to high-water mark. The rear 后 of this battery 电池, running up the steep 陡峭的 hill-side, was enclosed by a high wall, on which were steps or platforms 平台 for firing musketry.

Continuing our survey 调查 of the walls parallel 位置 with the passage through the Bogue, and passing out of the southern 南部的 fort 堡 by its northern gate 门, you found a line of steep rocky 岩石 beach 海滩, about two to three hundred 百 yards long, and unprotected, which led to the northern Anunghoy fort 堡. Upon this beach 海滩 was erected 直立 a sort of platform 平台, made of wood, serving merely as a line of communication 通讯 between the forts 堡, for the passage of troops 部队. Having traversed 横过 this cause‧way 原因；引起‧路；方法, you arrive at the northern fort 堡. This was a less formidable 强大 one than its fellow lower down, but still it presented an extensive line of works. The whole together completely defended the river front of the promontory of Anunghoy. The number of guns mounted upon all these works was after‧ward 之后 found to be very great, and the long line of embrasures certainly looked very formidable 强大.

The island of North Wantung, which is opposite to these forts 堡, was thickly studded 螺柱 with cannon 大炮 all over. Its eastern side presented a formidable 强大 line of guns, and was considered by the Chinese to be its most important side of defence, for it fronted Anunghoy, commanding the passage between them; here they had planted some of their largest guns. An object upon which they had placed great reliance 依赖 was the large chain cable 电线 which they had carried across the passage from Anunghoy to a rock close to Wantung, and which they had secured 安全 into the solid rock on either side, something after the manner of the chains of a suspension 悬挂 bridge. The rafts 筏 which supported it were strongly moored 泊, and the Chinese had adopted a curious contrivance for raising or lowering the chain, for the purpose of letting their own junks 破烂 pass through, by means of a kind of windlass.

A passage was not forced through this chain and rafts 筏 until after the forts 堡 were taken; and the Chinese appeared to forget that there was another channel 渠道 round the west side of Wantung, and that even had that been impassable, we could have sent our light steamers 汽船, rocket 火箭-boats, and gun-boats, round the back of Anunghoy itself 本身. They, moreover, made little calculation 计算 of the great power of the rising and falling of the tide 3, the weight and strength of a line-of-battle ship, or the terrific 了不起 power of her broad‧side 宽阔的‧边；面.

The little island of South Wantung had been unaccountably left unoccupied by the Chinese; but, in reality 现实, it was within range, and well commanded by the strong batteries 电池 and Hill Fort upon North Wantung. The over‧sight 疏忽 rendered 给予 their positions much less ten‧able 10‧能够的, and soon decided the plan of attack which was adopted by Sir Gordon Bremer. It was as follows: a battery 电池 of two 8-inch iron and one 24-pounder brass 3 howitzers was to be erected 直立 during the night, in a hollow 空的, upon the top of this little island of South Wantung, which was very favourably situated 位于 for the object required. This battery 电池 would not only greatly annoy 打扰 the Chinese in the northern island, and probably shell 壳 them out, but also distract 转移 their attention from the attack upon Anunghoy.

The commodore reserved to himself (with the Wellesley, 74, and Druid, 42) the attack on the south-west batteries 电池 of Wantung, that is, on the side not fronting Anunghoy; while Sir Le Fleming Senhouse, in the Blenheim, 74, with the Melville, 74, and The Queen Steamer, together with the rocket 火箭-boats of the two ships, was to attack the batteries 电池 of Anunghoy, using his own discretion 慎重 as to the best mode for placing them for that purpose. The light division under Capt. Herbert, consisting 组成 of the Calliope, Samarang, Herald, Alligator, Sulphur, and Modeste, were to direct their attention to the batteries 电池 on the northern and north-western side of Wantung, and also those facing Anunghoy, and either to anchor 锚 or keep under weigh, according as it might appear most likely to ensure 确保 the object in view. The Madagascar and Nemesis steamers 汽船 were to land the troops 部队, but the latter was more particularly employed to cover the working party, who were to raise the battery 电池 on South Wantung, and also the troops 部队 on shore.

It was not likely that the land forces would have much to do; but it was directed that detachments 分离 of the 26th and 49th regiments 团, with the 37th M.N.I. and Bengal volunteers 志愿者, under the command of Major Pratt, of the 26th, should be placed on board the steamers 汽船 and the transport 运输-boats, together with a few Chinese boats collected for the purpose, and they were to remain off the southern 南部的 end of South Wantung, protected from the fire of the enemy's guns, until the Chinese should be driven out of the batteries 电池, when their subsequent 随后的，接着的 movements 运动 were to be directed by signal. The royal marines 海洋 also, under Capt. Ellis, were to be held in readiness 准备就绪 to land with the troops 部队, and were to be accompanied 陪 by the two 6-pounder field-pieces of the Wellesley and Druid, with seamen to work and drag 拖拽 them; scaling-ladders 梯子 were also to be carried with the force.

Soon after mid 中-day, on the 25th, the Nemesis took on board a detachment 分离 of one hundred 百 and thirty 三十 of the Madras Native Infantry, for the purpose of assisting 帮助；协助；援助 the royal artillery 炮兵, under Capt. Knowles and Lieut. Spencer, in the erection 勃起 of the mortar 砂浆 battery 电池 upon the top of South Wantung; and they were accompanied 陪 by Lieut. Johnson and Lieut. Rundall, of the Madras Engineers, with the same object. On her way across, the guns of the large Anunghoy Fort opened upon her, and were fired with tolerable precision 精确, many of them passing quite near her, but fortunately without doing any damage. On arriving at the southern 南部的 end of South Wantung, it was found that Sir Le Fleming Senhouse, had already arrived in his own boat, together with a detachment 分离 of the Royal and Madras Artillery. The Anunghoy Battery continued firing, but without effect, and it was not returned for some time, by the orders of the commodore. However, as soon as the detachments 分离 were landed, Sir Le Fleming Senhouse himself gave Capt. Hall per‧mission 允许 to return the fire. No time was lost in landing ammunition 弹药 and war‧like 战争‧喜欢；象 implements 实行 upon the island, and parties were busily employed filling sand-bags 袋 preparatory 预备 to the erection 勃起 of the battery 电池 above, the whole working party being perfectly protected from the fire of the Chinese.

In the meantime, the batteries 电池 on North Wantung began to open on the Nemesis; and, in order that she might get completely under cover of the island of South Wantung, she was run full in upon the shore, which was some‧what 有些 steep 3 in that part; and thus she lay literally 按照字面 with her head out of water, and her stern 严肃 deep in it, without receiving any injury 伤; her light draught of water enabled 启用 her to approach closer than any other vessel could have done. In this manner, all the shot of the batteries 电池 passed over her, without doing any mischief 恶作剧. The fire was not returned, both owing to the position in which she was, and because it could only have served to point out, in the darkness 黑暗 of the night, the situation of the working parties upon the island.

At day‧light 日光 the battery 电池 was quite completed, and the Nemesis was ordered to with‧draw 撤回; not long after which, the new battery 电池 opened fire in beautiful 美丽 style 样式, against North Wantung, under the direction of Capt. Knowles. The rockets 火箭 were thrown into it with great effect, and, together with the shells, could be seen to fall directly within the forts 堡; this was shortly followed by a blaze 火焰 of fire, from the burning of the Custom 习惯 House and other buildings; soon after which, the outworks and sand-batteries 电池 were abandoned 放弃, and the Chinese took refuge 避难所 principally 原则上 in the upper fort 堡. Their loss must have been consider‧able 大量 at all points; and the panic 恐慌 created by the bursting of the shells and rockets 火箭, which were quite new to them, evidently 明显地 threw them into great disorder 混乱. It was reported, and there is reason to believe with truth, that the Chinese officers abandoned 放弃 the place at the first commencement 开始 of the firing, and ran down to their boats, having locked the gates 门 behind them, to prevent their own troops 部队 from following their example.

The grand combined attack was to have commenced 开始 early in the morning, and the troops 部队 were ordered to be in readiness 准备就绪 at seven 七 o'clock. The morning, however, was perfectly calm; the sun shone 发光:shine brilliantly 出色的, and lighted up the scene of impending 即将发生 destruction and slaughter 屠宰, as if it were to be a scene of rejoicing. Until ten 十 o'clock there was not a breath of air; when, a light breeze 微风 springing up, the Melville and Blenheim, accompanied 陪 by the Queen steamer, got under weigh, attended by three rocket 火箭-boats, the Blenheim being the leading ship. They stood in for the southern 南部的 Anunghoy fort 堡, running along towards the Anson's Bay side of it, in order to be out of range of its guns in front, so that they could throw in shot and shell upon its flank 侧翼, without any risk of receiving injury 伤 themselves. The hill of Anunghoy was crowned 王冠 with Chinese troops 部队, their numerous silken banners 旗帜 floating 漂浮 gaily 快乐的 to the now reviving 复活 breeze 微风. Some of their guns were discharged 卸货 at a great distance; but the fire was kept up with spirit, though frequently out of range.

Not so, however, our own majestic 雄伟 ships, which slowly glided 滑行 up to their positions without wasting a single shot, until, having anchored 锚 with springs on their cables 电线, they could bring their broadsides to bear. The Blenheim, although the leading ship, was either carried by the tide, or else slightly touched the ground, and was soon overtaken by the Melville, which succeeded in taking up a more advantageous 有利 position in very gallant style 样式. In the meantime, the Queen had commenced 开始 throwing shell into the sand-batteries 电池 and other works upon the hill's side; and, at the same time, the terrific 了不起 broadsides of the Melville and the Blenheim opened upon the great battery 电池; the rocket 火箭-boats also did their full share in the work of destruction. The Chinese could not long with‧stand 经受 these simultaneous 同时 attacks.[28]

At about the same time with the attack on Anunghoy, began also that upon the batteries 电池 on the western and north-western side of Wantung, partly under the commodore in person, and partly under Capt. Herbert. The ships[29] waited to receive the fire of the forts 堡 pretty close, and then at once poured in their iron shower 阵雨 upon the devoted batteries 电池, with destructive 破坏性的 effect. It would have been impossible for any troops 部队 to have long defended the island of Wantung, bristling 鬃 though it then was with cannon 大炮, against the powerful 强大 force arrayed 排列 against it. Our battery 电池 of howitzers had been playing upon it for several hours; and now six or seven 七 men-of-war, including one line-of-battle ship, the Wellesley, were battering 面糊 it at the same time. But the defenders 辩护人 could not run away, being shut 关闭 in on every side by the river; and it was perhaps fortunate for them that the Nemesis, which had already been engaged 从事 with the different batteries 电池, was sent down to fetch 取 the troop 部队-boats from the southern 南部的 island, under which they had been sheltered.

The land force was under the command of Major Pratt, of the Cameronians, who was already well known to the Chinese at Chuenpee. The detachments 分离 of the 26th and 49th were under Major Johnson, the marines 海洋 under Capt. Ellis, the 37th M.N.I, under Capt. Duff, and the Bengal Volunteers under Capt. Mee.

The scene on all sides at this moment was extremely imposing 强加. The light breeze 微风, which had barely 光秃秃的 served to bring the ships into position, had quite died away when the thunder 3 of artillery 炮兵 commenced 开始, as if it were unwilling 不甘 to take them back again until their work was fully 充分 done. The heavy, curling 一绺鬈发 smoke, scarcely broken by an occasional 偶然 flash 使闪光, hung gloomily 阴沉 on every side, as if to veil 面纱 from sight the scene of destruction which was going on. For a time the firing ceased 停止, in order to allow the smoke to rise; and, just at that moment, the troops 部队 were hastening 加速 towards Wantung, to take possession of the works, the firing of which had also ceased 停止. At the same time, Sir Le Fleming Senhouse, with the marines 海洋 and a party of blue-jackets, landed, to the attack of Anunghoy.

At half-past one the troops 部队 were landed on Wantung by the Nemesis and Madagascar, assisted by boats. The object was of course to reach the hill fort 堡 as quickly as possible, and had the Chinese been better acquainted 认识 with the rules of European war‧fare 战, they would probably have at once surrendered 投降 themselves, seeing the utter 说出 hopelessness of resistance. Probably the fear of being put to death as prisoners prevented this timely sparing of blood. Our gallant troops 部队 and seamen pushed rapidly up the ascent 上升 over the ruined 破坏 outworks, and might have suffered severe loss before they could have taken possession of the upper fort 堡, had not the Chinese been almost panic 恐慌-struck, or had they possessed weapons better calculated for the purpose of defence. But, instead of surrendering 投降 or accepting quarter, they again ran out of the fort 堡 and down the hill, and many of the poor fellows were shot in their vain 徒劳的 attempts to fly, without any possible means of escape. The greater part of these took refuge 避难所 in the lower Custom 习惯 House fort 堡, where many of them were killed and wounded before the rest surrendered 投降, which, however, they at length did, to the number of about one thou‧sand 千. The prisoners were soon after‧ward 之后 taken to the main‧land 大陆, and set at liberty, equally astonished as they were rejoiced 欢庆 at our leniency.

The Nemesis, in the meantime, had gone over to Anunghoy, to render 给予 assistance 帮助, if required, and there observed the marines 海洋 and seamen of the Blenheim and Melville, under Sir Le F. Senhouse, in the act of taking possession of the forts 堡. It appears that they landed without much opposition 反对, though they were only three hundred 百 in number; and not only passed through the southern 南部的 fort 堡, driving the Chinese up the hill above, but also proceeded 继续 along the beach 海滩 towards the northern fort 堡, of which they also made themselves masters, the Chinese having fled.

Whatever doubts Keshen himself had entertained concerning the defensibility of the Bogue, he had too much discretion 慎重 to communicate 通信 them either to his officers or troops 部队. They had little anticipation 预期 of the total defeat 击败 which they were soon to sustain 维持；遭受, for they had made rude 粗鲁的 sketches 草图 delineating 勾画 the entire destruction of our ships by the terrible fire of their artillery 炮兵.

The British flag had by this time supplanted that of China upon all the defences of the Bogue. It was little past two o'clock, and ample 充足 time yet remained to turn the victory to the greatest possible advantage before the close of the day. The Nemesis once more crossed over to Wantung, and as she drew draw so little water, was enabled 启用 to run close in, and make fast to the lower fort 堡 itself 本身. Nothing, however, of a hostile 敌对 character remained to be done in this quarter, but there was yet ample 充足 room to perform the more humane 人道 duty of assisting the unfortunate 不幸的 Chinese. Many of these poor fellows were floating about in the water, clinging 依偎 in despair 绝望 to any small piece of wood or bamboo 竹 they might have the good for‧tune 命运 to find. Many were drowned, as had before been the case at Chuenpee, but many yet remained to be saved. Boats were sent out for this purpose, but the Chinese notions 概念 of war‧fare 战 were of such a barbarous nature, that they seemed to think the only object of any attempt to save them was to reserve them for slow torture 拷打, mutilation, or death.[30] The poor fellows dived 潜水 their heads under water as the boats approached them, attempting to drown 淹死 themselves, and thus escape falling into our hands. Many were, nevertheless 虽然, dragged out, and carried on board the steamer, where they appeared bewildered 困惑 by astonishment 惊愕 more than by fear, when they found that they were kindly treated. All of them were soon after‧ward 之后 liberated 解放 without any conditions, and they then appeared thankful 感谢 for their escape.

The day was now far advanced, but there still remained a fort 堡 and encampment to be taken possession of on the opposite side of the river, usually called Little Tycocktow, facing the western side of Wantung. There was every probability 可能性 that these would be carried without resistance, for the Wellesley had already seriously damaged the fort 堡, by her beautiful 美丽 firing of shells, in the morning, and the Modeste had also contributed 有助于 to silence it. A party of the Wellesley's marines 海洋 were embarked 从事 in her own boats, about four o'clock, under Lieut. Maitland, and proceeded 继续 across, in company with the Nemesis, in order to complete the day's work. A few shots were fired by her as she approached the fort 堡, but, finding they were not returned, the boats pushed off to land, including the boats of the Nemesis, with Capt. Hall and Lieut Pedder. The fort 堡 was found abandoned 放弃; and having taken possession of it, they advanced up the hill in the rear 后 with all speed, as they observed a body of Chinese in disorder 混乱, close to an encampment upon the top of it. However, on the approach of the little party, they fled into the interior 室内, abandoning 放弃 their lines, magazines 杂志, & 功放;c. These were all set fire to and destroyed, and the effect of the blaze 火焰, which lasted for a consider‧able 大量 time, becoming more vivid 生动 as the night closed in, spread far and wide, among the distant inhabitants 居民 of the country, the general panic 恐慌 which had already seized their troops 部队. The conflagration extended itself 本身 on all sides, much beyond the original 原版的 site of the encampment, and threw its lurid glare 强光 over the scene of slaughter 屠宰 and confusion of the day. Having spiked 穗 the guns in the fort 堡, the boats returned with their crews to their respective 各自 ships.

