Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1843-10-27
A CHINESE MUSTER.

~.
which look place in the plain of Yam
chen-va, league aud half south east
OF the city. This account is given bv
M Leont'h, who resided long. time nj
Pekin.
We set out, says he at two hours past
midnight, and 'were drawn over the lro,
zen mud ia the streets without meeting
q living soul. The waichmen only !,
seated in their bvxes, lighted by small
lamps, struck their stalls on hearing the
sound CT our carriage.
The soldiers going in single file and.
the officers in tche, (cabrioleis) were
proceeding to the place Of the review
Some soldiers had bows aud arrows in
their hands, others carried on their
shoulders very sma guns, and others.
who went probably only 10 increase the
numl er, had no arms at all. Al the
gale OF the city, which was only half
open, tho guard examined by the aid Of
paper lanterns those who presented
themselves 10 60 out. In this way we
passed through The narrow streets " hich
led 10 The plain vf ianchen. In this
open plain was u long file extending
from east &c west OF g.ea, lanterns, on
Which were hung leaves Of red paper
bearing the Inscriptions which indica>
ted the names Of the divisions there as
senblcd. These lanterns were suspen
DEED on poles before each division, begin
ming from the east at the division Of the
red flag. The soldiers, who were pres.
sing about the lanterns, appeared occu-
pied in assembling aud arranging
themselves according 10 their rank =
Our carriage stopped at the vesI cf a
mound on which was great blue tent,
turned towards the south. At the east
and west Of this tent were great Lam
terms hung on long poles serving TO
give light 10 the tenl--ai the south east
and west, smaller tents had been arrang-
ed for the military chiefs.
After having examined what was pas
sing en- This hill, ws vent towards the
troops, and we has not gone more than
hundred PAGES when we approached
the cannon. Twas curious to examine
these pieces, as al present there is no
one in the Chinese Empire capable of
casting them, and the Chinese artillery
(if t'deserve that pomPous name) en-.
ploys pieces taken from the Dutch in
Little Bucharia, or, rather, those which
were made under the direction of the
missionaries, more than a century ago.
/ examined them and found that lhey
were mounted on wooden four wheeled
carriags and fastened by cords full of
knots. passed to other pieces, and
my surprise was increased on seeing
that the carriages were only kept to-
gether by ropes tied about them. The
iron and bronze cannon were not more
than ten decImeters long; they were
placed on the high ground before men.
toned. Three of these pieces were
prepared for firing, and the others pIac-
cd beside them, were hidden bv nl1-.-.-a
uug. was ms 10 conceal their misera
BILE condition, or only 10 protect them
from the dampnessf leave Others to
judge. did not dare TO prolong my ex.
animation Tor fear of awakening suspi-
cion. There were also. large kettle
drums each carried by four men on two
sticks disposed like q cross. The sol.
dlers then began 10 place themselves in
rows before the blue cloth tents destined
for the officers.
l returned to my carriage and awaits
ed the arrival of the officers. In the
east, the heavens began to grow pale
the moon became dim, aud iuclinine
towards the west finally disappeared. -
The lanterns before the lines were all
taken down and extinguished. AT last
the persons appointed by the Emperor
70 inspect the troops, arrived in paIan-
quins, and entered the tent which was on
the hill. The troops were then arrang.
ed in three very long lines, extending
from east TO west. The three cannon
mentioned above, were each discharged
In succession. The recital am about
10 make, will, | think, create surprise.
10 load cannon, they put in a Ger.
tain quantity Of da gao Ia coarse powder
composed principally OF charcoal mixed
with small portions OF nitre and sui
phur.) They FL up the touch-hoIe with
finer powder, in which nitre predom-
inates-they set fire to it with q match
of twisted paper. The fire having
reached the charge, the da yao begins
TO crackle, the cannon moves back and
forward, and a minute elapses before IL
goes of. was not an eye witness Of
what have related, bot | was told so by
the cannoniers themselves The can
non exercise was succeeded by gun-6r-
ing. About twentieth part OF the men
only fired, beginning in the middle Of
the ranks, aud finishing at the extremes.
Every row fired 10 turn, frst making a
movement forward to the disordepIy
sound Of The drums before mentioned
This sort o. fpsIilade was repeated six
times. After this, each rank effected a
Fefrouode rnovano,nf ..o-..-....l -. :