Thus closed the eventful day of the capture 捕获 of the famous 著名 Bogue forts 堡, and the total dispersion of their unfortunate 不幸的 defenders 辩护人. Had the Chinese been better armed, and more experienced in the important science of gunnery, the capture 捕获 of the forts 堡 would have cost us a much greater sacrifice 牺牲 of human life. On this occasion, so trifling 琐事 was the latter, that at 3 P.M., when Captain Elliot issued his circular announcing 宣布 the fall of the batteries 电池 of the Bocca Tigris, to her Majesty's forces, he added, that "no loss on our side had been reported up to that hour." Sir Gordon Bremer had only subsequently to report, that "five men were slightly wounded, through‧out 始终 the whole force." Much surprise, however, was created by this announcement 公告, for the firing was for some time kept up with spirit from the forts 堡. It was also recorded with the utmost 极 minuteness, "that the main-top‧mast 顶‧桅杆 and fore 前面-yard of the Blenheim were shot through, one gun was rendered 给予 unserviceable, and there were several shots in the hull 船壳; that the Melville had also a shot in one of her top-masts 桅杆; that the Calliope was struck; and that other ships had just a rope 粗绳 cut here and there." No one could dispute 争议 the triumphant 凯 declaration 宣言 of the commander-in-chief, that he was "convinced 说服 that almost any number of men the Chinese could collect, would not be able to stand against the animated 活跃 gallantry of his men for an instant."

It is to be regretted 后悔 that the loss on the side of the Chinese, in killed and wounded, should have been so consider‧able 大量. Thirteen hundred 百 prisoners were taken, but were set at liberty soon after‧ward 之后; and, altogether, upwards 向上 of five hundred 百 were killed and wounded during the day. Many of the Chinese officers boldly and nobly 高尚的 met their death, some even courted it; they dreaded 恐惧 their master's wrath 愤怒 and their own degradation 降解 more than the loss of life at the hands of their country's foe 敌人. Among these, the most distinguished and most lamented 哀叹, was poor old Admiral Kwan, whose death excited much sympathy 同情 through‧out 始终 the force; he fell by a bayonet wound 创伤 in his breast 乳房, as he was meeting his enemy at the gate 门 of Anunghoy, yielding up his brave 3 spirit willingly 甘心 to a soldier's death, when his life could only be preserved with the certainty 确定性 of degradation 降解. He was altogether a fine specimen 标本 of a gallant soldier, unwilling 不甘 to yield when summoned 召唤 to surrender 投降, because to yield would imply 意味着 treason 叛逆.

Kwan's body was claimed and recognised by his own family the following day, and was of course readily given up to them. A salute 礼炮 of minute-guns was fired to his honour from the Blenheim, as a brave but fallen enemy. It will be remembered that he was the same distinguished person‧age 人‧年龄 who lost his red button 按钮 or ball during the engagement 订婚 with the war-junks 破烂 in Anson's Bay, and obtained 获得 it back again, at his own request, through Capt. Elliot's intercession.

The resistance which the Chinese might have offered to our forces will be seen from the following account of the ordnance captured 捕获 during the day. On the southern 南部的 Anunghoy fort 堡, were 107 guns, of various calibre; one being a 68-pounder, one a 42, and a good many of 32, 24, and 18. Four of them were very large brass guns, made by the Portuguese, in 1627, two of these being upwards 向上 of eleven 十一 feet long, and ten 十 inches and three-quarters in diameter 直径 of the bore; three of the iron ones were of English manufacture, and the remainder 余 were heavy Chinese guns. On the northern Anunghoy fort 堡 were 40 guns, about half of them varying 变化 from 18 to 42-pounders. All of these were Chinese. At the two sand-bag 袋 batteries 电池, erected 直立 to the east‧ward 东方的 of the southern 南部的 fort 堡, were about 30 guns of small calibre; so that there were altogether on that side of the river one hundred 百 and seventy 七十-seven 七 guns. Again, upon the little fortified 强化 island of North Wantung, were planted upwards 向上 of one hundred 百 and sixty 六十 guns, of which, however, one third were very small, and of little service; and another third of them varied 变化 only from six to twelve 十二 pounders. The remainder 余 were mostly very good, and some very heavy guns; one being a 68, and another a 42-pounder. Several of these bore a curious inscription 题词, similar 类似 to some others subsequently taken on Lord Napier's fort 堡, near Canton.

On the fort 堡 and works, on the main‧land 大陆, on the western side of the river, facing Wantung, were also mounted about forty 四十 guns. Thus, the whole number captured 捕获 in this day's operations amounted to three hundred 百 and eighty 八十 pieces of cannon 大炮; to which, if we add eighty 八十 pieces more, captured 捕获 on the preceding 优于 day by the Nemesis and boats, under Capt. Herbert, at the masked 面具 battery 电池 and stockades in the river, at the bottom of Anson's Bay, we shall find the whole number taken and destroyed in these two days alone, at the first resumption 恢复 of hostilities 敌意, to have amounted to four hundred 百 and sixty 六十 pieces.

Immediately after the British flag was planted triumphantly 凯 upon the forts 堡 of the Bogue, or at any rate before the close of the day, a notice was issued by Commodore Sir Gordon Bremer, by which the blockade 封锁 of the river of Canton was raised. British and foreign merchant-ships were now permitted to proceed 继续 as far as the Bogue, and were to be allowed to go further up the river, as soon as the obstructions 梗阻 to the navigation 导航 could be removed 去掉.

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CHAPTER XVII.

The great event which has now been described, the capture 捕获 of the Bogue forts 堡, though purchased 采购 at a very small sacrifice 牺牲 on the part of the victors 胜利者, derived 派生 an immense importance from the greatness 伟大 of the sacrifice in reference to the Chinese. Although the cautious 小心的 discernment of a few men like Keshen might have appreciated 欣赏 the strength of their enemy, and the comparative 比较 weakness 弱点 of their own defences, the fact of the fall of the Bogue forts 堡, which were considered by the Chinese through‧out 始终 the empire, as well as by the government, to be impregnable, created a degree of alarm 警告 in the public mind without parallel 位置 since the Tartar conquest 征服. Whatever reliance 依赖 the authorities 权威 on the spot, and the overweening arrogance 傲慢 of a population accustomed only to the "sub‧mission 服从" of foreigners 外国人, may have placed in the efficiency 效率 of other recent preparations 制备 of a different description higher up the river, these could never inspire 激励，鼓舞 confidence in the mass of the nation, or even in the government, to whom the nature of them could be little known.

The fall of the Bocca Tigris at once destroyed the charm 魔力；使陶醉 of its supposed strength, and the loss of a feudal 封建 tower 塔 of old could hardly have spread more consternation among a host of vassals, than did the fall of the Bogue forts 堡 among the Chinese nation. Totally inexperienced 缺乏经验 in the horrors 恐怖 of war, they retained 保留 a sort of hereditary 遗传 pride in the Bogue, as their great bulwark against the inroads of the foreigner. The whole nation was at that time unprepared for war, and the government without any organized system of defence. Hence 因此 it is not difficult to perceive 3, that advantage might have been taken of their momentary 短暂的 state of alarm 4, to have urged them at once to the conclusion 结论 of some kind of peace‧able 和平‧能够的 settlement 沉降. The whole difficulty, however, at that time, seems to have turned upon the question of the supply of tea. The Chinese saw clearly the anxiety which we shewed to obtain 获得 the year's crop 农作物, and they quickly boasted 自夸 that "their tea and their rhubarb were as necessary to the foreigner as air itself 本身." However, it was resolved 解决 at length, that we should dictate 听写 the terms of peace at Canton, rather than at the Bogue, and, accordingly 于是, the fleet 舰队 prepared to proceed 继续 immediately up the river.

It will be remembered that a large chain cable 电线 had been thrown across the river, supported by rafts 筏, between Anunghoy and a little islet close to South Wantung. It served them no good purpose whatever; and after the ports 港口 were taken possession of, nothing was easier than to remove 去掉 this impediment 障碍 to the navigation 导航. The forts 堡 were next blown up, or damaged as much as they could be, though not without great labour and difficulty, arising from the heavy masses of stone and chunam of which they were constructed 构造. Chinese powder was, moreover, used for the purpose, which, being less strong, though made as nearly as possible with the same proportions 比例 and of the same materials as our own, but with less care, added some‧what 有些 to the difficulty of the task 任务. Several days were occupied 占据 by the engineers, sappers, and miners 矿工, assisted by seamen, in this laborious operation. It was, however, effectually done at last, scarcely one stone being left standing upon another.

On the morning following the action, the light squadron 队 under Captain Herbert was ordered to proceed 继续 without delay up the river, in order to follow up the advantages already gained by the panic 恐慌 created by the capture 捕获 of the Bogue. It consisted 组成 of the Calliope, Alligator, Herald, Sulphur, and Modeste, with the Nemesis and Madagascar steamers 汽船. The principal 主要 objects and the general aspect 方面 of the river, as far as the second bar, (which is below the first one,) have been already described, in connexion with the account of the grand conference 会议 between Keshen and Captain Elliot.[31]

The whole of the neighbouring country on both sides is almost one continued tract 管道 of swampy rice 3-ground, an additional 额外 proof 证明 of the end‧less 无穷 water-communications 通讯. Above the first bar, the river becomes more intricate 错综复杂 in its navigation 导航, having its channel 渠道 broken and divided by several islands, and ceasing 停止 to be navigable for vessels even of mode‧rate 有节制的 size beyond Whampoa, at least by any channel 渠道 which had been at that time discovered. But it will be presently seen that another passage was soon after‧ward 之后 found. The anchor‧age 锚‧年龄 at Whampoa had heretofore been the resort 度假胜地 of all the foreign trading ships, and the surrounding country at all times presents a very picturesque 如画 and refreshing 使恢复 appearance. The Canton river would seem at various times to have been subject to a great rise in its waters, and thus, overflowing the country through which it passes, to have formed for itself 本身 new passages and lines of communication 通讯, which in some parts give it the appearance of dividing itself 本身 into numerous distinct 不同 rivers, at other times merely separating its waters for a very short distance, leaving a few picturesque 如画 islands between its branches, and speedily 迅速 re-uniting its numerous streamlets again.

Whampoa is, perhaps, the largest of several islands, which lie in the main course of the river. It is about four miles in length, and has a rather shallow 3 channel 渠道 on either side, navigable only for vessels of very small draught of water. On its north-eastern side, quite towards its lower end, lies the much smaller island called Junk Island, a long narrow strip of land, which with its shoals greatly impedes 阻碍 the navigation 导航 on that side. The channel 渠道 between it and Whampoa is generally known by the name of Junk River.

Nearly all our merchant-ships used to anchor 锚 towards the bottom of Whampoa Island, in what has been called Whampoa Reach; but smaller ones could proceed 继续 up as far as the village of that name, beyond which the channel 渠道 has become known by the name of Fiddler's Reach. Some, however, of our largest ships were formerly accustomed to take in their outward 向外的 cargoes 货物 as low down as the "Second Bar," which occasioned an additional 额外 charge for lighters or cargo 货物 boats, and other inconveniences 不方便; but these now anchor 锚 in what has lately 近来 been called the Blenheim Reach, to the south‧ward 南方‧病房 of Danes' Island. (See map 地图 and plan of Canton.)

It is not a little remarkable, that the Chinese authorities 权威 should have been able to keep foreigners 外国人 so long in complete ignorance 无知 of some of the most important branches of their magnificent 华丽的 river, which for two centuries had witnessed the yearly increase of foreign commerce. This no doubt was effected by the jealous 妒忌的 orders which were issued to their pilots 飞行员, who dared not follow any other than the old prescribed 规定 track. Yet it is also remarkable that, among so many ships which have annually 每年 visited the river, none should have been found whose commanders were led by curiosity 好奇心, or stimulated 刺激 by the tire‧some 使…疲惫‧一些 sameness of an every‧day 日常的 life during the dull 钝的；没兴趣 season, to explore in open boats some of those large and tempting 引诱 passages, the openings of which could be seen. Had not the war stimulated 刺激 our exertions, or awakened 憬 our curiosity 好奇心, we should, without doubt, have remained as ignorant 愚昧 as ever of the cap‧ability 能力 of the river, the extent of which was scarcely even surmised.[32]

No wonder that smuggling 走私 in every form has been long carried on to such a notorious 臭名昭著 extent by the Chinese at Whampoa, and in other parts of the river. The communications 通讯 by water from one point to another, and with the interior 室内 of the country, are so numerous, and so interwoven with each other, that it would be impossible for any system of fiscal 财 regulations 规 which the Chinese could adopt to act efficiently against the complicated machinery of evasion 逃避 which could so easily be put in operation. This, among other reasons, may have contributed 有助于 (always secondary 第二的, however, to their jealousy 妒忌 of foreigners 外国人) to the strictness of their orders respecting the anchor‧age 锚‧年龄 for our ships.

The light squadron 队 proceeded 继续 up the river early on the morning of the 27th of February. It was not yet perfectly ascertained 探明 what obstacles 障碍 were to be met with, although it was well known that the Chinese had been making extensive preparations 制备 to impede 阻碍 the advance of our forces. The wind was light through‧out 始终 the day, and the Sulphur, which was to have been the leading vessel, fell behind; the Nemesis, therefore, now took the lead, and proceeded 继续 with caution 小心, giving the soundings by signal to the squadron 队, by means of flags fastened to the ends of long bamboos 竹; by which contrivance the signals could be made with the greatest rapidity.[33]

No new defences or hostile 敌对 preparations 制备 on the part of the enemy were discovered, until the squadron 队 had passed up a consider‧able 大量 distance beyond the second bar shoals. The Nemesis being still ahead, it could now be made out distinctly 历历 with the telescope 望远镜 that a large ship, probably the Cambridge, (a late British ship, purchased 采购 by the Chinese,) was at anchor 锚 near the first bar. This was immediately signalized to the squadron 队, which came to anchor 锚 about three miles from the position indicated 表明; but the Nemesis, having previously 先前 taken the plenipotentiary and Captain Herbert on board, proceeded 继续 to reconnoitre, and to ascertain 探明 if a clear passage existed for the ships, as the channel 渠道 was supposed to have been partially 部分 obstructed 阻碍 by sunken junks 破烂.

On arriving sufficiently 充分地 near to observe accurately 准确的；精确的；正确的 the dispositions 性格 of the enemy, it was discovered that a consider‧able 大量 mud 泥 battery 电池 had been constructed 构造 on the left bank of the river (the right in ascending 登) above the first bar, near the Brunswick rock, below Whampoa; and that in order to obstruct 阻碍 the advance of the squadron 队 beyond it, a very strong and broad raft 筏, formed by large masses of timber 木材 secured 安全 well together, had been carried quite across the river, from one side to the other, precisely 精确地 opposite the battery 电池. Behind the raft 筏 lay the ship Cambridge, (previously 先前 known as the Chesapeake,) with an admiral's flag at the main, moored 泊 head and stern 严肃 in such a way that only her bow guns could be brought to bear for the defence of the raft 筏. A number of war-junks 破烂 were also under weigh not far from her. It was evident 明显 that the Chinese were quite prepared for resistance; and, had the Cambridge been anchored 锚 with springs on her cable 3, so as to enable 启用 them to bring her broadsides to bear alternately 备用 upon the raft 筏, she might have fired with very great effect upon any of our ships as they approached. But the Chinese are not sufficiently 充分地 acquainted 认识 with naval 海 tactics 战术 to be able to make the best use even of the resources 资源 at their command.

The war-junks 破烂 looked much more formidable 强大 in the distance than when more nearly viewed, and there was much more probability 可能性 of their making their escape after the first shots were fired, than that they would offer any serious opposition. The fort 堡 itself 本身 consisted 组成 of a strong line of mud batteries 电池 along the river front, and was after‧ward 之后 found to mount no less than forty 四十-seven 七 guns, which were principally 原则上 intended to protect the raft 筏. On the left flank 侧翼 of the battery 电池 were also mounted several guns, which bore directly upon the ships as they advanced up the river; and beyond this, further on the flank 侧翼, was a small battery 电池 or field-work, mounting four or five guns, and connected with the former by an embankment, with a small ditch 沟渠 before it, upon which were planted a great number of ginjals, or wall-pieces. These latter, from being more easily managed, and more accurately pointed, were often calculated to do more injury 伤 than the great guns.

Within the fort 堡, or line of field-works, was a double Chinese encampment, containing about two thou‧sand 千 men. The rear 后 of the position was protected by a deep creek 溪 twenty 二十-five yards wide, and by paddy-fields, which were partially 部分 flooded 洪水. These impediments 障碍 proved very injurious to the Chinese themselves, when they were driven out of the fort 堡, and attempted to escape in the rear 后; and they suffered great loss there in consequence 后果. It must not be forgotten that the Cambridge was heavily 很大，沉重地 armed, although she proved of no service whatever to her new masters.

It was determined that no time should be lost in commencing 开始 the attack on this formidable 强大 line of defence, without even waiting for the arrival 到达 of the other ships of the squadron 队. However, Captain Herbert immediately went down in his own gig 演出, to bring up the rest of the force under his orders. Captain Elliot remained on board the Nemesis, and on this and all other occasions exposed 暴露 himself with a true sailor 水手's courage, during the hottest part of the engagement 订婚.

An excellent position was taken up by this vessel, not more than seven 七 hundred 百 yards from the lower angle of the fort 堡, and having anchored 锚 with springs on her cable, she commenced 开始 throwing shot, shell, and rockets 火箭 single-handed into the fort 堡 and camp, and also at the Cambridge behind the raft 筏. The guns were plied 股 with great precision 精确, principally 原则上 under the direction of Mr. Crouch and Mr. Strangways, mates, R.N.

It was now little more than half-past one, and at two o'clock the Madagascar took up a position a little outside of the Nemesis, and commenced 开始 firing at the Cambridge with her 24-pounders. The Chinese kept up their fire from as many guns as they could bring to bear, and from numerous large ginjals, with consider‧able 大量 spirit. The Nemesis was struck several times, but fortunately only one man was wounded. One of the large shot passed completely through the outer casing of the steam 3-chest 胸部, from one side to the other, and was very near penetrating 穿透 the steam- chest itself 本身, which would have been one of the most serious accidents 意外事件 which could possibly befal her. The fire of the Chinese was so well sustained for some time, that repeated persuasion 劝说 was tried, but in vain 徒劳的, to induce 促使 Capt. Elliot (who was standing as a spectator 观众 during the whole time upon the bridge between the paddle 桨-boxes) to retire from such an exposed 暴露 situation.

The Nemesis, having after‧ward 之后 changed her position, got aground by running too close in shore, in order to get as near as possible to the battery 电池, and became so much exposed 暴露, that besides receiving several shot in her hull 船壳, she had her spars and rigging 操纵 a good deal cut up.

At three o'clock the remainder 余 of the squadron 队 had arrived, the Sulphur being the first vessel which anchored 锚 and commenced 开始 firing; the other ships, however, came up in close success‧ion 演替, and fired their broadsides with great effect upon the batteries 电池, the Cambridge, and the war-junks 破烂. The vessels engaged 从事 were the Calliope, Alligator, Herald, Modeste, and Sulphur, with the Nemesis and Madagascar steamers 汽船.

The Chinese, who had been already staggered 错开 by the smart 聪明 fire of the steamers 汽船, were now completely bewildered 困惑 by the additional 额外 attack of the other vessels. Their fire speedily 迅速 slackened; and at about half-past three the boats of the squadron 队, with the marines 海洋 under Lieut. Stransham, and a party of seamen under their respective 各自 officers, put off to land and storm the works, the whole under the able direction of Capt. Herbert. Those of the Nemesis being nearest in shore, had the advantage in landing first. All the best men on board, including some of her engineers, had volunteered 志愿者 for the occasion, and the whole force now formed together, and immediately dashed 短跑 on to the gate leading into the fort 堡 close upon the shore. The Chinese attempted to defend it, but it was forced, although several of the Chinese officers fought fight with determined bravery 勇敢, but little science. Their troops 部队 retreated 撤退 in disorder 混乱, and the British flag was planted upon the fort 堡 by Capt. Hall himself, who as usual headed his own party.

On this occasion one of the Chinese officers, with cool determination 决心 and a steady aim, deliberately 故意 discharged 卸货 four arrows 箭头；矢 from his bow at Capt. Hall, fortunately without effect. Had they been musket-balls, however, he could scarcely have escaped. A marine 海洋 instantly raised his musket at the less fortunate Chinese officer: the aim was unerring, and he fell. An attempt was first made to save him for his coolness and courage; but in the heat of an engagement 订婚 it is impossible to control every man, nor is it probable that the officer would have allowed himself to be taken prisoner 犯人，囚犯.

About four o'clock the fort 堡 was completely in our possession, the Chinese having in vain 徒劳的 attempted to stand against the hot fire of our musketry. They scrambled 争夺 out at the rear 后 of the fort 堡 in the best way they could, and there suffered severe loss. In fact they were caught as it were in a trap 陷阱；诱骗; for the deep creek 溪 and flooded paddy-fields in a great measure prevented their flight 飞行, so that about a hundred 百 of them were killed or drowned at that spot, although every effort was made to save them. Some of them tried to escape across the river, jumping into the water merely with pieces of wood or small logs 记录 in their hands, which they picked up as chance threw them in their way, in the hope that these would be sufficient 足够 to support them in the water.

While the principal 主要 part of our force was thus driving out the Chinese on one side of the fort 堡, another and smaller party, consisting 组成 of volunteers 志愿者 from the Nemesis and Calliope, were hastening on towards the gate at the opposite end, at the extremity of the river-front of the fort 堡, the Chinese retreating 撤退 before them. Close by the gate stood a house, in which many of them took refuge 避难所; but finding that there was no hope of escape, and that resistance would be use‧less 无用, they immediately surrendered 投降.

The great object now to be attained 达到 was to board the Cambridge, which was lying abreast of the fort 堡. Unfortunately 不幸 no Chinese boat was to be found along the shore, and it was quite tantalizing for the moment to see a prize 奖赏 so near without the means of reaching her.

At this juncture 契机 Lieut. Watson, first-lieutenant 陆军中尉 of the Calliope, gallantly succeeded in dragging 拖拽 one of his boats across the rafts 筏, and launched 发射 her on the other side. He then took on board some of the little party on shore, who seeing a body of Chinese crowding upon the deck 甲板 of the Cambridge, had continued firing upon them. The boat instantly pulled off to the Cambridge, under the command of Lieut. Watson, having with him Mr. Browne, the master of the Calliope, Capt. Hall, and Mr. Galbraith, of the Nemesis, together with Mr. St. Leger, and about nine 九 or ten 十 men.

The Chinese were so alarmed at the sudden attack upon all their defences at once, and at the capture 捕获 of the fort 堡, as well as at the loss they had already sustained on board, that they offered little or no resistance; most of them jumped over‧board 落水 on the star‧board 星‧板，上船 side as the boarding party climbed up on the port 港口 side.

Many of the Chinese must have been drowned in attempting to swim on shore, as there were no boats at hand to pick them up, and their own redoubtable war-junks 破烂 had already made the best of their way up the river, for fear of meeting the same fate as the Cambridge. A number of dead and wounded were found upon the decks 甲板, strong evidence 证据 of the well-directed shot of our ships. She mounted altogether thirty 三十-four guns of English manufacture; and it was rather surprising to see how well the Chinese had prepared for action, the guns being in perfect order, fire-buckets 水桶 distributed 分发 about the decks 甲板, and everything very clean and well-arranged.

It now became a question whether she was to be blown up or retained 保留 as a prize 奖赏; but it was decided by Captain Herbert, that she should be set on fire and destroyed, principally 原则上 with a view to strike terror 恐怖 into the Chinese, far and wide, by the explosion 3; and partly, also, because she was an old and use‧less 无用 ship. Preparations, therefore, were at once made by Lieutenant Watson, with this object. The wounded were all carried on shore, and every part of the ship was searched with great care, to ascertain 探明 that there were not any Chinamen remaining concealed 隐藏. The few stores found on board were of very little value, and at five o'clock she was set on fire.

Slowly the flames spread through‧out 始终 the ship, gradually 5 bursting out of every port 港口; little more than an hour sufficed 满足 for the fire to reach the magazine 杂志, and then she suddenly blew up, rending the atmosphere 大气层, and making every object around her tremble with the explosion. The sparks 火花 of fire and burning timbers 木材 were thrown far and wide in every direction; and, as it was by this time dark, they served to spread the alarming intelligence 情报 even among those who were scarcely near enough to hear the explosion. Several houses took fire at a consider‧able 大量 distance from the spot, by the falling of the burning fragments 分段 which were carried through the air. The lower part of the hull 船壳 of the Cambridge went down in deep water.

Thus ended the tragedy 悲剧 of the day; and, following as it did only twenty 二十-four hours after the capture 捕获 of the Bogue, and at the distance of only a few miles from Canton, we can easily imagine how completely it must have paralysed for the moment all the little remaining spirit and energy 能源 of the Chinese. The city of Canton would probably have fallen an easy prey 猎物, had our successes been followed up by a bold dash 短跑 at it. But the different approaches by which our forces could advance were then very imperfectly 不完善 known, otherwise the smallness of our numbers would in any case have been amply 功放 compensated 补偿 by the panic 恐慌 of the moment.

Through‧out 始终 the operations of the day, Captain Elliot had distinguished himself by his personal 个人 courage, and landed with the party from the Nemesis to storm the fort 堡. The loss of the Chinese is believed to have amounted to about three hundred 百 killed and wounded. On our own side there were eight 八 or nine 九 men wounded and one killed. The magazine 杂志 of the fort 堡, and the guns, about sixty 六十 in number, were destroyed or rendered 给予 use‧less 无用. Those of the Cambridge were blown up with the vessel.

The great raft 筏 across the river was not less than five hundred 百 and fifty 五十 yards long, and is said to have cost the Chinese an immense sum 和 of money, which was exacted from the Hong merchants. It was constructed 构造 with great strength and solidity, for upon it they had rested their most confident 确信的 hopes of successful 成功 resistance. It was cleared away, not without a good deal of labour, on the following day, and thus the passage was now opened for the advanced squadron 队 to proceed 继续 up to Whampoa.

The Madagascar was sent down to the Bogue, to inform Commodore Sir Gordon Bremer of what had taken place, while the boats of the squadron 队, together with the Sulphur and Nemesis, pushed on to explore the river higher up—a reconnoissance being necessary before the ships could advance, owing to the uncertainty 不确定 as to what impediments 障碍 the Chinese might have formed to obstruct 阻碍 the navigation 导航.

During the day, the Nemesis and boats got far enough up the branch on the eastern side of Whampoa, called Junk River, to catch a view of a little fort 堡 at the upper end of Whampoa, called Howqua's Folly.[34] It was further ascertained 探明 that a large body of Chinese were collecting in that direction, principally 原则上 on the shore opposite the island, and that a double line of stakes 赌注, interlaced with bamboos 竹, were driven across the upper part of the Junk River passage, where also several large junks 破烂 appeared to have been sunk.

It turned out after‧ward 之后 that, had the Nemesis proceeded 继续 only a hundred 百 yards further on, she would have been lucky 幸运 enough to discover a masked 面具 battery 电池, which it was reserved for the boats of the Wellesley, in company with the Sulphur, to find out on the following day, and to have the honour of capturing 捕获.

In the meantime, Sir Gordon Bremer, in consequence 后果 of the important intelligence 情报 conveyed 传达 to him by the Madagascar, hastened up from the Bogue the same day, bringing with him the marines 海洋 of the Wellesley, together with a hundred 百 seamen, under Captain Maitland. The marines 海洋 of the Blenheim, Melville, and Druid, like‧wise 同样 followed, together with a number of boats well armed and manned. The Queen steamer also came up, bringing with her the Eagle transport 运输, and another, the Sophia, being towed 拖 up by the Madagascar.

In the evening, Sir Gordon Bremer, with these season‧able 季节‧能够的 reinforcements 加强, joined the advanced squadron 队 just as they had got up to Whampoa Reach. In consequence 后果 of the report made to the commodore of the reconnoissance which had been made during the day, he was induced 促使 to send up the Sulphur on the following morning, together with three of the boats of the Wellesley, to pursue 追求 the examination 检查 further. The boats of the Wellesley were commanded by Lieutenant Symonds, the first lieutenant 陆军中尉 of that ship. It is distinctly 历历 stated, in Sir Gordon Bremer's official despatch, that the Sulphur was towed 拖 (going up) by the boats, and that, as soon as they had got within range of the masked 面具 battery 电池, which had been suspected but not discovered the day before, the latter opened upon them; upon which, Lieutenant Symonds, with great decision and gallantry, instantly cut the tow 拖- rope 粗绳, and dashed 短跑 off to storm the fort 堡.

Such is the account published 发布 at the time. But in Captain Belcher's account of the affair, (vol. ii. p. 158,) it is stated that this was a mistake, and that the Sulphur was not towed 拖 at all by the boats; it is left to be inferred 推断, also, that Lieutenant Symonds did not cut the tow 拖- rope 粗绳, or else that, if he had done so, he would have been guilty 有罪的；内疚的 of a breach 突破口 of discipline 训练.

I have no means of judging between these two accounts; but it was generally understood that Lieutenant Symonds' gallantry and energy 能源 were highly approved of by the commodore, whether in obedience 遵守 of orders or otherwise. Captain Belcher further states that he himself "jumped into his gig 演出 to recal the boats, or to prevent them doing too much, and that it was by Captain Elliot's wish, who was left in charge during his absence 缺席." Still it appears that the battery 电池 was carried by Lieutenant Symonds and his men, who soon drove the Chinese out of it, killing several. The official account further states that the Sulphur immediately anchored 锚, and sent a few shot in amongst 之中 the thick under‧wood 在…下面‧木材；树林, in which the Chinese took shelter.

The battery 电池 was found to mount about twenty 二十-three guns, which, together with the magazine 杂志, and all the mat 席子ériel, were destroyed. The boats were repeatedly 反复 struck by grape 葡萄-shot as they dashed 短跑 on shore, but only one man was wounded mortally 凡人.

The Nemesis came up the Reach during the day, and managed to get within long gun-shot of Howqua's Folly, about two miles higher up. In the evening, the Alligator, Modeste, and Herald, joined her, with two transports 运输. The distance from Canton was now so short, that they must have been within sight of the city, although there was too little water by the direct passage to enable 启用 them to get up further. The channels 渠道 by which they after‧ward 之后 reached Canton had not as yet been discovered.

Howqua's Fort, or folly 蠢事, was built of stone, at the mouth of a little creek 溪, at the extremity of Whampoa Island, and was surrounded by low paddy-fields, which occasioned its foundation 基础 to be so insecure 不安全 that it after‧ward 之后 fell down. It mounted nearly thirty 三十 guns of various calibre. The command‧ant 命令‧蚂蚁 seems to have had no particular taste for fighting, and thought a timely retreat 撤退 would save him a vast 广大 deal of trouble. The fort 堡 was accordingly 于是 soon abandoned 放弃. A detachment 分离 of the 26th Cameronians occupied 占据 it, while a party of marines 海洋, under Captain Ellis, took possession of a large joss-house, or temple 庙, opposite to it, on the other side of Junk River, where a strong body of the enemy had already been seen. They strengthened this position against any sudden attack.

Just above these two points, and consequently 所以 between Howqua's and Napier's Folly, which latter was situated 位于 upon the extremity of a low alluvial island, a little above Whampoa, a strong line of stakes 赌注 or piles had been driven into the bed of the river. The next step, therefore, was to clear a passage through them, which was not to be very easily effected, owing to the rapidity of the stream, and the stiffness of the soil forming the river's bed.

Just at this juncture 契机, the prefect of Canton or Kwang-Chow-Foo came along‧side 并肩 the Nemesis in his barge 驳船, attended by a linguist 语言学家, and inquired 打听 for Captain Elliot, who happened not to be on board. Upon this the prefect affected 影响 to be in a great hurry to go away, saying that he could not wait for his return. Captain Hall told him that if he couldn't wait, he had better be off at once. But he continued, for some time, sitting in his boat, which was hanging on astern, evidently 明显地 with forced composure, for he declined 下降 coming on board the steamer.

As soon as Captain Elliot returned, they went down to Whampoa Reach together, where a conference 会议 was held in due form. Captain Elliot certainly wished that hostilities 敌意 should not be pushed further, if it could be avoided; and, accordingly 于是, although it was perfectly well known and admitted that Keshen had been degraded 降级 from his office of commissioner 专员, and that his successor 接班人 had not yet arrived, a truce 休战 was agreed upon for three days with the Kwang-Chow-Foo. This was a humane 人道 and conciliating piece of leniency on the part of Captain Elliot, for, at that moment, there was really no responsible public officer who could under‧take 承担 on the part of the Chinese to treat for or accept any terms whatever. At the same time, it was not denied 拒绝 that a general panic 恐慌 prevailed 战胜 at Canton, and that vast 广大 numbers of people were leaving the city.

A lull 麻痹 now ensued 接踵而至, the probable result of which it was idle 无意义的 to guess, although it was generally expected that hostilities 敌意 would be resumed 恢复, and that no settlement 沉降 whatever could be attempted, until Canton itself 本身 was completely at our mercy 宽容. This happened precisely 4 at the moment of the arrival 到达 of Major-General Sir Hugh Gough, from Madras, in H.M.S. Cruizer, to assume 承担 the command in chief of all the land-forces, by the orders of the governor-general of India. This important event happened on the 2nd March, 1841; and the arrival 到达 of a general of acknowledged 确认 bravery 4 and distinction 区别 was a subject of much congratulation 祝贺, and was looked upon as likely to lead to energetic 有活力 and decisive 决定性的 steps.

It was also just about this time that the force which had been ordered down from Chusan arrived in the Canton River—namely, the Pylades, Blonde, Conway, and Nimrod, together with the transports 运输, conveying 传达 the troops 部队. Our forces were, therefore, now concentrated 集中; and, whatever may be the opinion generally entertained concerning the policy of so suddenly giving up Chusan long before the answer could have arrived from Pekin respecting Keshen's treaty 条约, it happened, nevertheless 虽然, very much to our advantage, that the whole of a still small force was now united at one point, for the more effective prosecution 检察官 of any enterprise 企业 which it might be advisable 可取 to under‧take 承担. Thus it occurred 发生 on many occasions during the war, that what appeared at first sight unfortunate 不幸的, or, at all events, little likely to be attended with good results, turned out, in the end, to be most advantageous 有利. The addition 加成 of these reinforcements 加强 from Chusan enabled 启用 us now to dictate 听写 terms to the Chinese authorities 权威, which, without them, it would not have been so easy to exact.

Advantage was taken of the interval 间隔 of the three days' truce 休战 (which was to expire 到期 on the 5th) to explore in the Nemesis, by the orders of Captain Herbert, one of those broad passages which were known to turn off to the west‧ward 向西, from Whampoa Reach. It was thought likely to lead, indirectly 间接, even to Canton, and might therefore greatly facilitate 促进 the advance of our forces upon the city. It has already been stated, that these channels 渠道 had never been properly explored by foreigners 外国人; though a passage of some sort or other was well known to exist on either side of French and Dane's Islands.

Captain Elliot himself was very anxious upon this subject, and offered a reward of one hundred 百 dollars to any active fisherman 渔 or pilot 飞行员 who would point out the best channel 渠道. It was thought probable, also, that there were several channels 渠道, some, perhaps, large enough for our sloops, of which we were hitherto 迄今 perfectly ignorant 愚昧.

A pilot 飞行员 soon offered his services, in consideration 考虑 of the hand‧some 英俊 reward; although there appeared little doubt of the Nemesis being able to find a passage for her‧self 她自己 (drawing so little water) without any pilot 飞行员 at all.

Soon after nine 九 o'clock, the Nemesis got under weigh, under the direction of Captain Herbert, having Captain Elliot and other officers on board. The object was not to make any minute survey 调查 of the passage; but merely to ascertain 探明, by a cursory examination 检查, the nature of the channel 渠道, and in what direction it was likely to terminate 终止. Leaving Dane's and French Islands to the south‧ward 南方‧病房, they proceeded 继续 very cautiously 小心的 to thread 线 their way through the shoals or mud-banks which were found in the passage. The country on both sides was low and swampy, but the channel 渠道 was not found blocked up by sunken junks 破烂 or stones, as it had been in other parts; probably because the Chinese hardly expected that any attempt would be made to pass through it, and partly because the river into which it led (the Broadway or Macao passage) had been already sufficiently 充分地 fortified 强化 and obstructed 阻碍. They passed a deserted 沙漠；抛弃 battery 电池 and one or two small villages.

In the course of a couple of hours, during which time they had advanced slowly, with a depth of water from two to three fathoms, they came in sight of a circular stone fort 堡, with a tower 3 or pagoda upon it, apparently between two and three miles distant.

As the truce 休战 had not yet expired 到期, it was not thought right to proceed 继续 further for the present; but they had already reached the point of junction 连接点 with the Macao passage or Broadway River, in the middle of which the fort 堡 (which was after‧ward 之后 called the Macao Fort) was situated 位于. Enough had been ascertained 探明 to serve as a guide for future operations; and the Nemesis, passing round a small island at the head of the passage, returned the same way she had come, and rejoined 归队 the squadron 队 at Whampoa. It was through this passage that some of our vessels proceeded 继续, a few days after‧ward 之后, to the attack of the fort 堡, which has been noticed above.

On the following day, the 6th, the truce 休战 expired 到期. But there was anything but a peace‧able 和平‧能够的 disposition 性格 shewn on the part of the Chinese authorities 权威. They issued strict 严格的 orders that none of the natives 本土的 should supply provisions 规定 to our ships. The boats which had hitherto 迄今 come fearlessly along‧side 并肩 our vessels all on a sudden disappeared 不见; and it was known at Canton that the native merchants were compelled 迫使 to remove 去掉 all the tea and silk 丝 out of the town.

In consequence 后果 of these proceedings 继续, a proclamation was addressed by Captain Elliot to the people of Canton, telling them that they were quite at our mercy 宽容, and that the city was only spared 节省；多余的；备用件 "in order to shew how tenderly 纤弱的 the good and peace‧able 和平‧能够的 inhabitants 居民 were considered" (by the English). But it was added, that, "if the authorities 权威 should continue to prevent the native merchants from buying and selling with the foreign merchants, then the whole trade of Canton was to be immediately stopped, and the city strictly blockaded 封锁." It then wound 创伤 up by throwing "the whole responsibility 责任 of the present state of things upon the bad advisers 顾问 of the emperor 皇帝."

Preparations were now made for an immediate advance upon the city; and it was a favourite notion 概念 of Captain Elliot that he could blockade 封锁 all the approaches to Canton, and thus, by cutting off its immense internal 内部 commerce, upon which thou‧sand 千 depend for their living, and nearly the whole population for its supplies of food, con‧strain 压抑 the authorities 权威 to come to some reasonable terms, without any further necessity for a resort 度假胜地 to arms.

CHAPTER XVIII.

Captain Elliot now addressed a request to the naval 海 and military 军事 commanders-in-chief, that they would make no further movements 运动 towards the city until the disposition 性格 of the provincial 省级 officers could be put to the test. All the private information which could be gathered, however, tended to shew that further delay was likely to be use‧less 无用, and even prejudicial. As soon, therefore, as the day for the expiration of the truce 休战 had arrived, the Nemesis was ordered to convey 传达 Captain Elliot, with the commodore and the major-general, together with their respective 各自 suites 套房, up to Howqua's Fort, having the broad pendant 垂饰 flying; there several other ships of the advanced squadron 队 were already at anchor 锚. The flag of truce 休战 was then lowered, and immediate dispositions 性格 were made for the capture 捕获 of Napier's Fort, which was a little distance higher up.[35]

A little below the fort 堡 a strong double line of piles had been driven into the bed of the river, completely across from one bank to the other. These were strengthened by sunken junks 破烂, and the passage was further blocked up by large stones thrown into the river, and other impediments 障碍. There were flanking 侧翼 batteries 电池 also on either side, recently built of mud, and not quite finished; they were intended to mount thirty 三十-five and forty 四十-four guns.

These positions were cap‧able 能 of being stoutly 肥硕 defended, had they been fully 充分 armed and manned. Such, however, was not the case; and, as the command‧ant 命令‧蚂蚁 of the fort 堡 was inclined 倾斜 to exhibit 展示 the same compliant 兼容 disposition 性格 as his gallant companion 同伴 in arms had shewn at Howqua's Fort below, no resistance was offered; in fact, the garrison 驻军 all ran away as soon as they had fired off their guns, having previously 先前 intimated 亲密 their intention, and succeeded in making good their escape.

The Sulphur, accompanied 陪 by some of the boats of the squadron 队, managed to get up first, and took possession, followed by the Nemesis, with the commodore on board, and other vessels. A detachment 分离 of troops 部队 had been sent round by the general, with a view to take the flanking 侧翼-batteries 电池 in the rear 后; but, as it now appeared that they were undefended, and as the march over swampy paddy-fields, and across numerous water-courses, was anything but agree‧able 合适的, and not likely now to be useful 有用, they returned to the joss-house below.

In the afternoon, the Nemesis proceeded 继续 with the commodore and Captain Elliot down to Whampoa, passing along the western side of that island, by the channel 渠道 which was known by the name of Fiddler's Reach; she had therefore gone completely round Whampoa Island in the course of the day, for she went up by the eastern or Junk river side, and came down by the western or Fiddler's Reach passage, proving the practicability of both channels 渠道 for vessels of small draught of water.

It may be well here to notice that, at a subsequent 4 period, after the fall of Canton, and when the Chinese were prevented by us from renewing 更新 or extending any of the defences of the river below Whampoa,[36] they set about strengthening the positions above that island with all the resources 资源 they could employ. Before the close of the war, they not only rebuilt Napier's Fort in a much more substantial 大量的 manner, but fortified 强化 all that line of the river upon a plan much superior 优越 to any they had hitherto 迄今 attempted.

Three other large stone forts 堡 have been built, with a view to command the navigation 导航 of this part of the river; namely, one on each bank of the river opposite Napier's Fort, and one about half a mile lower down, at the point where the river is strongly staked 赌注 across. Viewed from the river, all these new forts 堡 look extremely formidable 强大, being built entirely of stone, of consider‧able 大量 height, and calculated to mount little less than two hundred 百 guns. The structure 结构体 of all these new works is of a superior 优越 kind to any before seen in China; and it is generally supposed that they have been built at the suggestion 建议 or with the assistance 帮助 of some European engineer. But, as usual in China, the rear 后 of the forts 堡 is almost entirely unprotected, except by a stone wall; and, were it not that the advance of an enemy on that side would be greatly impeded 阻碍 by ditches 沟渠 and paddy-fields, which would oppose difficulties to the bringing up of artillery 炮兵, they could be captured 捕获 without any extra‧ordinary 非凡的 effort.

The short pause 暂停 in our operations, which now again took place at the request of Captain Elliot, was precisely 5 in accordance 按照 with the liberal 自由主义的 assurances 保证 of the most pacific intentions on the part of the Chinese. Their acts, however, by no means agreed with their words. It was perfectly ascertained 探明 that a large number of fire-vessels were being prepared a few miles above Canton; that new defences were being constructed 构造 around the city, particularly upon the heights in its rear 后; and that people were removing 去掉 their property from the town, and no valuable produce was allowed to be brought into it. Sir Gordon Bremer distinctly 历历 expressed his conviction 定罪 that the measure of attacking Canton itself 本身 must speedily 迅速 be resorted 度假胜地 to; although he deplored 痛惜 the excesses 超过 to which it might give rise, owing to the abandonment 放弃 of the city by the authorities 权威, and the absence of control over the rabble of a community proverbially bad. The major-general now went down the river, and remained at Wantung with the commodore, where plans for the future operations were devised 设计.

About this time, Keshen, whose functions 功能 had already ceased 停止, left Canton for Pekin in disgrace 耻辱, in order to be put upon his trial for traitorous conduct 进行, as his unfortunate 不幸的 defeats 击败 were now termed. The result was, that he was utterly 完全 degraded 降级; all his property, which was enormously 巨大 valuable, was confiscated 没收, and he himself banished 放逐 to the cold regions 地区 of Tartary.

On the 10th, despatches were sent up by the Nemesis from Captain Elliot (who in the meantime had gone to Macao) to the commodore at the Bogue, in consequence 后果 of the Chinese authorities 权威 having issued chops 劈 or pass‧port 护照 for all ships, except British, to proceed 继续 up the river to trade, as far as Whampoa. This act of open defiance 蔑视 could not be over‧look 俯瞰, and Captain Elliot himself seems to have been struck with the hostile 敌对 temper 性情 which this proceeding 继续 evinced. A notice was, in consequence 后果, issued to the effect, "that, as the port 港口 of Canton, from its entrance to its extremity, was in the military 军事 occupation 占用 of her Majesty's arms, no ships whatever would be permitted to enter the river, except under the authority 权威 of the commander-in-chief; and, moreover, that a close embargo 禁运 would be laid on the city and trade of Canton, until the whole of their foreign trade should be placed upon a perfectly equal footing, without any exception whatever."

In point of fact, our previous 以前 forbearance had not been understood, and was certainly looked upon rather as an evidence 证据 of conscious weakness 弱点 on our part, than as what it actually was—an instance 例 of forbearance, resulting from conscious strength.

It was, probably, the necessity which he now felt of striking some blow calculated to make an immediate impression 印象 upon the Chinese, which induced 促使 Captain Elliot to direct his attention to one of the most boldly-conceived 构想 and successfully 顺利-executed 执行 exploits 利用 which have to be recorded during this campaign 运动. It appears to have struck him almost on a sudden; and, finding that Captain Scott, of the Samarang, who was then senior 前辈 officer at Macao, and also Captain Hall, of the Nemesis, entirely concurred 同意 with him in his views, it was resolved 解决 that not a moment should be lost. Above all, it was kept perfectly secret; so that no rumour of any new project 项目 could reach any of the inhabitants 居民 of Macao, either Portuguese or Chinese. The under‧take 承担 to which I allude 暗示, became after‧ward 之后 generally known as the forcing of the Broadway, or Inner, or Macao Passage, (for it has obtained 获得 all these names,) by the Nemesis, accompanied 陪 by three boats—viz., two belonging to the Samarang, and one to the Atalanta steamer. This passage leads direct from Macao to Canton, but had been hitherto 迄今 frequented only by native boats; indeed, no others were permitted to pass through it. This was one of those numerous opportunities in which the Nemesis so clearly demonstrated 演示 the great advantage to be derived 派生 from the employment 雇用 of shallow iron steamers 汽船 in hostile 敌对 operations along the course of unexplored rivers.

It must here be remarked that this intricate 错综复杂 passage was one never before traversed 横过 by any European vessel or boat, and believed by the Chinese themselves to be inaccessible 人迹罕至 to foreigners 外国人, both owing to the shallowness and intricacy of its channels 渠道, and to the number and strength of the artificial 人造的 defences erected 直立 on its banks. It can, perhaps, be scarcely called a distinct 不同 river, but may be rather considered as in reality 现实 one of those almost innumerable 无数 channels 渠道 which present themselves to view on every side, along the whole sea-board of China; dividing and then re-uniting, sometimes receiving large branches, sometimes throwing them off, here communicating 通信 with other rivers, and there even traversing 横过 across them. It is difficult to ascertain 探明, with regard to many of them, whether they are distinct 不同 rivers or branches, or mere water-courses, leading from one to the other. In short, with respect more particularly to the country about Canton, the whole of it appears to be subdivided, again and again, by these ever-multiplying 乘 channels 渠道, which form a sort of fluid 流体 net‧work 网, embracing 拥抱 the soil it nourishes 滋养 and reproduces 复制. Many of these are only known, among the Chinese themselves, by those who depend on them for subsistence 生活; and who, rarely 很少；不常见；难得 quitting 放弃 them, make their boat their floating home.

On leaving the roads of Macao, and proceeding 继续 nearly due west, after passing the town and the entrance to the Inner Harbour beyond it, you come into a straight but rather shallow channel 渠道, which continues in the same direction along the southern 南部的 shore of the island called Twee-Lien-Shan.[37] Having reached its western extremity, which is about four miles from Macao, you very shortly enter the mouth of a river, which is broad but shallow, and becomes narrower as you proceed 继续 up towards the north-west, by the gradual contract‧ion 收缩 of its shores. This is the entrance to the Broadway, or Inner Passage. Several openings were soon perceived on both sides, probably the mouths of smaller rivers or creeks 溪, entering the larger channel 渠道. The proper opening of the Inner Passage begins about six miles from the western point of Twee-Lien-Shan Island, but the narrow part of it is about four miles further on.

Let us now imagine ourselves 我们自己 just embarked 从事 on board the Nemesis in Macao roads, at three o'clock in the morning on the 13th of March, all the arrangements 安排 having been completed the day before. Already, Captain Elliot and suite 套房 are on board; and Captain Scott, of the Samarang, who commands the force, is standing on the quarter deck 甲板 with the other officers, impatient 不耐烦 to start, while the boats of the Samarang, and that of the Atalanta, are being made fast astern. And we must also not omit 省略 to record that Mr. Johnston, the deputy 副 superintendent 所长 of trade, and also Mr. Morrison and Mr. Thom, the indefatigable interpreters 翻译员 and secretaries,[38] the value of whose services through‧out 始终 the war it is impossible too highly to appreciate 欣赏, were also on board during this expedition 远征.

Having quitted 放弃 the town of Macao with the utmost 极 quietness, leaving all the world asleep 睡着的, and unconscious 无意识 of any movement 运动, they soon fell in with a large junk 破烂 at anchor 锚, which was fortunately able to furnish a pilot 飞行员, one of her crew being taken out, not without reluctance 不情愿, for that purpose. At first the poor fellow was very much frightened 使惊恐, but, finding that he was well treated, well fed, and good pay promised, he soon became reconciled 调和 to his position, and behaved 表现 well through‧out 始终. During the day he seemed very little concerned about the firing either of the steamer or of his own countrymen, and piloted 飞行员 the vessel, as far as his knowledge extended, up the river very accurately.

The progress was at first slow, owing to the shallowness of the water, which often did not much exceed 超过 five feet, for a vessel of more than six hundred 百 tons 吨 burden 负荷，重负! Indeed the pilot 飞行员 himself maintained 保持 that it would be impossible for the vessel to proceed 继续; and it may be noticed that the soundings at the entrance were not found so deep as laid down in Horsburgh's chart 图表, in which they are partially 部分 given. However, on she went, nothing daunted 吓住 either by mud, sand, or water, or even by the shallowness of the river.

Day had now long dawned 黎明; and at eight 八 o'clock she came in sight of a fort 堡 on the star‧board 星‧板，上船 hand, which proved to be situated 位于 on a small promontory on the left bank of the river. It is called Motow, and is situated 位于 some distance below a point where the main channel 渠道 separates into two branches. Half an hour after‧ward 之后, the Nemesis was near enough to take up a position to the south‧ward 南方‧病房 of the fort 堡, so that she could fire directly into it without any of the enemy's guns being able to bear upon her; in fact, she enfiladed the position. Upon this the fort 堡 was abandoned 放弃 by the Chinese, whose flight 飞行 was accelerated 加速 by their seeing that the boats were putting off to attack them. The place was immediately taken possession of, the buildings of every description set on fire, and the guns, thirteen 十三 in number, rendered 给予 unserviceable. The boat's crews were again on board the Nemesis in about an hour, and she pursued 追求 her course without loss of time.

About four miles further on, just above where the river becomes more contracted 合同 by its division, a second fort 堡 was discovered, also situated 位于 on the left bank. The position was well chosen, upon a rising ground, at some distance from the river side, but commanding the whole bend or reach of the river in front of it. It was built of mud, but protected nearly all round by flooded paddy-grounds.

On this occasion the Chinese were the first to open their fire upon the Nemesis as she rounded an intervening 干预 point of land, and entered the reach above mentioned. They kept up their fire at first very smartly 聪明, having probably trained all their guns to bear upon one particular point. It was most effectually returned by the steamer with shot, shell, and rockets 火箭, which were thrown (as officially reported by Captain Scott himself) with remarkable accuracy 准确性. The boats again put off to land, under cover of the rising bank on the river side, with the intention of taking the position in flank 侧翼; but the Chinese at once abandoned 放弃 their works; though, if they had resisted 抵抗 the advance, they might have inflicted 造成 severe loss, as the party could only approach the fort 堡 along a narrow cause‧way 原因；引起‧路；方法, in single file 文件. The works were immediately taken possession of, and were found to mount twelve 十二 or four‧teen 十四 guns, which were of course destroyed, as were also the sheds 棚 and buildings within the fort 堡, which, however, were of very recent construction 施工, and of a temporary 临时 nature.

Before returning to the steamer, the boats pulled across to the opposite side of the river, where a large chop 劈-house and military 军事 depôt were like‧wise 同样 destroyed. The name of the fort 堡, or field-work, above described, was Tei-yat-kok.[39] At this point several other Chinamen were taken on board as pilots 飞行员, for the better navigation 导航 of the channel 渠道 through which they had now to proceed 继续.

They had ascended 登 a very little way further up the river, when to the joy 喜悦 of every one, they espied nine 九 war-junks 破烂 under weigh, a consider‧able 大量 distance ahead, and chase 追 was given at full speed, in spite of all obstacles 障碍 of the navigation 导航. The interest and excitement 激动 momentarily 短暂的 increased, as every mile they advanced served to lead them to the conclusion 结论 that the Chinese were better prepared for defence than had been at all expected. Indeed, it was not a little remarkable that a passage never before explored by foreigners 外国人 should have been found in a state of preparation 制备 against attack, by forts 堡 of old standing and solid construction 施工, as well as by works of recent and temporary 临时 formation 结构；形状；形成方式；组成方式.

On entering the bend of the river in which the junks 破烂 had been first caught sight of, a consider‧able 大量 stone-built fort 堡 was discovered, called Houchung, or Ha-chap 皴裂, close to the river's side, upon its right bank, (on the left hand ascending 登,) in front of which, and perfectly commanded by it, piles had been driven across the river, so as to obstruct 阻碍 the navigation 导航. But the work had apparently not been quite finished, and a narrow opening was still left in the centre, through which the junks 破烂 had already passed, in order to take up a more secure 安全 position, as they thought, on the other side. The fort 堡 mounted four‧teen 十四 or fifteen 十五 guns. But there was also another and smaller fort 堡 close to it, built of earth, and not yet finished, being without guns, but having ten 十 embrasures.

Here again the Chinese were the first to begin firing, both from the fort 堡 and junks 破烂; but it was returned with precision 精确 and rapidity by the Nemesis, under cover of which the boats pushed off to storm the fort 堡. This was effected without much difficulty. The fall of the fort 堡 of course left the passage through the stakes 赌注 quite unprotected, except by the junks 破烂; but the Chinese sailors were so panic 恐慌-struck by the rapidity with which the fort 堡 had been taken, and by the approach of the boats, which were now making their way through the stakes 赌注 to attack them, that seven 七 out of the nine 九 were run ashore 岸上 by their crews,—when they immediately jumped over‧board 落水 and escaped, leaving their vessels entirely at our mercy 宽容.

Just as the boats came up to take possession, a field-work on the left bank, within little more than a hundred 百 yards of the head‧most 头；上端‧最 junk 破烂, opened fire on them unexpectedly 不料 with grape 葡萄-shot. As the junks 破烂 were already abandoned 放弃, a strong party at once landed, under Lieut. Bower, and carried the field-work, by passing round to its rear 后, which, as usual with the Chinese, was left almost unprotected. This place, which was called Fie-shu-kok, was set on fire and destroyed, together with the seven 七 guns which were mounted on it. The war-junks 破烂 were like‧wise 同样 set on fire, and blew up very shortly after. But the two which had not been run ashore 岸上 contrived 图谋 to make good their escape.

During the time that these operations were being effected, Capt. Hall had dexterously succeeded in getting his steamer through the stakes 赌注 by the same opening through which the junks 破烂 had passed, and which barely afforded room for her paddle 桨-boxes. The flood 洪水-tide was now running up with great rapidity, and she was therefore dropped through the passage, being steadied by kedges and hawsers, two of which they cut away, and left behind.

She now joined the boats opposite Fie-shu-kok; and as soon as the destruction of the junks 破烂 and works had been completed, it was resolved 解决 to push on further up the river, in the hope of over‧take 超过 the two junks 破烂 which had got away. Altogether twenty 二十-one guns had been destroyed in these forts 堡, and twenty 二十-eight 八 more in the junks 破烂. But the impression 印象 made through all the neighbouring country by these active measures, was far more important than the mere destruction of a certain number of guns.

At half-past three they arrived at the large trading town of Heong-Shan, about five or six miles further up. The river flows straight through the middle of it, so that they found themselves unexpectedly 不料 in the centre of an important inland 内陆 town, in which, if it had been their object, it was easily within their power to inflict 造成 severe injury 伤 upon a dense 稠密 and apparently harm‧less 无害 population. But it has been mentioned before that much suffering was spared by the assistance 帮助 of Mr. Morrison and Mr. Thom. Capt. Elliot also exerted 发挥 himself very much to prevent the peasantry or mere lookers-on from being implicated 连累; and he sometimes allowed even the armed soldiers to escape, rather than run the risk of injuring 损伤 the innocent 无辜. The object was to con‧fine 局限 hostilities 敌意 as much as possible to the servants and property of the Chinese government, leaving the people uninjured.

The good effect of this policy was soon very evident 明显. The inhabitants 居民 of this populous town appeared to regard with very little apprehension 顾虑 the approach of the steamer, and seemed more moved by curiosity 好奇心 and astonishment 惊愕 at her structure 结构体 and locomotive 机车 power, than alarmed by any dread 恐惧 of her hostile 敌对 intentions. The people crowded upon the banks of the river; the house-tops and the surrounding hills were covered with curious gazers, wondering what strange event would happen next. Hundreds of trading junks 破烂 and boats of various kinds, most of them the sole 唯一 home of their owners 所有者, were crowded together on both sides of the river through‧out 始终 the town, and even above and below it. The river was narrow, and so densely 密地 were the boats packed, that the only passage left was directly in the centre of the stream, where, as if by mutual 相互 consent 同意, a clear way had been left, only just broad enough to allow the steamer to pass, and requiring some dexterity to avoid running foul 犯规 of the junks 破烂 on either side.

It is very curious that so large a body of people should have looked on with so little apparent 清晰可见的；显而易见的；明白易懂的 fear, particularly as they could well perceive that the steamer was in chase 追 of two war-junks 破烂, which had preceded 优于 her, followed by several mandarin-boats, in which the mandarins or authorities 权威 of the town were endeavouring to make their escape, in the greatest consternation. One of the war-junks 破烂, finding that it was impossible to keep ahead of the steamer, which was rapidly gaining on her, was run ashore 岸上, some distance above the town, by her crew, who immediately jumped over‧board 落水, and had only just time to escape before the steamer came up. She was at once boarded, and then set fire to and blown up. She carried four guns. It was now observed that Chinese soldiers were gathering thickly upon the neighbouring hills, as if meditating a descent 下降; but a shot or two thrown in amongst 之中 them served to put them to flight 飞行.

Just at this moment a masked 面具 battery 电池, concealed 隐藏 by some trees, not more than a couple of hundred 百 yards ahead, imprudently betrayed 背叛 itself 本身 by opening its fire on the steamer; nor was this the only instance 例 in which small forts 堡 or field-works would have been passed unseen 看不见 and uninjured, had they not expended 花费 use‧less 无用 powder in making a smoke, which at once betrayed 背叛 them. The fire was instantly returned, and served to cover the boats, which put off with the marines 海洋 of the Samarang to storm the works. Eight 八 guns were found in it, which, together with the buildings and magazine 杂志, were of course destroyed. This place was called Sheongchap, and was situated 位于 just below a point where the river divides, or rather where two branches unite.

It being now past six, P.M., it was thought proper to anchor 锚 for the night, after a very severe day's work for all hands since three in the morning. The Nemesis, having proceeded 继续 a little distance above Sheongchap, found her‧self 她自己 getting into very shallow water, and therefore anchored 锚 for the night. The channel 渠道 was so narrow that it was impossible to turn the vessel round, scarcely even by forcing her bows 弓 hard aground over the banks. She was anchored 锚 head and stern 严肃, and guard-boats were placed round her all night, for fear of any attempt at surprise.

On the following morning, the 14th, the Nemesis again pursued 追求 her course up what appeared to be the principal 主要 branch, but which became so shallow that it was doubtful 疑 how far she would be able to proceed 继续; she had seldom 很少 more than six feet water, and in many places only five, so that she was frequently forced through the mud itself 本身. There was not room to turn her fairly round, and the only mode in which she could be managed was by sometimes driving her bows as far as possible into the river's bank, sometimes her stern 严肃; while at other times it was hard to say whether she was proceeding 继续 over a flooded paddy-field, or in the channel 渠道 of a water-course. This gave occasion to a facetious remark, in which sailors sometimes delight, that this "would be a new way of going over‧land 之上‧陆地；着陆 to England."

After proceeding 继续 only three or four miles, a village came in sight, with a fort 堡 adjoining 毗, and rather above it. This was after‧ward 之后 found to be named Kong-How. Nearly opposite the fort 堡 the river was again found to be staked 赌注 across, much more strongly than it was at Houchong; and it was in a similar 类似 manner commanded by the guns of the fort 堡. The Nemesis, as soon as she came within good range, opened her fire warmly upon the fort 堡, which the Chinese returned. The boats pushed off as usual; but the moment the marines 海洋 and a party of seamen began to land, the Chinese abandoned 放弃 the fort 堡 in confusion.

On the upper side of the fort 堡, sand-bags were found recently piled 堆 up against the walls, as if the Chinese had expected the attack to be made on that side; which shews that they anticipated that an attempt would be made to explore these passages, but that they rather looked for it from the side of Tycocktow than from Macao. The works, with their nine 九 guns and magazine 杂志, were after‧ward 之后 all blown up at once.

The principal 主要 obstacle 障碍 now remaining to be got rid 使摆脱 of was one more trouble‧some 麻烦 than all the forts 堡 together, or any impediment 障碍 yet met with. The line of piles which had been driven in across the river was not less than twenty 二十 feet wide, or rather it was a double line, filled up between the two with large sunken junks 破烂 laden 载货 with stones. Great labour and perseverance were required to get up sufficient 足够 of these piles to clear a passage broad enough for the steamer to pass. This was only accomplished after four hours hard work, in which, oddly 奇怪 enough, the Chinese peasantry bore an active part, voluntarily 自行 coming forward to assist 帮助；协助；援助, and even venturing to come on board the steamer itself 本身. This was, undoubtedly 无疑, one of the good results of not having inflicted 造成 any injury 伤 upon the country people or inhabitants 居民 of the villages through which the little expedition 远征 had passed.[40]

A little above this obstruction 梗阻 a large chop 劈-house or mandarin-station came into view, with a mandarin-barge 驳船 lying just off it. A shot fired into the principal 主要 building soon drove out all the soldiers who had taken refuge 避难所 in it—probably the mandarin's guard. The boats were now sent ashore 岸上, and soon destroyed the whole of the buildings, together with the mandarin-boat, with a gun and two ginjals. It was not possible for the steamer to tow 拖 any of the boats or junks 破烂 away with her, because she was continually 不断 touching the ground, and frequently forcing her‧self 她自己 through the mud, so that it would have been impossible to have got on at all if she had been impeded 阻碍 by any other encumbrance; they were therefore all destroyed.

As soon as the boats had all returned from their service on shore, the steamer pushed on again, and the water began to deepen 变深; so that at half-past six she was able to come to anchor 锚 for the night in five fathoms water. From this point the high rock of Lankeet, in the Canton river, could be easily recognised, bearing about due east, and not very far distant.

On the morning of the 15th, having proceeded 继续 about three miles further on, a large village, called Tamchow, came into view, on the left bank of the river. Here a party of matchlockmen were observed crouching 蹲伏 along the banks of the river, endeavouring to pass unnoticed 被忽视. A few rounds of musketry at once dispersed 分散 them.

Again the steamer pursued 追求 her course, without finding anything particularly worthy 值得 of notice for a couple of hours, when she came to a large town on the left bank of the river, (it is remarkable that nearly all their towns and villages were on that side,) which was called Tsenei, just above a place called Kwam, close to which two or three dismantled 拆除 and abandoned 放弃 forts 堡 had been passed. Here the chop 劈 or custom-house, which was also a sort of military 军事 station, by the water-side, was set on fire and destroyed. A large war-junk 破烂, also, (probably the one which had before escaped,) which mounted seven 七 guns, was captured 捕获 and blown up, the crew having abandoned 放弃 it on the approach of the " devil 魔鬼-ship."

Above this point the channel 渠道 again became very narrow and shallow. The Chinese pilots 飞行员 now declared that it would be impossible for the steamer to proceed 继续 much higher up, as the passage was only deep enough for boats. Having nearly reached a small place, called Weichung, the Nemesis was at length compelled 迫使 to desist from the attempt to pursue 追求 her course further in that direction, particularly as it was now ebb 落潮-tide. Several other channels 渠道 could be seen on both sides, and one in particular appeared to lead to the east‧ward 东方的, towards the main branch of the Canton river, below Whampoa. Accordingly, it was resolved 解决 to follow this latter branch, with a view to join the advanced squadron 队, if possible.

In this short passage a consider‧able 大量 walled town was passed, at the distance of less than half a mile, with which the communication 通讯 was kept up by means of a canal 运河, which could be seen to enter the town under a large arch 弓形, or bridge. Upon this a great number of people were collected, to watch the progress of the steamer. The country around it was extremely well cultivated 耕作, and the peasants 农 were busy at their agricultural 农业的 operations, without any apparent 清晰可见的；显而易见的；明白易懂的 fear. Shortly after‧ward 之后 the Nemesis found her‧self 她自己 entering the main river, at a very short distance below the pagoda at the Second Bar, and proceeded 继续 without delay to join the light squadron 队 which was at anchor 锚 in Whampoa Reach, and received the congratulations 祝贺 of all parties. Captain Elliot and suite 套房 then left the Nemesis, and proceeded 继续 on board Captain Herbert's ship, the Calliope.

Thus ended this singular 单数 and highly successful 成功 expedition 远征 of three days up the Broadway passage, during which so much had been done towards disabling 禁用 and annoying 打扰 the enemy by the steamer, assisted by the boats before mentioned, and the marines 海洋 of the Samarang, all under the direction of Captain Scott. This exploit 利用 would have gratified 取悦 most men, even as the work of a single vessel, for a whole campaign 运动. It need hardly be added, that Captain Scott was the first to acknowledge 确认 and to bring to public notice the value of the services of the Nemesis on this occasion; and Captain Elliot, who was an eye-witness of all these operations, bore similar 类似 testimony 见证 to their importance. They were also mentioned in flattering 奉承 terms by the commodore in his public despatch. It must not be omitted that all the officers of the vessel nobly and energetically 有活力 bore their share in the labours and dangers of the under‧take 承担; and those who belonged to the boats of the Samarang and the Atalanta were equally conspicuous 显着, and had opportunities of distinguishing themselves on shore.[41]

The result of this expedition 远征 was highly beneficial 有利, and afforded more insight 眼光 into the nature of the country, and gave a more correct estimate 估计 of the resources 资源 of the Chinese, than could have been expected within so short a distance from Macao. Indeed, considering how long that place had been the resort 4 of Europeans, it was astonishing 使惊讶 how little was known of its neighbourhood. The country on both sides of the passage was found to be fertile 沃 and highly cultivated; while, in the neighbourhood of the villages, the banks of the river were laid out in neatly 整洁的 cultivated gardens. Everywhere 到处 there prevailed 战胜 an air of comfort and of thriving 兴旺 industry.

The peace‧able 和平‧能够的, and, one may almost say, the apathetic, bearing of the people generally, and their ref‧rain 副歌 from all hostile 敌对 demonstrations 展示, are worthy 值得 of notice; particularly when we remember that they must not only have heard of, but even perhaps been witnesses to, the engagements 订婚 at the Bogue, at Chuenpee, at the First Bar, and elsewhere. Much, perhaps, may be attributed 特性；特质；属性 to the valuable presence of Mr. Morrison and Mr. Thom, who, from their accurate 准确的；精确的；正确的 knowledge of the character of the people, knew well how to allay their fears, and conciliate even their good offices.

The whole loss on our side, during this adventurous 爱冒险的 trip, was only three men wounded. Altogether, one hundred 百 and fifteen 十五 guns were destroyed, together with nine 九 war-junks 破烂; and several armed mandarin-boats, six batteries 电池, and three government chop 劈-houses or military 军事 stations, together with bar‧rack 营房 and magazines 杂志, were also taken and set on fire.

One simple, but very natural 自然 question will now suggest itself 本身. We have seen that, even in channels 渠道 unfrequented by Europeans, and only partially 部分 known to exist, the Chinese were found to be well provided with means of defence, not of recent construction 施工 only, but many of them evidently 明显地 of long standing. But the Chinese government had not been at war with neighbouring nations, nor could they have erected 直立 these internal 内部 defences against any possible future out‧break 暴发 of the foreigners 外国人 who traded with Canton. The latter had usually been very "respectfully 尊敬 obedient 顺从的;" and, even if they had been disposed 部署 at an earlier period to come to blows with the Chinese, their measures would have been directed almost exclusively 只 against the Bogue forts 堡, which protected the main channel 渠道 of the Canton river, leading to Whampoa. This Inner or Broadway Passage was, at all events, too shallow and intricate 错综复杂 to admit of the passage of large ships; and, indeed, we have seen that even the Nemesis had failed in making her way through the upper portion of it.

Against whom, then, we may ask, or for what purpose, were the numerous forts 堡 erected 直立? The government might have thought proper to occupy 占据 the principal 主要 strong positions, with a view to strengthen 加强 themselves against any out‧break 暴发 or insubordination of their own people; and disturbances 骚乱 of this kind have not been unfrequent, even in despotic and obedient 顺从的 China. But it is far more probable that these defences of their "inner waters" were designed to keep in check the dangerous 危险 incursions of pirates 海盗, or "Water Braves," who have always infested the coast of China, and have been great enemies to its commerce, and a source 资源 of uneasiness to its government. In a country in which so large a portion of the population make their permanent 永久 home upon the waters, some upon the innumerable 无数 canals and rivers which intersect 相交 it in all directions, others along the extensive sea-coast and among its numerous islands, it is not surprising that pirates 海盗, or, as the Portuguese call them, Ladrones, should at all times abound 盛产.

The means of subsistence 生活 being frequently precarious 危险的 among so populous a nation, and at no time to be acquired 获得 without careful 小心 industry, and, at the same time, the real weakness 弱点 of the government, in spite of its bombastic edicts, have combined to make the temptation 诱惑 to piracy 海盗行为 almost irresistible 不可抗拒. In not a few instances 例 the government have been compelled 迫使 even to conciliate or buy over the depredators; and, in spite of all their efforts to sup‧press 压制 them, the ladrones have never ceased 停止 to infest the coast to a greater or less extent. The temptations 诱惑 are always numerous, and the desperate 殊死 characters who gain their living by smuggling 走私 are, at all times, as likely to gain it by robbing 抢劫, when‧ever 随时 the opportunity may appear more favourable. Hence 4, we can scarcely wonder that the pirates 海盗 had long become bold, enterprising 企业, well-organized, and successful 成功 in their efforts, directed, however, almost exclusively 只 against their own countrymen, along the whole coast.

Such as were the banditti of Italy and Spain not long ago, or the klephts of Greece, or the robbers 强盗 of Hounslow Heath in times past—such have been for centuries the pirates 海盗 or ladrones of China. They are, in fact, the highwaymen of the "Celestial Empire;" for their rivers and water-communications 通讯 are essentially 基本的 their high‧way 公路.

Under these circumstances 环境, we are led to the conclusion 结论, that nearly all these defences in the Broadway Passage had been constructed 构造 more with a view to the defence of the river against the Chinese themselves, than under any apprehension 顾虑 that the foreigners 外国人 would ever force their way into it. This sup‧position SUP‧位置 is further borne out by the fact that, even during the short expedition 远征 of the Nemesis, bands of robbers 强盗, and boats filled with men of a very suspicious 可疑的 character, were distinctly 历历 seen at a distance, trying to take advantage of every opportunity of plundering 掠夺 their countrymen while the panic 恐慌 lasted. Indeed, it may with much truth be said, that on this, as on many other occasions, the Chinese suffered a great deal more from the excesses and misdeeds of their own people, than they did from any hard‧ship 苦 they encountered 遭遇 at the hands of their foreign enemies during the war. Many ludicrous 滑稽的, no less than unfortunate 不幸的, scenes have been witnessed, of Chinese plundering 掠夺 parties falling in each other's way accidentally 偶然, and then fighting for each other's booty, while, just at the critical 危急 moment, a third party would perhaps step in, and carry off the greater part of what the others had been already fighting about; and perhaps even these would, in their turn, be stripped by another fresh party, before they could get fairly off with their prize 奖赏.

In reality 现实, the war itself 本身 served to disorganize 破坏组织 the Chinese police, and to diminish 减少 the authority 权威 of the local officers. Smuggling, robbery 抢劫案, and multiplied 乘 out‧rage 暴行, were never more prevalent 流行 through‧out 始终 all the maritime 海上 districts than during the continuance of hostilities 敌意.

In the neighbourhood of the Canton River, these violent proceedings 继续 arrived at length at such a height, that the fishermen, in many instances 例, combined together for mutual 相互 defence, and provided themselves with arms. But even these men, although, doubt‧less 毫无疑问，, most of them started with the good intention of capturing 捕获 the pirates 海盗, or, at all events, of protecting their own property, were tempted 引诱 at last to become, in many instances 例, almost as fraudulent 骗人的 as the regular ladrones. Some were bold enough even to attack the foreigners 外国人, urged thereto perhaps by the promised rewards of their own government. Others, having now found out their own comparative 比较 strength, became salt-smugglers 走私者 and opium 鸦片-smugglers 走私者; while others traded, smuggled 走私, robbed 抢劫, or aided 助手 others to escape detect‧ion 发现, just as it might best suit their purpose for the moment.

Secret societies were at length formed; a sort of freemasonry of crime 罪行 was established 建立; and, before the close of the war, they had acquired 获得 such an organization as to make it dangerous 危险 to move about in the neighbourhood of Hong-Kong or Macao. They even sold passes to the trading-boats, which were intended to exempt 豁免 them from plunder 掠夺, for a regular payment 付款 of so many dollars a month; yet even these were not always respected.

Hong-Kong itself 本身 was in danger of daily attacks from these daring 敢 bandits; and, as it became at length evident 明显 that the co-operation of both governments, the English and the Chinese, could alone effectually put an end to such gross 毛 out‧rage 暴行, Sir Henry Pottinger made proposals to that effect to the Chinese authorities 权威. Our own cruisers alone were scarcely sufficient 足够 to effect the object, because the fact of their European shape and rig 操纵 rendered 给予 them easily distinguished at a distance, and thus the pirates 海盗 had plenty of time to escape. It was proposed, therefore, to have a number of fast-sailing boats, built and rigged 操纵 very much after the Chinese fashion, with mat-sails, & 功放;c., to be well armed, and to be manned principally 原则上 by our own men. They would thus be able to come unsuspected upon the pirates 海盗. Various other suggestions were made for the mutual 相互 co-operation of the two governments in the good work; but, owing probably to fear and jealousy 妒忌, and perhaps a mixture 混合 of pride, these offers were courteously and respectfully 尊敬 declined 下降 by the Chinese government, who declared that it would be able, now that the war was ended, to take effectual steps to put an end to this heavy source 资源 of annoyance 恼怒 at the mouth of the Canton river.

CHAPTER XIX.

During the time the Nemesis, with the boats and marines 海洋 of the Samarang, and the boat of the Atalanta, were occupied 占据 in destroying the works of the Chinese in the Broadway River, a division of the light squadron 队, under the command of Captain Herbert, had captured 捕获 another fort 堡 in the upper part of the same river, at the distance of only about two miles from Canton. The vessels employed upon this occasion were the Modeste and Starling, with the Madagascar steamer, and boats from most of the ships of the advanced squadron 队, commanded by Captain Bethune, viz., the Blonde, Conway, Calliope, Herald, Alligator, Hyacinth, Nimrod, Pylades, and Cruiser.

On the 18th (March), they pushed through the upper channel 渠道 leading from Whampoa, which had been explored on a previous 以前 occasion by the Nemesis, under the orders of Captain Herbert; and late in the afternoon they entered the Broadway River without any accident 意外事件, although the passage was found very intricate 错综复杂, owing to the number of shoals. The Modeste was only got through with consider‧able 大量 difficulty, piloted 飞行员 by Captain Collinson, and assisted by the Madagascar steamer. Captain Belcher endeavoured to bring the Sulphur through, but failed, as she grounded about four miles from the point of attack. The Queen steamer was found to draw too much water, and could not be employed to tow 拖 her up.

The fort 堡 which they were about to attack was the same which had before been seen at a distance by Captain Herbert in the Nemesis, and was found to be of a circular form, strongly built of stone, with a tower in the centre, and situated 位于 upon a small alluvial islet in the middle of the river, which it completely commanded. It was after‧ward 之后 called the Macao fort 堡, and was found to mount twenty 二十-two guns. The Chinese had made attempts to strengthen 加强 this important post, as an out‧work 出‧工作 to impede 阻碍 the advance of our forces upon Canton in that direction. With this view they had constructed 构造 rafts 筏 across the river on both sides of the fort 堡, strengthened by a few piles and sunken junks 破烂, and flanked 侧翼 by a sand battery 电池, mounting eight 八 small guns.

As soon as our vessels and boats approached, the Chinese opened a well-sustained fire from the fort 堡, which was returned with good effect by the Modeste, which had been admirably 令人钦佩 placed by Captain Eyres, within six hundred 百 yards, assisted by the Starling and Madagascar.

In about half an hour the whole of the works were carried, but the Chinese maintained 保持 their fire until the rest of the force were under the walls, when they fled out of it in all directions, leaving several dead in the fort 堡. On our side only three men were wounded. Captain Kuper, and Commanders Barlow, Giffard, Anson, and Clarke, volunteered 志愿者 their services on this occasion, and the marines 海洋 were commanded by Lieut. Stransham. A large mandarin-boat was captured 捕获 before the Chinese could carry it away; and a small garrison 驻军 was immediately placed in the fort 堡, the Modeste remaining at anchor 锚 some way below it.

Thus another of the important defences of the Chinese in advance of Canton had fallen; and the passage for our light squadron 队 up to the provincial 省级 capital lay almost completely open. Our advanced ships had now been brought much nearer the city than the Chinese, or perhaps even our own officers, had previously 先前 thought possible. All the important operations which have been described in the Broadway River, commencing 开始 from Macao upwards 向上, to within two miles of Canton, had been effected in the short space of three days—viz., on the 13th, 14th, and 15th of March, 1841.

On the 16th, Captains Herbert, Bourchier, Bethune, and other officers, came on board the Nemesis at Whampoa, and proceeded 继续 along the upper channel 渠道 towards the Macao passage. In the afternoon, the Nemesis joined the Modeste, which was still at anchor 锚 below the fort 堡. A passage was soon cleared through the rafts 筏, and she pursued 追求 her course, with the object of taking up a chop 劈 or despatch from Captain Elliot, addressed to the imperial 帝国 commissioner 专员, and at the same time to explore the nature of the passage above the fort 堡. But, scarcely had she passed the stakes 赌注, when she struck heavily 很大，沉重地 upon a sunken rock. This obstacle 障碍, however, was not situated 位于 in the broadest and most frequented channel 渠道, which leads past the fort 堡 on its eastern side, but in the narrower passage on the western side of the fort 堡. The concussion made the vessel tremble; and, had she been built of wood instead of iron, she could hardly have escaped some severe injury 伤.

After consider‧able 大量 delay and exertion she was got off again. Before she advanced further towards Canton, it was thought proper to hoist 提升 a flag of truce 休战; but, knowing at the same time how little the Chinese respect for it could be depended on, a division of armed boats was taken in tow 拖, in case of meeting with any sudden attack from the enemy.

Upwards of a mile further on, a newly 最近，新近-constructed 构造 field-work was discovered upon a rising ground, surrounded and partially 部分 concealed 隐藏 by trees. It was situated 位于 upon the left bank of the river, and was called the Birdsnest Fort. In front of it, the passage of the river was obstructed 阻碍 by a strong raft 筏, reaching quite across it, and well moored 泊; while, further on, just at the point of junction 连接点 with the Canton river, a number of war-junks 破烂 and armed boats were drawn up for its defence, nearly opposite Shameen, which is about half a mile above the factories.

The steamer was now stopped; and it was resolved 解决 to send a boat, with a flag of truce 休战 flying, in order to attempt to carry up Captain Elliot's letter. The flag of truce 休战 was also flying upon the Nemesis and all the other boats. Captain Bethune, having undertaken this charge, had just pushed off from the steamer, when a shower 阵雨 of grape 葡萄-shot was discharged 卸货 from the Birdsnest Fort. Fortunately no injury 伤 was done, as the shot passed over the boats; but the flags of truce 休战 were immediately lowered, and the guns of the Nemesis, and also those of the boats, opened fire upon the fort 堡, in retaliation 报复 of the hostile 敌对 act of the Chinese. At the same time, the junks 破烂 ahead, and also the battery 电池 at Shameen, commenced 开始 a distant straggling fire, much beyond effective range. A rocket 火箭 thrown from the Nemesis fell into the middle of the fort 堡, and partially 部分 set fire to the buildings, and it would have been very easy to have carried the works by assault 突击; but orders to the contrary 相反 were given by Captain Herbert, who was not desirous of carrying hostilities 敌意 further, without the sanction 制裁 of Captain Elliot. He immediately returned to Whampoa, in order to bring up some of the light squadron 队, with a view to advance, if necessary, upon Canton itself 本身.

There were good reasons for not wasting time at the fort 堡 that evening; but, unfortunately 不幸, it is the practice of the Chinese always to claim a victory, and to report upon it accordingly 于是 to the Emperor, on every occasion on which any portion of our forces withdrew from before any of their defences, without having first occupied 占据 them. In the present instance 例, it was reported, that even a devil 魔鬼-ship had been driven away by the imperial 帝国 troops 部队 from the Birdsnest Fort, and the high distinction 区别 of a pea‧cock 豆子‧公鸡's father was conferred 授予 upon the command‧ant 命令‧蚂蚁 of it, as a reward for his courage!

Upon reaching Whampoa again the same evening in the Nemesis, Captain Herbert received a communication 通讯 from Captain Elliot, respecting the measures to be adopted in consequence 后果 of the insult 侮辱 which had been offered to the flag of truce 休战. Captain Elliot pointed out to him that the "Chinese knew perfectly well the value of the white flag, for they had often taken advantage of it to communicate 通信 with our forces:" and he then dwelt upon the "necessity of resisting 抵抗 this aggression 侵略 with all the promptitude which might be compatible 兼容 with considerations 考虑 of a military 军事 nature." At the same time, he requested Captain Herbert to "con‧fine 局限 his operations to the fort 堡 from which the shot was actually fired." It would seem, however, that Captain Herbert took upon himself the responsibility 责任 of the operations against Canton, which are shortly to be described; for he expressed himself in one of his despatches to the effect, that he had "found himself forced to make his arrangements 安排 without any instructions 指令 from his superior 优越 officer, Sir Gordon Bremer; but that he felt that he had no alter‧native 替代 but to resent 愤恨 with all promptitude the insult 侮辱 offered to the flag of truce 休战." Arrangements were accordingly 于是 made, without loss of time, for proceeding 继续 to active operations.

The want of interpreters 翻译员 was at this time very much felt by Captain Herbert. He repeatedly 反复 applied for some one to be sent up to him in that capacity 容量; and he wrote to the commodore, "that there was not a single person in the advanced squadron 队 who understood a word of the language." The difficulty of pro‧cure 促成 supplies was consequently 所以 very much increased, particularly as the authorities 权威 at Canton had forbidden the people to carry provisions 规定 to the squadron 队. The difficulty of obtaining 获得 accurate 准确的；精确的；正确的 information of any kind was very great; but it had been already positively 积极 ascertained 探明 that the authorities 权威 of Canton had prevented a single chest of tea, or any other article of export 出口, from leaving Canton, long before even the attack upon the Macao Fort; and it was also known that a consider‧able 大量 body of Tartar troops 部队 had already reached the city. In short, all the information which could be obtained 获得 fully 充分 confirmed 确认 the impression 印象 conveyed 传达 by the insult 3 to the flag of truce 休战, that the Chinese were making active preparations 制备 for the resumption 恢复 of hostilities 敌意, and that the sooner we had recourse 追索权 to active measures the better.

On the morning of the 17th, Captain Elliot and suite 套房, together with Captains Herbert, Bourchier, and other officers, proceeded 继续 in the Nemesis towards the Macao passage, or Broadway river, where she rejoined 归队 the vessels at anchor 锚 below the Macao Fort. It was a favourite scheme 方案 of Captain Elliot, at this time, to endeavour to command all the lines of water-communication 通讯 to the west‧ward 向西 of Canton, so as to cut off the supplies from the city, and stop the local trade.

The rivers or creeks 溪, and their branches in this neighbourhood, are extremely numerous. Some little distance below the Macao Fort a consider‧able 大量 branch turns off to the west‧ward 向西, and leads, at the distance of several miles, up to Tatshan. About a mile and a half within this passage another channel 渠道 leads off to the north‧ward 北方, in the direction of the Canton river, which it enters a little above Shameen, on the opposite side. This channel 渠道 was narrow, and not navigable, except for boats. The Hyacinth had, on the previous 以前 day, been pushed into the Tatshan passage, nearly as far as the point where the smaller channel 渠道 turns off to Canton, but there she stuck stick, owing to the shoalness of the water.

The Nemesis, therefore, having in tow 拖 a division of boats, was now moved up the Tatshan passage, and shortly communicated 通信 with the Hyacinth, which was at anchor 锚 there. She then turned up the northern branch, which was after‧ward 之后 called the Fatee creek 溪, in the hope of being able to push up to the Canton river in that direction, and so cut off all the Chinese boats which might attempt to escape up the river. After proceeding 继续 some distance, the water was found too shallow and the passage very narrow, and she was compelled 迫使 to return, having captured 捕获 on her way a very hand‧some 英俊 mandarin-boat. In the evening she rejoined 归队 the squadron 队 in the Macao passage, where the Commodore, Sir Gordon Bremer, had just arrived in the Madagascar steamer, which had been sent for him. The dispositions 性格 had already been made by Captain Herbert, for the capture 捕获 of all the remaining defences in advance of Canton, on the following day; and Sir Gordon Bremer was therefore unwilling 不甘 to disturb 打扰 the arrangements 安排.

The 18th March, 1841, will ever be remembered as the great day upon which the city of Canton was first humbled 谦逊的; and the whole of the works which had been erected 直立 for its defence, along its river front, were captured 捕获 by H.M. naval 海 forces.[42]

Mention has already been made of the almost innumerable 无数 boats which crowd most of the rivers of China, and perhaps none more so than that of Canton, upon which it is stated that there is a floating population, permanently 永久 living on the water, of no less than forty 四十 thou‧sand 千 souls. They are the small traders 商人, hucksters, fishermen, and public carriers 支架 of the country; and always appear an industrious and contented portion of the people. Of course, the numerous body of smugglers 走私者 belong to this class.

It was said that one of the most influential 有影响的 smugglers 走私者, whose avocations had long been winked 眨眼 at by the authorities 权威, who were themselves participators in the gains, had been suddenly arrested 逮捕, and threatened with the confiscation of all his property, and even death; but that a free pardon 宽恕；说啥？ was offered to him if he would contrive 图谋 to collect together all the best boats, and furnish the men with arms; putting them under the orders of the mandarins, to co-operate for the defence of the city. Accordingly, a vast 广大 number of these boats were seen at a distance, drawn up in a curved line across the river, at the mouth of the Macao passage.

Besides these, it was known that some gun-boats, completely formed after European models, and thoroughly coppered, had been equipped 装备 by the government. Our flotilla of men-of-war-boats was therefore to be employed in pursuing 追求 and destroying this legion 军团 of the enemy.

At half-past eleven 十一, the Nemesis commenced 开始 the attack upon the little battery 电池, called by us the Birdsnest Fort, which she had engaged 从事 two days before, She opened her fire of guns and rockets 火箭 with effect, and the Chinese returned the fire with spirit for some time; but the Modeste and Madagascar joined in the attack, and it is not surprising that the fort 堡 was silenced in a very short space of time. Some of the boats immediately pushed off to make themselves masters of the place, and the Chinese were chased 追 out of it in great confusion.

Another field-work, almost close to it, was also captured 捕获 at the same time. They were found to mount upwards 向上 of thirty 三十 guns, which, together with the magazine 杂志, were destroyed.

In the meantime, the Starling and Algerine had contrived 图谋 to force a passage through the raft 筏, and had scarcely got to the other side, when a small sand-bag battery 电池 and several war-junks 破烂 opened their fire upon them, very near the point of junction 连接点 with the Canton river. The Hebe and Louisa took part in this affair; and the Nemesis came up as soon as the lower forts 堡 had been silenced; part of the flotilla of boats, under Captain Bourchier, also arrived, and the sand-battery 电池 was soon carried, while the war-junks 破烂 and the flotilla of Chinese armed boats already began to disperse 分散.

A strong fort 堡, opposite the city, mounting twenty 二十 guns, called the Rouge Fort, was next silenced, but was not taken possession of immediately. Later in the day, however, a boat from the Nemesis, under Lieut. Pedder, was sent to hoist 提升 our flag upon it; and another party from the Sulphur landed nearly at the same time under Captain Belcher.

The large Chinese flotilla before described, was pursued 追求 up the river by the Nemesis and the boats, and was soon in a state of indescribable confusion.

At this moment, the division of boats under Captain Belcher and Captain Warren succeeded in getting through the Fatee creek 溪, and, coming suddenly down upon the Chinese boats, which were already so closely pursued 追求, destroyed an immense number of them. Some were driven ashore 岸上, some were sunk, and a few escaped up the creeks 溪 in the rear 后 of the town.

The Nemesis, in the meantime, had opened her fire upon the Shameen Fort, in the western suburbs 市郊 of the city; and, under cover of her guns, Captain Bethune put off from her; and a division of boats, with Captains Belcher and Warren at their head, also landed and took the fort 堡, after some resistance. It mounted ten 十 guns.

While these operations were going on in the upper part of the river, the Madagascar had gone down and taken up a position not far from the Dutch Folly, which was a circular fort 堡, in the middle of the river, directly opposite the city, mounting twenty 二十-five guns. In front of it a number of junks 破烂 laden 载货 with stones had been sunk. A small sand-battery 电池 of three guns, close to the naval 海 arsenal 兵工厂, which is on the south side of the river, was at the same time carried by another division of boats. Four of the new Chinese gun-boats were also captured 捕获.

Together with 6 Gun Boats and 6 Mandarin Boats.

A little before one o'clock, about an hour after the first shot of the day had been fired, and after all the detached 分离 forts 堡 and batteries 电池, except the so-called Dutch Folly, had been taken, Captain Elliot came on board the Nemesis, and desired that he might be conveyed 传达 to the British factory, with a flag of truce 休战 hoisted 提升, it being clearly his intention to endeavour to treat at once, without further employment 雇用 of force. However, scarcely had she got down opposite the European factories, and only within distant range of the Dutch Folly, when the latter opened fire on her, in spite of the flag of truce 休战. Instantly it was hauled 运输 down, the fire was returned by other vessels, and the result was that the fort 堡 was soon silenced.

The Nemesis then proceeded 继续 some little way down the river, towards the Dutch Folly, in company with several boats of the squadron 队. This circular fort 堡 was taken possession of by a party of marines 海洋 and seamen; and, not far from it, four new gun-boats, built according to European models, were boarded and taken, their crews having abandoned 放弃 them. The Chinese naval 海 forces offered, in fact, little or no resistance through‧out 始终 the day; and even their forts 堡, which fired with consider‧able 大量 spirit at a distance, were soon abandoned 放弃 by their garrisons 驻军, when there was any certainty of their coming to close quarters with our men.

At half-past one, Captain Elliot being still on board the Nemesis, she was ordered to return close to the factories, where Captain Hall landed, accompanied 陪 by Mr. Morrison, and hastened at once to the British factory, both being equally eager 渴望的 to take possession of it again. In a few moments the British flag was displayed 显示 in triumph 胜利, with three cheers 欢呼, which were returned by the steamer and boats. At the same time, Captain Belcher also hastened up towards the factory with a party of men, and was preparing to hoist 提升 the colours upon the flag-staff in front of the Factory, when, at that very moment, they were waved from the window of the Factory, by Captain Hall himself.

As all the defences had now been taken, and Canton lay completely at our mercy 3, one would hardly have expected that any further resistance would have been made. But the Chinese have a fancy 想像 of their own for renewing 更新 a combat 战斗 in detached 分离 parties, long after all possibility 可能性 of doing good by it has ceased 停止. On many occasions during the war, they suffered severely and justly for thus use‧less 无用 harassing 骚扰 our men after the day was over, and when our troops 部队 were in possession of all the enemy's positions.

On this occasion, as Captain Hall and his party were returning to their boat, a body of soldiers rushed out upon them, but were driven back to a narrow street called Hog Lane, beyond the British factory, and were even pursued 追求 for some distance up that narrow passage. Many of them were killed while retreating 撤退 although they crouched 蹲伏 down behind their large ratan shields for shelter at each discharge 卸货. It was thought imprudent to pursue 追求 them far, as in so narrow a space, with low houses on one side, and a dead wall on the other, the retreat 撤退 of the pursuers might have been cut off. Captain Belcher and his party were also attacked at the same time, and gallantly put the enemy to flight 飞行 with some loss, pursuing 追求 them as far as was prudent 谨慎.

The Chinese shewed no further disposition 性格 to come to close quarters, and our men returned to their boats without further mole‧station 痣‧站. One man belonging to the Nemesis was wounded during the affray.

Little now remained to be done but to take possession of and destroy some of the boats and junks 破烂 which had been over‧look 俯瞰 in the hurry of more important matters. Late in the evening, the Nemesis anchored 锚 in company with the squadron 队, off the western suburbs 市郊 of the city, nearly a mile above the factory. The flags of truce 休战 were still flying, and it must be admitted that greater forbearance towards the Chinese, or more unwillingness 不愿意 to proceed 继续 to the infliction of suffering upon the people or city of Canton, could not possibly have been exhibited 展示 than on this memorable 难忘 day of the first capture 捕获 of Canton.

It must not be omitted to state that Commodore Sir Gordon Bremer, got up, towards the close of the action, in the Hyacinth's gig 演出, just in time to see the British flag displayed 显示 from the Factory. The Herald also arrived as a reinforcement 加强, in the latter part of the day.

One officer and six or seven 七 men wounded were the only casualties 受害者 on our side, through‧out 始终 all the operations of the 18th of March.

It was said that several desultory out‧break 暴发 of the mob 暴民 occurred 发生 during the evening of this day, which were with some difficulty sup‧press 压制 by the police. They were in most instances 例 the out‧burst 突发 of the evil passions 激情，热情；强烈情感 of the demoralized mob 暴民 of Canton, the worst 生病:ill of all the subjects of China, attracted to the centre of foreign commerce, by the hope of profit, or the opportunity of exercising their bad ingenuity 创造力. In no part of China has the feeling of hostility 敌意 to the foreigner prevailed 战胜 more strongly against us than at Canton. In many other districts, the English force was even welcomed, or, at all events, received without insult or violence.

It is worthy 值得 of remark that, during the whole of the following day, the 19th, nothing of importance was done, either as to the further progress of hostilities 敌意, or as to the demanding any specified 具体说明；明确指出 terms from the Chinese. It is easy to guess what interpretation 解释 was put upon our inactivity by the authorities 权威 and the people. The motive 动机 on our part seems to have been principally 原则上 one of pure compassion 同情, and an unwillingness 不愿意 to take the initiative 倡议 of proposing terms to the Chinese, which it was their part, as the conquered, to solicit 征求.

After the lapse 失误 of one entire day, Captain Elliot and suite 套房 were carried down to the Factory in the Nemesis, on the morning of the 20th, where they landed soon after mid 中-day. There could be little doubt that something important would now be settled. Captain Elliot was bent bend upon getting the trade opened, and no less so upon bringing about a cessation 戒烟 of hostilities 敌意. He was not altogether wrong, perhaps, even in the slowness of his proceedings 继续, considering the extra‧ordinary 非凡的 circumstances 环境 in which he was placed. He seems to have merely miscalculated the importance, or perhaps the exigency, of the political crisis 危机 in which he found himself placed. He probably viewed the whole matter almost exclusively 只 as a commercial question.

The first public notification 通知 was by a circular dated at the hall of the British Factory, by which it was announced 宣布 that a suspension 悬挂 of hostilities 敌意 had been agreed upon between the imperial 帝国 commissioner 专员, Yang-Fang and Captain Elliot. It was further agreed that the trade of the port 港口 of Canton should at once be opened. With regard to the opium 鸦片 trade, it was settled that no bond 键, such as had formerly been demanded by Lin, should now be required, but that the same liabilities 责任 should be incurred 招致 by any British subject detected in the act of introducing any unlawful 非法的 goods, as would follow the same offences in England. Captain Elliot also distinctly 历历 intimated 亲密 that, "pending the final 最后 settlement 沉降 of affairs between the two countries, the usual port 港口 charges and other dues should continue to be paid as heretofore."

All those who had watched the course of events, and had studied in the slightest degree the Chinese character, could only look upon this temporary 临时 arrangement 安排 as the mere preliminary 初步 of the resumption 恢复 of hostilities 敌意, not as the settlement 沉降 of peace. In itself 本身, this insignificant 微不足道 demand was almost equivalent 当量 to an acknowledgment 承认 of failure. That it was so viewed by Sir Gordon Bremer is evident 明显, from the notice which he issued on the next day, the 21st, dated at the Bogue, in which he declared that all vessels proceeding 继续 to Whampoa, under this agreement 协议, must do so at the risk of the possible resumption 恢复 of hostilities 敌意.

On the side of the Chinese, a proclamation was issued by Yang, as joint commissioner 专员, (the other two had not yet arrived,) to the effect that, "as Elliot had represented that all he wanted was peace and per‧mission 允许 to trade as formerly, and as all trade depended upon the cherishing 珍视 goodness 善良 of the celestial 天上 court, that therefore it was right now to permit the English to trade as well as other people, in order to shew a compassionate 富于同情心的 regard." It was further added, that hence‧forth 今后 the people were carefully 小心 to look to and well treat the merchant vessels at Whampoa, as well as the merchants at Canton.

Such, then, were the slender 苗条 grounds upon which it was agreed that our force should be withdrawn from before Canton, after all the treasure 金银财宝, and labour, and some loss of life, which had been expended 花费 in bringing it there.

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CHAPTER XX.

The agreement 协议 for the suspension 悬挂 of hostilities 敌意, made at Canton by Captain Elliot, on the 20th March, 1841, was only entered into with one of the three newly 最近，新近-appointed imperial 帝国 commissioners 专员, Yang-Fang being, in fact, the only one who had then arrived. Lung 肺-Wan, the principal 主要 joint-commissioner 专员, and Yih-Shan, the Tartar-general associated 关联 with him, did not arrive until about three weeks after‧ward 之后, when they brought with them a large body of troops 部队, imperfectly 不完善 armed and little organized. The news of what had already happened must have astonished them beyond all concept‧ion 概念.

In the meantime trade went on with great activity, but much caution 小心, at Canton. It was generally believed, nevertheless 虽然, that the temporary 临时 calm upon the surface would be of short duration 持续时间, and the growing storm upon the horizon 地平线, gave a warning to all who were interested in passing events, to set their house in order.

Rumours were abroad 到国外 of extensive preparations 制备 being actively in progress by the Chinese, somewhere or other above Canton; but the precise 精确 situation of them was not discovered until the second attack was made upon the city, in the month of May. It was said that numerous fire-rafts 筏 were being constructed 构造, war-junks 破烂 equipped 装备, and troops 部队 collected; and it was little doubted that, as soon as the principal 主要 mercantile trans‧action 交易 (which were as important to the Chinese as they were to the foreigners 外国人) should be completed, a renewal 复兴 of hostilities 敌意 would take place.

In the meantime it was satisfactory to the European residents 居民 to know that, as the greater part of our ships of war were at Whampoa, or in that neighbourhood, many of them could be speedily 迅速 brought up to Canton; and, moreover, the Modeste, Algerine, Hyacinth, and Herald, were still at anchor 锚, much nearer the city. They had only withdrawn to the Macao passage, at the distance of a couple of miles from Canton, after the commencement 开始 of the truce 休战.

The Nemesis, meantime, had gone down to Macao, whither she conveyed 传达 Captain Elliot and his suite 套房, and took the opportunity of the temporary 临时 pause to complete her necessary repairs 修理. Sir Gordon Bremer, at this time, thought it right to go up in person to Calcutta, to represent the state of affairs to the Governor-General, and to request reinforcements 加强. He sailed on or about the 31st March, in the H.C. steamer, Queen; leaving Captain Sir Le Fleming Senhouse in command of the naval 海 forces during his absence.

For some time after the commencement 开始 of the truce 休战, the native inhabitants 居民 and traders 商人 of the city, some of whom, however, had retired from it altogether, continued to pursue 追求 their ordinary avocations with some appearance of returning confidence. A proclamation was issued by the governor, tending to allay any remaining apprehensions 顾虑 they might have, and similar 类似 pacific assurances 保证 were addressed by the authorities 权威, repeatedly 反复, both to the native and foreign residents 居民, even till 到 the very day when their scarcely concealed 隐藏 projects 项目 of vengeance 复仇 were to be attempted.

On the 5th April, Captain Elliot again returned to the factory at Canton, and, during his short residence 住宅 there, of ten 十 or twelve 十二 days, the authorities 权威 and the new commissioners 专员 succeeded in so far blinding the plenipotentiary to all their hostile 敌对 purposes, that he himself publicly declared that he was perfectly satisfied with all their "assurances 保证 of good faith, and their disposition 性格 to fulfil their engagements 订婚." The day before he left Canton again—namely, on the 16th April—he expressed himself decidedly 果断地 to the same purport 旨趣, in a public proclamation, addressed, however, rather to the Chinese people than to his own countrymen, but calculated like‧wise 同样 to reassure 再保证 the latter, should they be unable 无法 to form any judgment 判断 for themselves. And he moreover assured Sir Le Fleming Senhouse that "he entertained no uneasiness for life and property at Canton."

Captain Elliot left the Factory on the following day, and returned to Macao; not, however, without first urging upon Sir Le Fleming Senhouse the propriety of removing 去掉 our ships further off from the city. He requested that the vessels which were before Shameen should be moved down to the Macao fort 堡, in order to shew our peaceful 平静的 disposition 性格; and he recommended that proper respect should be manifested 表现 to the government, and that the officers in command should do all in their power to uphold 坚持 its character in the sight of the people, "compatible 兼容 with the par‧amount 最重要的 necessity of keeping awake 醒着的 a lively sense that renewed 更新 ill faith would be responded 响应 to by an immediate blow."

All this had very little effect in rendering 给予 the foreign community less apprehensive of a resumption 恢复 of hostilities 敌意.

For a very brief 简要 space appearances were favourable, but fresh troops 部队 soon began pouring into the town; and some of the natives have since admitted that they even knew that, in secret, fresh cannon 大炮 were being cast 投, and extensive preparations 制备, of every description, urged on in the quietest possible manner, evidently 明显地 with a view to some sudden and unwarned explosion.

Immediately before leaving Canton, on the 17th April, Captain Elliot seemed resolved 解决 to take some steps against the continuance of the trade in opium 鸦片 within the river. He applied to Sir Le Fleming Senhouse to prevent any small vessels from passing into the river within the Bogue, unless provided with a pass‧port 护照 signed by the plenipotentiary. These passes were to be issued to those alone who could afford him assurance 保证, to his own satisfaction 3, that the boats or small craft 手艺 should only be employed in the conveyance of passengers 乘客, letters, or supplies. They were to be obtained 获得 by foreigners 外国人 through their own consuls, who would apply to him for them. But he reserved to himself the right of cancelling 取消；终止；撤销 them whenever he should see cause to determine that such a course "should be necessary in discharge 卸货 of his engagements 订婚;" and, moreover, every ship or vessel was to be forcibly 强制 expelled 驱逐 from the river, if it were proved to his satisfaction that she was engaged 从事 in "dangerous 危险 pursuits 追求" calculated to disturb 打扰 the truce 休战 and interrupt 打断 the general trade.

This could, of course, only allude 暗示 to the trade in opium 鸦片, and the whole proceeding 继续 seems expressly to have been arranged between Captain Elliot and the Chinese authorities 权威, for he actually obtained 获得 from the Kwang-chow-foo, or prefect, licences, bearing his official seal 封上，海豹, which he could himself distribute 分发 to those vessels to which he issued his pass‧port 护照, and which were to have the effect of exempting 豁免 them from all visit or examination 检查 by the Chinese officers, whether connected with the customs or any other department.

One cannot help remarking that this measure, which, however, was only partially 部分 carried into effect, gave an immense advantage to the Chinese authorities 权威, while, on our sides, we totally lost sight of the main question at issue. The point gained by the Chinese was, that they at once threw into the back-ground every other question but that of trade, and, above all, that of trade in opium 鸦片, which, therefore, they ingeniously 巧妙 tried to make appear the "fons et origo" of the whole dispute 争议; and having got Elliot to lend 把…借给 assistance 帮助 to them in one point, it gave them the advantage of appearing to justify 为…辩护；证明…正当；是…的正当理由 themselves in the eyes of their countrymen, and, indeed, in the opinion of foreigners 外国人 at a distance, and who were in ignorance 无知 of the real state of things, for the greater part of their preposterous and violent proceedings 继续. On our part, it tended to put on one side, as if of minor 次要 consideration 考虑, the "demand for reparation 赔偿 and redress 纠正 for injuries 伤 inflicted 造成," as her Majesty declared in her speech from the throne 王座, "upon some of her subjects by the imperial 帝国 officers, and for the indignities offered to an agent of her crown 王冠;" this agent being no other than Captain Elliot himself! It put out of sight the indignities offered to Lord Napier, and all who had been concerned in any way in the conduct 进行 of our communications 通讯 with China since the abolition 废除 of the exclusive 独家 privileges 特权 of the East India Company. It over‧look 俯瞰 the proper spirit of indignation 愤慨, which could hardly fail to animate 活跃 every man who had been imprisoned 监禁, insulted 侮辱, and starved 饿死 into concessions 让步, which he could have otherwise had no right or authority 权威 to yield.

That at this stage of the proceedings 继续 end‧less 无穷 difficulties appeared to beset the questions at issue, may very justly be urged. But we have at all times to consider the character of the people with whom a question is at issue, in an almost equal degree with the question itself 本身. And it will scarcely be questioned that the character of the Chinese, and especially of the officers of their government, was at that time imperfectly 不完善 understood. In reality 现实, the proceedings 继续 on both sides, between the first conquest 征服 of Canton on the 18th of March, and its second surrender 投降 under the agreement 协议 of ransom 赎金 upon the 26th of May (which remains yet to be described) were evidently 明显地 temporary 临时 expedients on both sides; on that of the Chinese, to gain time for the preparation 制备 of more efficient 有效率的 means of resistance, and for relief from immediate "pressure;" on that of their opponents for the completion of the commercial trans‧action 交易 of the season.

For some time after the commencement 开始 of the truce 休战, a guard of marines 海洋 was stationed in the Factories; but, as soon as Captain Elliot's "assurance 保证 proclamation" was issued, they were withdrawn. Up to that time there had been, as is usually the case, a division in the councils to a certain extent; but now the "war and extermination" party got completely the upper hand, and their hopes of success were much encouraged by a report which reached them, that the main body of our force was about to proceed 继续 to the north‧ward 北方, to operate on the coast. This was, in fact, really intended, as will be seen presently, although it was subsequently deferred 延缓, owing to reports of the preparations 制备 at Canton, and the expectation 期望 of a speedy 迅速 out‧break 暴发.

The Emperor's proclamations to all the maritime 海上 districts continued to breathe 呼吸 a spirit of uncompromising war; and the governor of the province 省 of Che-keang, (under whom are the Chusan Islands,) the venerable 可敬 Elepoo, was severely reproved for having permitted the barbarians to retire from Chusan under Keshen's treaty 条约, instead of having advanced to drive them out by force, and to effect their destruction.

Thus, at the commencement 开始 of May, the speedy 迅速 resumption 恢复 of hostilities 敌意 seemed inevitable 必然; and the report brought from the north‧ward 北方 by the Columbine, Captain Clarke, of the preparations 制备 which were being carried on by the Chinese, and of the refusal 拒绝 of the authorities 权威 of Che-keang to receive from that officer a despatch which he had been ordered and sent expressly to deliver, tended to confirm 确认 every previous 以前 impression 印象.[43] Nor was this all. Information was brought from Canton that, on the 30th April, no less than forty 四十 boats had passed in front of the Factories, having on board at least two thou‧sand 千 troops 部队; that they proceeded 继续 a little lower down, and landed at a short distance from the Dutch Folly, and thence marched into the city.

An explanation 说明 of this circumstance 环境 was demanded, and an evasive reply was sent by the Kwang-chow-foo, or prefect, to Captain Elliot. A few days after‧ward 之后, it was distinctly 历历 reported that the English at Canton were to be suddenly attacked, and all their property destroyed. And, on the 8th May, no less than seventy 七十 more boats passed before the Factories, bringing down full three thou‧sand 千 troops 部队 to the city, and these were said to be the advanced guard of a large army. It was known, also, that a vast 广大 number of fire-rafts 筏 were being prepared, and several hundred 百 divers 潜水员 were said to be in training, who were to go down and bore holes in our ships at night; or even, as the Chinese privately reported, to carry down with them some combustible material which would burn under water and destroy our vessels.

The Nemesis was, during all this time, incessantly employed in carrying letters and despatches, as well as officers, from one place to another. Constant 不变 communications 通讯 were kept up; Sir Le Fleming Senhouse and Captain Elliot were continually 不断 passing and repassing to and from different points within the river—frequently up to Whampoa, or even to the neighbourhood of the very Factories at Canton.

At the same period, arrangements 安排 for the complete settlement 沉降 and government of Hong-Kong were being continued without inter‧mission 间‧工作. Officers were appointed, a magistrates 法官 court formed, proclamations issued, and establishments 机构 of various kinds commenced 开始. In short, it seemed very evident 明显 that we had no intention of restoring the island to the Chinese, whatever might be the reply of the Emperor to Keshen's treaty 条约.

Preparations had already been commenced 开始 at Hong-Kong for the advance of our force upon Amoy, under Sir Hugh Gough, with a view to carry on hostilities 敌意 further to the north‧ward 北方; but they were now temporarily 暂时 suspended 暂停, in order to meet the approaching crisis 危机 at Canton.

If anything had been wanting to confirm 确认 the rumour, not only of the extensive preparations 制备 of the Chinese government to recommence the attack, but also to indicate 表明 the disposition 性格 of the people of Canton towards us, it was to be found in a curious address, or chop 劈, publicly circulated 流通 in the city, and even posted upon its walls. It purported 旨趣 to express the sentiments 情绪 of the people themselves, or to be an address from that portion which claimed to be most patriotic 爱国的 to the other portion which might possibly be less so. It was intended to inflame 发炎 the public mind against us, but it was not sealed 封上，海豹 or apparently sanctioned 制裁 by the government.

All this was designed, of course, to frighten 使惊恐 the barbarians; and although it professed 宣称 to be a mere ebullition of the spirit of the people, there is little doubt that the government were cognizant of it. This is rendered 给予 more probable by the circumstance 环境 that, only a few days after‧ward 之后, the prefect of the city issued distinct 不同 orders to the elders 年长的 of the people, that they should cause them to remove 去掉 their wives and children, with all their move‧able 移动‧能够的 property, from the neighbourhood of the river.

At length, even Captain Elliot himself began to catch a glimmering of the truth, which seemed to steal but slowly upon his unwilling 不甘 eyes. On the 10th of May he resolved 解决 to go in person to Canton in the Nemesis, and, in order the better to impress 给…留下深刻印象；使钦佩 the Chinese with the opinion which he retained 保留 of their good faith, he even took up Mrs. Elliot with him—probably the first time an English female had set foot in Canton.

The next morning the Nemesis was moved down to the Macao, or Broadway Passage, about three quarters of a mile from the Factories. Captain Elliot, as soon as he landed at the Factory, sought an interview 访问 with the Kwang-chow-foo, or prefect, and demanded certain explanations 说明 from him, which evidently 明显地 embarrassed 阻碍 him not a little. The answers were evasive and unsatisfactory 不满意; previously 先前-lurking 匿伏 suspicions 怀疑 were more than confirmed 确认, and Captain Elliot left the Factory that same evening, preferring to sleep on board the Nemesis.

No time was now to be lost in seeking 寻求 a conference 会议 with the naval 海 and military 军事 commanders-in-chief, who were then at Hong-Kong; and, accordingly 于是, on the following morning, the 12th, the Nemesis was ordered to convey 传达 him, with all speed, down the river to that place, a communication 通讯 being made, on his way down, to Captain Herbert, commanding the advanced squadron 队 at Whampoa, who was already prepared for an approaching crisis 危机. The result of the conference 会议 held at Hong-Kong the same day was, that the expedition 远征 to Amoy was to be positively 积极 postponed 使延期, and the whole disposable 一次性 force moved once more towards Canton.

Hong-Kong was now the scene of general bustle 忙碌 and activity, a new disposition 性格 of the forces was made, and every measure adopted for their speedy 迅速 junction 连接点 as near as possible to Canton. By the judicious exertions of Sir Le Fleming Senhouse, and the hearty 爽朗 co-operation of all his officers, eager once more for active employment 雇用, the whole fleet 舰队 of men-of-war and transports 运输, with all the troops 部队 on board, were ready to sail in five days. Every man that could be spared, except the invalids 无效 and convalescents, was embarked 从事; and every ship of war, except the Druid, which was left for the protection of the harbour, was under orders for the Canton river.

On the 18th and 19th, having been a little delayed 延迟 by calms, they all got away in admirable 令人钦佩 order, full of high hope and promise that now, at length, they were to become masters of the great southern 南部的 emporium of foreign commerce.

Captain Elliot now once more proceeded 继续 to Canton, as usual, in the Nemesis, which took him up there in a very few hours. He returned to his quarters in the Factory; but, so incontrovertible were the evidences 证据 of the hostile 敌对 intentions of the Chinese, and so strong the apprehension 顾虑 of the momentary 短暂的 bursting forth of some treacherous 奸诈 plot 情节, that the Nemesis, which was the only vessel at hand, was kept cleared for action, with the guns loaded, steam up, and the cable in readiness 准备就绪 to slip, although no immediate danger was visible 可以看见的；可视的.

Captain Elliot now very properly advised the merchants, by public proclamation, to make their arrangements 安排, so as to be prepared to leave Canton at a moment's notice. On the following day, the 20th, the Nemesis was moved close up to the Factories, or a little above them, for the protection of the whole foreign community. It was already discovered that the western battery 电池 above the city at Shameen had been repaired 修理 and armed at least ten 十 days before; that a large encampment had been formed to the east‧ward 东方的 of the town, for some of the newly 4-arrived troops 部队; while new works had also been erected 直立 on the river-side in the same direction—that is, below the town, in the rear 后 of the French Folly. Tartar troops 部队 were still pouring into the city in great numbers, while the citizens themselves were hastening out of it with precipitation 沉淀. Goods and chattels of all kinds were being carried away; confusion was evident 明显 where everything is usually so orderly; and it is said that soldiers were even seen moving about with matchlocks, and their slow matches ready lighted in their hands.

Our own forces were by this time on the way up, the troops 部队 from Hong-Kong had already passed the Bogue, and the light squadron 队 had begun to move from Whampoa. Still Captain Elliot was in the Factory, and still a great portion of the merchants remained at their posts, ready to decamp at a moment's notice, yet anxiously devoting 奉献 every doubtful 疑 moment of delay to the purpose of arranging, as well as they could, their complicated affairs.

The Chinese, finding that their plans were now fairly discovered, were placed in the predicament 困境 of being obliged 责成 to hurry on the execution 执行 of them more rapidly than they had intended. But still the authorities 权威 resolved 解决 once more to try the effect of a proclamation, to lull 麻痹 suspicion 怀疑. Having found themselves, on several occasions, so successful 成功 in their art of duplicity, they hoped still to catch the unwary foreigners 外国人 in their net 网; and there is some reason to believe they intended to take the whole foreign community by surprise, and seize 3 them in their Factories, something after the fashion adopted by Commissioner Lin.

Nevertheless 虽然, fearful 可怕 of being pre‧mature 过早 driven into the exposure 经受 of their designs, the prefect thought proper to issue on the 20th (only the day before the attack actually commenced 开始) a proclamation to the following effect, under his official seal 封上，海豹. He stated that "he issued this edict in order to calm the feelings of the merchants, and to tranquillize commercial business." That "it was to be feared that the merchants, seeing the gathering of the military 军事 hosts, would tremble with alarm 5, not knowing where these things would end." That, "instead of being frightened out of their wits 风趣, so as to abandon 放弃 their goods, and secretly go away, they ought to be assured that the imperial 帝国 commissioner 专员 and general pacificator of the rebels 反叛, with the other higher officers, would manage things with due consideration 考虑, so that the obedient 4 shall be protected from all injury 伤, and their goods preserved in safety 安全." He concluded 得出结论 by saying, "that the foreign merchants ought also to remain quiet in their lawful 合法 pursuits 追求, continuing their trade as usual, without alarm or suspicion 3."

All this in the face of incessant preparations 制备, carried on day and night, for the resumption 恢复 of hostilities 敌意, and for the treacherous 奸诈 annihilation of everything belonging to foreigners 外国人 within their grasp 把握! and the very day before the explosion.

It was of course known to the authorities 权威 that our forces were already moving up the river; their own plans, therefore, were necessarily hastened, in the hope that by a simultaneous 同时 attack by fire-rafts 筏 on our shipping at different points, as well as on the Factories, they might get completely the upper hand of us before our forces could be concentrated 集中 upon the city. Early in the morning, therefore, Capt. Elliot recommended in strong terms, that all foreigners 外国人 should leave Canton before sunset 日落.

During this whole day, the consternation among the Chinese in the neighbourhood of the Factories, increased every hour; shops were closed, goods removed 去掉, and several of our officers who went on shore to see what was going on, were prevented by guards of Chinese soldiers, from passing through any of the usually frequented streets beyond the immediate proximity 接近 of the Factories.

The crisis 危机 was now at its height. Many of the merchants had withdrawn to Whampoa several days before, and in the course of this day, all the rest (except two American gentlemen) got away in boats. The small party of marines 海洋 which were with Capt. Elliot, in the British Factory, were withdrawn by orders of Capt. Herbert, who had come up from Whampoa as commander of the advanced squadron 队, and before sunset 日落 Capt. Elliot himself, with his suite 套房, once more abandoned 放弃 the Factory, and came on board the Nemesis. Capt. Herbert, however, removed 去掉 on board the Modeste. And now, the flag of England was finally lowered at Canton, where it was never again hoisted 提升 until long after the conclusion 结论 of peace.

In the meantime, the Pylades and Modeste, together with the Algerine, had been moved closer up to the town, for mutual 相互 protection. The Nemesis still remained a little above the Factories, together with the Louisa, Capt. Elliot's own cutter, and Mr. Dent's schooner, the Aurora. A dull 钝的；没兴趣 and ominous 不祥的 suspense 悬念 reigned 统治 on every side; a general stagnation of ordinary inter‧course 交往; and that noble 高尚的 river, usually so busy with the hum 哼 of men, and, as it were, alive with the innumerable 无数 boats of every shape and fashion which ply 股 upon its surface, and that active, busy, almost count‧less 无数 population, which make their home upon its friendly waters, and seem happy in their thrifty industry, all now were dull, and almost still with a portentous dreariness.

The sun at length set gloomily 阴沉. The darkness 黑暗 of the night was remarkable; and one better adapted for surprising an enemy could hardly have been chosen. But, although the precise 精确 nature of their plans, or mode of attack was not known, yet enough had been clearly ascertained 探明 to render 给予 every possible pre‧caution 预防 necessary. The Modeste lay some‧what 有些 higher up the river than the Nemesis, and was likely to be the first to discover the approach of an enemy in that quarter, whatever might be their design.

On board the Nemesis no pre‧caution 预防 was omitted; double sentries were placed; the men below were all ordered to lie down ready equipped 装备 for instant service; even the fires were laid and lighted in the furnaces 炉, so that steam could be got up in a few minutes if requisite 必要. All who could be spared retired to rest, but not to sleep. The feeling of excitement 激动 was too general to permit repose. Capt. Elliot laid himself down in his cloak 披风 upon the quarter-deck 甲板, while Capt. Hall, ever on the alert 警报, stretched himself upon the bridge between the paddle 桨-boxes, ready at a second's warning to give the necessary orders. Capt. Herbert, also, who was at that time on board the Modeste, had fully 充分 impressed every one with the necessity of omitting 省略 no pre‧caution 预防 against the impending 即将发生 danger.

Equal activity and similar 类似 pre‧caution 预防 were adopted on board all the other ships, and already the Herald and Calliope had been moved up the river, to within a short distance of Canton.

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